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Basics: Sources

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Rob Royce edited this page Jun 2, 2023 · 4 revisions

Sources

We will start our discussion with the definition of a Source (aka Knowledge Source), followed by how to import them into Knowledge, and what you can do with them once they have been imported.

What are Sources?

A Source is the most basic element in Knowledge, and is roughly equivalent to files in a file explorer, links in a bookmark manager, or tasks in a to-do list. Sources are created when users import digital resources, such as PDF files, Word docs, web links, and more.

Although the underlying digital resources may be different (files, web links, calendar entries, etc), all Sources are treated the same way in Knowledge. Specifically, all Sources have a title, a list of events (date created, date due, date accessed, …), an access link, a list of topics, and more. Sources can be opened in their default application (Chrome, Microsoft Word, etc.), and certain types of Sources can even be previewed directly in Knowledge (Web pages and PDF files).

Sources are imported and organized into Projects (more on this later). In other words, if Projects are like folders in a file system, Sources are like the files contained within the folders.

To view a complete list of Source data fields, see the Knowledge Source model definition

How are Sources imported?

Knowledge supports several methods for importing Sources (see list below). When a Source is imported, it gets sent to the users Inbox. Sources remain in the users Inbox until they are assigned to a Project.

  • Manual: users can click the + Files or + Link button to manually import a Source (see image below)

  • Drag and Drop: anything that can be “drag-and-dropped” into the application can be turned into a Source

  • Chrome and Firefox Extensions: when enabled in Import Settings, users can import Sources by using the Knowledge Extension in Chrome or Firefox.

  • Autoscan: periodically scan for new files in a pre-defined folder on the users local file system. Any files placed in that folder will automatically be moved to a centralized location (still on the users computer) and imported into Knowledge. To enable Autoscan, simply navigate to the Settings > Import and press the Autoscan toggle button.

image

Is metadata automatically extracted?

Yup! For all Source types, Knowledge will automatically attempt to extract an icon and thumbnail. When web links are imported, Knowledge will automatically extract the webpage title and any relevant <meta> tags. Specifically, Knowledge extracts Open Graph tags, which may contain additional information like description, type (such as article or book), and more. Knowledge also looks for keyword tags, which are then converted into Topics.

When the Knowledge Extension is used, the user may choose to extract any highlighted/selected text on the active webpage.

Can I access Source metadata?

Absolutely! All metadata associated with a particular Source can be found in the Source Details view. Additionally, Source data models can be exported or copied directly to the users clipboard. Source metadata can be exported in either JSON or CSV formats.

What happens when a Source is deleted?

If the underlying resource is a web link, the Source is simply removed from Knowledge. If the underlying resource is a local file, the user may choose to delete the underlying file, or relocate it to a directory of their choosing. Regardless of underlying resource type, all metadata associated with a Source will be permanently deleted from Knowledge

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