Create new markdown file and select it

DEVONthink Automation
1

With the script below I create a new markdown file in the selected group; the title of the markdown file is used as a filename.

Now I would like the script to select the item after it has been created so that I can start editing it.

I managed to open the record via

open window for record myRec

But I would like to edit the file in the DT window without opening the item.

What I have

Since I create the record, I have a reference to that record:

		set myRec to create record with {name:theName, type:markdown, content:theMD} ¬
			in the current group

My Script

-- Thursday, 4. June 2020 11:54:09
-- Taken from @cgrunenberg, see:
-- https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/keyboard-maestro-macro-applescript-new-markdown-file-from-selection/51571/2

tell application id "DNtp"
	-- Create a markdown file
	try
		if not (exists think window 1) then error "No window opened."
		set theName to display name editor info "Filename for the Markdown note:"
		set {dateStamp, dateObj, newDateString} to my getDateString()
		-- dateStamp: yyyy-mm-dd
		-- dateObj: date "Thursday, 4. June 2020 at 15:33:49"
		-- newDateString: "Thursday, 4. June 2020 15:33:49"
		
		-- get filename
		try
			set invalidName to false
			-- set theName to selected text of think window 1
			if theName is "" then set invalidName to true
		on error
			set invalidName to true
		end try
		if invalidName then error "No filename entered."
		
		-- set theContent to display name editor info "Please enter the Markdown note:"
		set theMD to "# " & theName & return & "Created: " & newDateString & return & return
		
		set myRec to create record with {name:theName, type:markdown, content:theMD} in the current group
		
	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
	
	-- open the markdown file
	-- open window for record myRec
	-- from: https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/applescript-to-open-specific-item-in-dtp/45794/4?u=ugur
end tell


on getDateString()
	set dateObj to (current date)
	
	-- reformat date
	-- from:  date "Thursday, 4. June 2020 at 15:33:49"
	-- to:    "Thursday, 4. June 2020 15:33:49"
	set dateString to (dateObj as string)
	
	-- replace in date 
	-- " at " =>  " "
	set newDateString to ¬
		do shell script ¬
			"echo " & quoted form of dateString & ¬
			" | sed -E 's/ at / /g'"

	-- Padding for month and day
	-- => No matter what, take the last 2 chars
	set theMonth to text -1 thru -2 of ("0" & (month of dateObj as number))
	set theDay to text -1 thru -2 of ("0" & day of dateObj)
	
	set theYear to year of dateObj
	
	-- Now create a date like this: yyyy-mm-dd
	set dateStamp to "" & theYear & "-" & theMonth & "-" & theDay
	-- return {dateStamp:dateStamp, dateObj:dateObj}
	return {dateStamp, dateObj, newDateString}
end getDateString
2

Try adding…

set selection of think window 1 to {myRec}
3

Excellent! Thank you.

Do you happen to know how I can open the record / item in the default app?

These two lines open the record in DT:

open window for record myRec

or

open tab for record myRec in think window 1
4

The open commands are for use within DEVONthink.

You could get the record’s path and tell the other application to open it, if that app is scriptable.

Alternatively, you could use a…

do shell script "open " & (quoted form of (path of myRec as string))
1 Like
5

Or you could script the Finder and tell it to open the file.

1 Like
6

Perfect! Thank you. Now DT opens my markdown file in “Typora”

7

True. In that case, you could use…

	set recpath to (path of myRec as string)
	-- open the markdown file
	-- open window for record myRec
	-- from: https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/applescript-to-open-specific-item-in-dtp/45794/4?u=ugur
end tell

tell application "Finder" to open (recpath as POSIX file)
1 Like
8

No problem.