Tagging for Windows Help
Download new version of 'Tagging for Windows'
Allow
multiselect entries in ‘Tag With’ list
Show the properties of a Tag Group
Remove a Tag from Smart View Results
Remove all Tags from Smart View Results
Remove a Tag from the Smart View
Exclude from Smart View Results
Copy- and Move Tag destination
Tagging re-invented and fully integrated
into the Windows File Explorer
Tagging for Windows allows you to tag your files and folders within the Windows File Explorer. More general information or a free download is available at the website. Please contact us for anything: questions, bugs, request, comments, etc.
The standard Windows Explorer is extended with a Tagging
node in the tree (Navigation
pane). When a tag is selected in the tree, the tagged files and folders
are shown in the Folder View. Below the Folder View,
another pane is presented. This can be either the Tags pane or the Smart View
pane.
Next to the directly visible parts, the context menu’s are extended as well. Dependently of the context, the context menu for files and folders have Tag with, Add to ‘Tag With’, Show in folder, Untag or Search and Tag files.
The Tags pane can be found below the Folder View in the explorer. It shows the Tags of the selected file or folder (or another Tag).
The Name, Location and ‘Add or select Tag’ button are shown. When multiple files and/or folders are selected, only the in common are shown.
The Tags pane allows you to use the context menu to:
- Show within Tag group: see Navigate to a Tag .
- Tag with: see Tag a Tag .
- Add to ‘Tag with’: see Add Tag to ‘Tag with’.
- Tag website: see Tag a Website.
- Add to smart view: see Use in Smart View.
- Untag: see Untag an a File or Untag a Folder.
-
Add or select Tag : see Add or select Tag.
In general a tag is a keyword or term linked to a piece of information. In particular, this kind of metadata helps to describe a File, Folder or other Tag and allows it to be found by browsing or searching with help of the Tags. . A tag can be linked to one or more Files, Folders or other Tags. Files, Folders or other Tags can have one or more Tags.
─ Select the Tag Group or Tag where you want to create a new tag.
○ In the context menu select New Tag.
A Tag with the default name, New Tag, is created. The name of the Tag can be changed now.
Note: Some characters cannot be used in the name. See restrictions.
─ Select the Tag you want to copy.
○ In the context menu select Copy.
○ On the keyboard, press Ctrl+C.
○ Use the mouse to Drag and Drop the Tag while pressing the Ctrl key.
The selected Tag is now on the clipboard. A paste action is needed to complete the copy.
─ Select the Tag you want to rename.
○ In the context menu select Rename.
○ On the keyboard, press F2.
Note: Some characters cannot be used in the name. See restrictions.
When a Tag is deleted, the Tag will be deleted permanently. All tagged files, folders and other Tags will be untagged from this Tag.
─ Select the Tag you want to delete.
○ In the context menu, choose Delete.
○ On the keyboard, press Delete.
─ Select the Tag you want to cut.
○ In the context menu, choose Cut.
○ On the keyboard, press Ctrl+X.
○ Use the mouse to Drag and Drop the Tag.
The selected Tag is now on the clipboard. A paste action is needed to complete the move.
The Paste is used to complete a combination of actions. The combination can be:
. Cut/Paste: The Tag will be moved.
. Copy/Paste: The Tag will be copied.
- Select the location you want to complete the operation.
○ In the context menu, choose Paste.
○ On the keyboard, press Ctrl+V.
─ Select the Tag whose properties you want to view.
○ In the context menu, choose Properties.
The following dialog will be shown in which the properties can be viewed.
Press Change Icon to change the icon of the selected tag. When pressed the following dialog is shown.
─ Scroll through the list to find an icon to use. Choose OK on the selection. OK also closes the dialog.
─ Select OK or Apply on the Properties window to save the changes. OK also closes the dialog.
─ Select the Tag you want to use in the ‘Search and Tag’ application.
○ In the context menu, choose Search and Tag files. 1
The application Search and Tag is started with the selected Tag used as a Path.
This path is the location from which the application starts searching for files.
Copying a tag can be done by using copy followed by a paste. Tags can be copied to other tag groups as well. All child tags are copied also. The tagged files, folders and other tags of the original Tag will also be tagged with the copied Tag.
Moving a tag can be done by using cut followed by paste. Tags can be moved to another tag groups as well. All child tags are moved also. All tagged files, folders and other tags are preserved.
─ Select the Tag you want to add to the list of last used Tags. The Tag is placed on top of the list. When the option Allow multiselect entries in ‘Tag With’ list is selected it is also possible to add multiple Tags to the list of last used Tags.
○ In the context menu, choose Add to ‘Tag with’. 1
○ On the keyboard, press Ctrl+Q.
Select the Tag you want to export. The Tag, all child Tags and all linked Files and Folders are exported.
○ In the context menu, choose Export. A File Save dialog is shown to specify the location of the export file. When the Export is finished the following dialog is shown indicating how many Tag Groups, Tags and Links are export.
The word ‘Tagging’ is short for linking a Tag to a File, a Folder or even another Tag.
A File, Folder or Tag can be tagged using two methods as described below.
─ Select the File, Folder or Tag you want to tag.
○ Press
the Add or select Tag button in
the Tags pane or on the keyboard press CTRL+.
▪ In the Tags pane an editable combo box with list autocomplete will appear.
▪ By typing text in the combo box, matching tags are shown in the list.
▪ When a Tag is selected from the list, this Tag will be used to tag the File, Folder and/or Tag. If the typed text does not match any of the existing tags, a new Tag will be created and will be used to tag the File, Folder and/or Tag. Applied new tags will be created automatically in a new special Tag group named ‘Base Tag group’.
─ Select the File, Folder or Tag you want to tag. When the option Allow multiselect entries in ‘Tag With’ list is selected it is also possible to tag a File/folder with multiple Tags and a Tag with multiple Files/Folder and/or Tags.
○ In the context menu select Tag with.
▪ Select an entry from the list of the last (max 9) used Tags, or select More Tags …
○ On the keyboard press CTRL+T to select the last used entry of the ‘Tag With’ list.
More Tags opens a new window containing all Tag Groups. It is now possible to link multiple Tags to the selection. All Tag and Tag Group functions are available in this window.
─ Select a Tag as you would do in Windows File Explorer.
○ Press Apply or Select to link the Tag to the selection. The selected Tag is also placed on top of the list last used Tags. Select also closes the window.
○ Cancel closes the window.
Websites can be ‘tagged’ as well. However, because the function Tagging is only integrated in the Windows File Explorer and not in every possible Internet Browser, this works as follows:
─ First select the address of the website in the Internet Browser.
○ In the context menu select Copy.
○ On the keyboard, press Ctrl+C.
─ Now select a Tag in the Windows File Explorer.
○ In the context menu select Tag website.
Tagging for Windows links a Tag to a File, Folder or other Tag. A link always has two sides, one always being a Tag, the other being a File, a Folded or a Tag.
Because the link has two sides (is bi-directional), two ways are possible to see the extra information you can add within the Windows File Explorer:
1. Viewed from a Tag, the Files and Folders linked to this Tag are shown in the Folder View
2. Viewed from a File or Folder, the Tags linked to this File or Folder are shown in the Tags pane.
When a link exists, navigation is possible to both sides of it.
Navigation to a Tag using ‘Show in Tag group’ will select the Tag in the Navigation pane of the Windows File Explorer.
Navigation to a Folder using ‘Show in Folder’ will select the Folder in the Navigation pane of the Windows File Explorer.
Navigation to a File using ‘Show in Folder’ will select the File in the Folder View of the Windows File Explorer.
When a Tag is untagged the link between the Tag and the File, Folder or another Tag is removed.
─ In the Folder View select the File you what to navigate.
○ In the context menu select Show in Folder.
─ In the Folder View select the Folder you what to navigate.
○ In the context menu select Show in Folder.
─ In the Tags pane select the Tag you want to navigate.
○ In the context menu select Show within Tag group.
─ In the Folder View of the Windows File Explorer, select the linked File(s) you want to untag
○ In the context menu select Untag.
─ In the Tags pane select the Tag(s) you want to untag.
○ In the context menu select Untag.
─ In the Folder View of the Windows File Explorer, select the linked Folder(s) you want to untag
○ In the context menu select Untag.
─ In the Tags pane select the Tag(s) you want to untag.
○ In the context menu select Untag.
─ In the Tags pane select the Tag(s) you want to use in Smart View.
○ In the context menu select Use in Smart View. 1
─ In the Tags pane select the Tag(s) you want to tag.
○ In the context menu select Tag with. 1
─ In the Tags pane select the Tag you want to add to the list of last used Tags. The Tag is placed on top of the list. When the option Allow multiselect entries in ‘Tag With’ list is selected it is also possible to add multiple Tags to the list of last used Tags.
○ In the context menu select Add to ‘Tag with’. 1
○ On the keyboard, press Ctrl+Q.
See Add or select Tag.
The Tagging node contains the collection of Tag Groups and the Smart Views.
In the navigation pane of the Windows File Explorer select the Tagging node.
Open the context menu and choose License and in the sub-menu select License
activation.
The Activate License dialog is opened and the activation key can be entered here.
In the navigation pane of the Windows File Explorer select the Tagging node.
Open the context menu and choose License and in the sub-menu select License
deactivation. The current activated license will be deactivated.
In the navigation pane of the Windows File Explorer select the Tagging node.
Open the context menu and choose License and in the sub-menu select License
information. The License information dialog is opened and shows the License
key, Expiration date and whether the license is Expired.
In the navigation pane of the Windows File Explorer select the Tagging node.
Open the context menu and choose License and in the sub-menu select Additional
license(s). The Tagging for Windows website is opened where additional
licenses can be obtained.
─ Select
the Tagging node in the tree.
○ In the context menu, choose Check for updates. The Tagging for Windows website is queried for the availability of a new version.
─ Select
the Tagging node in the tree.
○ In the context menu, choose Download new version of 'Tagging for Windows'. When a new version is available is enabled and the Tagging for Windows download page is opened in de default Internet Browser.
─ Select
the Tagging node in the tree.
○ In the context menu, choose Options. The following options dialog is shown.
When this option is selected the Tags pane is shown. Default this option is selected.
When this option is selected the child Tags of the current selected tag are shown in the Windows Explorer Folder View. Default this option is selected.
When this option is selected the Smart View node is shown in under the Tagging node in the navigation pane and the context menu of a Tag will contain ‘Add to Smart View’. Default this option is selected.
When this option is selected it is possible to tag Tags and the context menu of a Tag will contain ‘Tag with’. Default this option is selected.
When this option is selected it is possible to use a Tag or Folder in the ‘Search and Tag’ application and the context menu of a Tag or Folder will contain ‘Search and tag files’. Default this option is selected.
When this option is selected it is possible to add a Tag to the list of last used Tags and the context menu of a Tag will contain ‘Add to ‘Tag with’’. Default this option is selected.
When this option is selected it is possible to add multiselect File/Folder and/or Tag combinations to the ‘Tag With’ list. When selected, the options Tagging of Tags and Add to ‘Tag With’ are automatically selected and disabled. Default this option is selected.
Select the Tagging node in
the tree. All opened Tag Groups are exported.
○ In the context menu, choose Export. A File Save dialog is shown to specify the location of the export file. When the Export is finished the following dialog is shown indicating how many Tag Groups, Tags and Links are export.
─ Select
the Tagging node in the tree.
○ In the context menu, choose Help. The Tagging for Windows help website is opened in de default Internet Browser.
─ Select
the Tagging node in the tree.
○ In the context menu, choose Refresh. All opened Tag Groups are refreshed.
─ Select
the Tagging node in the tree.
○ In the context menu, choose About Tagging for Windows. The following dialog is shown containing the version number of Tagging for Windows, copyright information and a link to the Tagging for Windows website.
A Tag Group is a hierarchical ordered collection of tags.
When a Tag Group is closed it will be removed from the Windows File Explorer tree. All containing Tags and their links to Files, Folder and other Tags will be preserved. A closed Tag Group can be reopened.
When a Tag Group is deleted all containing Tags and their links to Files, Folder and other Tags will permanently be destroyed. It will be removed from the Windows File Explorer tree.
By moving a Tag Group the physical database containing the Tags and their links to Files, Folder and other Tags, is moved to another folder on the file system.
The three available options, in the properties of a Tag Group, are:
‘Current User’ location the Tag Group can only be opened/used by the user currently logged-in on the system.
‘All User’ location the Tag Group can be opened/used by all users that can login on the system.
‘Network/Other’ location the user is presented with a folder selection dialog where any folder location on the local file system or on a network share can be selected. When a Tag Group is moved to a network location the Tag Group can be shared between different users on different systems.
A Tag Group that was previously closed can reopened.
Tag Groups can be opened from three locations:
‘All Users’ and
For the ‘Current User’ and ‘All Users’ locations, the user can select from the presented list with Tag Group names present at either location. When a Tag Group is opened from a ‘Network/Other’ location a File Open dialog is shown. This dialog filters for Tag Groups and when a Tag Group is selected the Tag Group name is shown. After the Tag Group is opened it is shown in the File Explorer tree.
─ Select the Tag Group you want to delete.
○ In the context menu select Delete.
○ On the keyboard, press Delete.
─ Select the Tag Group you want to move
○ In the context menu select Properties.
▪ Select the radio button Current User to move the Tag Group to the ‘Current User’ location.
▪ Select the radio button All Users to move the Tag Group to ‘All Users’ location.
▪ Select
the radio button Network/Other and press the ellipsis button. A Folder
Selection dialog opens were a
location can be selected to move the Tag Group to.
─ Select the Tag Group you want to close.
─ The Tag Group remains available and can be opened again.
○ In the context menu select Close.
─ Select
the Tagging node in
the tree.
○ In the context menu, choose New Tag group.
A new Tag Group with the default name New Tag group is created.
─ Select the Tag Group you want to rename.
○ In the context menu, choose Rename.
○ On the keyboard, press F2.
Note: Some characters cannot be used in the name. See restrictions.
─ Select the Tag Group whose properties you want to view.
○ In the context menu, choose Properties.
A dialog will be shown in which the properties can be viewed.
─ Select
the Tagging node in the tree.
○ In the context menu, go to Open Tag group. A submenu is shown with the following items:
▪ Current user: The Tag Groups present for the current user are shown. Choose the one to open.
▪ All users: The Tag Groups present for all users are shown. Choose the one to open.
▪ Network/Other location: A dialog is shown in which a Tag Group can be selected. The name of the Tag Group is shown in the lower part of the dialog. If the Tag Group is located, press Open.
Select the Tag Group you want to export. All the Tags and all linked Files and Folders are exported.
○ In the context menu, choose Export. A File Save dialog is shown to specify the location of the export file. When the Export is finished the following dialog is shown indicating how many Tag Groups, Tags and Links are export.
The Base Tag group is a special Tag group that will be created automatically the first time a Tag is created using ‘Add or select Tag’. This Tag group can be found under the Tagging node in the Navigation pane of the Windows File Explorer cannot be closed, deleted, moved or renamed. But it is possible to create new Tags and to export this Tag group.
With a Smart View a selection of files and folder can be created based on a combination of Tag(s). Every time a new Tag is used in the Smart View, the possible combinations are updated.
The possible combinations are shown in the list that of the Smart View Pane.
Every item in the list represents a collection of Tags.
If the collection is included , the Result will
contain all files and folder having all the Tags of the collection.
If the collection is excluded , the Result will
not contain any file or folder having all the Tags of the collection.
Example:
The Tags “Amsterdam”, “New York” and “London” are used in the Smart View.
The Tag(s) collection “Amsterdam + New York” is included.
The Tag(s) collection “London” is excluded.
The result of the Smart View will be:
“files/folders connected with Tag Amsterdam as well as Tag New York
minus files/folders connected with Tag London“
A Smart View can be saved for later use.
A collection of one of more Tags that can be combined in a Smart View. Every collection of Tag(s) can be Ignored, Included or Excluded. The result of the combination of Tag(s) collections and their individual settings is a list of files and/or folders.
The Smart View pane can be found below the Folder View in the explorer. It shows the combinations that can be made.
The Smart View pane allows you to use the context menu to modify the combinations.
─ Select a Tag.
○ In the context menu select Use in smart view. 1
○
Use the mouse to Drag and Drop the Tag. Drop the Tag on the Smart View node.
─ Select
the Smart View node.
○ In the context menu select Show results.
○ In
the pane below the Folder View press the show results button .
─ Select
the saved Smart View you want to edit
○ In the context menu select Edit.
○ In
the pane below the Folder View press the show results button .
Smart View result name restrictions
─
Select the saved Smart View you
want to rename.
○ In the context menu select Rename.
○ On the keyboard, press F2.
─ In the pane below the Folder View select the Tag or Tag combination you want to include.
○ In the context menu select Plus.
○ On the keyboard, press +.
─ In the pane below the Folder View select the Tag or Tag combination you want to remove.
○ In the context menu select Remove Tag(s).
○ On the keyboard, press Delete.
─ Click in the pane below the Folder View.
○ In the context menu select Remove all Tag(s).
─ In the pane below the Folder View select the Tag or Tag combination you want to ignore.
○ In the context menu select Ignore.
○ On the keyboard, press Spacebar.
─ Select
the Smart View node or
the Results node
in the tree.
○ In the context menu, choose Save.
○ In
the Smart View Pane, choose the button .
A new Smart View with the default name New Smart View is created.
─ Select the Smart View you want to delete.
○ In the context menu, choose Delete.
○ On the keyboard, press Delete.
─ Select a Tag(s) Collection in the Smart View Pane.
○ In the context menu, choose Remove tag(s).
○ On the keyboard, press Delete.
All Tag(s) collections containing the Tags of the selected Tag(s) Collection will be removed.
─ Select a Tag(s) Collection in the Smart View Pane.
○ In the context menu, choose Minus.
○ On the keyboard, press ▬.
The result of the Smart View will not contain any files or folders having the Tags of the selected Tag(s) Collection.
─ Select
the Smart View node in the tree.
○ In the context menu, choose Clear.
○
In the Smart View Pane, choose the
button .
○ In the context menu of the Smart View Pane, choose Remove all Tags
All Tag(s) Collections will be removed.
The name may contain up to 255 characters, including spaces. The following characters may not be used for the name: \ (back-slash), / (forward slash), : (colon), * (asterisk), ? (question mark), "(double quotes), < (less than symbol), > (greater than symbol), and | (pipe or vertical bar.
The destination tag cannot be a sub tag of the source tag.
The folder on the filesystem defined by the environment variable %LOCALAPPDATA% (i.e. c:\Users\[username]\AppData\Local).
The folder on the filesystem defined by the environment variable %ALLUSERPROFILE%(i.e. c:\ProgramData).
This can be any folder on the local filesystem or any folder on a network share