Useful Scripts from Our Users

DEVONthink Professional is highly scriptable. Almost every aspect of the application can be automated and integrated into a seamless workflow with other programs.

Many people have already written useful scripts for various everyday tasks, as well as for highly specialized jobs. We have put these scripts together for you to download, free of charge. If you have developed scripts that you would like to share with us and other users, please contact us and let us know!

(Please note that all these scripts have not been developed by DEVONtechnologies and come without any warranty. Download and use at your own risk!)

Scripts for Using DEVONthink for Getting Things Done

GTD with DEVONthink

Our user John Wiegley has created a set of useful scripts as well as instructions on how to effectively use DEVONthink Pro as a Getting Things Done (GTD) task manager. John especially finds the LaunchBar scripts useful. Also don't miss his web site. (Feb 14, 2007)

Scripts for Easily Capturing Data

Manuela Hoffmann's and Patrick Mosby's scripts

These four scripts (my Manuela Hoffmann; adapted for DEVONthink by Patrick Mosby) capture web pages as screen shots (uses Paparazzi), add bookmarks simultaneously to both DEVONthink and del.icio.us, and add selected text including formatting from Safari and other applications to your database. See Patrick's web site for more information. Click here for an English translation. (Mar 10, 2008)

Scripts for Using DEVONthink from the Terminal

Shell Add-ons

These shell scripts (made by Eric Fedel) allow you to access your currently open DEVONthink Pro database from the Terminal. The scripts allow you to print directories, search for documents, export items, add notes with text from STDIN, or print item details. See Eric's web site for more information.

Scripts for Converting Items using Terminal Commands

Convert Using Command

These two AppleScript scripts convert linked files (such as files of an unknown type) using a terminal command, or apply Terminal-based filters to selected text or selected items. (Aug 23, 2006)

Filter Through Command

Scripts for Dealing with Rich Text Documents

RTF Edit

These scripts take rich text documents in DEVONthink Pro and replace strings, add margins or footnotes without destroying the formatting. See also Daniel A. Shockley's web site.

RTF Margins

RTF Footnotes

Scripts Dealing with Comments

Add Comments

The first of these scripts asks the user to enter a comment, then applies it to one or more selected items. The second script clears the comment field of one or more selected items. (Apr 19, 2006)

Delete Comments

Scripts for Creating Smart Groups

Smart Group for Comments

This script creates a new group with an attached script (smart group) that automatically fills the group with replicants of all documents that contain given words in their comment field. (Apr 19, 2006)

Scripts for Simple Versioning

Create New Version

These scripts implement a simple versioning system. The first script creates a special group used for storing versions of a selected item, and/or stores a new version. The second script restores an older version of a selected item. (Apr 19, 2006)

Restore Old Version

Various Scripts

Convert Items without Text to searchable PDF

Converts all of the selected items that have no text (images) to searchable PDFs. The converted items are saved in the same group as the original, the original is moved to a collection group where the user can delete it manually. (Jan 22, 2008)

Collect Items without Text

Collects all of the selected items that have no text. Useful to find those scanned PDFs that have not yet been converted using OCR. (Sep 17, 2007)

Convert to Webarchive

Converts a selected URL document into a static webarchive for archiving. (Apr 12, 2007)

Create Index for Selected Items

Creates an 'Index' file, a rich text document named with cross-links to selected items. (Apr 10, 2006)

Reformat Rich Text Documents

Reformats one or more selected rich text files by changing line spacing, font, size, and alignment; this script definitely demonstrates the text formatting possibilities of AppleScript. (Apr 10, 2006)

Save PDF to Group

This script saves the PDF currently displayed in a web browser view in DEVONthink into the current group. (May 17, 2006)

Set Creation/Modification Date

Asks the user to enter a new creation and modification date and applies it to one or more selected documents. (Apr 19, 2006)

WebnoteHappy Scripts

Add links from Webnote Happy to the current group in DEVONthink Pro and create web archives from selected links. (Oct 26, 2006)

More Example Scripts

More Examples

Some more example scripts demonstrating DEVONthink Pro's scripting abilities; most of these functions are already hard-coded in DEVONthink Pro, but can still serve as AppleScript examples. (Mar 30, 2006)