DEVONthink & Default Folder X

Using Default Folder X on Yosemite with DEVONthink Pro Office 2.8.5, it is common, in my experience, that Open and Save dialogs that involve DEVONthink or files opened from DEVONthink into other applications frequently take the user to a location internal to the database package. IOW, it is possible in this scenario to inadvertently save a document to a inappropriate location. I didn’t have this problem with earlier combinations of DEVONthink, Default Folder X or OS X – but it is common now. Use care in using Default Folder X or configure it to ignore DEVONthink.

This is only an observation not a comment on anyone’s product.

Thanks for the hint!

BTW: Do you use V4.7.1? According to the version history it should include a workaround (“Folders within DEVONthink databases will no longer appear in your Recent Folders menu.”) but maybe it’s not sufficient.

The “Recent Folders” issue is a different issue. The “inappropriate folders” issue refers to Open or Save dialogs where Default Folder X has installed itself into the standard OS X dialogs.

:bulb: :bulb:

[i]THAT[/i] must have been how I managed to save the location of my new DB (after splitting out of the main DB) into the already existing (hidden-away) DB folder tree!

So yes, cautious-use-advice well warranted!

8)

@Cassady – yep. I couldn’t figure out “how’d you do that”, until I found myself doing almost the same thing :laughing:

Thanks for this, korm! I was left scratching my head as well. :laughing:

The next maintenance release won’t accept invalid destinations anymore.

This will help in the case of saving a document from within DEVONthink.

The second case is opening a document stored in DEVONthink in an external app and then using that app’s Save or Export features (if any) to resave part of the document. (An example is Export in Curio.) This also attempts to save that new doucment inside the database. The way to avoid this (as CG pointed out to me) is to disable this setting in Default Folder X: “Make Save dialogs automatically default to the current document’s folder”.

just wondering if there are new settings / preferences to make Default Folder X version 5.1.9 work with devonthink pro.

seems like a good solution for importing files into devonthink, and navigating to the right folder (group).

but there are different settings / preferences for the latest version of Default Folder X to make this work.

thanks.

No, it’s not a good solution. The groups do not exist in the filesystem so there’s nowhere for Default Folder to point to. The only place it could point to is the internal structure of the database and you NEVER want to add files this way. Never.

got it.

thanks.

so, what are the suggested solutions for importing files into devonthink, and navigating to the right folder (group)?

thanks.

  • Set Preferences > Import > Destination to Select group
  • Drag and drop to the dock icon
  • Drag and drop to the location in the database.
  • Add a location to the Sorter
  • Use Tools > Show Groups & Tags to drag and drop to
  • AppleScript and Folder Actions may be used (Pro and Pro Office)

thanks very much for this. i actually have the that set up in my preferences.

I guess I’m trying to speed up some of the sorting process, especially when i save / import from another app.

is there any kind of “AppleScript and Folder Actions may be used” that you’d suggest for this process?

thanks again.

When saving from another application, there is no direct mechanism to target a database or group except the Global Inbox. If you attached a Folder Action to a folder (or used something like Hazel), you could save to a folder and have the files sent to those specific locations. However, you’d need to have several of these drop folders (very possible) or code in a map of what goes where (possible but absolutely specific to your environment and needs). The Import & Delete would be a starting point and can be customized in Script Editor.