I implemented both step by step, but still facing an error (in this example I am trying to convert a Doc in Devonthink named Thinking.docx into a md. doc:
pandoc: Thinking.docx.md: openBinaryFile: does not exist (No such file or directory)
Searching for this error code points to some path configuration problems but in my case path should be okey.
-- Setup Your Temporary Folder Here:
set theOutput to "/Users/MY_USER/Downloads/" & theName & ".md"
-- Construct your personal command line options here:
do shell script "export PATH=/Library/TeX/texbin:$PATH && /usr/local/bin/pandoc --wrap=none --extract-media=images" & " Path_to_Docx" & "\" -o \"" & theOutput
Should you have any other ideas, I would appreciate any help!
The other question is: Do you really have a folder named
(Do a Shift-Command-G in the finder and copy/paste the folder name in the dialog boxâ input line). Iâd suppose not - MY_USER is a placeholder for the real user name (like âjoozâ, maybe).
This translates to --extract-media=images Path_to_DocX on the shell level. Which is most probably NOT what you want, since Path_to_DocX is not a command or anything the shell understands. It is probably (!) an AppleScript variable, in which case the line might work better as
(Note the space after images!) I donât know why the -o should be quoted here, but I donât really care, that shouldnât set off the shell one way or another.
However, if the path to your document(s) contain spaces, you might have to quote them like so
(not tested).
Unfortunately, all this is overly complicated. Iâd rather go for a simple AppleScript that calls a shell script with the input file name as its only parameter. Then let the shell script do all the rest. Otherwise, you have all there problems with quoting, overly verbose and illegible shell calls etc.
And we are coming back to the undefined variable as you alluded to above.
Unfortunately, all this is overly complicated. Iâd rather go for a simple AppleScript that calls a shell script with the input file name as its only parameter.
My initial idea was to use a shell script which would be fired up by Keyboard Maestro. But the integrated smart rule in DT3 is something I would prefer for this translation to happen automatically. I will look into your recommendation to re-build the flow and just use a simple shell embedded into apple script.
Btw, the reason I am trying to get this working is to finally have direct integration between iThoughts mindmaps and DT3. iThoughts is able to export into docx but not into md with embeeded pictures ⌠so one needs to go via this workaround.
In the ideal world, it would be cool to have DT3 be able do translation from docx into markdown + images directly (either via a bespoke script in their library) or native feature.
Yes sir. I hope that Craig (iThoughts developer) will consider implementing this. He was very responsive to the feedback in the past.
For now, I need to get this working with some bash.
Argh. Iâm sorry, I didnât notice that the backslashes where gone in this code snippet. The end should read images \"" & Path_to_Docx & "\" -o \"" & the Output & "\""
What youâd want to see as a shell command is export PATH=/Library/TeX/texbin:$PATH && /usr/local/bin/pandoc --wrap=none --extract-media=images "Document.docx" -o "Converted.md"
So you need quotes around the original document name and the converted one, to protect spaces and other special characters. And you need to make sure that not the string âPath_to_Docxâ is passed to the shell but the value of the variable of that name.
Iâm not quite sure that what you want to achieve (export a mindmap from iThoughts to Markdown) is feasible. As I see it, the mindmaps can be fairly complicated two-dimensional graphs. Is this really something that can be represented in Markdown? How so? On the other hand, wouldnât PDF be a more useful format (and supported by iThoughts, too) because it can preserve the graphics? And a PDF should be searchable, too (like Markdown).
Iâm not quite sure that what you want to achieve (export a mindmap from iThoughts to Markdown) is feasible. As I see it, the mindmaps can be fairly complicated two-dimensional graphs. Is this really something that can be represented in Markdown? How so? On the other hand, wouldnât PDF be a more useful format (and supported by iThoughts, too) because it can preserve the graphics? And a PDF should be searchable, too (like Markdown).
TL;DR: iThoughts for food for thoughts. DT for real thoughts.
That is pretty straightforward and it works like magic for me. I use iThoughts for mindmapping (as you say two dimensional graphs). For visual people like me that is great start instead of a blank piece of md paper. What iThoughts is doing during the export is that it creates a bullet list document based on parent-child relationships from your mindmap and preserves all embedded images (which is the best part!). Once you have a docx you can convert it into md and put into your knowledge management system/zettelkasten/howeveryoucallit in Devonthink for further processing, editing, etc.
Iâd say that youâre (or the script is) trying to save the images to a read only file system.
Frankly, itâs there in plain English, thereâs nothing anybody can do to make it clearer.
Check the pandoc documentation, figure out where it tries to save the images to and make sure that directory exists and is writable by you. Run the script from a command line, make sure it works there and then implement it in DT.
I guess in a few moments youâll be happy you mentioned him. Some time ago I wanted to know if thereâs a better way than UI scripting to get a DEVONthink link from a selected node into an AppleScript. When I read âiThoughts developerâ I realized that I had forgotten what it was that I asked him, so I reread his answer. He wrote that iThoughts itmz files are basically zips and that I could get what I was looking for directly from the file. Reading this made me curious if it would work in your scenario too. It does.
However itâs not fully automated. It takes four clicks to index a map as markdown record with pictures. If the destination group doesnât change you could hard code it with get record with uuid or create location which would make it three clicks. If you know youâll be using just one map for some time it could also make sense to hard code its path instead of choosing it every time.
The good news: Depending on the way you work (whether the mindmap doesnât change after youâve left iThoughts, or if you go back and forth between both apps and make changes) I thought it could be useful to update an already indexed markdown record, so if you choose a map which is already indexed as markdown it will be updated instead of indexed again. I guess this is quite near
One important thing: if a markdown record is updated the entire contents of its folder are moved to trash so DONâT PUT OTHER FILES IN THESE FOLDERS!
Let me know if itâs working for you.
-- Index iThoughts mindmap as markdown record (with pictures)
property theDefaultLocationPath : POSIX path of (path to documents folder) & "iThoughts" -- set default location of choose file dialog
property theOutputPath : POSIX path of (path to desktop) & "Indexed iThoughts Markdown" -- set folder where markdown subfolders should live
tell application "SystemUIServer"
activate
set thePath to POSIX path of (choose file of type {"com.toketaware.uti.ithoughts.itmz"} default location theDefaultLocationPath)
end tell
set theName to (characters 1 thru -6 in (do shell script "basename " & quoted form of thePath)) as string
set thisOutputPath to theOutputPath & "/" & theName
try
tell application "Finder" to move entire contents of folder (POSIX file thisOutputPath as alias) to trash
do shell script "mkdir -p " & quoted form of thisOutputPath & " && unzip " & quoted form of thePath & " 'assets/*' 'text.md' -d " & quoted form of thisOutputPath
do shell script "mv " & quoted form of (thisOutputPath & "/text.md") & space & quoted form of (thisOutputPath & "/" & theName & ".md")
on error
do shell script "mkdir -p " & quoted form of thisOutputPath & " && unzip " & quoted form of thePath & " 'assets/*' 'text.md' -d " & quoted form of thisOutputPath
tell application id "DNtp"
try
activate
set theGroup to display group selector "Index iThoughts Markdown in:"
set theRecord to indicate ((thisOutputPath & "/text.md") as string) to theGroup
set name of theRecord to theName
on error error_message number error_number
if the error_number is not -128 then display alert "DEVONthink" message error_message as warning
end try
end tell
end try
Hi @pete31 - thanks a lot for your highly detailed explanation. I tried the script back in the summer but never got it working and somehow forgot to report back âŚ
I am sure I am using the script incorrectly - i tried to use it as a script (not a smart rule).
Can you advise me on the first two lines:
property theDefaultLocationPath : POSIX path of (path to documents folder) & âiThoughtsâ â set default location of choose file dialog
property theOutputPath : POSIX path of (path to desktop) & âIndexed iThoughts Markdownâ â set folder where markdown subfolders should live
I am supposed to change anything here?
Basically if I select an .itmz file and let this script run via a script DT3 menu - nothing happens on my end.
Did you try running the script in Script Editor? There you usually get an error message that could point you in the right direction.
From what I understand, you get to the point where you interactively select a itmz file? Then the two lines you mentioned are predicably not at fault. But then I might be wrong, @pete31 would know for sure.
property theDefaultLocationPath must be set to an existing folder, e.g. POSIX path of (path to documents folder). The path I used in the script is my iThoughts folder. Should have made this clear.
Anyway Iâll post a better version in a few minutes
Hi @jooz, the old script probably didnât work as expected because you have no âiThoughtsâ folder in your âDocumentsâ folder. I forgot to remove my paths and to make clear that you need to set the first property to an existing path.
Anyway, this old script was more of a test script that you could try to see if it would do what youâre looking for. By the way if something doesnât work or youâre not sure how to use it itâs always a good idea to report that as otherwise thereâs no chance to change it.
Hereâs a new version.
Setup:
Set property theChooseFromListDefaultPath to the folder which you want to see in the dialog (ideally the folder where you store your iThoughts files).
Set property theOutputPath to the folder in which the script should create subfolders in. Please make sure to use an empty folder (as the script tries to delete a sub-subfolder âassetsâ on each run). You wonât see this folder or a subfolder in DEVONthink as only the markdown file is indexed.
Donât put any other files in the sub-subfolder âassetsâ as this folder will be deleted on each run.
-- Index or update iThoughts mindmap as markdown (with pictures)
-- Setup:
-- Set property theChooseFromListDefaultPath to the folder which you want to see in the choose from list dialog
-- Set property theOutputPath to the folder in which subfolders should be created. If the path doesn't exist it will be created.
-- Usage:
-- If you've made changes in iThoughts save them.
-- Run the script
-- Choose a mindmap
-- If the chosen mindmap is not indexed it will be indexed (you'll be asked in which group)
-- If the chosen mindmap is already indexed it will be updated (select it to see the updated content)
property theChooseFromListDefaultPath : "/Users/USER/Documents/iThoughts" -- set path of the folder which you want to see in the choose from list dialog
property theOutputPath : "/Users/USER/Desktop/test output" -- set path of the folder in which subfolders should be created. If path doesn't exist it will be created.
tell application "Finder"
try
try
set theChooseFromListDefaultFolder to (POSIX file theChooseFromListDefaultPath as alias)
on error
error "Error: Path \"" & theChooseFromListDefaultPath & "\" doesn't exist."
end try
on error error_message number error_number
activate
if the error_number is not -128 then display alert "Finder" message error_message as warning
return
end try
end tell
tell application id "DNtp"
try
activate
set thePath to POSIX path of (choose file of type {"com.toketaware.uti.ithoughts.itmz"} default location theChooseFromListDefaultPath)
set theName to (characters 1 thru -6 in (do shell script "basename " & quoted form of thePath)) as string
set thisOutputPath to theOutputPath & "/" & theName
on error error_message number error_number
if the error_number is not -128 then display alert "DEVONthink" message error_message as warning
return
end try
end tell
tell application "Finder"
try
try
set theOutputFolder to (POSIX file thisOutputPath as alias)
set folderExists to true
on error
set folderExists to false
end try
on error error_message number error_number
activate
if the error_number is not -128 then display alert "Finder" message error_message as warning
return
end try
end tell
if folderExists = false then
my extractFiles(thePath, thisOutputPath)
tell application id "DNtp"
try
activate
set theGroup to display group selector "Index iThoughts Markdown in:"
set theRecord to indicate ((thisOutputPath & "/text.md") as string) to theGroup
set name of theRecord to theName
on error error_message number error_number
if the error_number is not -128 then display alert "DEVONthink" message error_message as warning
return
end try
end tell
else
try
tell application "Finder" to move (POSIX file ((thisOutputPath & "/assets") as string) as alias) to trash
end try
my extractFiles(thePath, thisOutputPath)
do shell script "mv " & quoted form of (thisOutputPath & "/text.md") & space & quoted form of (thisOutputPath & "/" & theName & ".md")
tell application id "DNtp"
try
if exists (viewer window 1) then
if (content record of viewer window 1) â missing value then
set theRecord to content record of viewer window 1
if ((path of theRecord) as string) = ((thisOutputPath & "/" & theName & ".md") as string) then
set selection of viewer window 1 to {} -- this is needed as the "synchronize" command doesn't update the displayed content
set selection of viewer window 1 to {theRecord}
end if
end if
end if
on error error_message number error_number
if the error_number is not -128 then display alert "DEVONthink" message error_message as warning
end try
end tell
end if
on extractFiles(thePath, theOutputPath)
do shell script "mkdir -p " & quoted form of theOutputPath
set theListing to do shell script "unzip -l " & quoted form of thePath
if theListing does not contain "assets/" then
do shell script "unzip " & quoted form of thePath & " 'text.md' -d " & quoted form of theOutputPath
else
do shell script "unzip " & quoted form of thePath & " 'assets/*' 'text.md' -d " & quoted form of theOutputPath
end if
tell application "Finder" to set modification date of (POSIX file ((theOutputPath & "/text.md") as string) as alias) to current date
end extractFiles
Is that right ? I think the reason for needing to export the path may actually be slightly different.
I believe AppleScript just uses a fresh vanilla instance (without any imported variable settings) of whatever the default system shell is set to be, which may well be zsh on recent systems.
For example, on this Catalina 10.15.7 system, evaluating:
do shell script "printenv"
yields a listing of the fairly sparse set of names bound in a vanilla shell environment, which, as you say includes only a very minimal value for PATH but, does, in fact does start with:
SHELL=/bin/zsh
Two practical conclusions:
We do need to explicitly set any PATH and other environment variable values which we are relying on. The do shell script shell instance is not initialised in the same way as Terminal.app instances, but
we may also need to be aware that the flavour of shell syntax available by default to AppleScriptâs do shell script can vary between systems, and is determined (by default) by the systemâs default shell setting ?
But I may be getting this wrong â perhaps others can advise us.
I notice that do shell script "$0" just yields a raw sh
I was able to make this scrip run - and it works pretty nicely! I did test a bunch of mindmaps.
one of them resulted in an assets folder generated but no md file (still not sure what is so specific about that mindmap - will let you know if I find out)
encrypted mindmaps do not work which is WAI I assume
The absolute nirvana would be a bi-directional script which would be able to convert/update itmz -> md and the other way around depending on where the last changes have been made ⌠Not sure this is even feasible - just thinking out loudly.
Fantastic work! You made these two great apps work with each other really nicely!
And again this is an example of such an amazing community here on DT forum Thank you very much @pete31 & @chrillek.
@pete31 you could suggest DT folks to include your script (if that is indeed ok for you) into the DT script library - this is an awesome asset!
