Shortening Pasted Link from Copy Annotation Link

DEVONthink Feedback
1

Please consider making available an option to shorten the pasted link data when using the Copy Annotation Link command. In this example, 2022.Q2 GR Market Commentary all data in this section (x-devonthink-item://10584E70-D214-404D-8D7C-01B599FB7369?page=38&annotation=Highlight&x=178&y=280) would be shortened to something like (xdt-i:/2ncs4kbw). The characters between brackets are just my random stab at a shortened link.) The data in brackets would remain the same.

I ask this because I’m finding the Copy Annotation Link feature has become increasingly valuable with the markdown notes in the Zettlekasten way I’m using DT. With the long links, the note often contains more link data than actual notes themselves as the pasted link is used in-line with the note text.

This link shortening could also apply to the pasted data from Copy Page Link and Copy Selection Link.

Thank you.

2

Oops, forgot to put a backslash before the pasted Annotation Link so the link could be accurately seen:

[2022.Q2 GR Market Commentary](x-devonthink-item://10584E70-D214-404D-8D7C-01B599FB7369?page=38&annotation=Highlight&x=178&y=280)

3

You can’t just shorten URLs. That requires a URL shortening engine and an accessible cache that holds those records.

Development would have to assess this but it’s beyond the scope of the application at this time.

2 Likes
4

Why is that an issue?

5

It is a matter of reading efficiency. If the links are inline, the greater the link to text ratio of characters the more reading efficiency degrades. It is easy to see the problem when looking at a note that has, for example, 3x the lines of links to note text.

Based on Jim’s comments I’ll have to give up on the shortening idea and use footnotes instead.

6

That should only be true while editing, I’d imagine.

1 Like