Multiple Columns on PDF Pages

DEVONthink Tips
1

I am a new user of DEVONthink. I have just switched from Nota Bene in Windows to Mellel/Bookends/DEVONthink on Mac and am loving it. I am using DEVONthink to organize my research for my PhD dissertation.

One question that I am struggling with . . . I have several scanned articles from journals that have been OCRed that I want to import. These pdfs have two facing pages on each pdf page. I also have some articles where the information is in columns on one page.

After OCRing these type of documents, I find that if I cannot select more than one line in one column or facing page without selecting the opposite line in another column or facing page.

Based upon this observation, I am assuming that text file that is overlaying these images must not retain the correct line order. So the last word at the end of a line on page 1 must be followed by the first word on the corresponding line of the next column or facing page insead of the first word of the next sentence in its own column or facing page.

After that complex description, my question is pretty simple: Does this negatively affect DEVONthink’s ability to contextualize words in a document?

If so, does anybody have any suggestions for how to deal with articles in multiple columns?

Thanks,
Russ Quinn

2

This occurs with all PDFs when using programs based on Apple’s PDFkit (e.g., Preview or DEVONthink Pro). To select text in a column (or other defined area on a page) in these programs, hold down the option key and drag a box over the text. All text inside will be selected. Acrobat Reader 8 will confine text selection to columns naturally.

3

Thanks for the helpful reply.

I’ve been using Adobe Reader 8 in the Windows environment so I was worried when the PDFs didn’t work like I was use to.

I installed it on my Mac and it works just like it did on Windows.

Thanks again.