# Help requested: document publication date search

**URL:** <https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/help-requested-document-publication-date-search/59372>\
**Category:** DEVONthink\
**Tags:** devonthink3\
**Created:** [November 9, 2020, 5:44am UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/help-requested-document-publication-date-search/59372 "2020-11-09T05:44:56Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![SeekingWisdom](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/7ba0ec/32.png) [@SeekingWisdom](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/SeekingWisdom)\
**Post date:** [November 9, 2020, 5:44am UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/help-requested-document-publication-date-search/59372/1 "2020-11-09T05:44:56Z")

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Is there a way within DT3 to search for saved documents by the original publication date of the article?

That is, not by the date I may have “modified” it or “created,” “opened,” or “added,” it to my database?

Looking online at a typical article source code I see that there is often metadata with a format similar to “datePublished”:“2020-11-09”. I have tried searching Metadata/matches/“datePublished”:“2020-11-09\*” but no results, even when I know I have documents with this date.

I have also searched "All/matches/“datePublished”:“2020-11-09”. In addition, I have tried with an asterisk at the end for those instances where there may be additional information following the date. For instance, a Washington Post article uses “datePublished”:“2020-11-09T00:54:48Z” so I tried “datePublished”:“2020-11-09\*” as well as “datePublished”:“November 9, 2020”.

Thanks for any help you can offer.

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**Author:** ![cgrunenberg](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/user_avatar/discourse.devontechnologies.com/cgrunenberg/32/7172_2.png) [@cgrunenberg](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/cgrunenberg)\
**Post date:** [November 9, 2020, 10:19am UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/help-requested-document-publication-date-search/59372/2 "2020-11-09T10:19:33Z")

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Only if you set a custom metadata date on your own to the publication date. Or do the articles contain a digital object identifier (DOI)? Then the smart rule script _Download Bibliographic Metadata_ might be able to download & add some custom metadata.

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**Author:** ![SeekingWisdom](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/7ba0ec/32.png) [@SeekingWisdom](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/SeekingWisdom)\
**Post date:** [November 9, 2020, 10:57pm UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/help-requested-document-publication-date-search/59372/3 "2020-11-09T22:57:30Z")

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> [@cgrunenberg](#):
>
> set a custom metadata date on your own to the publication date

How do I “set a custom metadata date on your own to the publication date”?

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**Author:** ![BLUEFROG](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/user_avatar/discourse.devontechnologies.com/bluefrog/32/135_2.png) [@BLUEFROG](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/BLUEFROG)\
**Post date:** [November 10, 2020, 2:08am UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/help-requested-document-publication-date-search/59372/4 "2020-11-10T02:08:17Z")

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See **Help \> Documentation \> Preferences \> Data** and **Inspectors \> Info** for information on custom metadata.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![SeekingWisdom](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/7ba0ec/32.png) [@SeekingWisdom](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/SeekingWisdom)\
**Post date:** [November 12, 2020, 5:18am UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/help-requested-document-publication-date-search/59372/5 "2020-11-12T05:18:32Z")

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Thank you. I learned something!

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![BLUEFROG](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/user_avatar/discourse.devontechnologies.com/bluefrog/32/135_2.png) [@BLUEFROG](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/BLUEFROG)\
**Post date:** [November 12, 2020, 5:47am UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/help-requested-document-publication-date-search/59372/6 "2020-11-12T05:47:01Z")

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You’re welcome and glad to hear it. I learn new things every day! 🙂