Comments on: Where’s the Easy Access to Tagging in OS X?

By: srini

srini — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 20:17:08 +0000

But of all the tag applications out there, I started loving this Tags. Its really slick and GUI looks awesome and fits the style of a mac. I started loving it more than Punakea. Way to go…

By: Jon Stovell

Jon Stovell — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 16:02:54 +0000

Keywords don’t work for tagging, because they can’t be created or modified except by opening the file, editing its keywords (assuming the application even has a keyword editing component built into its interface), and then saving it again. For example, to add keywords to a PDF, you need to open it in Preview, open the inspector, click on the keyword section, editing what it included there, and then save the file.

By writing tags in the Spotlight comments, all of that process can be skipped, and there is no need to modify the file in order to tag it. Plus, one can tag any file using Spotlight comments, whereas keywords can only be used in file types and applications that support them.

By: Ben

Ben — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 17:43:50 +0000

It’s been bugging me all day. Here it is:
kMDItemKeywords – A set of keywords associated with an item.

Why isn’t this used for tags, I wonder. Could any one enlighten me?

By: Ben

Ben — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 10:11:24 +0000

I am using Leap and Default Folder X. Over the past couple weeks I have tagged and re-organized all my files, and it was almost fun! At least it is much easier to find everything now.

OSX does support tags though. At least I think it does. There is a KMDIKeyword something-or-other that I spotted while inspecting various files. Don’tknow how to use it though..

By: Patrix

Patrix — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 18:31:56 +0000

Honestly I haven’t found a great need for tags on the desktop yet. Putting everything in separate folders and differenciating between project and static stuff allows me to find things fast enough.

Tags might be useful on an OS/Finder level but this would require some more support like auto-completion (to avoid spelling errors and singular/plural confusion) and easy ways to reorganize/rename/bundle tags.

By: Jon Stovell

Jon Stovell — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 16:15:37 +0000

Sorry, that link should have been to this page

By: Jon Stovell

Jon Stovell — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 15:50:15 +0000

I think Apple should definitely do more to integrate tagging into the OS. I've written a freeware application that does as much as possible to bring tagging into the Finder in an easy to use fashion, called Tag Folders, but there is nothing I'd like better than for Apple to make it obsolete by making something that is truly integrated.

By: Connor

Connor — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 12:43:36 +0000

The thing about the typical file system is that Bob in accounting can look in the accounting folder and find his document, and Sue can too. Most people use a logical naming convention so that the document makes sense and is easy to find. Tagging is great for yourself. If you make it logical for an entire office fine.

By: Jono

Jono — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 06:47:59 +0000

Yea, definitely.
Once you get used to tagging files it makes much more sense than dropping them into a folder.

But at the moment tagging to Spotlight comments isn’t too robust, so it ought to be implemented ‘properly’ in the OS. Vista has had it for almost a couple of years.

By: Bob Smith

Bob Smith — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 05:02:51 +0000

The problem with tagging and Spotlight is that the tag data is stored somewhere else on the system, and can’t be backed up along with your files. Just wait until your disk crashes and you didn’t use a folder hierarchy to organize things.