Login with username and password (forgot your password?)

Just curious - any progress on finding a good tagging solution for home PC files?  Sounds like Tag2Find is still not quite ready for general usage.

Tagging would seem to be a great contributor to file and folder structure.  But only if it is consistent and doesn't change too much of the existing file structure.  BTW, I still cannot find any such feature in DOpus.  I had hoped that DOpus would have something to make tracking/grouping files easier, but it seems that I just have Windows Explorer with some added bells on it. Not quite as big a deal as I had first thought.  Of course I may not be using it to its fullest extent, but so far I have not gotten any good answers for doing a lot of the things I had thought DOpus would help with. Some of its advanced features appear to require scripting knowledge beyond what I am comfortable/familiar with!

Armando - any luck so far finding a good, solid tagging application for Windows?

Thanks!

Jim

Sorry folks - didn't see the request by lanux128 till now.  Looks like CGA posted the link, but here's a screenshot from that site:

[attach=#]

I don't have to install am SQL database app or server?  Are you sure it isn't included in the setup for SQL Notes?

Thanks - going to sleep now - hopefully!!

Jim

Looks pretty cool!  But I'm using a Logitech MX Revolution wireless mouse with quite a few buttons and wheels, and running UberSetPoint - a user-developed Modification of Logitech's SetPoint mouse software That offers almost unlimited functions with this mouse.  I don't think - from a quick look - that MouseImp could possibly accommodate all these buttons and scrollers on this mouse.

I'd love to try some of its features, but I'm pretty sure I would lose a lot of other functionality using this mouse.   

The AutoShrink feature looks like the Window Shade feature offered in some applications, where it appears that the window "rolls up" into the titlebar like a shade when the mouse isn't over it.

Jim

...So... yes, just linking is fine with me. Others might have other opinions on database and storing files in them (J-Mac ?). I'd be glad to hear them!  ....



**"you just have one file to backup", etc. . But I don't care, personally: I have a good backup program.

P.S. : I just tried the new beta : it's looking real good. But I'll either post about it in the SQLNotes Forum or in the other thread focusing on SQLNotes.

Armando, I agree that it is preferable to keep the files outside of the database.  Of course since these files will all mostly be scanned PDF's of hard copies received via postal mail, and as they are all related, I would be creating a separate set of folders specifically for this project, and not just have them scattered about waiting for a desktop search program to pull them together virtually for me.  As I mentioned before - I need the formal structure or I always feel I am missing a file or twenty!!  So whether the database program keeps the files all together in one place for me or I do that part on my own doesn't matter that much.  What IS critical to me is that the database - whichever type it may be - keep track of the files, know if or when they have changed (without overt action required by me), and can track any moves I make with the files. Because if storing the files is left to me independent of the database or document management program, you can be sure that I will occasionally rework the folder structure I build for them as the volume grows and I determine the need for improvements.

Thanks!!

Jim

Jim wrote

@tomos:  Yes, I had looked at SQLNotes already and I don't think that will do it for me.  Thanks!

I'm the author of SQLNotes and before being a PIM (which is it is not quite yet), it IS a flexible, simple to use database. From what you described, it should be a prefect match. Perhaps I can help in setting it up.
I'm also planning to soon add a folder monitoring system. Just tell it which folders to monitor and it will automatically create a item for each file (saves you from drag-droping files). You can then add your own attributes, sort, filter, launch, generate statistics, etc)

I'm more than willing to work with you on this. I've in the past, coached users through a real telephone conversation (no charge of course) getting going on SQLNotes. All users are welcomed to this free service.

Looks like I missed a lot of posts here today!

Yes, your proposition DOES sound very inviting, PPLandry.  Interesting!  When I read the thread about SQLNotes the program name of "Notes" had me thinking just that - Notes; not database management. Though I do realize that SQL is indeed a database program, I wasn't primed to think that way--Notes, notes, notes.  Hey, if you name your program as Notes, I'm going to view it as such!  (I think very simply at times. Well, MOST of the time!!)

I imagine I'll need to install an SQL database application -- or actually as a service -- on my PC for that.  MSSQL? Or another?  I have MSSQL running on another PC; installed with another program I use very occasionally, but it stores all its data in a MSSQL database.  My only problem with it is pretty minor. It is running as a service all the time even though I only run that program monthly at the most. Sometimes every two or three months. And once in a while another application or service - can't remember which - will have a conflict with MSSQL and I have to basically relearn all to troubleshoot the issue. I have at times disabled the service until I need to use that program, and then I have to activate it again.

When I read about SQL Notes I didn't give it much attention because I have a few notes programs and I couldn't imagine why I would want to install an SQL database app just for another Notes app. But it sounds like you intend to use the database functions a lot more than for Notes.

We can certainly talk about it.

Thanks!

Jim

I'll follow that thread with interest. I started several thread related to organization, databases, etc.
like : Working with (display+format+restructure) big amount of data (text+graphics)?

I've decided to follow a path similar to what Ralf suggested (using a mix of X1, Archivarius, AHK personal tagging system, farr...). See : How do you tag (or even organize) your files?

Hi Armando.  Currently I just try to keep a file structure as strictly as I can.  Though admittedly it does sometimes fall into disrepair to an extent!  I haven't found a tagging application that works very well for file management on my PC.  However I did start using DOpus a couple of months ago but haven't yet worked out a scheme of "favorites" that works for me.  I presently have Copernic as my desktop search engine but it's missing a lot.  I was using X1 for a couple years but after a while it seemed to keep getting corrupted somehow to the point that I would have to reinstall, reconfigure, and re-index it all too often.  I was recently reading the thread about Archivarius but I haven't tried it yet.  Basically I guess I have to decide right off the bat if I want to pay for it, since I understand that it limits users to only 10,000 files during the trial period, and that is, IMO, inadequate to properly test the application.

Currently I don't know that I have enough faith in any of the desktop search programs to trust them to help keep me straight with regard to project folder and files.  If I know something is there on my PC but Copernic cannot find it - and that happens a little too often - then I am reduced to scrolling through every darned file on my D: drive (I use D: for all data/media files - 500 GB).  And I really hate that!!

Bottom line:  I need a structured program to feel comfortable storing a large project's documentation.

I've tried many applications before. Maybe one of these might interest you (some of them you already know for sure)... but might not fufill your "simplicity" requirement:

- AskSam
- General knowledge base
- Ultra Recall
- myBase
- Surfulater

and maybe :

- ACDsee
- Tag2find

I'll look into them.  I do have ACDSee Pro Photo Manager.  Like the program... Hate the lackadaisical attitude of the company regarding support. Also, I am really liking another photo app I read about in a thread here - Exifpro.

Thanks Armando!

Jim

Oh well... It was a nice thought.

Except it doesn't seem to be working! I try to add files to it from my PC - it opens a regular Windows Open dialog, but when I select a file and click OK, it is not being added.  Nothing.  I've tried several different combinations but I cannot add any files to it.

I wrote support but have not heard anything, though it's only been about 12 hours.  Anyway it sure does look nice.

Jim

Has anyone tried DocsVault?  It looks to be a Passport clone, but at a much more amenable price.  (Free!!)

Only drawback I see is that it does not place the actual document in the selected vault folder, but instead places a copy of the original document.  This could lead to one editing a file but having the copy in DocsVault stay as it was when you stored it originally. Anytime you have two sets of identical files you stand a chance of having them become no longer identical.

Other than that - if I can deal successfully with that - it appears to be pretty much what I need.  It appears to create a three tiered hierarchical folder structure consisting of Cabinets, Drawers, and Folders.  Break them out as you see fit, and then you can place documents in them directly from Microsoft Office (it integrates with Office programs), or convert any other documents - scanned or simply sitting in other folders - into PDF or TIFF files and stores copies of them also.

I'm setting up a test database with DocsVault and I'll write it up later.

Thanks.

Jim

Zoho Creator does look tempting, but I will pass on it. I really prefer not to put private and personal information into any online application that has "social sharing" as its goal.  You have to remember to always check and make sure that whatever you enter there is defaulting to "Private" and if not you must remember to change it from Public to Private.

IMO, apps like this are fine to use for anything that you wouldn't mind the world seeing.  But if it is sensitive data at all, then this type of app is no good - too easy for it to be made a public document. And once it does, you'll never get it back to fully private - if anyone else has managed to download it before you catch it.

Thanks anyway!

Jim

Thanks yacht_boy. I do have a membership at Zoho and have used their writer and spreadsheet apps, but I didn't know their database was worth trying - after a whilethey start to all look like Access!  But actually the VB part of Access is what trips me up every time.  I'm almost certain that Zoho wouldn't be using that.

I'll give it a good look!

Jim

i think there are documented cases of conflicts between nView & Ultramon and also i found nView quite lacking so haven't tried it yet.. but your account of full-screen video is quite frightening, i'm might try to see what happens on my pc, what media player are you using?

Several - WMP11, Nero, Applian's FLV Player, or even if I have my security camera views up on my monitor. That's a good example:

My security cams have a screen that has four shots at once, or you can view one cam in a larger window with the other three in smaller blocks, or one at a time. It is also showing full-screen on my other display - and that monitor apparently can't handle this video as it keeps flashing and blinking rapidly. First time I had that open I minimized the camera viewer application on my main monitor and all of a sudden the full-screen disappeared on the second monitor and appeared on the main monitor - and I couldn't get rid of it! Can't restore to a smaller window, can't minimize it again, can't Alt-Tab out of it -- nothing gets it off the screen till I reset the PC.

I haven't been able to make any progress with this. Frustrating!!

Jim

I used Ultramon for a while here, but it had some conflicts with Nvidia's NView - even when I disabled NView.  Not sure if they were battling over DLLs, or some other registry conflict, but it could get pretty hairy when they did collide.  Since I don't know how to completely get rid of NView, like Justice I didn't want to spend the money for Ultramon and find I couldn't resolve the conflicts.

I'm presently battling "Full Screen Video on Secondary Display" problems here also.  Driving me crazier than I already am!  (All video properly plays full-screen on the second monitor as desired, but if I minimize the app playing the video it switches to full-screen on the main monitor -- and I can't get back to anything else on the main monitor - requires a push of the "Reset" button, crashing all that was open. I am wondering if it all worthwhile!)

Thanks!

Jim

I found a free application at LifeHacker - DocsVault.  I downloaded it and am checking it now.  A bit like Paperport, I understand.  Can't hurt to give it a try at that price!!

Thanks!

Jim

@rjbull:  Don't want to use a PIM for this - though iI'll check out the two links.  Thanks!

@Ralf:  I need more structure than that. Personal flaw, I suppose, but there it is!  Thanks!

@tomos:  Yes, I had looked at SQLNotes already and I don't think that will do it for me.  Thanks!

Jim

I have a number of documents relating to a single subject that I need to be able to catalog, search, etc.  I have MS Office 2003 which includes Access, and I have atarted to build a database for this a few times and then gave up -- I am just not interested in having to learn another computer language in order to be able to use a canned database program!

However I have looked high and low for a simpler database program - something where I don't need to actually set up the table and field configurations and then tweak it and watch it crash - or watch it NOT give me the output I need when I need it. I have not been able to find anything, though. I currently have most of the documents listed in an Excel spreadsheet but that quickly stopped being very useful.  I did find a number of "document tracking" applications but all were geared toward the "enterprise" (I don't remember them using something like that on Star Trek!!).  Meaning their prices were also geared toward the enterprise.

I'm in the process now of moving the data into a program called Web Idea Tree - a website design program that is actually derived from a program to track/organize books and publications.  It's better than a spreadsheet, but not quite what I had hoped it would be.

The documents are mostly correspondence and submitted forms involved in insurance claims - all mine - and the volume has grown to a few hundred.  I am continually asked to reiterate or confirm information that was already submitted on previous forms and other correspondence, and trying to find the appropriate documents to look up that information (and maintain as perfect consistency as possible) has become a nightmare without a good cross-reference system.

Does anyone know of a good program to track documents and their contents like this? 

Thanks.

Jim

But Jim, this is one of those things that somebody will Google for at some point in the future and you will save them tonnes of aggravation.

That's true - I really hadn't thought about that.  Actually, that's exactly how I have found my way out of many issues in the past; seeing other posts on Google and finding others had encountered and solved the issue.

Thanks!

Jim

Thanks Carol!  I usually realize there's a new version there about three months after the fact. This was a pleasant tip.

Jim

I learn the most useless things sometimes, attributable completely to stubbornness and thickheadedness.  (Guess my mother was right after all those years!)

Jim

Maybe my thinking is too simplistic, but...

...if they truly "sit next to each other" as you mentioned here, the least expensive solution might be to get them a little USB Flash drive to pass back and forth.  You can get a 2 GB drive for £6.39 here.

whomever has the scanner connected could scan the negative, place it on the flash drive, and then unplug it and hand it to the other. Worth a thought or two.

Jim

Found my answer the hard way. Whew, they try to make it tough!

Instead of calling the default browser, they are calling the default HTML Handler from the registry - which may be the default browser, or then again it may not.  It's a one parameter call, which is rarely used today. Should always at least use a two parameter call.

Basically they look at the following Regkey:  HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes\HTML Handler, which in my case is not the default browser - meaning I have an HTML Editor. BTW, that has nothing to do with what program opens HTML files for viewing - mine all open in Firefox for viewing. It is what you use to edit HTML and/or XML files.

If they are going to call a RegKey they would have more consistency calling HKLM\SOFTWARE\Clients\StartMenuInternet  or  HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes\http\shell\open\command.  They will respond with the true default browser almost every time.  The reason it hit me this time around and never before is that I installed Microsoft's XML Editor, I think.

Anyway, now I know; therefore I am happy again!!   

Thanks again.

Jim

Edpro, Mike:

Thanks for checking.  If you can, please let me know what your setting is in Roboform options on the "Login Browser" tab:  Roboform2Go New Browser window is: Next are three selections - Default Browser, Internet Explorer, or Other with a place to show the path of another browser.  Also, if possible, look at Internet Explorer Options on the "Programs tab and tell me what is shown for HTML Editor. It will help me to determine just what is happening on my system.

I believe that Roboform is NOT using the default browser at all - at least it isn't on my machine.  I believe that it is for some reason looking only at Internet Explorer's configured HTML editor.

As a proof to myself, I changed the HTML editor setting to "Notepad". It is normally set to use Word.  Now Roboform is set to use "Other", and I show the path to firefox.exe in Program Files.  Guess what?  Clicking New Version Check opened Notepad this time.

Carol,

Yes, I can just install the newer version - I already downloaded it.  But I am curious as to what is causing this on my PC.  It is apparent that it is NOT calling the default browser. At least not this time on my machine.  And I like to know why whenever something out of the ordinary occurs.  Just for kicks I clicked on "Check for new version" on 30 other programs during the course of the day (Most all use the same basic script - version-check.html).  All 30 either checked online silently without actually opening a browser page (8 did this) or opened a page in Firefox (19 did this).  The other three opened a dialog that said there was a newer version and showed a link to go to their download page - and then opened Firefox when I clicked on the link in that dialog.

I think that the problem with Roboform is that they are not calling the default browser but instead are looking at Internet Explorer to see if it accepts the call or defers to another browser that is designated as the system default. That it how applications USED to call the browser five or six years ago; it is rare for any to do this nowadays.

I believe that this may be the case with Roboform.  And since I have Microsoft's XML Editor installed and XML files associated with that program for editing only, and I also have Office 2003, which introduced the add-on msohtmed.exe, that causes Internet Explorer to automatically set Word as the default HTML Editor - which also makes Word the default XML editor. (However Word uses the XML Editor add-on I installed).  So Roboform is actually calling the Default HTML Editor in Internet Explorer.  If you don't have Microsoft's dedicated HTML Editor installed Internet Explorer normally would look to the default browser setting.  I cannot find another program that works this way, though.

Anyway, simply installing the new version of Roboform will not change this problem if Roboform engineers have not changed that method.  But I'd like to see what others are seeing before I do that - I'm curious!!

Thanks all!

Jim

Can you not just update to the latest version and see if that cures the problem?

I know this post isn't really a "General Software Discussion" topic, but I wasn't sure where else to post it.  (Jesse -Please move this thread if it belongs in a different forum - Thanks).

I've been using Roboform for my password storage/forms filler since it was initially released.  I used to know all the support techs there and could usually get things resolved quickly and easily.  But as they have grown as with most growing developers, their support has degenerated somewhat, and trying to get a real issue resolved can engender true Tier 1-type responses from newer support techs.

I currently use Roboform2Go, which is simply Roboform and its database on a USB flash drive.  It usually generates a pop-up when new a version is available but it hadn't done so in a while, so I performed a manual version check.  Or at least I tried.  When I clicked Help>New Version Check their download page opened in Microsoft Word!  I looked at all the files on the flash drive but none show the command for checking for new versions.  I wrote to Roboform Support and received a reply to check my default browser - it's Firefox.  I wrote back and said that wasn't the problem.  Next reply said that the data automatically submitted with the support form shows my default browser is set incorrectly and to contact Firefox if I don't know how to reset it. That didn't make me too happy.

I looked through the support data that goes with all support requests and saw that it shows my default browser is "msohtmed.exe".  Yet Firefox insists that it is set as the default browser!  I did a little research and that file, msohtmed.exe, is a part of Microsoft Office 2003, wihch has been installed on my PC for a few years now - since it was released.  But it is not set as a default browser anywhere that I can find.  I tried clicking on links to the Internet in every program I could for a good half-hour and all opened Firefox.  I set IE as default browser and tried again - Roboform still calls up Word.  I switched it back to Firefox - it still opens Word.

The only place I can find a possible clue is that Word is set in Internet Explorer as the HTML Editor.  (I have changed that on more than one occasion and IE always switched it back to Word the nest tome I open it).  I went all through my registry and find no reference at all to msohtmed.exe.  I cannot find any other application that looks for new versions in anything other than Firefox.  I checked all keys in the registry that can affect the default browser and none are pointing to anything else except Firefox.  Finally, in Roboform's Options, I changed the "Login Browser" setting to "Other" and then browsed to C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe, and set that as the default browser.  Roboform still opens the download page in Word!

So I have come to the conclusion that this version of Roboform is NOT calling the default browser, but is instead calling Internet Explorer's HTML editor.  Mostly because I cannot think of any other possible reason fir Roboform to exhibit this behavior.  And to be the ONLY application on my PC that does so.

I wrote back to Roboform support and relayed all the above info to them.  After a half day they responded by saying that if I cannot figure out how to set a browser as my default browser, then I should reinstall Windows.  Yeah, right.  I can download the stinking latest release manually - that's not the problem now.  I want to know how and why the New Version Checker in Roboform is trying to open Word!  I would love to know how I can find within Roboform exactly where the code is that is supposed to call the default browser.  Mainly, at this point, just to show that I am setup correctly and that Roboform is the problem here.  Can anyone help by pointing me in the right direction?

Thanks.

Jim

I used Diskkeeper 7, 8, and 9, and then grew really weary of their sales schemes.  First Pro version was required for a desktop PC and Light version for notebooks (Where oh where was the logic in that?)  Then they changed that in 8, and then again in 9.  I still wasn't sure what the heck I had when they started the hard sell on Version 10; writing me and insisting that I had to upgrade to 10 and stop using 9!

I went with Perfect disk about 2 years ago and never looked back. Granted I am not as knowledgeable in defragging as the reviewer obviously is, but I feel a lot more comfortable with PD than I did with DK.

Jim

I don't know if anyone else has posted this -- I didn't see it here yet:

http://www.webroot.com/co...l/?id=PRODUCTS_DF_BoxShot

Free Webroot Firewall.  One caveat - they do require registration, including name, home address, and email address.  (Not sure why they ask for a postal address; they claim the registration info is needed to send you the download link - which is via email, not postal mail!)  Of course who's the wiser if you list any postal address you wish?  And a throwaway email address -- you only need it for about 10 minutes till the download link is mailed to you.

Jim