A new way of looking at files (Future windows/file explorer ?) "Tag" based file browsing...

  • Thread starter Thread starter Skybuck Flying
  • Start date Start date
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Skybuck Flying

Hello,

Sometimes files/folder belong to different categories at the same, for
example: "graphics related", "music related", "programming related", "math
related".

Currently windows requires me to put the file in folders, this creates a
"static" view of the situation. In reality I like placing all the
files/folder in one big folder so I can "easily" find everything.

However when the number of files reaches thousands or ten thousands it
becomes a bit harder to "sift" through it... I have no real way of
"filtering out" unwanted files, or "filtering/zoom into the files I wanna
see".

So I recommend a new way of looking at files in the file system:

The user receives the ability to "tag" files. Which means the user can now
start adding "tags" to files.

So for example:
MyGameSource.cpp tags: "c++", "game development", "graphics", "game engine",
whatever.

Then the next time I want to "sift" through my files... for example I want
to see all "graphics" related files...

So then I type the "tag" search term into the windows explorer like so:

Graphics

The future windows/file explorer should filter out all other files which are
not graphics related.

Another example:

tag: "redcode" ;)

Search: "redcode"

All files related to redcode are shown...

This could be done for the current folder, there should also be an option
which says: "Search subfolders as well" and display those results as well !
;)

Let's call this new idea: "Tag" based file browsing ? ;)

Bye,
Skybuck :)
 
Art Overby said:
http://code.google.com/p/tagfilesystem/
Click to expand...

I think best solution for windows would be to extend the ntfs file system
with tag support.

Each file/folder gets a special stream attach to it which can contain tags.

Then all that's needed is some extra interface work, some extra api work so
that the user can add, and search/filter on the tags.

So the main idea is to extend what is already there, so the user can keep
working they way he/she is used to but can try out the new tag/search/view
feature as well ;)

Bye,
Skybuck.
 
Anyway for people wanting to try it out in an implementation, maybe the
filedisk tool/technology/source code would be a good start...

What would be missing is api or maybe there is an api for extensions, and
the windows explorer would have to be re-done or extended...

Bye,
Skybuck.
 
Art Overby said:
Then let's NOT call this a new idea.
Click to expand...

It depends on the implementation, different implementations are thinkable.

I am for extending the current ntfs file system, not replacing it ! ;)

Bye,
Skybuck.
 
I want to understand what this proposal does that:

// This is tag <blah> placed in the file

And liberal use of 'grep "<blah>" * */* ' does not do?
 
I want to understand what this proposal does that:

// This is tag <blah> placed in the file

And liberal use of 'grep  "<blah>" * */* ' does not do?
Click to expand...

Skybuck doesn't know about Cygwin?

Robert.
 
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