Using DEVONagent to search and summarize papers in DEVONthink database

In DEVONagent, the digest view with the map is great way to study directly from a search without having to open individual documents. Can DEVONagent perform search and summarize on a DEVONthink database? I have stacks of research articles that I want DEVONagent to summarize but I can’t figure it out. Thanks!

This is ony possible after enabling the web server of DEVONthink Pro Office 2.x or DEVONthink Server 3.0 and using the plugin “DEVONthink Server”.

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Is this what the default user “DEVONagent” in DT3 Server is used for?

Exactly. You can now specify which databases can be searched via DEVONagent without having to make them public for everyone else.

Thanks for the help, it’s working great now!

This sounds interesting! I’m trying to test this feature, but I’ve registered DT3 with my license for Pro only which doesn’t include the Server functionality. While in beta, I should be able to also test the DEVONthink Server though, right? Would I just remove my license temporarily (without complications down the road)? Or should I test it with DTPO 2.x?

And what’s the difference between the DT3 native option of searching, selecting a relevant term from either the list- or cloud view and (a) go through the occurrences in the document and (b) interact with the similar words mind map?
image
(via DT3)

Am I assuming correctly that DEVONagent would present me with a continuous view of relevant documents, displaying excerpts of all passages where the relevant search term appears – across several documents? I.e. so that I wouldn’t have to go through each document manually?

Sorry for the probably naive question, I haven’t really delved into DEVONagent’s capabilities yet.

Both options are possible.

DEVONagent’s Digest tab includes both a summary and a topics list. Selecting a topic shows a similar map like the one of DEVONthink 3’s Concordance but in case of DEVONagent the similarity is only based on the search results, in DEVONthink 3 on the complete database.

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So this was working well while I had the DT3 trial but after upgrading to the licensed version it seems that my server settings have changed. Devonagent is no longer showing up as a user in the DT3 server preferences. I did get a new macbook around this same time (after upgrading to DT3 on my previous macbook) and migrated my databases and library settings following this post:

How do I get Devonagent back as a user in the DT3 server settings? This is mostly useful to filter out articles already in my database when conducting a DA search.

Thanks!

Just create a user exactly called “DEVONagent”.

I can’t get this to work. I am on DT Pro 2.11.3, DEVONagent Pro 3.11.1 (I have upgraded to DT Pro 3, but it is not open for this test because it doesn’t have the server functionality). The server in DT2 is enabled. I can browse my databases in Safari, I can browse them in DEVONagent, but when try a search from DEVONagent with Plugins>Browsers>DEVONthink server ticked, there are no results and the Log shows:

Address: http://rick:srisriDT@mceight.local/search?q=the&w=0&start=0&num=50
Error: Failed

Yes, I searched for “the” in desperation, because none of the other terms that I know are in documents in my database worked.

In the Search Set I have all “Search in” items checked, and all file types checked.
The DT2 web server log only shows the connections I made from the browser.

I figure this must be a rookie error, but I’m completely stuck.

Any suggestions out there?

Thanks :slight_smile:

What operating system?

OS is 10.14.5

And are you able to open the logged URL in a browser window of DEVONagent or Safari?

Hmmm… I restarted DT and DEVONagent so I could answer your question. Everything works fine now.

This is a fantastic feature. I wish I had realised it was possible years ago. I always wanted to access the “mind map” view in DT. Hopefully DT2 will continue to work in the future so I can search my database with DEVONagent. Can’t afford the Server version of DT3!

Thanks :slight_smile: