I’m working on a large project where I need to keep some files in the MacOS folder system, and some within DEVONthink. I have indexed the OS folder structure into DEVONthink, but the files I create within those indexed folders don’t appear in the finder. This is what I want, though in some cases I’d like to at least know there are additional files within DEVON that I’m not seeing. I solved this by grabbing the tiny file icon to the left of the filename at the top of the DEVONthink document window, and dragging it into the finder folder. This creates an alias to the file.
Am I doing this the best way? Is there a way to do this for DEVONthink groups?
That’s called a “proxy icon” in OS X land, and your technique is an OK one, IMO.
Caveats lurk here though: Remember that the alias is an alias to the actual file inside the database package. If you control-click the alias you dragged out of DEVONthink and choose “Show Original” from the contextual menu, you will be transported into the depths of your database – where mischief can happen to the unwary. So be careful. Also, double-clicking that alias will not open DEVONthink – it will just open the file in whatever app is its editor (Acrobat, etc.)
There’s another way that’s safer and will open the file in DEVONthink. Select a document in your database. Choose Edit > Copy Item Link to put an x-devonthink-item:// link on the clipboard. Press ⌘N to create a new file from the clipboard in your database. The file will be a “bookmark”. Drag the bookmark to Finder. You will have an .inetloc file in Finder, which is a direct link (when double-clicked) to open that document inside DEVONthink in the proper group in your database.
Thanks, Korm. That is exactly what I was hoping to do. I’d copied the link, but hadn’t figured out the most efficient place to paste it. Much appreciation your way.
