This is a workflow I developed a long time ago. I have been using it for a long time. It is very simple; but quite effective. I am encouraged to post it because of the wonderful script by @ ryanjamurphy.
How is my system is different from his?
Mine is for the uninitiated: for person who has no skill to tweak and tinker with scripts. Since his script is advanced and could be hard to use it for some people, I am posting this as an alternative. For people who have less skill (or time) and want to invest on a paid app:
My system also has some advantages over ryanjamurphy’s:
- images are supported
- you can annotate back and forth across pages (page 3, then back to page 1, etc): all the annotations will be synced to Devonthink with no problem.
- Very simple to run. You don’t need any scripting skill to use this. The only script this workflow has is the SED search-and-replace in one of the hazel rule. The highlights app does everything for you.
- Changes are reflected immediately
My workflow also has its own problems–you need to invest on Hazel and Highlights app. Note that I am using very old version of Highlights app. The app is now went to subscription. The old version is still working fine. I cannot be sure if the settings I am talking about here have been changed in the new versions.
The propose:
You do your annotation in Highlights app, and all the annotations you are doing in Highlights are synced to DT in real time (within a couple of seconds). There is no manual exporting. You highlight and save, you have your annotation appear in DT with properly formed Markdown format.
Tools you need
- gSed: mac version of sed–free software. You can istall it via homebrew.
- Hazel
- Highlights app
Steps
-
Go to the preference of highlights app & tick Save sidecard Markdown file in the general tab. This makes Highlights app to export the annotations every time you make changes on your annotations. This is the most important part of this workflow. I build everything around the annotation Sidecards provided by Highlights. Every time you save your annotated pdf, the sidecard will be updated. The sidecard will be in .md format, or textbundle (if it contains image).
-
Create two finders in finder:
a) m_highlights
b) Highlights
The Highlights folder is where we are going to store our exported markdown file. You can create this folder inside your Obsidian vault, if you are into that. That folder is what we are going to index in DT. The m_highlights folder is used just to process the workflow. You can create it anywhere.
Now, we are going to install hazel rules to process.
-
Setup these rules (
articles.hazelrules.zip (4.5 KB))
on your Book/articles folder. I assume you store your pdf articles or books in one folder. You just put these rules on the folder where your pdf live. This rule is to move the sidecard file from the that folder to the m_highlights folder. -
Setup this hazel rule
h_highlights.hazelrules.zip (3.5 KB)
on your m_highlights folder.
- These rules are to move and convert the sidecards.
- Setup more rules
Highlights.hazelrules.zip (5.1 KB)
on your Highlights folder:
This one so to cleanup the markdown file. That is, the main changes will be make will be to make the headings in the pdf to appear in as headings in the markdown.
- you need to highlight the heads in the pdf so that they will show up in the markdown.
We are finished. You simply index the Highlights folder in DT.
You will get markdown notes with proper formats. They have page numbers, markdown quotations, your own notes outside of the quotations, and headings of the pdf mapped to the headings (chapters, sections and subsections) of the markdown.