I’m being stupid this weekend. I created this global smart group in DT3 a while ago. Now I want to create a second version, again in DT3, and I can’t seem to find the “Any” operator indicated by the arrow. All I see second time round is an “All” operator and other options. Can anyone help me be a little more intelligent? (the field under “Date Modified” is blanked, because I will insert a different search term there, hopefully to show when I have merely looked within a group).
Well, what happens if you click on the “All” button?
When you click the plus button, you get a new predicate. What you want is a new branch (or “compound predicate”). Hold down the option key, and the plus buttons turn into ..., which adds those. (Smart folders in Finder, Mail etc. work the same way)
See Windows > Sidebar: Smart Group and Rule Editor > Predicates in the manual/help.
Thank you so much! Yes, the option key did it!! Sorry not to have found that for myself. The various AI engines were just telling me to press the plus button.
I was getting “Any” there, but I was after a second branch, which troejgaard has very kindly helped me find with the Alt key. I must have somehow found the Alt key option before without realising it. It is there in the notes, I have to admit. I just didn’t see it. Thank you for saving this particular user from further frustration.
I guess they’re not so intelligent, after all.
Indeed. One gets lazy, and wrong too!
You’re welcome!
I see how that could be confusing. But that “Any” is not a boolean operator – it means “Any metadata”. You might perhaps infer that from its placement at the top of a long list of metadata fields, in case you forget it again ![]()
Main thing is it allows me to input an either / or!
I am very curious why do you keep asking “various AI engines” DEVONthink-specific questions when they keep offering incorrect solutions?
The documentation, our Support Ticket system, and these forums are the best resources.
Also re: the documentation, DEVONthink’s Help Assistant in DEVONthink 4 gives you answers with a much higher degree of accuracy compared to chatting with ChatGTP, etc.
Actually, I find Gemini and Claude point me to things in Devonthink I would not have thought of. They really eulogise Devonthink and are generally good friend, IMHO. There are very useful suggestions for curating chats in Devonthink. I also universally provide the AIs with the positive feedback I think DT deserves, and that maybe is doing my little bit to train the LLMs
Glad to hear of your advocacy but be aware they give you incorrect information outside DEVONthink. In fact, I was testing something this weekend and the AI gave me a set of instructions that were (1) not technically sound and (2) told me to use a command that doesn’t exist in DEVONthink (but would exist in some other apps).
Does that really matter? So there are good and bad ideas. Discard the bad ones, and follow the good ones! For example, I asked Gemini today how best to extract parts of a chat. It said to pull the whole conversation into DT, and then to mark the interesting text, and then to summarize the annotations. That was a clever response. I could have gone on the forum, but I don’t like over posting. Whats not to like?
Of course, it matters if you can’t verify what you’re being told. How do you (or anyone) assess what is good or bad, true or not, valid or invalid? Why waste time with incorrect answers, chasing wild geese or ghosts?? And in matters of consequence, this becomes even more important.
Agreed, for some things you must know it’s correct, or at least won’t cause damage if you try it out. If merely brainstorming, then bad ideas (in moderation) are probably ok.


