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For some which are interesting in research, or managing their files better, I found that organizing files in tree structure isn't the best choice.

does anyone know about a windows application which will allow me to organize/find/manage my files using tags, keywords, descriptions?

I remember that I've seen something similar for organizing movies or audio files. Do you know something similar for organizing document files. I also know that was something similar for books review and management. Do you know about a review of such type of applications?

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    Consider changing the title, doug? Something like "File management alternatives to tree structures" may be one possibility. Or "Any other way to manage my files?"
    – A Dwarf
    Oct 7, 2009 at 8:36

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How to "tag" files and folders in Total Commander using file comments:

  • press Ctrl+Z (menu Files -> Edit Comment) and write tags
  • when searching select the scope in General tab, then switch to Plugins tab
  • check "Search in plugins" check box
  • select Plugin: tc, Property: comment, OP: contains, for Value: use the tag you are searching for

To copy comments with the file when you use Copy/Move go to menu Configuration -> Options, select Operation and in File Comments check the "Copy comments with file" check box.

By default TC uses hidden file "descript.ion" to store comments.

In Vista you can also tag some file types like MS Office and jpg files in properties page, in the Details tab. These tags can be used to find tagged files with Search (Win+F), Advanced search, field Tags.

Unfortunately this only works for a very limited set of file types.

You can read more about this here.

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I guess you are talking about 'tagging' files. Did you see TaggedFrog?

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Windows has been providing the ability to organize and search for files based on metadata since windows XP. The features are becoming richer with every version, and Windows 7 introduces also the concept of Libraries which give the ability to also organize your folders.

Arguably there's still a long road. We were close to that when Microsoft started working on an alternative to NTFS, dubbed WinFS. That type of file storage would have been very friendly to many sorts of alternative file management. Unfortunately, WinFS as a file system to replace NTFS was abandoned.

So you are left with third-party applications. These range from pure file explorer alternatives which add an health of features to traditional file management (XYplorer, for instance with its ability to color files, add comments and tags, script etc...), to more specialized applications like TaggedFrog or Tag2Find

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    i read the other day that the earliest dev work on WinFS was started in 1990. that puts Duke Nukem Forever in a distant second place for the overall medal at the Vaporware Olympics.
    – quack quixote
    Oct 7, 2009 at 10:23
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I have had this problem and currently use 2 different software of different computers

1. Total Commander

2. Directory Opus

Basically a super-turbo charged file manager and Windows explorer replacement, Opus lets you set up your workspace exactly how you want it, with options galore letting you set up user-definable file display views, customisable toolbars and menus with tabbed folder views and file trees.

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    I'm using Total Commander and it's a great product compared to Windows Explorer. The problem is that I don't know where/how to use tagging.
    – dole doug
    Oct 7, 2009 at 9:01
  • I added an answer about tagging with TC, was going to add as a comment here but it got a bit too long.
    – T. Kaltnekar
    Oct 7, 2009 at 13:00

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