PDF permits "copy selection link" but the pdf is locked for further editing

Any suggestions?

A PDF permits selection links, which permits ‘jumping’ to the location where I have a question, or to where I have the answer.

I want to be able to research, note my thoughts, ask questions which then get populated on an ongoing question document, and create links to where i created the question and then to where I found an answer.

A PDF allows all of these actions, but within DevonThink a pdf is locked to editing, and is read only. HTML, formatted notes,

Either the permissions of the PDF are limited or DEVONthink automatically marks the PDF as read-only to avoid possible text-layer corruption due to issues of macOS’ PDFkit framework. A screenshot of the navigation/editing bar would be useful.

What is this referring to?

And why don’t you just use an annotation file for your note taking about the PDF?
You can insert quotes and backlinks from the inspector’s flyout menu.

  1. what kind of annotation file?
  2. insert quotes and backlinks from the inspector’s flyout menu … do you have a gif link to what you refer to? (for example, in this browser i see hyperlink and quote above) wihin DevonThink

within Safari, I click the “clip to DevonThink” icon to the left of the address bar. Choose save as PDF paginated. Then in DevonThink that PDF is locked.

Hyperlinks, backlinks, quotes … I would like to ask someone to share a video or gif of these actions dene with DevonThink, and the type of document these are done within (markdown, formated note, HTML, pdf, text, rich note)

I took an imported PDF

  1. Converted the pdf to markdown (using the right click menu in DevonThink). I did not see any “quotes” or “backlinks” in the flyout menu
  2. Converted the pdf to formatted note (using the right click menu in DevonThink). I did not see any “quotes” or “backlinks” in the flyout menu

These things are all covered in the documentation. See Inspectors > Annotations & Reminders > Annotations in the built-in Help and manual.

and the type of document these are done within (markdown, formated note, HTML, pdf, text, rich note)

Annotation files can be used with any document in DEVONthink.

Also…

https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/search?q=annotation%20files

and …

https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/search?q=annotation%20files%20flyout

“If an annotation file doesn’t exist, you can make one with commands from the down arrow in this section.” in the menu. I can not find the commands in the down arrow in the section.

I have read the section in the PDF manual, in the help section within DevonThink. I can see the annotation pane to the right side, but no annotation flyout, triangle, drop down menu.


is this where the “down arrow” is?
Notice, that there is no “insert quote” available - it is grey. This document is a formatted note.

is this where the “down arrow” is?

Yes, the down arrow opens the flyout menu.

Notice, that there is no “insert quote” available - it is grey. This document is a formatted note.

Development would have to weight in on if HTML formats will be supported for this command.

However, you can still easily copy and paste since you already have text selected. You can ever drag and drop text to the Annotation file, including in the inspector.

wow. All these years using DevonThink and discovering such a useful feature.

I’ve been with the company almost 12 years and still I learn things about DEVONthink all the time.

1 Like