Welcome to the MacNN Forums.

Andrew 8808 · Oct 29, 2003, 12:07 AM

No, I'm not asking about their function, but I'm curious as to how everyone uses them. I'm sure there's some way I could use them, but I can't really think of anything useful right now.

I think I remember back in the 9 days, someone said they labelled the whole System folder and/or Preferences immediately after an install, so it's easy to pick out the 3rd party stuff. Anyways, yeah, how do you use them?

DigitalEl · Oct 29, 2003, 12:21 AM

In the Documents folder, I use labels to "train" my eye to my most-used folders. Red for most often used. Within said folders, such as New Essays or Job Search, I use red in the exact same way. In my Correspondence folder, I use purple for the embedded folder I use most there, because the person I'm writing to is obsessed with that color... If that makes any sense.

In my Pictures folder, it's the same thing. Red points out the folder where my daughter's pix are stored. It also makes apparent my most-used desktop wallpapers folders. And on and on...

Boring, but that's how I use labels.

mindwaves · Oct 29, 2003, 01:58 AM

That is how I use(d) mine before except mine are all random colors, but it works for me. Really, really makes it better and faster.

Originally posted by DigitalEl:
In the Documents folder, I use labels to "train" my eye to my most-used folders. Red for most often used. Within said folders, such as New Essays or Job Search, I use red in the exact same way. In my Correspondence folder, I use purple for the embedded folder I use most there, because the person I'm writing to is obsessed with that color... If that makes any sense.

In my Pictures folder, it's the same thing. Red points out the folder where my daughter's pix are stored. It also makes apparent my most-used desktop wallpapers folders. And on and on...

Boring, but that's how I use labels.

Judge_Fire · Oct 29, 2003, 02:03 AM

I do stereo photography every now and then, and I use Red and Green to mark the 'Right' and 'Left' images in a pair.

I also use them to differentiate between versions, as a status indicator; like 'Needs work', 'Final', 'Backup copy'. The quick browsing, as mentioned above, is a key benefit of the feature.

J

timmerk · Oct 29, 2003, 03:46 AM

I use them in organzing folders of web sites I'm making - include PHP files are a certain color, css files are a diff one, the main php files are a diff one, images and misc are diff one, etc.

moonmonkey · Oct 29, 2003, 05:19 AM

Originally posted by Andrew 8808:
No, I'm not asking about their function, but I'm curious as to how everyone uses them. I'm sure there's some way I could use them, but I can't really think of anything useful right now.

I think I remember back in the 9 days, someone said they labelled the whole System folder and/or Preferences immediately after an install, so it's easy to pick out the 3rd party stuff. Anyways, yeah, how do you use them?

You can use them to reorder a list without changing the filenames.

For instance, Label, the important folders in your libraries folder, such as Desktop Pictures, Screensavers, Fonts, Preferences.

Sort the list by label, and they will always appear at the top.

Judge_Fire · Oct 31, 2003, 07:54 AM

Originally posted by moonmonkey:
You can use them to reorder a list without changing the filenames.

This is a big one for me, too. Without labels you'd either have to put the stuff in yet more folders or to rename the files in stupid ways.

I wish there'd be an unlimited amount of keywords (and colors, why not.) But this might be a limitation in the file system?

J

lexhair · Oct 31, 2003, 09:05 AM

Tagging Hot files for Retrospect backups.

Spheric Harlot · Oct 31, 2003, 09:30 AM

I labeled my hard drive to get the text background to color-match the icon, which is nice, and it stands out a little better on the desktop (not that having Dr. Teeth of the Muppet Show as the icon doesn't stand out enough as it is

).

That's it.

Never used them under 9, either.

-s*

mitchell_pgh · Oct 31, 2003, 09:59 AM

It's perfect for when you have a bunch of projects and you are working with another person over the network. It shows what's active, what's almost done and what's finished... and whatever else.

A visual way to let someone know where the project is.

vs.

RooneyX · Oct 31, 2003, 10:04 AM

As a visual cue when I've got too many files in a folder. But I don't like the new implementation and am waiting for Unsanity to update Labels X.

mitchell_pgh · Oct 31, 2003, 10:17 AM

I have transfered files from an old beige G3 with OS 9 running onto this system. Obviously, the person used labels like crazy as everything (since upgrading to Panther) now looks like a pinata puked all over the filesystem.

fat mac moron · Oct 31, 2003, 11:44 AM

I use labels for my web site. I can visually see what I need to work on, what's completed, what needs minor revisions, and what files are archives.

LfGrdMike · Oct 31, 2003, 12:46 PM

You can use labels to label everything in folders like preferences to track any new files that are added to it later. Its good for maintenance and allows you to keep track of things.

sahara · Oct 31, 2003, 12:47 PM

Using my computer as a dev server, I mark PHP and HTML files at different stages of update so at the end of the day I know what's been changed and I can roll a specific set of changes into a live web site via FTP.

Terri · Oct 31, 2003, 12:53 PM

To keep track of what files are being worked on, what ones are done, what needs to be uploaded still, basically job progress tracking.

I also use them in other places for other things like making files stick out in list view and labeling system files so that I can find news ones and stuff like that.

I actually waited to upgrade to X until Unsanity released Labels X and now I'm using Panther's labels which I like even more.

ryaxnb · Oct 31, 2003, 01:46 PM

Originally posted by Andrew 8808:
No, I'm not asking about their function, but I'm curious as to how everyone uses them. I'm sure there's some way I could use them, but I can't really think of anything useful right now.

I think I remember back in the 9 days, someone said they labelled the whole System folder and/or Preferences immediately after an install, so it's easy to pick out the 3rd party stuff. Anyways, yeah, how do you use them?

Well, you could use them to label the whole System folder and/or Preferences immediately after an install, so it's easy to pick out the 3rd party stuff. After all, many still use Classic.

RooneyX · Oct 31, 2003, 01:52 PM

Originally posted by Terri:

I actually waited to upgrade to X until Unsanity released Labels X and now I'm using Panther's labels which I like even more.

Apple's new implementation doesn't outline all text properly in icon view, especially long file names.

Terri · Oct 31, 2003, 01:59 PM

Originally posted by RooneyX:
Apple's new implementation doesn't outline all text properly in icon view, especially long file names.

Looks right to me, what am I missing?

RooneyX · Oct 31, 2003, 02:49 PM

Originally posted by Terri:
Looks right to me, what am I missing?

Things like this:

Bobby · Oct 31, 2003, 05:11 PM

I used to use Labels, back in the OS 9 and under days, to organize files. I would give them lables (which I renamed and recolored to generic names, I went with blueberry, bondi, strawberry, etc.) then arrange by the labels. I did it all the time, but I've fallen out of that. Now with the re-introduction of lables I can almost do that again...

One big problem: when viewing by icon, if you arrange by label, you (at least I) end up getting the list alphabetical instead of by label...

Terri · Oct 31, 2003, 05:20 PM

Originally posted by RooneyX:
Things like this:

Doesn't do this on my machine

RooneyX · Oct 31, 2003, 05:50 PM

Originally posted by Terri:
Doesn't do this on my machine

That still means the implentation is bad.

DigitalEl · Oct 31, 2003, 09:56 PM

That still means the implentation is bad.

How so?

iDriveX · Oct 31, 2003, 10:43 PM

I use it to rate Porn. Red is guy/girl porn. Green is girl/girl porn. Blue is another type of porn, and the list goes on. That way if I am in a certain mood to watch something I can easily pick it out.

RooneyX · Oct 31, 2003, 11:33 PM

Originally posted by DigitalEl:
[B]How so?

Doh, because it should be consistent.

jonn804 · Nov 1, 2003, 12:19 AM

Originally posted by iDriveX:
I use it to rate Porn. Red is guy/girl porn. Green is girl/girl porn. Blue is another type of porn, and the list goes on. That way if I am in a certain mood to watch something I can easily pick it out.

I thought I was the only one with this system.

clarkgoble · Nov 1, 2003, 01:38 AM

One of the most useful uses for labels is for Applescripts. You can use them to determine the action of an Applescript. I only wish that one could pick the colors oneself - including clear. There are times when I'd like a label but without the coloring.

But consider labeling files that need backed up daily, weekly or so forth and that information is used by Applescript, Perl or Python in a custom backup.

Combine labels with Folder Actions and certain files could be routed to different places.

SomeToast · Nov 1, 2003, 04:48 AM

Originally posted by Terri:
Doesn't do this on my machine

Ah, but type in the exact same text. I get an identical upside-down highlight here too.

SomeToast · Nov 1, 2003, 05:00 AM

It looks like it's taking the shape of the text while it's being edited, and not that when deselected (which is different).

Couldn't get it to do it without double-quotes in the name, though.