I thought I’d start a thread with a few small requests, for some version of Devonthink sometime…
first, I would find it nice if it were possible to hold down the option key when clicking on the “move to” button in the “classify” drawer and have the move to button magically change to “replicate to”. This would allow a replicant to be filed in the appropriate folders without moving the original.
second, I could find this has been covered before, but it seems like it must have been… Would it be possible to allow devon think to have a “print together…” selection when multiple items are chosen in the browser? I could see this as a useful time saver over printing them all individually AND as a bonus, it would allow one to consolidate a bunch of images into a PDF file. I do the latter all the time by exporting the files, then importing them into acrobat, but it is a lot more work than it should be. (I can’t for the life of me figure out why apple’s preview program doesn’t allow you to print a whole window of documents together, but that’s another matter)
Maybe this feature exists, too, but I haven’t found it: a key stroke to change the focus between the different panes. Maybe option-tab or command-opt tab? Anything to get out of mousing!
Anyone else interested in these, or have some relatively minor requests?
option-tab already provides that functionality, sometimes.
I often find it hard (still) to quickly locate focus and selection. There’s no way to successfully navigate DT (Pro) without mouse-clicking much more than I’d like. The gaps between DT’s current “context”, what I think it is, and what I want it to be makes for an awkward navigation/viewing experience.
Searching from the toolbar field in Vertical Split view can be full of adventure:
Command-option-F to search, click to select an item, command-R to reveal it, click ‘x’ to exit search. Focus ends up in search field, with item lightly highlighted (if it’s still visible in the groups pane on the left). Command-R will reveal it again, fully highlighted. Want to search again? Command-option-F returns to the toolbar search field but searching is now restricted to the selected item, useless for non-groups. Best to remember to deselect it before searching. There’s no shortcut for that so my workaround is often to type ‘0’ when I don’t click near the icon to do it. Similar contortions from List View.
I’ve tried several different styles of DT data navigation/browsing to fit my workflows. Finding ones that are as “comfortably efficient” and “predictably interactive” as I’d like remains elusive. Wish I could watch other DT users’ usage styles and pick up a few new tricks I’ve missed.
You’re amazing, Christian!..thanks not only for a future 1 & 2, but for pointing out 3 (and to sjk, too).
I did think of one other idea that was similar to #2, though fancier. The ability to click on “see also”, choose items from the drawer, and then choose “make group”. If that were to place replicants of the selected items into a folder with the current one, that would be a pretty cool way to build up groups across wide areas of the database.
Also, am I the only one who longs for a keystroke to toggle the “in selection” setting on searches? I always have the wrong one set. (The lack of this drives me nuts in the apple’s finder as well)
My earlier “best to remember to deselect it before searching” comment implied some context-dependent annoyance with “in selection” and I went into more detail about it in search issues/requests.
