Tagging Items in Spotlight

[Anthony Baker]

Many of you may already know this, but you can tag files in Spotlight
by doing CMD + I on the file. The info panel will come up and there's
a section called Spotlight Comments. Whatever you put in there will
be added to the search criteria.

I took an MPG I shot that had the file name MOV03797.mpg and then
added a comment "Rutherfurd twins movie" in the comment field. When
the sucker indexed in a couple of seconds, a search for "Rutherfurd
twins movie" returned ONLY that file.

Very nice.

Now, wouldn't it be cool to have an app that can do group tagging?
Some Finder hack that allows you to select multiple files and add
tags to all of them.

Anyone know if this exists?

The thought of being able to do Del.icio.us-like tagging to files in
Tiger would be very, very cool.


/Anthony

[Kirk McElhearn]

On May 16, 2005, at 5:43 AM, Anthony Baker wrote:

> Very nice.
>
> Now, wouldn't it be cool to have an app that can do group tagging?
> Some Finder hack that allows you to select multiple files and add
> tags to all of them.
>
> Anyone know if this exists?

You can make one easily with Automator. If anyone wants it, contact
me off-list and I'll send you the resulting applet.


Kirk

Author of: iPod & iTunes Garage
http://www.mcelhearn.com/ipod.html
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Read my blog: Kirkville -- http://www.mcelhearn.com
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Kirk McElhearn | Chemin de la Lauze | 05600 Guillestre | France

[brandn...@gmail.com]

I have blogged about this, using David Allen's techniques, and the new
Spotlight and Automator. See
http://brilliantdays.com/archives/2005/05/getting_things_1.php

It's not an app, but it helps you tag a lot of files at the same time
using simple Automator scripts.

And with Smart folders, you could make "Projects", "@work" etc. lists.

=) Oyvind

[dekay]

A bit more work, but that is in effect the thing I would love to have:

A tagging interface like the experimental popup from del.icio.us.
Anyone care to write one? ;)

[quiksan]

I can do ya one better. I started with the Automator route, but it was
more steps than I cared for (I'm lazy, ok?!)

if you use Quicksilver (and you should be afterall. :) make sure you've
got the File Attribute Actions plugin installed.

select the file(s) you want to custom tag
invoke QS
CMD G (loads the selected file(s) to QS)
tab
set comments
tab
enter spotlight comments you wish to tag with
enter

list looks maybe a bit involved, but if you're used to using QS, it's
all of about 1.5 seconds worth of time. Plus, it makes tagging
multiple files at once a breeze.

I'm with you, tagging ala del.icio.us/flickr/etc is what I'm all about.
I've been using this for about a week since I stumbled across it.
works like a charm!!

In fact - take it a step further. I've got a SmartFolder setup to look
for anything with a very specific SpotLIght comment. (mytasks)
So anything I tag with mytasks ends up in that folder no matter its
actual location. That way I can get at all my currently important
files in once useful place.
updating the spotlight comments and removing the mytasks tag removes it
from the folder. NIce!

cheers

[quiksan]

oops, Brandnewbrain already made the smartfolder comment. sorry bout
that.

[Jeffrey Windsor]

quiksan, that's excellent. The Quicksilver method works perfectly and
functions with my workflow. Very nice. Thanks for that. Should have
seen it myself (and would have got there eventually), but I'm happy
to have you find it first.

--jw

[Nik]

This is a stupid little trick, but might help.

If you hold down the option key while selecting Get Info in the
Finder (or CMD+OPT+I), you get an info box which shows info on the
currently selected item. If you leave it collapsed so only the
Spotlight Comments (aka Comments) field is visible, it provides a
nice little palette to add comments.

--Nik

[Anthony Baker]

Brilliant!

Thanks, Quicksan.

[charlie]

Very nice. I have been using an Automator action with an assigned
trigger. This is good, and quicker.

[Jeffrey Windsor]

After thinking about it, however, I think that QS is an unnecessary
part of the equation. If you've already selected the item in the
finder, you can use the following steps:

1. Control-I for the info dialog
2. Tab twice
3. Enter comments
4. Control-W to close the info dialog

I appreciate that you can tab in the info dialog, hence no mouse or
trackpad touching is necessary. You could even combine this with the
QS tip to use QS to get info. At least then you're using the same
interface for entering comments. (Yes, QS is necessary for a
selection of multiple files. Individual files, however, are faster
with just the finder.)

I just wish I had the option to add comments in the save dialog.
*That* would be the killer for me.

--jw

[Kirk McElhearn]

On May 17, 2005, at 6:54 PM, Jeffrey Windsor wrote:

> (Yes, QS is necessary for a selection of multiple files. Individual
> files, however, are faster with just the finder.)

No, QS is not necessary - as I pointed out earlier in this thread,
you can make an Automator applet that lets you drag and drop multiple
files, then enter comments that are added to all of them.


Kirk

[William J. Nalen]

I've been trying out parts of the GTD method over the last few months.
The input from this list is a great help. When I read the GTD book I
thought one of the parts I'd quickly toss aside was the tickler file.
But, I got 43 folders, labeled them all and stuck them in the front of
the drawer with my project files. I hardly had anything to put in them
so they kind of sat for a while. I work from home mostly and do all my
work on the computer, so naturally I put all my appointments in my
calendar. Other things that were somewhat time sensitive went on my
project list, things like change the car's oil, check for submissions to
my database, etc.

However, what I found is that these items were perfect for the tickler
file. So, when I have a recurring event tied to time, I take a blank
index card and print a label with the item on it. The card then goes
into the proper place in the tickler file. I get a couple different
points of value out of this method.

For me, the more that is in the tickler file, the less likely I am to
forget to check it. If I somehow know I only have 1 item in it, I'm
extremely likely to overlook it. However, if I have lots of items, I
know I need to check it.

It's also much easier for me to create, check and replace the card than
it is to keep my computer calendar up to date. If I can't do the thing
that day, I just slip it back a few days or so in the folders.

Here's my method:
1. each morning take the days folder out of the pile
2. empty folder into inbox
3. replace folder at back of stack
4. process in box placing processed cards into the right place in the
tickler

Here are some of the items I've got in my tickler:
Backup computers (no auto scheduled stuff yet), timesheets for work,
check database submissions, check for up coming birthdays, various yard
maintenance tasks, pay bills, update sales for month, car oil changes,
conference info, change water filter.
Some items are weekly, some are monthly, some are quarterly, some are ad
hoc, all easily fit in the system.

I don't think I'm the average person the GTD book was written for as I
hardly have any calendar appointments (maybe 5-6 per week), so I'm even
thinking I can do away with the traditional calendar and just put all my
appointments into the tickler. Any appointment I need to prepare for
ahead of time can go on my projects or next action list.

Just my 2 cents
Bill

[quiksan]

Jeffrey, point taken. I'm a QS junkie, and using it has become more
natural than just about anything else on OSX (whether that's good or
now, I'm not totally sure).
But absolutely use what feels best. Get Info, Automator Script, QS,
whatever. mileage will vary greatly depending on how you work.

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the idea of having the ability to add Spotlight
comments at Save. that would be perfect!

[Jeffrey Windsor]

>> (Yes, QS is necessary for a selection of multiple files.
>> Individual files, however, are faster with just the finder.)
>>
>
> No, QS is not necessary - as I pointed out earlier in this thread,
> you can make an Automator applet that lets you drag and drop
> multiple files, then enter comments that are added to all of them.

You are correct. You could make an Automator applet to do it for you.
Or you could code something in Objective C. I could perhaps code a
system extension which does it as well. And I could have it store a
database of frequently used tags displayed in graduated sizes,
boldnesses, and colors so I can see my work visually when I create
the tags (and send email--it must eventually expand until it sends
email).

But existent, out-of-the-box functionality goes to Quicksilver. Which
makes it "necessary" for the task, whereas build-it-myself is only
speculative.

--jw

[Mark Burgess]

Nice. Ooh, using the labeler and the index cards together! :-)

--
Mark

[Kirk McElhearn]

Building the automator applet is really tough: drag one action, then
select File > Save.


Kirk

Author of: How to Do Everything with Mac OS X Panther

- - - - - -

[Adam Rice]

Check out this great widget that identifies tags in the form of @tag
and links directly to Spotlight search results:
http://www.terhech.de/tag/

[Michael Gmail]

On May 17, 2005, at 11:54 AM, Jeffrey Windsor wrote:

> I just wish I had the option to add comments in the save dialog.
> *That* would be the killer for me.

A little birdie told me the developer of Default Folder is working on
it. ;-)
Michael

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