AtLast FileNotes
Posted by graham.smith
on 9/11/2005
graham.smith
9/11/2005 7:04 am
Does anyone use this: http://www.filenotes.com/
I have sort of half used it for a while, but only now realising how useful it might be.
It is basically an explorer replacement that has grid view to store notes or keywords, plus a file viewer. What is noticeably different for me is that the file viewing is instant, rather than the annoying delay I experienced with Ultrarecall.
And no I am not suggesting this is an alternative to UltraRecall, but when trying UR out as a possible replacement for Zoot, I decided to live with the instant but unformatted file views that Zoot gave me.
The other aspect of the file viewer is that it allows you to annotate text in the viewer (highlights and sticky notes).
As well as adding your own notes or keywords to a file, you an set up up Filenotes to search the full text of docs and set up virtual folders or catalogues based on file contents. It also seems to search X1 indexes, but I haven't figured out what they mean by this exactly.
The other neat trick for me is that FileNotes will trigger every time you save or download a file, and pop up a dialog box allowing you to add notes or keywords from a pick list to the File Note.
I feel as if this could add a fair amount of power to document/information management without too much of an overhead in time and effort.
So I just wondered if anyone was actually using it and what their thoughts were.
Graham
I have sort of half used it for a while, but only now realising how useful it might be.
It is basically an explorer replacement that has grid view to store notes or keywords, plus a file viewer. What is noticeably different for me is that the file viewing is instant, rather than the annoying delay I experienced with Ultrarecall.
And no I am not suggesting this is an alternative to UltraRecall, but when trying UR out as a possible replacement for Zoot, I decided to live with the instant but unformatted file views that Zoot gave me.
The other aspect of the file viewer is that it allows you to annotate text in the viewer (highlights and sticky notes).
As well as adding your own notes or keywords to a file, you an set up up Filenotes to search the full text of docs and set up virtual folders or catalogues based on file contents. It also seems to search X1 indexes, but I haven't figured out what they mean by this exactly.
The other neat trick for me is that FileNotes will trigger every time you save or download a file, and pop up a dialog box allowing you to add notes or keywords from a pick list to the File Note.
I feel as if this could add a fair amount of power to document/information management without too much of an overhead in time and effort.
So I just wondered if anyone was actually using it and what their thoughts were.
Graham
sub
9/11/2005 8:56 am
Interestingly, I posted my question on Directory Opus without first refresshing the outliners.com page and didn't see your AtLast FileNotes post.
Though I haven't used ALFN I like the idea of virtual folders that Directory Opus provides as well (under the name File COllections). As for annotating, the only reason for me not resorting to such an approach is that I imagine I'd find it difficult to share file notes between my various systrms.
alx
Though I haven't used ALFN I like the idea of virtual folders that Directory Opus provides as well (under the name File COllections). As for annotating, the only reason for me not resorting to such an approach is that I imagine I'd find it difficult to share file notes between my various systrms.
alx
100341.2151
9/12/2005 11:39 am
Graham -
I haven't tried AtLast FileNotes, but the file manager I use - TotalCommander - allows one to add notes to files (i.e. annotate them). The resulting comments can either be displayed individually by means of the cursor tip when hovered over the file, or all the comments in a directory can be displayed in a column.
I sometimes find this useful for storing essential information about a file - e.g., what it is; what version it is; or (if an exe file) that I installed it on a certain date. However, it does tend to increase the number of different locations at which one is storing information about a file and/or its contents, so it requires a degree of discipline that I find hard to marshall to use it consistently and effectively.
ALFN is much more sophisticated, so I'm not sure my comments are very relevant :-).
Derek
I haven't tried AtLast FileNotes, but the file manager I use - TotalCommander - allows one to add notes to files (i.e. annotate them). The resulting comments can either be displayed individually by means of the cursor tip when hovered over the file, or all the comments in a directory can be displayed in a column.
I sometimes find this useful for storing essential information about a file - e.g., what it is; what version it is; or (if an exe file) that I installed it on a certain date. However, it does tend to increase the number of different locations at which one is storing information about a file and/or its contents, so it requires a degree of discipline that I find hard to marshall to use it consistently and effectively.
ALFN is much more sophisticated, so I'm not sure my comments are very relevant :-).
Derek