Integrating Devonthink and TheBrain

DEVONthink Scenarios
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I have found TheBrain9 to be useful for documenting ideas and connections between them, but am not comfortable storing data internally. I have found a happy solution for me. I use Devonthink as a repository to store all material in a standard hierarchical structure, and then drag-and-drop pieces into TheBrain. This works for PDFs and other files such that links are made back to DT. I generally use simple text files for notes, and when I drag-and-drop these into TheBrain it shows the text from the notes in the preview. In this way, I am able to document the development of my ideas while maintaining a systematic database of all materials.

Perhaps others will find this protocol useful.

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Yes, using DT as the repository and other apps like TheBrain to display or otherwise analyze data has been discussed in the forum.

Currently I am using Tinderbox (TB) to store notes that may also reference PDF and text files stored in Dropbox using Dropbox’s file reference notation pasted into Tinderbox. The Dropbox files are indexed into DTPO where I can use its super searching capabilities and AI. In TB I use it’s agents and TB’s attribute/value mechanism to analyze using different perspectives.

Since I rely on my mobile devices as much as my Macs, I’m pleased to have DTTG syncing flawlessly with Mac DTPO. I am working with the next version beta Brain 9 and that doesn’t have an iOS platform yet (version 8 does have a very good iOS app), so I am using the stunningly powerful Parallels Access on my iPad Pro to view my Mac desktop where I can use TheBrain and Tinderbox to get the whole system working on desktop and mobile. In TB I can tap on a Dropbox link and have it appear in my desktop browser viewed on my iPad. I can then move to DTTG and do other processing if I need to, all on my iPad. Nice!

DEVONthink provides the best foundation for storing data that is used by other apps (assuming there are good handshaking capabilities between them), to say nothing of just storing and accessing data like financial files, legal papers, receipts, etc. Devonthink is a mighty powerful system!

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Very important point – and one I also believe applies to DEVONthink to Go as well as DEVONthink on OS X. Some times we see comments or requests here from folks that want DEVONthink to be the editor for this or that type of file – or DEVONthink to be the one-source repository for all their data. Those are valid approaches, of course, but perhaps also miss out on the better-together approach that @pvonk and @MountainGoat explain, above.

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Yes, indeed, DTPO and The Brain is a splendid example of the “better-together approach.” Now, can anyone tell me how to manipulate DTPO into a ‘consummated love affair’ with OmniFocus? That would be sweet.
-Joseph

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Well, last I looked, there were 300+ threads on this topic here, and more on the OmniFocus forums (old and new forum) and a lot of bloggers writing on this subject, in general. Not sure what your requirement means – but perhaps somewhere in that horde there’s some good info. The key to almost any solution is using DEVONthink item links in your OF tasks, and OF links in your DEVONthink notes (if you use DEVONthink for notes).

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That’s exactly how I am using DEVONthink and OmniFocus together: I create tasks in OmniFocus and link to documents in DEVONthink using item links. The item links are portable and work also when synchronized to OmniFocus/DEVONthink To Go.

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