Reading a list of files from a Devonthink group

Tech Support
1

Hello guys…
and girls?

I’m a long time listener of MPU and love it, but it’s my first time posting here.

I had a workflow that I had build using keyboard maestro and some REGEX that was working great.

Recently I started using Devonthink which I love and I have everything imported into databases except one folder which I only index.

I would really love to import it as well so I’d like your help with the below.

I have a KM macro that looks into a folder on my computer, reads the file names and adds them to an excel file.
I read the files with the below action.

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This will stop working if I import the files into Devonthink as they will be moved inside a package file.

My goal is to use this action along with the ability to “copy item link” for an imported folder to do the same think.
Does anybody know if this is possible, or have any other ideas on how to solve this problem?

Thanks in advance!

Panos

2

and women…

You can index a folder, which will leave the files in place. They will show up in the DT database like they are “in” the database.

3

Why not use DEVONthink’s Tools > Create Table of Contents? Creates a document listing document names with active item links for each thing on the list. The list can be added to Excel, converted to markdown, etc.

Katie

(FWIW, “girls” is demeaning – not cool.)

4

Thank you both for your replies!

I’m sorry about “girls”, I didn’t mean to offend anyone, but English is not my first language.
Now I know :slight_smile:

@JohnAtl, this is what I’m doing currently, but I’d like to import this folder as well instead of it being the only one I’m indexing.

@KVZ, I had no idea that this was a feature in DT.
I’ll definitely try it and report back.

Thanks again

Panos

1 Like
5

You can use “guys” as gender neutral :slight_smile: In this context you would say hello to all readers of this forum indifferent of their gender (even if they identify as a penguin).

6

That’s true @TheMarty.
Thanks

@KVZ I tried this functionality but I’m afraid it’s not working very well for what I need.
You have to select all the documents for this option to become available. Just selecting a folder deactivates this option.

I created a smart group that retrieves the files I want, then select all files and create the “table of contents.rtf”.
However, this is saved in the same group with the files which is again inside Devonthink.

I guess I could then save it somehow to a folder on my drive so KM could read it’s contents, match with REGEX and paste into excel the way I want it.
I would also have to make sure I delete these .rtf documents after I’m done with them.
And all of this will have to be done by KM.

This is a much more complicated process from what I have now, with a lot of thinks that can go wrong.
So if that’s the only option I will leave things as they are.

If anyone has another idea, please let me know.