Author Topic: How do you add keywords to files that can be seen in Windows Explorer?  (Read 11033 times)

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Offline JonLeung

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You know how, when viewing files in Explorer, you can right-click on the columns and choose a number of fields to sort by, including "Keywords"?



I can right-click on particular files, go into "Properties", then the "Summary" tab, and I can click on "Title", "Subject", "Keywords", and "Comments".  But if I fill out the "Keywords", they don't actually show up in the Keywords column.



I was hoping to be able to sort pictures by more than just descriptive filenames.  Anyone know how?  I suppose I could use the "Title" field but I'd prefer "Keywords" if I can use them.



I can use external programs (CompuPic Pro, for example, which I always applaud) but I'd like keywords that are internal to the file (if it is...and if not, Windows Explorer is probably the next best thing) so that descriptive keywords will always be attached to the file no matter what I use it in.

Offline bustin98

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Ok, so I did some looking around on this. Seems that even though the option is there, Microsoft's official documents do not include 'keywords' as a metatable piece of info. So why is it there? I think its a lead up to Vista. It may have been included in an update or something.



I found an interesting article (to me) regarding manually editing the metatable info of any file.



http://www.codeproject.com/csharp/columnhandler.asp?msg=1504299



Unfortunately, its in C#. So you'll need a compiler just to get it running. It appeared that I was able to add a keyword just by right-clicking the file and going to the summary tab, but it didn't work. Even after a restart. The word stayed but the column remained empty.



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Offline JonLeung

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Crap.  Looks like I'm using the "Title" and maybe the "Subject" fields after all.



I know CompuPic Pro has a "Categories" function that can help me assign a number of categories to a picture.  Like if I have a picture of a person (say, Colonel Mustard) in a location (like the study) or doing something (involving a revolver) I could have that picture categorized under those three criteria and it would show up any time I looked up all the pictures of Colonel Mustard, or the study, or the revolver.  (That was a pointless Clue / Cluedo reference, if you're slow.)  If I need three or more keywords, Windows Explorer won't cut it then.



I love CompuPic Pro to death, but if there's one flaw, it's that I may go crazy with it creating thumbnails for too many folders at a time or whatnot, something more intense than it can handle, and usually the quickest fix is to delete the def.phd database file which can get corrupted or otherwise useless when it gets too big.  It'd have to recreate the thumbnails whenever I need them again, which is automatic so it's not a problem, but deleting the database file would kill things such as categories and keywords and other things that were external to the file and CompuPic-specific.



So I was hoping that assigning keywords would be possible, assuming that it can somehow embed the info into the file so it would always be seen no matter where the file is.

Offline JonLeung

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Okay, I tried things in CompuPic Pro, and the problem is that I can't filter more than one thing at a time.



Let's say I have a bunch of Super Mario game maps.  If I had an image filter/sorting program, I'd give them all a keyword, like "Super Mario".



And I have a bunch of Super NES game maps.  I'd keyword them all "Super NES".



I'd like to be able to see JUST the maps from Super Mario World/Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island/Super Mario All-Stars if I chose both "Super NES" and "Super Mario" filters.



CompuPic Pro is an awesome program that can put things in categories, but while I can assign multiple categories to pictures, I can't view ONLY pictures that belong to more than one (without making ANOTHER category that says both or something redundant).  Like Venn diagrams, you know?



I want to be more efficient at finding particular images.  Oh, the program really should be freeware if possible.

Offline bustin98

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Its not freeware, but I have a photo collection program from Hemera called Photo Clip Art 150,000. It allows for creation of your own galleries as well as the galleries provided. And images can have comma seperated keywords.



I browsed the website and seems its not available there. I got mine at either Best Buy or Staples.

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Offline Inty

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test




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