opening and closing multiple projects simply

DEVONthink Tips
1

NB: I originally posted this 1/13/08 in DT/DN Tips and Tricks but received no responses. Maybe there are none, but i hope i am not violating forum rules to repost in perhaps a more appropriate foum. Anyway, here is original post:

i am a writer and am always working on multiple manuscripts. (more and more i am using DTP as my original word processor! AND, … like some others, would love to see a DEVONwrite with all the great features of DTP and other more sophisticated, flexible new generation hybrid organizers/mapminders/word processors like smultron, TextMate project, curio, notemind, Voodoopad, et al.)

my question:

is there a (simple, one would hope?) way for me to open an entire project with a click or two? For example, i am currently working on a translation of seneca (let’s call it Project A); a novel with charts, chapters, outlines (Project B); and an essay on medical ethics (Project C) - each with 4 or 5 windows.

i would love to work on Project A, switch to Project B, with all windows of A closing and B opening - all (of A and B) in position i last left them - and then switch to Project C. (i realize one can close and then re-open DTP with this preference but it refers to open windows and positions at closing)

i understand i can do this with separate DTP databases for A and B and C and have done so but am not happy with this solution.

i also realize i could probably do this with scripting but am not facile enough to do so. (i have looked at available DTP scripts in program scripting folder, online scripts, and have looked through this forum for answers.)

i apologize if this is simply answered with available DTP options or has already been answered. like other DTP users, i love DTP but want my (new?) cake and eat it too!

thanks

rich ratzan

2

Hi, Rich. There is a set of “workspaces” scripts provided in the Extras folder (on the disk image when you downloaded DT Pro). Experiment with them to see if they fit your needs.

Following is an ezcerpt from online Help:

Workspaces

The scripts allow you to create different workspace sets and switch between them. A workspace contains references to open windows; switching between sets re-opens all windows stored in it. Use workspaces, for example, for different sets of documents for each of your projects.

Workspaces are stored in a group named ‘Workspaces’ in the top level of the currently open database. If this group doesn’t exists, the New Workspace script will create it automatically.

New Workspace: Create a new group inside the ‘Workspaces’ group and places replicants of all records that are currently opened in document/group windows into this new group. In addition this script will create the ‘Workspaces’ group at the top level of the database if it does not exist already.
Open Workspace: Re-opens all windows saved in a workspace.
Add to Workspace: Adds the frontmost window to a workspace.
Delete Workspace: Deletes a workspace. The original records will not be touched, only the replicants in the ‘Workspaces’ group.
These scripts are not by default available through DEVONthink Pro Office’s script menu. If you want to have these scripts handy, copy the complete Workspaces folder (‘Extras/Scripts/Workspaces’ on the DEVONthink Pro Office disk image) into ‘~/Library/Application Support/DEVONthink Pro.’

Note: Thanks to Rudi Grams (Thailand) for offering these scripts to the public!

3

bill
Thanks a lot! i didn’t think to look in extras or i did i missed the workspaces scripts. it sounds exactly what i am looking for.
now to experiment
thanks again!!
ciao
r

4

hi bill
it works great!
i assume that my -Workspaces- at bottom of alphabetically listed topmost folders is still in keeping with “Workspaces are stored in a group named ‘Workspaces’ in the top level of the currently open database.”
i had assumed it would be first group encountered at top but i am sure that is my misunderstanding of DTP terminology.
this has been VERY helpful. thanks ever so much for helping me organize my multiple on-going projects. and please thank rudi grams (?sp) for me. (again, i suppose there is a way for me to do this directly myself - i will experiment after i post this - but am still new to fora and navigation within them.
ciao
r

5

bill
i hope this reaches you!
is there a way to Delete From Workspace just as there is to Add to Workspace? II know the answer is Yes but i do not have requisite scripting skills to do so.) I tried to find rudi grams to email him directly via google and also Devon user forum without success although i did find some interesting papers on schistosomiasis, an interest of mine from medical school some 40 years ago!
o/w am using this script with much success. thanks again for pointing it out to me!
thanks for any help
rich ratzan

6

Just as a comment, I usually organize projects into groups. At any time, I’ve got 2 or 3 projects going on, each in a separate view window representing the contents of the opened project groups. Just double-click on a group to open it as a new view window. I use Exposé to switch between open views and documents.