Why can I not scroll horizontally through the main central info pane in DTP3? Even macOS Finder and HoudahSpot have this feature.
The developers have frequently made clear that they have no intention of adding “3 pane view” to DEVONthink 3, and instead they recommend using split screen. But on a 13-inch screen this is poor advice given the currently limited view options.
Rather than dividing the screen space into two narrow windows on the left and right, it would make much sense to display the two windows stacked vertically, one on top of the other, in order to display longer lines of text. This isn’t possible using native macOS split screen. And attempting to simulate this view mode without full screen ends up cluttering the interface with duplicate toolbars, ultimately reducing the amount of screen space used for displaying meaningful information.
I just want to be able to easily replicate files. DEVONthink makes this simple task unnecessarily difficult by truncating file titles. For example, if I’m doing research for my boss but the article I found is also relevant to my personal research, I might want to sort that item into a couple different groups - one for my job, and a couple different ones related to the topics I’m researching (maybe it’s about big data and racism, so I’d add it to my “big data” group and my “racism” group). This becomes a tedious process. I right-click the item and navigate through a series of menus. Or I open a second DEVONthink window, resize both of them, sort my items, then close the second window and resize the first again. It’s tedious. At least in Finder, I can hit Command+Shift+G to instantly jump to my desired destination. afaik DTP3 doesn’t have anything like Finder’s “Go to the folder…” feature.
To Group: Opens a popup where you can search for a group by name. Results are shown as you type. The chosen group from the results will display as the current group.
If you move the popover you can detach it, i.e. make it stay open.
This script replicates. In the group selector press ⌘ + F to focus the search field.
-- Replicate
tell application id "DNtp"
try
set theRecords to selected records
if theRecords = {} then error "Nothing selected."
set theGroup to display group selector "Replicate in:"
set theGroupsDatabase to database of theGroup
repeat with thisRecord in theRecords
if (database of thisRecord) ≠ theGroupsDatabase then
error "Not possible. You're trying to replicate to another database."
end if
end repeat
repeat with thisRecord in theRecords
replicate record thisRecord to theGroup
end repeat
display notification "Replicated"
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
@aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa sorry, seems one can only tag records by moving them onto a tag in the Go > To Group (or Go > To Document) popover but not replicate them into normal groups.
As @pete31 mentioned, there is in fact a command to jump to a database + group, and a keyboard shortcut to do so.
With respect to the bigger issue of too-limited screen space for displaying metadata, I run into this problem as well, and not just on a small screen. The approaches I use are:
have a keyboard shortcut to hide/show the left-hand panel at will, so that I can quickly hide the left-hand database/group view when I want more space in the document list (there’s also a button in the menubar for this)
reduce the number of metadata columns shown to the minimum. Sometimes I just reduce the view to the document names only
sometimes, when the above don’t work, I turn on the right-hand inspector panel, where the full file name is shown in the generic inspector (which is something that you’re obviously also doing, in one of your screen shots)
I personally kind of like your suggestion about adding horizontal scrolling similar to what the Finder does. It’s not clear whether this might introduce other user interface challenges, but if it were possible, I think it would help in some situations.
I also really wish for a way to have a way to manage metadata columns more effectively. This is something that has been discussed in this forum before; people have suggested column sets, or a way to make column selections “sticky” to separate windows, or something like that. That might help with your problem as well, by making it easier to switch to a view with fewer columns without having to disable individual columns one by one.
I realise this is an old post but cannot find anything more recent on the topic. I am using the trial version of DEVONthink 3.9.6 and am frustrated by the lack of a horizontal scroll bar in the main window. I have selected 13 list columns but there isn’t enough width on the computer screen to show them so they are all truncated. The only view that seems to have a scroll bar is Cover View but I want to use List View. Is there some setting that I am missing to enable this?
I just tried and I put 19 list columns on screen. The very longest ones are truncated (path, URL, etc.) but I don’t mind. I am in “List View” and I removed the Sidebar.
I’m on my iMac 5120 x 2800 pixels, full screen. On a different screen different results, of course.
If I don’t show DEVON think in “full screen” and reduce it down, then I simply scroll by putting the mouse in the list then swipe left or right. You are right, I don’t have a scroll bar either, but not needed far as I can tell.
Thank you for replying. I never thought about removing the sidebar and it made it a lot better. I don’t get the bit about putting the mouse in the list and swiping right or left but then I don’t have an Apple mouse. I have a trackpad and have investigated swiping left or right but obviously I’m not doing it correctly. I must admit I would still like a regular horizontal scroll bar.
If I click on a document in the item list then swipe right or left I get nothing so I am either doing something wrong or there isn’t scrollable space like you mentioned. Should I mention a horizontal scroll in the features request section or has this already been done?
Mouse cursor should be in the window as shown in this screen shot.
Do you have the latest version of DEVONthink (3.9.6 I think) and macOS (varies by Sonoma, Ventura, etc.). Some features of Sonoma has been buggy so far, so perhaps that the issue.
Also in macOS System settings check how your Mouse and TrackPad are set to react to gestures.
As it works for me and others, it’s probably not DEVONthink, maybe macOS and maybe your devices. A horizontal scroll bar will just take up more valuable screen space, IMHO.
To work there must be more columns displayed but not visible. For me with iMac with Apple wireless mouse, the gesture is 1-finger left/right swipe. For my iMac and MacBook with Apple Trackpad the gesture is 2-finger left/right. Why different? Dunno, and not going to explore further.
I was just being silly - I only had 13 columns and they were all visible. The minute I added a 14th column the swipe worked! I am just in the trial version of DEVONthink so you will need to forgive me. Thanks for all your help. I am on version 3.9.6 on Ventura just for the record so will need to get around to Sonoma.
Thanks for the advice. I have a bad habit of only installing the latest macOS very last minute when the new one is about to be released so was meaning to be earlier this time and do it around the 8 or 9 month mark but will maybe wait a bit longer
Thanks for all your help. I am on version 3.9.6 on Ventura just for the record so will need to get around to Sonoma.
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