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The DEVONtechnologies Blog

Articles in the category Tips

Exclude Items from Classification

April 3, 2012

Last week we explained why one could want to exclude groups or even whole databases from tagging in DEVONthink or DEVONnote. In addition both groups and documents can be individually excluded from classification, see-also, and search. Nice, but why would you do such a thing? (more)

Why Excluding a Group from Tagging Can Be Useful

March 28, 2012

DEVONthink and DEVONnote treat groups and tags, basically, the same but display them different. That means that if Exclude Groups from Tagging is unchecked in a database’s properties, the group(s) in which an item is filed also appear as tag(s) attached to it. When assigning tags to an item other groups are proposed as tags while you’re typing. If you like this behavior you can quickly file a document in multiple groups and later find them either by their tags or in the respective groups representing the tags. (more)

Clean Up Web Pages Before Printing

March 12, 2012

If you’re often “printing” web pages as PDF to your DEVONthink database, you might enjoy the following hack: The little bookmarklet switches a web page shown in your web browser (definitely works with Safari and Firefox) to design mode, making it possible to edit it on the fly before printing. Edit as you like, the changes are, of course, not saved to the originating web server. Don’t worry, reloading the page brings it back in all its beauty. (more)

Use Tags Efficiently

March 5, 2012

While tags and groups are technically the same, their different way of presentation can be more flexible, especially in large DEVONthink knowledge collection spreading out in many directions. Using the tags bar (which you show and hide with View > Show/Hide Tags) you quickly add single tags to documents or remove them. Automatic completion makes adding already known tags easy. (more)

Create Your Own HUD

December 20, 2011

Keyboard Maestro allows you to automate things in almost any Mac app and assign it a shortcut. Even cooler is that when you assign the same shortcut to multiple macros Keyboard Maestro shows a head-up display with a list of all macros with this shortcut for you to choose from. (more)

Use Encrypted Email with Your iPhone or iPad

December 15, 2011

If you are using email encryption on the Mac you are very likely using S/MIME, e.g. with a Verisign certificate. Unfortunately your certificate is not automatically synchronized with your iDevice so that you can read your encrypted messages also on-the-go. But, it’ became possible with iOS 5. Ars Technica has a good article about how to secure your email communication and make it work also with your iPhone or iPad. Read it here.

Add Tables to Rich Text Documents

September 20, 2011

To add a table to a rich text document place your insertion caret, then choose Format > Table. An empty table is inserted and the standard Mac RTF table panel appears that lets you change e.g. the numbers of rows and columns. (more)

DEVONthink Workbook — in Deutsch

October 24, 2011

German handbook writer Michael Malzahn has put together a brand new workbook for DEVONthink in German language. DEVONthink — Das Arbeitsbuch introduces the reader to our information management software step-by-step from the installation to the deepest corners of the program. Many screenshots, tables, and a keyboard shortcut list make the 248-page ebook a must-have for German-language DEVONthink users. (more)

Get Productive with a Tickler File

September 13, 2011

If you are using Getting Things Done (GTD) you know the concept of a “tickler file”: folders for all twelve months with sub-folders for each day of the month (also known as “43 folders”). You place documents into the sub-folder of the day on which you will need the document. If you want to postpone the task you move the document forward to another day. (more)