I don’t know why (or exactly when) but in recent weeks/days I’ve noted that DEVONthink’s (v. 4.1.1) Classification skills are becoming less reliable.Either decides not to classify, or picks very odd groups. I have re-built the macOS Spotlight index but I wasn’t optimistic that the issue. I also have no interest to use third party AI services.
Is there a way to “start again”. Erase all memory of classification skills and allow DEVONthink to “learn” again? Or another way to help the classification engine?
There is a smart rule per the screen shot below. 99.9% (like the soap!) the files are Markdown or PDFs. There are Finder tags in many of these originating files. When I see items in the InBox, I right mouse click and pick “Classify”. Sometimes there is a notice of where to classify, but more often than not there is no suggested destination. And there are the “odd” assignments suggesting going to what I can only describe as “obscure” (old and rarely used). And yes, I know Classify does not depend on external AI and/or Spotlight, but I rebuilt anyway with no expectations.
The rule looks fine, it’s more likely caused by recent changes the database. E.g. every poorly classified document makes things worse. Or maybe it’s about time to exclude certain documents or groups from the classification or to create subgroups in groups containing a lot of (mixed) documents?
I have quick a few “subgroups” already. And the un-detected “odd” classifications can’t help. I get that. I was kind of hoping for a “start-over” method. I’ll fiddle with it more as you suggest. Thanks.
Rebuilt… Spotlight or the database? If the former, I would initiate a local backup and do a File > Rebuild Database on the problematic one. Just don’t interrupt the process or let the machine power down while it’s working.
Did the rebuild on all databases, cleaned up all files still in Inbox in case that affecting classification picking that group, and still seeing incoming files not classified. Right mouse clicking on files in Inbox, picking “Classify to” sometimes recognises where to classify to, and sometimes does not. Even when “Classify to” recognises, my smart rule (above) apparently didn’t fire. I don’t really know when this anomaly started for me. For a while automatic classifications were working well.
I changed the Smart Rule to fire on PDF or MD, instead of Any Document. The first MD file after that “Not Classified” message in Log Window. Indeed. So I guess rule fired, but no classification result.
Do you use the “See Also” inspector on the right? If you look at it before you classify, you can see which group(s) were chosen when you actually classify the document. I usually don’t automatically classify, I look at where it’s going to go first (usually about 90% accurate, but occasionally I need to highlight a different target instead), and then type ^C to do the actual classification. It adds one extra keystroke, but you get exactly the result you want.
Thanks. I do that also and it’s the right way forward. Something has changed–probably me–with automatic classification which I prefer as a first try. I’ll rework my muscle memory on this. Thanks for the nudge.
I do not know the ^C shortcut. Is “^” the abbreviation for the shift or the control key? Sometimes see also suggests two groups with the same highlighted background color, what happens then if you press the shortcut?
