I’m trying to use Finder tags on Big Sur. I’ve never used them, so I’m just starting out.
When I list all my tags, I see thousands of tags in there. Most of them look like they might have come in via RSS feeds and such that I’ve imported into DEVONthink. They all seem to be associated with DEVONthink objects.
Does DEVONthink use the same tags as Finder? Will Bad Things Happen if I try to clear those tags out? Or would it not matter, as long as I use search rather than tags in DEVONthink?
DEVONthink has internal tags but it imports and exports Finder tags.
If your files are indexed, DEVONthink will apply and detect tags from the files.
If you are using a Spotlight index for a database, the tags are exported for Spotlight searching.
If you’re going to clear them out, I’d clear them from within DEVONthink.
Okay, so DT brings in the files, indexes, and passes the tags off to Finder? That’s where they must be coming from.
Is there a way to ask DT to NOT export those database tags to Finder? Or would I have to exclude the DT databases from the index?
DEVONthink only detects tags if Finder tags are already present, if options in the Preferences > Import > Tags section are enabled, or you have smart rules adding tags.
If you are using a Spotlight index for a database, the tags are exported for Spotlight searching.
If you want to disable all Finder tag integration - both importing and exporting - select DEVONthink’s Help > Documentation > Appendix > Hidden preferences and click the On link under DisableFinderTags.
Okay, so…
I have an RSS feed set up in DEVONthink. No weird custom rules or anything - just an RSS feed.
DT downloads the RSS feed.
Items from that feed now have Finder tags, without any intervention from me.
This would be because DT brought in the item, added its own tags, and then exported those tags to Finder - and setting DisableFinderTags to “On” would solve that problem going forward, correct?
Do you want all those RSS tags added? Because that is an option that you can toggle off in DEVONthink’s Preferences>RSS.
Ah, that’s super-cool. That will work nicely. 
Thanks!