'new' file manager - Elyse

[Target]

apologies if this is not news to you

spotted this one a few weeks ago on addictive tips (it's since popped up in a few other places) and thought it may be of interest to some here (if a calendar based app (Nemo) can get some traction, who knows...)

Elyse is a tag based file manager.  Seems like it would be particular interest to those working with significant media collections, or possibly for project workers

From the homepage

Elyse is a file management system which solves the major problem with traditional methods of managing large numbers files on computers: paths and folders. Storing files in Elyse eliminates the need to decide precisely where to store a file, or to subsequently find where it was stored. Any logical method of grouping and arranging files can be used. In short, you the user are given the power to impose your own logic, and change your mind as often you like with just a few clicks.
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[cyberdiva]

How interesting!  It sounds like it's using a method of organizing files that's similar to what attracted me to Powermarks and then to Linkman as bookmark managers.  I no longer had to worry about what folder to put a bookmark in, how to classify it or remember where I put it.  I just added whatever keywords came to mind, and then I was able to search on any of those keywords.   I'm not sure, but this might make a LOT of sense for organizing files as well.  I wouldn't have to spend time deciding whether to put this file in a folder devoted to computer security, or one devoted to Firefox, or to Windows 7, or to....  Indeed, anything that I might associate with the file could be used as a tag.  This method certainly works for me with my thousands of bookmarks in Linkman.  Perhaps there are reasons it wouldn't work as well for files, but offhand I can't think of any.  (Hmmm....would I have to give up many of the features of my current file manager, Directory Opus 10?  Would I be willing to do so?)

[Deozaan]

Perhaps there are reasons it wouldn't work as well for files, but offhand I can't think of any.

Lots of files on your PC have the exact same name. They can't go in the same location without overwriting each other.

[40hz]

Looks interesting. Any word on license terms and price?

I didn't see mention of either on the website.  

[cyberdiva]

Lots of files on your PC have the exact same name. They can't go in the same location without overwriting each other.

I haven't spent time looking at the details of Elyse, but my assumption is that the notion of "location" would change, as would "name," so that if files had different tags, they'd be seen as different files.  

[Target]

personally I haven't used it beyond a cursory inspection, so I can't comment on the functionality or capabilities with any authority.  I rather liked the concept though, so I'll have a bit more of a game with it at some stage (HA!)

FWIW though I don't see it replacing a regular file manager, maybe complimenting it in some circumstances, but YMMV

Lots of files on your PC have the exact same name. They can't go in the same location without overwriting each other.

from what I can see, it doesn't actually move any of your files, but tracks their location in a database, so a single file could be tagged multiple ways without affecting the actual filename or location

Looks interesting. Any word on license terms and price?

As far as I can tell it's freeware - the app can be unpacked (using UniExtract) and runs fine as portable, and you can view the licence through the help menu

[app103]

I haven't tried it out yet but it seemed it might be a good freeware substitute for Extensis Portfolio for cataloging media files, especially images.

I do plan on trying it out since Extensis Portfolio is quite expensive and out of reach for most people. If it makes a good substitute for handling a large image collection, I'll probably start recommending it.

[sword]

Available now at giveawayoftheday. Free, 8.79 MB

[sword]

Thanks Target. Great tip. It is working well for organizing my 'cheat sheets'.

[Tuxman]

So this is something like Win7's "libraries" as a separate software or what?

[Target]

So this is something like Win7's "libraries" as a separate software or what?

I don't think so...

YMMV, but for my money it appears to be something more like a cataloguing tool

Files are tagged (multiple tags can be used for any one file), and can be added to multiple groupings.

[Tuxman]

Grouping files from different folders into "categories" ("catalogues", "tags", whatever) is exactly what libraries do AFAICS.

[JavaJones]

Libraries are based entirely on inclusion of multiple folders into a single sort of "meta folder", a folder aggregation of sorts. They can provide similar functionality to Elyse I suppose, but it's much more simplistic and still requires complex folder hierarchy. The advantage of Elyse, at least as I read it (haven't tried it yet, but very intrigued) is it's based on tagging, which of course is very flexible. You can, for example, have multiple tags assigned to a single file, whereas you have to have copies of a file to be in multiple folders (or use weird referencing schemes and other crap which basically are a pain, if they work at all).

- Oshyan