[Judge_Fire]

As pointed out in some threads here, Get Info allows you to add words to a field called 'Comments'.

In list view, having set your View Options, you can then sort using these words.

Which is great. This, for me, replaces a lot of the late labels behaviour.


Two probs:

1: I find the UI for doing this too cumbersome, typing words into a window that needs to be brought up just for the occasion.

Having no set pool of words, there'll be typos and whatever.

I'd like to define my own set of keywords and apply them in combinations, using a faster input method.

2: The comments are available for viewing only in List Mode. There is no clear visual indicator, like Label colors.


Currently, I know of two projects dealing with Labels:

StereoTyper

and

QuickTag


Both could somehow tap into the Comments- feature and get sorting, too.

Any ideas on the UI? What would be the most convenient method to apply both keywords (possibly multiple) and a label color, while keeping it in line with Apple UI Guidelines?

[Simon X]

Originally posted by Judge_Fire:
As pointed out in some threads here, Get Info allows you to add words to a field called 'Comments'.

In list view, having set your View Options, you can then sort using these words.

Which is great. This, for me, replaces a lot of the late labels behaviour.


Two probs:

1: I find the UI for doing this too cumbersome, typing words into a window that needs to be brought up just for the occasion.

Having no set pool of words, there'll be typos and whatever.

I'd like to define my own set of keywords and apply them in combinations, using a faster input method.

2: The comments are available for viewing only in List Mode. There is no clear visual indicator, like Label colors.


Currently, I know of two projects dealing with Labels:

StereoTyper

and

QuickTag


Both could somehow tap into the Comments- feature and get sorting, too.

Any ideas on the UI? What would be the most convenient method to apply both keywords (possibly multiple) and a label color, while keeping it in line with Apple UI Guidelines?

This is a similar idea to one I mentioned here a while ago. (I'm not trying to steal your thunder )
Now that we have the beginnings of a contextual menu label plugin the logical next step is to also add the label name to the comments window. This way we can sort by comment, (next best thing to sort by label) as well as search by label/comment.

Fingers crossed someone does this soon.

[Spirit_VW]

Originally posted by Judge_Fire:


Two probs:

1: I find the UI for doing this too cumbersome, typing words into a window that needs to be brought up just for the occasion.

This might help: You can still open up a dynamic Get Info window that changes when you click a file (instead of having multiple Get Info windows open) by using Option+Command+I instead of Command+I (or by holding down Option when clicking on the File menu - the Get Info option will be replaced with Show Inspector).

[kent m]

Any ideas on the UI? What would be the most convenient method to apply both keywords (possibly multiple) and a label color, while keeping it in line with Apple UI Guidelines?

The easiest way for me to enter comments to a file/folder would be to simply click in the item's comments area and start typing. Just like naming/renaming. I've never understood why this hasn't always been a feature.

Label color?... A contextual menu selection? An list in the window menu, topbar?

~K

[lookmark]

As an aside, Judge, I find it extraordinary that just by suggesting an idea for a small application, within days someone has created (or re-created) it in Cocoa.

(This has been occuring on the Dev section of the forums.)

SmallScreen was one of my favorite l'il apps in Classic, and lo and behold, you helped wean it back into existence on X in a matter of hours.

Amazin'.

[IonCable]

I don't have Jag yet, but I would hope that it would be possible to write a simple Applescript to create labels. The current (before 10.2) Applescript Library for the Finder contains a 'comment' property for Finder items. Seem to me a nice little Applescript Studio App could be made to create labels.

[vmpaul]

I tried this technique about a month ago.

I had a large hard disk with about 180-200 folders that I wanted to back up. As I backed them up on CD I labeled each as 'backed-up' in the comment field. After about a week I had half of them labeled this way. Then one day I started my machine and ALL the comments were gone. Poof! I had to retrace my steps to get organized again.

I don't know what happened. I haven't had any trouble with my machine or OS (OS X 10.1.5).

I don't know what to say. Maybe it a was a freak incident. I just wish Apple would implement labels again. It was much more useful to me than spring-loaded folders. But those people made a lot more noise than us 'Label' advocates. I did request it to Apple Feedback.

I'll try the above 3rd party apps if they are past beta.

[sambeau]

It would also be nice if you could search on the comment text.
But, sadly, no - you can't.

ah well..

[ReggieX]

I used Labels to mean any number of different things, depending on the context.

For one big project I was working on with 5 other people, I made the rule that all French items were to be blue, and all English ones to be green. Made it super easy to bring up two Finder windows and do a quick compare to see if something was missing.

I used different colours for my MP3 collection, and the ideas behind them don't fit into my work-related flow. However, since I know which folders belong to what, I never get confused.

The problem with using Comments, as stated above, are that it's a pain to type into the little box every time. With Labels, just select a bunch and control-click to set.

You can still use Labels if you use SNAX instead of the Finder.

[munkman02]

I for one would like to see the feature of colorizing files (and folders) restored or developed for System X for the sake of organization.

As a temporary solution, I started using comments. By placing numbers in the comment box, I can drive files to the top of a window or whatever level I want them on. I agree that the comment entry for every file is time consuming. A dropdown menu of colors was quick and convenient. Since I like to cluster my files in groupings, color is a great visual tool. This helps me find files quicker.

The problem with comments is that EVERY file would need some comment. Here's why. All comments with the number 1 would appear at the top of the window in alphabetical order just as if you colorized the file in orange in OS 9. However, uncolored files would always appear beneath any colored files. Not so with comments.

If any file is left uncommented, it appears above all commented files. This means you have to place a comment in every file to force those files down.

So let's hear an encouraging cry to those developers out there to give us some color and a "View by Label" or View by Color" option.

Jeff
(another excessive-compulsive filer)

Originally posted by Judge_Fire:
As pointed out in some threads here, Get Info allows you to add words to a field called 'Comments'.

In list view, having set your View Options, you can then sort using these words.

Which is great. This, for me, replaces a lot of the late labels behaviour.


Two probs:

1: I find the UI for doing this too cumbersome, typing words into a window that needs to be brought up just for the occasion.

Having no set pool of words, there'll be typos and whatever.

I'd like to define my own set of keywords and apply them in combinations, using a faster input method.

2: The comments are available for viewing only in List Mode. There is no clear visual indicator, like Label colors.


Currently, I know of two projects dealing with Labels:

StereoTyper

and

QuickTag


Both could somehow tap into the Comments- feature and get sorting, too.

Any ideas on the UI? What would be the most convenient method to apply both keywords (possibly multiple) and a label color, while keeping it in line with Apple UI Guidelines?

[himself]

I sorely miss comments as well. I was hoping that I would make it's return in Jaguarg, and now I hope it's the next update... However, I do believer that it will come back eventually, simply because it was such a usefull organizational feature and there is no compelling reason as to why apple can't or won't implement it. So I'm betting on it making a comeback.

[gorickey]

For what it's worth, Unsanity is releasing an .ape module that will include "Labels"...it's about 95% done right now and will be called "Labels X"...stay tuned!

[munkman02]

This will be great news for all us excessive-compulsive organizers! 95% sounds real close and I have to hand it to Unsanity for all their efforts. It's the little things like Window Shade and Fruit Menu that keeps things running smooth.

I'll tell you this, although it's very possible we'll see all these little "haxies" in the next upgrade of Jaguar, I for one am willing to pay the shareware price to Unsanity as a well appreciated donation and an encouragement to keep on developing.

munkman02

Originally posted by gorickey:
For what it's worth, Unsanity is releasing an .ape module that will include "Labels"...it's about 95% done right now and will be called "Labels X"...stay tuned!

[Terri]

Originally posted by gorickey:
For what it's worth, Unsanity is releasing an .ape module that will include "Labels"...it's about 95% done right now and will be called "Labels X"...stay tuned!

This is really great news. Lack of labels is a real problem and I've just been hoping that something would come alone before I start using 10 full time. Yes I know about SNAX, but I want to use the Mac's finder.

I've already bought Windowshade and Fruit menu, don't mind paying for labels too.