I am very frustrated with how I have to search various data stores to find info I need ... when I'm looking for something, I may need to search in my PIM database, in my file system files, in my email database ... I wish it were all integrated better. I often wonder if I could think of way to use the file system as a note manager. Each note would be a separate file, and thus would be easily accessible to many different programs.

I am curious whether any of you has ever seen a file browser with a feature like this. In every file browser i've ever seen, the details view shows a single line of data about each file - name, size, created date, modified date, etc. Windows Explorer offers many columns/fields to choose from, for the tabular display.

Have you ever seen a file browser that uses more than one line to display the fields for each file? You could display more fields that way.

And here is what I'm more interested in ... have you seen a browser that will display the wrap the contents of a single field over multiple lines? For example - a browser could show lines of text from each file in a "text" column. I could use that for browsing short text files - i could see text from multiple files at the same time in a tabular display.

To take the metaphor even farther, I'm wondering if there is a file browser that works like a spreadsheet? You could make in-place edits to various file fields, not just the file name.

jim

I might add that the "single-line" problem extends to the typical three-pane "outliner" - where you have three panes (1) a navigation tree pane to the left, showing folders or container items; (2) a columnar list of items in each container; and (3) a pane to display the contents of the item selected in the list pane. Usually, you can't see the contents of more than one item at a time - the one that is selected in the list pane. To see the contents of another item, you have to click the next item in the list pane. In contrast, with a single-pane outliner - you are able to see the contents of multiple items at the same time.

It's probably not quite what you had in mind, but take a look at this old post of mine: http://www.outlinersoftware.com/messages/viewm/4871

I see that the program mentioned, Nemo, is under continued development and has almost reached v.1 http://www.nemo-docs.com/ (a long way ahead of the Linux version)

Other than that, I know that there is at least one file manager discussed here in the past which allows you to enter notes for any file and view them when browsing, but I am uncertain of its name --Filenotes ot something similar I think.

One can always add notes in the Summary tab of a file's "Properties."

Alexander Deliyannis wrote:

It's probably not quite what you had in mind, but take a look at this old post of mine:
http://www.outlinersoftware.com/messages/viewm/4871

Good post, thanks. We have the same basic idea - instead of using a program-specific database, which other programs don't know how to use - why not use the file system, or at least a very common data format? That way the same data can be viewed and edited in multiple ways by multiple programs.

One possibility - put each note (or "record") in a separate text file. Each note could be given a meaningful file name. I put the date and time in many of my file names, so that I can use a tool like Voidtools Everything (which searches filenames) - to retrieve files from many different folders and put them in chronological order. Different file extensions could be used for different kinds of data. Perhaps metadata "fields" could be placed somewhere in each file - perhaps at the bottom. For example, you could have something like this at the bottom of each file:

PurchaseDate: 4/29/2011
Manufacturer: Sony
etc etc.

A properly designed program could then gather the notes and metadata fields from many different files into one tabular display - and the data could be edited within that program, too.

Another advantage - it would be an easy matter to keep such a "database" synced across different computers using Dropbox or some such utility. A change to an individual note would be synced as soon as it is saved - you wouldn't have to close an entire database of notes before the whole thing is synced.

Perhaps an "outliner" could be designed where a subitem is stored in a file system subdirectory associated with a a parent note item.

If a note belongs in several places in the outline, this might be accomplished by using file system "hard links" or "symbolic links".

Maybe there is something already out there that works along these lines, but I haven't found it yet.

I see that the program
mentioned, Nemo, is under continued development and has almost reached v.1
http://www.nemo-docs.com/ (a long way ahead of the Linux version)

thanks, I've downloaded both Nemo and Gen-9 Noah, and will have a look at them.

Other than
that, I know that there is at least one file manager discussed here in the past which
allows you to enter notes for any file and view them when browsing, but I am uncertain of
its name --Filenotes ot something similar I think.

Could it be Atlast Filenotes Organizer?
http://www.filenotes.com/

jim

jimspoon wrote:

Perhaps an "outliner"
could be designed where a subitem is stored in a file system subdirectory associated
with a a parent note item.

If a note belongs in several places in the outline, this
might be accomplished by using file system "hard links" or "symbolic links".

-------------------------------------------------------
Most outliner programs I know of can contain links to files. How easy or hard it is to create those links depends on the outliner. Sometimes it is as easy as drag-and-drop. I do this all the time.
I suspect, however, that you are looking for something more automatic.

Posted by jimspoon

And here is what I?m more interested in ... have you
seen a browser that will display the wrap the contents
of a single field over multiple lines? For example - a browser could show lines of text from each file in a ?text? column. I could use that for browsing short text files - i could see text from >multiple files at the same time in a tabular display.

I do this with UltraRecall. I have a folder, containing text files, which is synchronized in UR. I get an explorer-like view with the file's text content displayed as an field (Item Text). With line wrap on, the grid pane will wrap long cell text to 9 rows per cell. (If line wrap is off, a tool tip will display the entire text when hovered over. ) The grid looks like a spreadsheet, but in-cell-editing is on the "road map" but not planned for the next release. Of course you are probably looking for a more simple solution to your text file problem and perhaps do not share my enthusiasm for UltraRecall as the integrated solution for all my organizational frustration. ;-)

I recently made excellent progress sorting some old files (pre UR), by making use of windows 7 explorer's document preview pane and surprisingly robust search features. Although I had only one preview pane, the speed at which I could cycle though the files was impressive. If I were not already spoiled by my current solution, I could see making use of these features along with file indexing, libraries, saved searches, versioning, etc - all built into windows 7....

Hi Bill,

$Bill wrote:

I do this with UltraRecall. I have a
folder, containing text files, which is synchronized in UR. I get an explorer-like
view with the file's text content displayed as an field (Item Text). With line wrap on,
the grid pane will wrap long cell text to 9 rows per cell. (If line wrap is off, a tool tip
will display the entire text when hovered over. ) The grid looks like a spreadsheet,
but in-cell-editing is on the "road map" but not planned for the next release.

I have UR 3.5, but I never really switched over from Ecco - and so I never really learned about the file synchronization function. Sounds very interesting ... I need to study it. But I'd need to upgrade for UR4, since 3.5 wont work for me in Win7. I've been thinking about it ... but wish the upgrade was cheaper than $50 ! Before doing so I'd like to feel confident that it really seems like the solution for me, as opposed to infoqube, zoot, etc. I love Ecco but the limitations are maddening.

I recently made excellent progress
sorting some old files (pre UR), by making use of windows 7 explorer's document
preview pane and surprisingly robust search features. Although I had only one
preview pane, the speed at which I could cycle though the files was impressive. If I
were not already spoiled by my current solution, I could see making use of these
features along with file indexing, libraries, saved searches, versioning, etc - all
built into windows 7....

I agree that Win 7 has some very impressive built-in features. Lately for example, I've been using it to rename PDFs I made from scanned images - using the very nice PDF previewer. I need to explore the other features more fully.

Jim,

This is not what you are looking at but maybe and idea to follow:
http://www.gumnotes.com/

How it works:

1. Open a document
This can be a website, an office document or a email

2. Attach a note!
Open the GumNotes window in the sys tray bar and write a note.

3. Next time you open the document GumNotes shows your note.

Even for related documents GumNotes can show your note e.g. for follow up emails.


Dominik