OK, but wouldn't it be an interesting option...

Hi Bill,

thank you for that solution.

However, I dare repeating my question:
Wouldn’t it be interesting to have an Option in DevonThink to directly rename the connected file if the name of an indexed file in the DT database is changed?

Martin

Hi, Martin. We probably shouldn’t assume that an Indexed file has no other references. For example, an externally linked PDF might also be linked to a bibliographic citation database under another application.

If that externally linked PDF had its file name changed by DT Pro, the link to the bibliographic citation database would be broken. That would (rightfully) make users unhappy.

By this logic, we would never trust users to rename files even in the Finder… Anyhow, I think Martin just wanted it to be an option.

Is there an AppleScript that would pop up a box requesting the new name, and rename it both in DTP and in the Finder?

Bryce

Yes, cyberbryce is right:

I thought it to be an option - that means that
a) the user is asked when renaming an indexed file if the original file shall also be renamed (with a warning that other external links might become broken afterwards).
b) it would be nice to be able to choose a default behavior (“always change name of indexed file”) or “only change name of indexed file in database”) in the DT preferences.

What do the developers think about such an option.

Martin

There’s a script in the menu Scripts > Path & URL > … to rename external files/folders of currently selected items (including children of selected groups).

elwood> Moreover, please remember that having too many options makes the program less friendly, so that, at the end,you have that function that helps you a bit but also have all the functions (as options!) other people requested, thus it is a globally negative gain.

The ability to choose which options the program must have and which options it’s better to leave behind makes Mac developers often “better” than linux ones: linux developers are often too geek and they put EVERYTHING in their programs, so the normal user is stuck. Look at gimp, X-cd-roast, …

Hi Olaf,

thanks for your comment - I am aware of this problem of too many features and I do understand your point very well.

I just asked if there is already this feature because I have many many pdf files to rename…

Martin