Here’s a pretty straightforward issue. I want to clip this article from Harper’s as a PDF:
The editors at Harper’s have kindly typeset their site in a serif font, which is much better suited to legibility when reading long-form prose. However, I don’t want all the rest of the junk and images on the page—all I’m after is the text.
But DT’s clutter-free PDF clipper insists on using a sans-serif font, which makes the article far more difficult to read without the serifs. I’ve seen recommendations to use Safari’s Reader mode to get better results for the clipper, and Safari’s Reader at least offers a modest selection of fonts, but DEVONthink still insists on this behaviour.
Why is choosing a serif or monospaced font not an option? Can you please add this functionality? Thanks.
For that site, I’d use “Print” from the browser. Gives me a nice, serif-fonted PDF without any clutter with Firefox. Perhaps something even better with Chrome, I didn’t try that. Seems that the people at Harpers provided for a nice print CSS.
In addition to @chrillek’s suggestion, what I would do (and did do as test) use Safari (as that’s what I use 99% of the time), Reading View, then Menu:File → Print and pick “Save PDF to DEVONthink 3”. Comes out perfectly for my retention, reading, and sometimes annotating.
PS. Looks like an interesting article which I’ll read this afternoon. Thanks!
Brilliant, thank you! That’s exactly what I’m looking for. I was trying to use the Safari’s DT3 browser extension after activating Reading View—I didn’t know there was an option to save PDFs to DT3 in the print dialog.
Still, the option to adjust the font for the Sorter would be much appreciated. This workaround is a little clunky, though I’m sure I’ll try to figure out how to script it soon. I don’t even particularly care about having a variety of font options, just the ability to choose between serif and sans-serif.
They do have quite a nice print CSS. Sadly, it doesn’t render in Safari.
ETA: d’oh! I just noticed they also offer a PDF of the original print version in the sidebar. I probably should’ve picked a different site to illustrate the issue.
As I’m satisfied with my use of Safari’s Reader view, then putting a PDF of that view to DEVONthink, I can’t help you with Sorter which I rarely use it unless putting a bookmark to DEVONthink.
In Safari Reader view, you can pick you preferred font by clicking on the little font icons on the right side of the URL at the top.
I like saving PDFs (not Markup, text, etc.) because the features for reading, highlighting, and annotating PDFs are just right for my needs.
Actually, legibility is relative. For example, when polled many Europeans cited sans-serif as easier to read. English and North Americans preferred serif fonts.
Also, there is data that elderly, autistic, and dyslexic people can more easily identify sans-serif fonts. Many people with limited eyesight have also reported sans-serif as better for them. (Ever notice an eye chart is sans-serif? )
Having just had my annual eye test, I did notice the letters were Sans Serif. I do not thing they are that way to make them easier to read, but the opposite. The goal of the test is to detect the quality of your eyesight. No point making the letters artificially easier to see.
I prefer fonts with Serifs. never did an eye test to compare but someone surely has.
True, I should have said readability rather than legibility, since the latter is a much broader concept. As @rmschne points out, optotypes like LogMAR’s are designed to standardize legibility for medical testing of visual acuity, not enhance it for lexical processing. (The familiar orthography is more of a convenience than anything else—this article about the PseudoSloan font has a good introduction to the history of optotypes and pseudofonts.)
While the old design wisdom that serif typefaces are more legible has been debunked, they aren’t less legible, either. It seems more relevant for DT3’s users that many—if not most—legal documents, textbooks, newspapers, academic journals, dissertations, novels, etc., are typeset with serifs. Research shows that reading serifs can significantly improve memory and recall, and that a reader’s familiarity with and subjective opinion of a typeface plays a role in ‘immersive’ reading sessions. These observations suggest to me that DT3 users would benefit from the option to clip PDFs in whichever style they prefer and spend most of their time reading.
If accessibility for users with disabilities is the concern, the solution is a flexible, customizable approach that inconspicuously accommodates a user’s individual preferences. I love the DEVON apps and appreciate all the hard work that goes into them—it’s an indispensable piece of software that I couldn’t do without. But my time spent browsing old threads on this forum has taught me that sincere feedback about accessibility aesthetics is often dismissed as being frivolous or in bad taste, rather than welcomed as an opportunity to empower users. (Ever consider that someone might come to this forum to request features that accommodate their disability? )
(Ever consider that someone might come to this forum to request features that accommodate their disability? )
We have customers with different disabilities so what you’re saying is something we already have dealt with for years. That being said, not every suggested “solution” is feasible, possible, or necessarily “the best”.
Also, generally aesthetics are subjective. Such topics are fine to discuss here but making cosmetic changes is not something done without considering the broader appeal and potential ramifications in development and support.
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