How to make copy with source links interactive?

I have the following use case:

  1. I find a recipe in a pdf document. I take a screenshot of the recipe.
  2. I select some text in the recipe (in the pdf), and choose “copy with source”
  3. I import the recipe as a screenshot.

here, I want to either add the source link as a metadata to the screenshot OR as as text in the transcribed text (I paste the link from the step (2) )

however, in this case, the link is not clickable:

is there a way to make it clickable? so I can quickly navigate to the source?

Would also appreciate any suggestions for improvements for my workflow.
thanks!

also just noticed that for some reason, paste with source link is grayed out:
CleanShot 2025-06-24 at 17.28.28@2x

when I use simple “paste” this is what I get:

(regardless in a new rich text note or in the transcribed text to the imported screenshot)

You aren’t going to get active hyperlinks in plain text metadata fields.
If you create a custom attribute with a Rich Text data type, you can use Copy then Paste with Source Link in the Info > Data inspector.

1 Like

thanks, Jim! that already brings be further.

Q: what would you advise to do? make a screenshot of a recipe and import it as an image? this way, I can get text of the recipe in the “Text Alternative” screen (btw, is it included in the search…?)

OR create a new rich text note, and paste the screenshot of the recipe there…? but in this case, I cannot use OCR or transcribe the text of the screenshot inside the rich text note…

p.s. I’ve just realized, that the paste with source also does not work in the rich text note — why is that…? I’d assume the link would work there

Adding to BLUEFROG’s comment on URLs in plain text: If you right-click the URL, macOS will recognize it as a link and give you an “Open link” command in the contextual menu.

But… I don’t understand why you’re taking a screenshot of a PDF in the first place?

because I’d like to save a particular recipe from a huge PDF cookbook :slight_smile:

You’re welcome.

this way, I can get text of the recipe in the “Text Alternative” screen (btw, is it included in the search…?)

If you are using text recognition for images with Searchable Text (see the AI > Chat > Transcription settings), then yes it is searchable.

OR create a new rich text note, and paste the screenshot of the recipe there…? but in this case, I cannot use OCR or transcribe the text of the screenshot inside the rich text note…

Do you already have a process in place? Why not just a selection link to the recipe in the PDF?

p.s. I’ve just realized, that the paste with source also does not work in the rich text note — why is that…? I’d assume the link would work there

Clarify what a rich text note is. There is no such format and I don’t know if you’re referring to a rich text file or custom metadata with a Rich Text data type.

Copy in a PDF then Paste with Source Link in a rich text document…

1 Like

But why a screenshot? If you want the recipe as an individual document, you could just export the page(s) as a separate PDF.

4 Likes

thanks! that would indeed be an alternative approach! but I could not find an easy way to do that, apart from “drag-and-dropping” a page thumbnail into an index…

is there a way to “copy” a selected page in a PDF…?

I mean this rich text note:

As I illustrated above, it’s working here.

Yes, you can simply drag and drop a page from a PDF in the Document > Thumbnails inspector, though I don’t know what “into an index” means. And yes, you can copy a page and use Command-N to create a separate PDF of the page from the clipboard.

1 Like

okay I have found out why the paste with source link does not work:

steps to replicate:

  1. select text in pdf, click “Copy with Source Link”
  2. create a new rich text document.
  3. copy anything else.
  4. I’m using pastebot as my clipboard manager, if the link is not the most recent one → DEVONthink copies it as a text, the source link is not clickable in this case.

4a. if the source link is the most recent one → DEVONthink pastes it formatted and the links is clickable.

regardless, the “paste with source link” is always grayed out for me. I’m just using CMD V command for pasting.

(on the screenshot):

1: the link was first in the pastebot. CMD V gave me formatted and clickable link
2. the link was not the most recent one in pastebot. the link is not clickable.

You shouldn’t be using Copy with Source Link followed by Paste with Source Link inside DEVONthink.

could you please elaborate? I thought both of them belong together :slight_smile:

No. They’re intended as either / or commands, with specific scopes. See…

2 Likes

Preview, miniatures (sidebar)
New document, drag& drop pages from the original

Alternatively, in DT: turn on the miniatures, select the pages you want, drag and drop them to the inbox or a group.

That’s what I’d do – a lot more boring than going through RTF and what not.

Thanks, Jim!

I think for now I’ll stick with the approach suggested by you: select desired pages in the thumbnail, copy, and create a new document with CMD N

:eyes:

That would work though drag and drop functions in the same way.

1 Like

by miniatures you mean thumbnail…?