Hi Folks,
I am wondering how to link to unsupported document (.ppt normally). My idea is to create a txt file in DT containing keywords and phrases then to link this txt doc to the powerpoint presentation or whatever outside DT. Thus the txt should allow me to pick up doc outside DT in a normal search and link to the original doc.
Can this work I have tried and failed.
Any suggestions for alternative methods
Many thanks
Leo
it sounds like you want to create an html file containing keywords and phrases then put a link to the powerpoint presentation in the html file. you can then import the html file to DT.
I think you can do this with rtf/rtfd, but I am not familiar with it.
Hi Douglas
To be honest I’m not sure if I need to do that or even how to do it. The presentation files reside on my HD.
if this would work that would be great and instructions would be much appreciated.
cheers
Leo
well, you can try it and see if it is what you need.
this is long, I put a basic example at the end.
it may be easiest if you use an HTML editor, this is a nice one for the price (freeware).
Taco HTML Edit
tacosw.com/
after you install it, start it up.
click on
Taco HTML Edit > File > New
this will open a window with the “skeleton” of an html page.
you are going to make changes between the ```
and the
Position the cursor below the ```
<body>
``` tag.
enter your word/phrase list just as you would in a text document.
return doesn't mean anything in when html is rendered,
so at the end of each line, you will need a ```
<br>
``` tag.
type it at the end of the first line, copy it, and paste it at the end of the other lines. Past it once more to skip a line.
click on
Taco HTML Edit > Insert > Link
in the first box, delete "http://"
type "file://localhost/[i]full/path/of/your/file[/i]"
in the box labeled Text, type the name of the file
press insert
click the camera in the toolbar to see how it will look.
use
Taco HTML Edit > File > Save
to save it to import to DT
what you added to the skeleton will look something like this:
Power
Point
Presentation
Stunning Presentation
it will render like this:
Power
Point
Presentation
[u]Stunning Presentation[/u]Hi tried your solution and after a while got it to work. Importing the taco.html file doent work just appears as text no link. If I open the taco file in a safari and then capture to DT works fine. Simple if so what long winded solution. I would of thought a must simplier solution should be available natively in DT.
Anyway this works
thanks a million for your input
all the best
Leo
I am familiar with html, but don’t miss Bill DeVille’s discussion of doing this with rtf:
You could also use “File > Link To…” (or drop files while both Command and Option modifier keys are pressed to DT) and add your keywords & info to the comments (as it’s possible to search for comments too).
But this kind of linking currently works only if the unsupported documents are not packages (an upcoming 1.9.x release, probably 1.9.2, will fix this issue).
Thanks agains folks for all the help.
I also tried Bill DeVille’s method.
both are relatively quick and simple.
Have not yet decided which to go for.
thanks again
leo
I was operating under the assumption that if you linked to an unsupported file that DT still attempted to extract text from it so that it would turn up in searches, etc. Is that correct or is it merely a simple link with no other context whatsoever?
ChemBob
No, it’s just a link.
OK, thanks for the info. Then another quick question. If you index a folder and the folder contains unsupported file types, does the index include anything from the body of the file or just from the file name (maybe from any file comments in the ‘get info’ window)?
Thanks in advance,
ChemBob
Only name, path and Finder comment (on demand, see Import preferences) are indexed of unkown files.