I learned something today
I participate in a mailing list, called TBUDL, which stands for The Bat! User Discussion List, so that I can keep up with developments taking place with my favorite email program, The Bat!. And I'm not just there to learn about what is new; I also find that reading this list is the best way I have found to learn how to use the many powerful features of the program. Occasionally I learn about other things that I didn't know by reading the messages that are posted there. Today proved to be one of those occasions.

One of the participants had posted a comment in which he said he wished that the latest version of the installation program for The Bat! had a version number on the installation file that he had downloaded, because he couldn't recall which version he had downloaded. I wrote the list to let him know that when I download something that has a name like, setup.exe, I usually change the file name (but not the extension) to something like setup_Program_XYZ_ver_1-0.exe, so that I can recall what the program is and what version I have downloaded. But I added this paragraph:

"What I'd really like to see though is for the OS (Operating System) to provide some way to enter a narrative description of each DL (download) as metadata so that I could enter a paragraph of information about each thing I download and what motivated me to do so. There are some programs, I know, like Total Commander for example, that provide the option to enter a one-line description, but that's not quite the same thing. I am not, however, optimistic that the option to enter metadata tags about downloads is on the horizon."

In short order, I had a reply to my "wish" from a physician and fellow participant named, Allie Martin, that said:

"XP does this for you.

Right click the download and look at the properities. You'll see a summaries tab. You can type what you wish under Comments."

Then he added, "What's even nicer is that you can display these comments in Explorer's details view. Enable details view and then right click the details view list colum header bar. From the menu, select comments. All you comments are displayed.

I think you can search on this attribute as well."

Here is a graphic that illustrates what Allie is describing. You can click on the image for a larger view.


The Properties Dialog Box 


Like on many other occasions, participating in this mailing list has taught me something that wasn't even related to the general purpose of the list. You just never know when you are going to learn something new and useful.

I hope you find this information that serendipity threw into my lap to be as useful as I think it will be for me.
- posted by Perry @ 8:50 PM