how to manage files by using tags or keywords?

[fishdate]

The traditional way to manage files is to store them in different folders. However, it seems that the way Web 2.0 managing information, i.e., google notebooks or evernote, is more effective by using tags or keywords. Therefore, is it possible to introduce tags into TC to manage files?

Although I can use the descript function to make notes for each file, it is still not easy enough to classify and locate files with various characteristics.

My ideal file manager is: basing on the folders, but also using tags or keywords. And the tags can be managed automatically.

[Hacker]

That should be the task of the file system.

Roman

[hoppfrosch]

Probably not exactly what you need, but goes in your direction:

http://www.ghisler.ch/board/viewtopic.php?t=14134

Don't know much about it - beside that this exists ...

[Vochomurka]

descript.ion in each directory can contain both "tags" and "keywords". You can search files by "Find Files" dialog box\Plugins\tc\comments\contains\"your tag/keyword". If there are many of them, "Feed to listbox", and then search again with another tag, etc.

[fishdate]

thanks a lot for replying!

although descript.ion is a good idea, it can not sort files according to tags. Futhermore, tags can not be automatically managed by using descript.ion, thus, different files may be assigned different tags even though they have the same characteristics.

[Vochomurka]

it can not sort files according to tags

Really?
1. Right click header row (between file panel and current path line);
2. Choose "Configure custom columns";
3. "Add column";
4. Click on "+" to the right, then "tc", "comment";
5. Close this window with OK;
6. Create some comments for your files (at least 2);
7. Click header "comment". Files are SORTED according to their comments.

Good luck.

[fishdate]

Thank Vochomurka for replying in detail. However, I am afraid that I didn’t make the meaning clear. I meant that when files are tagged with several keywords, saving in the comment, they can not be sorted perfectly according to the comment. Here is an example:

A file named a.doc with the comment of “technical; wireless; document”, and another file named b.doc with the comment of “wireless; document; technical”. In this case, these two files can not be sorted together according to their comments, although their comments are the same.

BTW, I have found an interesting software to tag files: tag2find. It seems it is the right one what I want!

[Vochomurka]

Now I see. One more question: what do you mean by "sorting" files with keywords from your example?
You can post here the link to the tool you've found. Perhaps somebody else would need it...

[fishdate]

Sorry for replying so late. In my example, I want to sort files according to their commends, that is, the files with the same commends should be able to be placed together.

The software I mentioned is an independent software and can not be integrated into TC. The link is here: http://www.tag2find.com/.

[Vochomurka]

I've downloaded the software, but I'll test it later. On the computer I'm working now at I have neither Framework nor admin rights.

A file named a.doc with the comment of “technical; wireless; document”, and another file named b.doc with the comment of “wireless; document; technical”. In this case, these two files can not be sorted together according to their comments, although their comments are the same.

Suppose there is also c.doc with "wireless; document" (no "technical"), and d.doc with “wireless; sheet; technical” ("sheet" instead of "document"). What is a "sorting" in these cases, from your point of view?
This tag2find tool look promising; I'll evaluate it.

[fishdate]

Haha, that is a good question! Actually, after thinking twice, I now make my meaning clearer. Perhaps we can “filter” files according to their tags, instead of sorting them. For example, here are the files mentioned above:
Filename tag
a.doc technical; wireless; document
b.doc wireless; document; technical
c.doc wireless; document
d.doc wireless; sheet; technical

When I type “wireless”, and these 4 files are in list. And when I type “sheet”, there is only d.doc in list, that it, the other 3 files would not appear. Furthermore, when I begin to type letters, it can suggest me the possible tag by searching the letters I just typed in the exist tags of the files.

Recently, I just found another wonderful Plugin: Alternative Quick Search. If the author could enhance the function and search in the descript, that will be what I want.

[petermad]

I just found another wonderful Plugin: Alternative Quick Search.

FYI: Filtered Quick Search will be integrated in the upcoming TC 7.50

[fishdate]

I see! And I hope it can add the function mentioned above. That will be perfect!

[Vochomurka]

I could not install the tag2find. I have only .NET Framework 1.0 installed with Visual Studio 7.0, while tag2find requires 2.0 version. It's the first argument "against".
Second - all tasks you've described can be performed with descript.ion containing "tags" and "keywords". In the above example you find files whose descript.ion contains "wireless". There are 4 of them (in fact, all). After "Feed to listbox", selecting all and finding "sheet" you get d.doc only. That's all, problem is solved without any additional tool. You have only to type your "keywords" somewhere in any case (in tag2find database or in descript.ion - who cares?).

[Knight Lore]

My simple solution for this is create many folders as tags needed, and then create hardlinks to the files. Since the hardlinks dosn't take any additional space you can have many copies as you want of every file in each tag.
Hope it helps.