Vista - Explore File Description

Using Explore in Windows XP I could right click a file and open Properties
and have the option to enter a description of what the file is. I have been
unable to find this feature in Vista. Is it there?

Thanks, Steve

Yes - in the same place. Where are you looking and what specifically can't
you find?

--

JoAnn Paules
Microsoft MVP - Publisher



"Steve" <hitreturn@remove.gmail.com> wrote in message
news:u6ZNGL2ZHHA.2552@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
> Using Explore in Windows XP I could right click a file and open Properties
> and have the option to enter a description of what the file is. I have
> been unable to find this feature in Vista. Is it there?
>
> Thanks, Steve

On Thu, 15 Mar 2007 17:33:36 -0700, "Steve"
<hitreturn@remove.gmail.com> wrote:

>Using Explore in Windows XP I could right click a file and open Properties
>and have the option to enter a description of what the file is. I have been
>unable to find this feature in Vista. Is it there?
>
>Thanks, Steve

Yep, it has been expanded even. You should be able to edit fields that
shows in the 'Details Pane' which should appear at the botton of
Windows Explorer IF you haven't elected to hide the Details Pane.

Example #1

I just went to Windows Explorer and clicked on a image I downloaded
from some web site, some funny cartoon. Anyhow, it shows a larger
thumbnail in the Detail Pane along with the following details:

date taken
tags
Rating
Dimensions
size
Title
Author
Comments
Camera maker
Camera model
Subject
Date Created
Date Modified

As I move my mouse down the list some fields are editable, example I
can change the rating (stars) add a tag, title, or comment.

The advantage is you can quickly scan a whole bunch of files quickly
and make rapid changes right from within Explorer. A nice feature.

Example #2

Right click on a indvidual image, then properties, then the Details
tab. For a image you should see a whole bunch of details about the
image.

There is a trick... If you don't see a field has any information it
first appears you can't edit it, because I'm guessing most people
would move their mouse down the detail headings column like Title,
subject, ratings. Nope, slowly move your mouse down the VALUE column
where you would expect to see some information, then like magic a tiny
text field opens which you can edit. Don't forget to click APPLY then
ok. Your new information should now appear in the Detail Pane and also
get embedded in the file header.

Example #3

For none text files it works similar to #2 but what you can edit
changes and some file types as yet are not supported. So a simple text
file like one created in WordPad you can add tags, comments, version
#, etc..

Example #4

Probably the best feature is tags. Tags are a sortable item which
means you can get Vista to search base on tags you customize. So if
you have a raft of pictures from your vacations, if you run through
them and apply tags, like summer of 02;Wisconsin trip, that's how
search results can get returnd. Note the use of a ; to seperate
multiple tag items.

Thanks for your detailed explanation. I now see how it works with my image
files, Word files, and other files that I create. When I download
applications, lots of the time the file name doesn't mean much a few weeks
later. By going to the Summary Tab under Properties in XP Pro I could write
a description of what the executable is. I have not been able to do this yet
in Vista (Home Premium).

Steve


"Adam Albright" <AA@ABC.net> wrote in message
newsjqjv2h5d950kp5u26l16eqhvj69qm5n77@4ax.com...
> On Thu, 15 Mar 2007 17:33:36 -0700, "Steve"
> <hitreturn@remove.gmail.com> wrote:
>
>>Using Explore in Windows XP I could right click a file and open Properties
>>and have the option to enter a description of what the file is. I have
>>been
>>unable to find this feature in Vista. Is it there?
>>
>>Thanks, Steve
>
> Yep, it has been expanded even. You should be able to edit fields that
> shows in the 'Details Pane' which should appear at the botton of
> Windows Explorer IF you haven't elected to hide the Details Pane.
>
> Example #1
>
> I just went to Windows Explorer and clicked on a image I downloaded
> from some web site, some funny cartoon. Anyhow, it shows a larger
> thumbnail in the Detail Pane along with the following details:
>
> date taken
> tags
> Rating
> Dimensions
> size
> Title
> Author
> Comments
> Camera maker
> Camera model
> Subject
> Date Created
> Date Modified
>
> As I move my mouse down the list some fields are editable, example I
> can change the rating (stars) add a tag, title, or comment.
>
> The advantage is you can quickly scan a whole bunch of files quickly
> and make rapid changes right from within Explorer. A nice feature.
>
> Example #2
>
> Right click on a indvidual image, then properties, then the Details
> tab. For a image you should see a whole bunch of details about the
> image.
>
> There is a trick... If you don't see a field has any information it
> first appears you can't edit it, because I'm guessing most people
> would move their mouse down the detail headings column like Title,
> subject, ratings. Nope, slowly move your mouse down the VALUE column
> where you would expect to see some information, then like magic a tiny
> text field opens which you can edit. Don't forget to click APPLY then
> ok. Your new information should now appear in the Detail Pane and also
> get embedded in the file header.
>
> Example #3
>
> For none text files it works similar to #2 but what you can edit
> changes and some file types as yet are not supported. So a simple text
> file like one created in WordPad you can add tags, comments, version
> #, etc..
>
> Example #4
>
> Probably the best feature is tags. Tags are a sortable item which
> means you can get Vista to search base on tags you customize. So if
> you have a raft of pictures from your vacations, if you run through
> them and apply tags, like summer of 02;Wisconsin trip, that's how
> search results can get returnd. Note the use of a ; to seperate
> multiple tag items.
>
>