DT4.0.1: Strange selection behavior with markdown files

This is hard to explain.

When I’m editing a markdown file and I scroll to the bottom of the page, and then double-click to select an entire line, the page scrolls down a few lines - and then selects some other random line above it. And when I try to scroll to the bottom again, it doesn’t allow me to do so, as if the scrollbars have reached as far as it can go. But of course, there’s still more text—I just can’t get to it. I have to change focus to another document or something and come back to it for the scrolling to function properly.

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I did experience the same.

It’s 2am and i’m in bed but 4.0.2 was released Tuesday :sleeping_face:

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Perfect. 4.0.2 is looking good. Sweet dreams, Jim! and THANK YOU!

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Excellent and a “you’re welcome” from the team!

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DT4.0.2 Still happening, but different behavior.

When I go to the very bottom of a markdown file (one that has text extended beyond the bounds of the window) and continue typing, the document scrolls(bounces) down such that where I’m typing is no longer visible. With every keypress thereafter, it just alternates between scrolling down and returning to where it should be. Scrolling with the mouse doesn’t work immediately.

Video: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/7an3hizmab7s3krqfr7bt/Screen-Recording-2025-07-23-at-5.01.48-AM.mov?rlkey=xgftc73y4eody7le5zf00ywzp&st=3itpb3sa&dl=0

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I’m experiencing the same today and for the first time. Thank you for raising the issue!

Welcome @AdamHistorian

  • Do you have Files > Markdown > Syntax highlighting enabled in the settings?
    • If so, does the behavior persist after disabling it?

Thank you, Jim! I restarted my computer before I saw your reply, and after I did that, the problem was gone.

You’re welcome!
Let us know if the issue recurs.
Also, if it does, first just try changing the size of the window to see if that alleviates the issue.

Did this happen e.g. after changing options in Settings > Editing or the Format menu? Or did you paste text copied in a Markdown document?

Yes. When syntax highlighting is enabled, it does the jumping. When I disable, it doesn’t.

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Hi everyone

Just want to predicate - anything over text/messaging can look unnecessarily aggressive, but I dont feel that :slight_smile:

running v 4.3.2

I have experienced this same issue now and it is causing me huge issues, Im not going to write a wall of text. Has this been fixed? Its been over a year since it has been registered as a bug.

Ive brought a new licence of v4 - due to the breath/depth of this app its not possible to test every feature.

Welcome @Dsumman
We have signficant improvements in DEVONthink Markdown coming. Stay tuned.

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thank you Jim

I totally respect the time constraints in building software, but do you have a rough timeline? 1 month, 3 months, 1 year etc.

The reason I ask is that I brought DT to help me manage the massive influx of markdown files during my agentic tasks, I thought it was going to be a great way for me to manage a central store of all my specs/skills and agentic loop instructions. But my investment unfortunately failed immediately…

Just a bit of background, I have huge difficultly with large unformatted monolithic text blocks (visual dyslexia) and the inline highlighting, and titles formatting is incredibly important.

Ive been using typora and managing individual folders, it didn’t even occur to me that this scrolling MD file bug would be a thing, before purchasing DT.

Thank you!

I’ve also bumped into the scroll issues, bu here it happens with typewriter mode on.

A quick fix is to resize the windows. This jolts the rendering and fixes it.

Quite annoying really

You’re welcome but we don’t comment on development timeframes. It too often leads to frustration or disappointment on both sides of the situation. That being said, we don’t say things like “Stay tuned” unless something is relatively “soon”.

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Ok, understood.

I have run into this bug as well. I had to switch that feature off.

holy S**T Jim

the new version is amazing!

Appreciate the fix massively, agree. This is head and shoulders above what was there before.

I can now see even better because of the new themes, these little things can make such monumentally big differences.

Thank DT people.

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