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Can Excalibrain read DEVONthink links and present as URL nodes? Not working for me. Just checking if this information on Google is correct #245

Description

@sifusifu

I am a DEVONthink user on Mac and want to know if Excalibrain can read DEVONthink item links and present them as URL/WWW nodes? I have tried everything and it is NOT working for me.

Just checking if this information on Google is correct, and the AI is not hallucinating/].

Type this into Google:

"excalibrain not recognising DEVONthink links"

and you get this information from Google AI:

AI Overview

ExcaliBrain is designed to index URLs and document links to connect notes, but it may fail to recognize DEVONthink item links (x-devonthink-item://...) if they are not formatted correctly within Markdown or if the plugin's database hasn't been updated.

Here are the likely causes and solutions to fix DEVONthink links not appearing in ExcaliBrain:

1. Correct Link Formatting

ExcaliBrain and Obsidian require properly formatted Markdown links to recognize them as valid connections.
Use Markdown Syntax: Ensure the link is in the format Link Name.
Copy/Paste Directly: Right-click the item in DEVONthink and choose Copy Item Link. Paste this directly into Obsidian. Do not type these links manually as it is easy to make mistakes.
Add Extension: If you are trying to link to a file inside the vault, ensure the extension (e.g., .pdf) is included in the link.

2. Rebuild the ExcaliBrain Database

If links were added recently, ExcaliBrain might not have indexed them yet.
Open the Obsidian command palette (Ctrl/Cmd + P).
Search for and run ExcaliBrain: Rebuild database.

3. Check DEVONthink Preferences (If indexing DT inside Obsidian)

If you are indexing your DEVONthink database within Obsidian, check these settings in DEVONthink:

Go to Preferences > WikiLinks.
Select Automatic, Square Brackets [[...]], and All Items.
Ensure Case-insensitive linking is enabled.

4. Alternative Connection Method

If direct links are still not appearing, you can use Dataview fields to force ExcaliBrain to recognize the relationship, as it supports Dataview fields in notes.
Add a field to your YAML frontmatter: link: [x-devonthink-item://...] or Related:: [x-devonthink-item://...].

5. Known Limitations

Mac Only: x-devonthink-item:// links generally only work on macOS and within DEVONthink To Go on iOS.
Sporadic Behavior: Sometimes the Obsidian Graph/ExcaliBrain fails to display links, requiring a rebuild or a fresh opening of the app.

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