How to quickly move items to folders

[retlas]

Hi,

Recent convert from Evernote to DEVONthink, but I am missing one feature I use daily.

There’s an Evernote feature where you can type the folder name at the top of the note and it will search ahead and easily select the item’s final folder destination.

I installed the move script, but it still requires me to click down to the specific folder.

Is there a feature I’m missing?

[BLUEFROG]

No. There is currently no mechanism with type-ahead searching like this. It may be a feature in a future version. Thanks for your patience and understanding.

[retlas]

Hi Jim,

Is there a better way to file than using folders? Moving each file individually with a mouse and nested folders is cumbersome.

[BLUEFROG]

Database organization, ie. groups / no groups / or something in between - is entirely up to the individual. You can use the Sorter or Favorites for more focused moves.

[korm]

@retlas

Is there a better way to file than using folders? Moving each file individually with a mouse and nested folders is cumbersome.

Sure. Don’t use folders. The AI (See Also) in DEVONthink is excellent, so a very valid method of using a database is to use very few folders and rely on Search and on See Also when you want to locate your documents. An in-between method is to use Search and then click the “+” next to the entry field in Search to save the search as a smart group.

In some databases, I create Smart Groups to find documents for a particular project and then delete the Smart Group(s) when I’m finished. (BTW, this also works in Finder for documents in your file system.)

You’ll probably find you don’t want to be totally “folderless”. So don’t make it a task for yourself to try to organize your files fast and furiously – just let a folder structure emerge over time. Makes life with DEVONthink a lot simpler.

[mkowske]

@retlas

Hi Jim,

Is there a better way to file than using folders? Moving each file individually with a mouse and nested folders is cumbersome.

Not sure if this is better or not, but I was given an alternative here:

Quickest way to create and assign an item to a group

Coming from Evernote I am trying to judge whether I can switch solely to DT and not cause too many pain points – my question here is surrounding quickly creating a new item and assigning it to a group and/or tags. In Evernote I can do this pretty easily because there are fields in the note header for both notebook and tag… you can begin typing and it will search on demand and fill in the most logical result for you. I haven’t found something like this in DT. So, what is the fastest way to creat…

Basically you can include groups as tags and can then can assign to a group/folder by use of the tags bar (^+enter). This sort of works, except it doesn’t actually move the item but makes a replicant. So you still need to go and delete the original to “move” it instead of replicate. I also avoid using the mouse whenever I can and although this is more keyboard than optimal, it’s better than the mouse IMO.

Select item
Ctrl+enter to go to tag bar
Type start of group (auto fill)
Enter (creates a replicant, item will go italic/red)
Tab, Tab to select again
Delete

Could this be a job for keyboard maestro? It’s a tool I’ve never explored at all but seems maybe it could help?
There, you’ve moved it. This assumes you have unchecked “Exclude groups from tagging” in the database properties.

[AndyE]

The way the Ctl-Enter to start typing tabs feature is exactly what I want to be able to move files to folders. I’d love to add my vote to this.