Curio and Devonthink

Posted by Amontillado
Jun 2, 2022 at 12:48 AM

Having great fun with the latest version of Curio. It can function like an outliner on steroids.

The notes for each chapter or subdivision of a story can go in idea spaces (like pages, or corkboards), like the top level of an outline.

The new synced text objects will let notes about a character, location, or plot device appear on each sheet where it plays a role. Since they are synced, you can update the notes from anywhere they appear.

Now, let’s say you have a huge Zettelkasten in a Devonthink database and you want to use a subset of your ideas for a manuscript.

If you click and option-drag a text file out of DT into Curio, you have the option of making it a file-backed text block, which can also appear in as many places as you need, each instance being in sync with all the others - and with Devonthink. You can update a note in DT and it updates in lockstep everywhere it appears in Curio. Update any instance in Curio, and Devonthink follows along. Neither has to be open when you edit a file in the other.

You can even shuffle the Devonthink database without disturbing the Curio file-backed references. When a file goes into DT, it is assigned a physical location. As you move files to different groups, that’s at the user level, not at the physical storage level.

I’ve been messing with this for a few days, so call this a limited test run. I haven’t seen a hint of a glitch. It appears quite solid.

One thing missing in the outline and mindmap tools I’ve used is the ability to make something appear as mirrors everywhere it’s relevant.

If one were to write sequels, a story bible in DT and book plans in Curio projects would be pretty cool. ‘Course, that’s just daydreaming for me. I’ve never written anything long form. Documentation, short stories, news back in the day, and the occasional grocery list in three acts. That’s about all I’ve been good for.

So far, heh, heh, heh.