In some discussions, DEVONthink is mentioned as a note-taking app. While this is not entirely accurate, you can indeed compose documents directly in DEVONthink in several file formats. The choice of format depends on your needs and, especially, your personal preferences. Here is an overview of the different options.
Open the Data > New menu to create a new document. You’ll see many options, but here are the available composition formats:
Plain text: The simplest format, this is just text with no formatting. It is often considered the most future-proof format and is used for many purposes, e.g., quick drafts, logging, etc.
Rich text: Rich text (RTF) is intended to create formatted documents without needing heavier word processing applications. It supports tables, lists, and attachments. It is used in many ways, from meeting minutes to journaling and many more.
Formatted note: While not as feature-complete as rich text, this is an editable, HTML-based rich text format that can be viewed in a web browser. It supports basic formatting, e.g., bold and italics, but also images and adding checkboxes via Edit > Insert.
HTML: These documents function like formatted notes, as you can directly edit the content. If you’re so inclined, you can also switch to the source code and hand-craft the underlying HTML.
Markdown: Markdown is plain text to which you can add simple formatting markup. The source text renders as HTML and was designed as an efficient way to create web content while minimizing hand-coding. It is growing in popularity and is used for many of the same purposes as the previous formats. In a previous post, we already discussed why to use Markdown.
Sheet: Sheets contain tabular data, presented as a table or as individual records in the Pro or Server editions of DEVONthink. With user-definable columns and data types, you can use them in many creative ways, like storing bibliographic information, genealogy records, etc. The format is intended for structured data and is less suitable for continuous text.
I think DT is a versatile, most scriptable note taking app (on top all other things). Feel it is very fair to call it that, as well.
Is it only that? Not at all - but it is great at that.
Do you have to use it to take note? Maybe, you do not have to but I would recommend to try, especially if you are still looking for a „perfect“ app and tried all of them in the App Store
Are there „better“ apps for a [format of a note]? Probably - it is the question of your needs and preferences. But compared to many apps - DT supports almost all of them
PS - any other „open file structured“ note taking app you still feel the need/urge/passion to use is one click away from any file in DT
Formatted notes are self-contained html, ie images etc. are embedded in the HTML. As opposed to img elements linking to an external image.
Which is RTFD (Rich Text Format Directory) and not quite the same as RTF, since it’s a container (ie a folder on macOS) containing the images referenced in the RTF proper. Much like TextBundle or a folder containing a markdown file and all the images it references.
Formatted notes are intended to be edited similar to RTF. You don’t go into the internal code of RTF or RTFD and edit it. HTML does support WYSIWYG editing but (1) it doesn’t preserve state like checkboxes, etc. and you can literally code a web page from scratch with it.
Quick question: I just created a formatted note, but it looks like I can’t paste an image into it. Am I missing something?
Also, the biggest issue that keeps me from using DEVONthink more for note-taking is the inconsistent font sizes between Mac and DTTG.
Concrete example:
I have a recipe saved as a Rich Text document. My font settings on the Mac are perfect — the document looks exactly right. But when I open the same file in DTTG, the font becomes way too large. I usually end up selecting all the text and reducing the size manually, but that also shrinks it on the Mac. This inconsistency really breaks the experience.
And one more thing: I don’t see any “Global Font” setting in DTTG. Is there an equivalent setting, or a way to make the reading experience consistent across devices?
DEVONthink and DEVONthink To Go aren’t the same application, on the same platform, using the same technologies. Always keep that in mind when comparing them.
Currently there aren’t such granular formatting preferences in DEVONthink To Go.
Quick update on the copy & pasting issue (in case anyone else is experiencing this).
I’m using the CleanShot app to make screenshots. If you have the “File & Image” option selected in the settings, this causes this bug with pasting screenshots in Formatted Notes in DEVONthink.
The mitigation is to use “Image Only” — this allows you to paste the screenshots in DEVONthink.
I typically use the RTF (or RTFd with attachments) format because it is easy to use, easy to add images or files, and apply formatting. I had tried using the Formatted Note format, as it was more universal (there’s no RTFd file outside the Apple ecosystem). However, I make extensive use of lists, and there is no outlining functions in the Formatted Note. Well, other than checkboxes, which I don’t use often.
I’m trying to use markdown more, but I don’t find it as easy to use as RTF for most things.
If I didn’t need/use hierarchical lists, that would work. But I do, so I like having the functionality.
And, yes, I know that Markdown can do this, but for me, Markdown has a separate list of usability issues for what I typically use notes for. A lot of AI output is in Markdown, and I do store it in that format. But when working with someone unfamiliar with Markdown, it opens up a whole new set of issues.
What we need is a new format that combines RTF, Formatted Note, and Markdown. Having the ability to write in either text or WYSIWYG, and offers all the flexibility and ease of use as RTF (RTFd). Or, maybe, allow DTP to edit in Preview Mode (of course, it then wouldn’t be called Preview mode LOL).
