Stupid Question. Quick Notes.

Throughout the day I capture little pieces of text as reminders of the things/actions I have done/taken. This text is not found in any application so clipping the text will not work. I actually need to type it. Usually it takes the form of time-stamp plus text.

So I thought I would have a feature similar to the OmniFocus pop-up window, or there would be some way to use QuickSilver. But I can’t find that feature. I even downloaded the office version thinking that it might be considered a pro feature, though I consider this basic feature for this kind of app, but I still can’t figure out it.

HELP!!!

There’s a Widget for sending notes to a database, included in the Extras folder on the application download disk image.

I don’t use that, but I always have DTPO2 open. I keep a daily journal rich text document, minimized to the Dock when not in use. If I need to write something down, I click on that document in the Dock and enter my note. I type dates as, e.g., 090330. But Shift-Command-D inserts a date, and Shift-Command-5 inserts a long date/time stamp.

By widget do you mean a Dash Board Widget? If so I have not run the dashboard in years.

Yes. I don’t use them, but some people find them handy.

Yeah, I’m relatively new to devonthink, and this is really the only glaring weakness I’ve found in devonthink. Keeping it open in the dock, the way Bill is suggesting, is great if you use it 24/7, or it works for your workflow, but it’s a poor substitute.

Almost every similar program I’ve used, yojimbo, voodoopad, shovebox, together, has an easy, automated way to enter a random note. It’s hard to believe, and almost comical, that the solution in devonthink is to keep it open.

The new ‘clip to devonthink’ bookmarklet is great. Yet for all the things you can do with it again they’ve left out a simply ‘note’.

And yes, there’s a widget, but only, amazingly, in the pro version, and again, not on the same level as other programs.

There use to be a ‘create new note’ item when you right clicked the devonthink icon in the dock, but even that is no longer there.

Actually, Dylan, I think they DID put a note feature into the “Clip to DevonThink” bookmarklet. Now, I’m not totally convinced the bookmarklet is working properly in my install, but this is how it works for me:

  • Invoke the bookmarklet
  • Type your desired note into the “Note” field
  • Change the Title field, if you like
  • Press the Note button at the bottom of the bookmarklet pane.

When I do this, I get a new note piped to my default location, and the contents is whatever I typed in.

Now–this is still not the same as a universally-available popup (since it’s dependent on a web-browser), which I would like, as well. But it’s something. =)

This kind of makes me nervous. In the last few days I have found postings all over the web from people spending countless hours coming up with a work around for this one basic feature. Didn’t Borland with Side-Kick make their name and whole business on this one feature at one point - decades ago. Even a DevonThink moderator has to keep a Textedit file open so he can take notes through out the day.

I am surprised that DevonThink does not have this feature even more surprised they don’t seem to care about it. It can not be because people don’t want it. So from that I would infer that DevonThink does not care to provide the functionality, does not know how to or thinks it already has provided this feature.

Maybe it is time for a formal comment on this functionality from DevonThink. Will you provide this functionality or not? If the answer is yes will you provide it in 2.0?

For me this functionality entails being able to type a key-stroke at any point in any application and create a rich text note/record that can be placed into the Sorter, either into the in-box or into anyone of the other slots. Devon think does not have to be open. Auto time-stamping would be nice.

Please stay tuned, pb4 is not the last public beta for 2.0 :slight_smile:

The trouble with this is that for me the URL gets imported and when i click on the title, the note doesn’t show up in the space below. Only if I double-click the title.

However, this is a great step in the right direction!

Yes! DevonTech needs to submit a formal comment on this! Let’s go before the World Court of DTPO User Fantasies and have a judge force DT to produce a formal comment with a comprehensive plan with accelerated timeline to produce this feature that every other piece of software not written by Bill Gates already incorporates.

Why stop there? Let’s hit up the G-20 conference for adjudication on this betrayal of trust by DT to its loyal users!

c’mon DT: Why can’t we have this feature like NOW?! :smiling_imp: :smiling_imp:

[above written totally tongue in cheek]

Now now. Steady on. One step at a time. It’s good to dream, but I dare not follow where your thoughts are going. Have you no fear of disappointment?

Provided as Creation Date, Time.

Yeah, I tried that. The problem is it only works through safari. Safari not open? It’s not available.

I’m not too worried about this. I’m sure by the final release there will be some way of easily, quickly adding a note. I have faith :slight_smile:

Hmmm. That doesn’t sound very friendly. I am thinking of a note that looks something like.

Monday June 16th 10:14am. Left phone message for joe about buying 1M copies of DevonThink.

Creation Date and time sound like database columns that are not explicitly part of the note when I print it or consolidate it by appending all of my log entries to a single file that I then mail, print, or otherwise pass onto my lawyer as evidence that could not be the person seen wearing a pink a-line mini-skirt from C&A.

I think when I meant time-stamping what I was thinking of was being allowed to use a key combination to insert the date and time. Functions you already have in the main application.

As I am sure is clear… I am a novice DevonThink user.

Try using Edit > Insert > Data, Edit > Insert > Time, or use our free WordService.

I see Shift-Command-D and Shift-Command-E to get date and time, but Shift-Command-5 does not do anything for me? Does this need to be enabled?

Also, can the default format of the date and text be modified (I do not really need the seconds in the time stamp)?

Shift-Command-5 to insert date and time is provided by DEVONtechnologies’ free Wordservice module (Services > Insert), available under the Freeware group on the Download page. There’s also a shorter date-time Service.

Missed the Wordservice part - thanks!

I’d love to see a “quick notes” feature too, accessible via a keystoke combination. Using command-space to invoke Spotlight to launch an app or find a file has become so natural to me, I’d love to make adding a thought, idea, etc to DTP just as simple :slight_smile:

Kind of like the new and amazing Safari bookmarklets, but system-wide (without invoking the Dashboard!).

DTP 2.0 is really coming along nicely!

Many of us have idiosyncratic needs and requests. The plea for
Quick Notes is not one of these

As this thread shows, a broad swath of customers has deep feelings about the need for such a simple, but universally useful, feature.

Does the technically skilled DevonThink team really listen to its customers? Or do they simply have their own plans, and if those plans happen to dovetail with their customer requests, well fine.

In other words, are customer requests meaningful in this forum?

The response on a Quick Note will provide a test.

Team, your customers are speaking to you. Can you tell us --clearly and forthrightly – whether you are planning to add this feature, and if so, when? No teasing responses, but real answers? Thanks.