DEVONthink is not the Finder, nor is it intended to be used as a Finder replacement. Although the developers have attempted wherever possible to use actions and commands that are familiar to users of OS X, many of them are intended to work within DEVONthink’s unique environment.
In the Finder, double-clicking a file results in opening that file in the app that’s designated in the Finder as that file’s creator. In that app’s environment, the information content of the file is largely isolated from the information content of other files available on that computer. Very often, files are opened in this way in order to edit them.
In DEVONthink, double-clicking a document results in opening that document in its own window but still within the DEVONthink environment. For many filetypes, this does not allow editing. However, it’s very important that the information content of that document is not isolated from other documents in the database, but is integrated into the information content of all other documents, including those of other filetypes. This is monumentally different from the Finder environment. It’s why most people use DEVONthink.
Here’s a somewhat trivial example of integration of information content: Option-click on a single-word term in a document opened within DEVONthink. A list of all other documents in the database that contain that term appears. That’s not possible if the document had been opened externally.
I make a lot of use of the See Also assistant in DEVONthink, which suggests other documents in the database that may be contextually related to the one being viewed. When I’m writing within the database, I can select a section of text I’ve written and invoke See Related Text, which will suggest other documents that may be contextually related to that selection. Commonly, I’ll have my draft document open in its own window, and add some of those suggestions as new tabs in that window for easy reference. Obviously, these assistants won’t be available if I’ve opened a document externally.
Here’s the rub about adding a Preferences option to DEVONthink that would change the double-click action on a document to open it externally: Choice of that preference allows it to be externally edited. But if the user wants to work with the information content of the document by double-clicking to open it within its own window in DEVONthink, it would be necessary to change the Preferences option back to allow opening it within DEVONthink. Back and forth. And some database views require the document to be opened in its own window to be viewed.
Most users spend a lot more time working with their documents within DEVONthink, making use of the environment and tools, than spend time editing their documents externally. That’s why the default behavior of double-clicking to open a document in its own window inside the database was chosen. It saves time and reduces confusion about Preferences settings.
But a simple keystroke, Shift-Command-O, will open a document externally for editing, as will the Open Externally button in the Toolbar of a document.
I could cite any number of apps that modify or change options commonly used in the Finder (including Apple apps). In some cases, a keyboard shortcut in OS X such as Command-I is used differently according to context. In the Finder, Command-I invoked on a file will open the Info panel, but in a word processing app it will italicize a selection. In DEVONthink, Shift-Command-I is used to open the Info panel of a document, because Command-I has a different but operational context, to italicize a selection of rich text.
The responses to requests for a change in behavior of Command-O (or a Preferences setting) are not meant to be condescending. Yes, the developers could accommodate those requests. But would that add to, or reduce the utility of DEVONthink?
). Adding such an option via Preference does not interfere with the current users and any default behaviour.
