[Skim-app-users] Convert Notes Question

[Village Reporter]

Hello,

When converting PDF Annotated Notes to Skim Anchored Notes, the "File > Convert Notes" command places the PDF Annotated Notes into the first field of the Skim Anchored Notes and leaves the second field empty.

The first field of the Anchored Notes appears to be for headlines in the Notes pane, while the second field appears to be for longer comments. The second field is more useful for reading and editing notes.

Is there an automated method to move the content of the Anchored Notes from the first field—the headline—to the second field—the place for longer comments?

I have more than 500 pdf files annotated with Preview Annotated Notes. I converted them to Skim Anchored Notes using the command line. The results are the same as using the "File > Convert Notes" command—the long Annotated Notes end up the first fields of the Skim Anchored Notes.

Exporting Anchored Notes as text is not an issue. That is pretty easy with SkimPDF.

I would like to able to read and edit the notes as Anchored Notes inside of Skim. So far, I have been copying and pasting the notes.

I have searched for an answer in the Skim documentation, mailing list archives, wiki (including the AppleScript section) and usage documentation for SkimNotes and SkimPDF tools. Not finding a answer may result from not knowing the correct terms for the first and second fields in the Anchored Notes, that is what you see when you create or open a note.

I have a one-page before and after example, plus screen shots, if these help.

Thanks for any assistance.

Bob Kerstetter
http://villagehiker.om

[Christiaan Hofman]

Post by Village Reporter
Hello,
When converting PDF Annotated Notes to Skim Anchored Notes, the "File > Convert Notes" command places the PDF Annotated Notes into the first field of the Skim Anchored Notes and leaves the second field empty.
The first field of the Anchored Notes appears to be for headlines in the Notes pane, while the second field appears to be for longer comments. The second field is more useful for reading and editing notes.
Is there an automated method to move the content of the Anchored Notes from the first field—the headline—to the second field—the place for longer comments?
I have more than 500 pdf files annotated with Preview Annotated Notes. I converted them to Skim Anchored Notes using the command line. The results are the same as using the "File > Convert Notes" command—the long Annotated Notes end up the first fields of the Skim Anchored Notes.
Exporting Anchored Notes as text is not an issue. That is pretty easy with SkimPDF.
I would like to able to read and edit the notes as Anchored Notes inside of Skim. So far, I have been copying and pasting the notes.
I have searched for an answer in the Skim documentation, mailing list archives, wiki (including the AppleScript section) and usage documentation for SkimNotes and SkimPDF tools. Not finding a answer may result from not knowing the correct terms for the first and second fields in the Anchored Notes, that is what you see when you create or open a note.
I have a one-page before and after example, plus screen shots, if these help.
Thanks for any assistance.
Bob Kerstetter
http://villagehiker.om

You could use AppleScript to automate this task. For instance, copy the text to the extended text when the extended text is empty, for any anchored note.

Here’s a simple one, you can make it more complex (e.g. only copy after the first period or newline):

tell front document of application “Skim”
repeat with theNote in notes where its type is anchored note
if extended text of theNote is “” then
set extended text of theNote to text of theNote
set text of theNote to “"
end if
end repeat
end tell

BTW, in the next release Skim will automatically move everything after the first newline to the extended text, currently it does so after a double newline.

Christiaan

[Village Reporter]

Post by Christiaan Hofman

Post by Village Reporter
Hello,
When converting PDF Annotated Notes to Skim Anchored Notes, the "File > Convert Notes" command places the PDF Annotated Notes into the first field of the Skim Anchored Notes and leaves the second field empty.
The first field of the Anchored Notes appears to be for headlines in the Notes pane, while the second field appears to be for longer comments. The second field is more useful for reading and editing notes.
Is there an automated method to move the content of the Anchored Notes from the first field—the headline—to the second field—the place for longer comments?
I have more than 500 pdf files annotated with Preview Annotated Notes. I converted them to Skim Anchored Notes using the command line. The results are the same as using the "File > Convert Notes" command—the long Annotated Notes end up the first fields of the Skim Anchored Notes.
Exporting Anchored Notes as text is not an issue. That is pretty easy with SkimPDF.
I would like to able to read and edit the notes as Anchored Notes inside of Skim. So far, I have been copying and pasting the notes.
I have searched for an answer in the Skim documentation, mailing list archives, wiki (including the AppleScript section) and usage documentation for SkimNotes and SkimPDF tools. Not finding a answer may result from not knowing the correct terms for the first and second fields in the Anchored Notes, that is what you see when you create or open a note.
I have a one-page before and after example, plus screen shots, if these help.
Thanks for any assistance.
Bob Kerstetter
http://villagehiker.om

You could use AppleScript to automate this task. For instance, copy the text to the extended text when the extended text is empty, for any anchored note.
tell front document of application “Skim”
repeat with theNote in notes where its type is anchored note
if extended text of theNote is “” then
set extended text of theNote to text of theNote
set text of theNote to “"
end if
end repeat
end tell
BTW, in the next release Skim will automatically move everything after the first newline to the extended text, currently it does so after a double newline.
Christiaan

Thank you Christiaan.

This is very helpful. I didn't even know the names of "theNote" and "extended text." Again, this is really good. It works well.

Thank you.

Bob

[Christiaan Hofman]

Post by Village Reporter

Post by Christiaan Hofman

Post by Village Reporter
Hello,
When converting PDF Annotated Notes to Skim Anchored Notes, the "File > Convert Notes" command places the PDF Annotated Notes into the first field of the Skim Anchored Notes and leaves the second field empty.
The first field of the Anchored Notes appears to be for headlines in the Notes pane, while the second field appears to be for longer comments. The second field is more useful for reading and editing notes.
Is there an automated method to move the content of the Anchored Notes from the first field—the headline—to the second field—the place for longer comments?
I have more than 500 pdf files annotated with Preview Annotated Notes. I converted them to Skim Anchored Notes using the command line. The results are the same as using the "File > Convert Notes" command—the long Annotated Notes end up the first fields of the Skim Anchored Notes.
Exporting Anchored Notes as text is not an issue. That is pretty easy with SkimPDF.
I would like to able to read and edit the notes as Anchored Notes inside of Skim. So far, I have been copying and pasting the notes.
I have searched for an answer in the Skim documentation, mailing list archives, wiki (including the AppleScript section) and usage documentation for SkimNotes and SkimPDF tools. Not finding a answer may result from not knowing the correct terms for the first and second fields in the Anchored Notes, that is what you see when you create or open a note.
I have a one-page before and after example, plus screen shots, if these help.
Thanks for any assistance.
Bob Kerstetter
http://villagehiker.om <http://villagehiker.om/>

You could use AppleScript to automate this task. For instance, copy the text to the extended text when the extended text is empty, for any anchored note.
tell front document of application “Skim”
repeat with theNote in notes where its type is anchored note
if extended text of theNote is “” then
set extended text of theNote to text of theNote
set text of theNote to “"
end if
end repeat
end tell
BTW, in the next release Skim will automatically move everything after the first newline to the extended text, currently it does so after a double newline.
Christiaan

Thank you Christiaan.
This is very helpful. I didn't even know the names of "theNote" and "extended text." Again, this is really good. It works well.
Thank you.
Bob

Well, “theNote” is just an arbitrary name of a local variable in the script I made up. The other terms, like “text” and “extended text”, can be found in the script dictionary (Library) for Skim.

Christiaan