Custom Columns

[jcoeng]

Hello, I'm a new user to DO, still evaluating the software. Is it possible to have custom columns? I have files with custom properties that I frequently use and need to see (example of one property is called "number", we use possibly 30 different custom properties in the files that would be very nice to have accessible). It would be great to have the option to display this meta data and sort by it or search it. Also one of the fields I use in my files is called "description" however when I activate the description field in DO the fields are blank. Win 7 has 2 "description" fields, one works for me, the other displays blank. How can I get the description field to display properly?

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[Leo]

Look in the "Other" column category. The columns you want are probably there, assuming they come from a shell extension (which must be the case with the second Description column you mention, at least).

[jcoeng]

Hi Leo,

I did look through all of the "other" columns and did not find any. Is it possible to write a shell extension to capture these properties and make them accessible to view in either windows explorer or DO? Thanks

[Leo]

Yes, shell extensions can add columns to both Opus and Explorer.

(In fact, Opus still supports the very useful IColumnProvider interface which was inexplicably dropped by Windows Explorer from Vista onwards, so it's a bit easier to add columns to Opus than to Explorer, FWIW.)

Beyond that it is hard to say how difficult it would be as you haven't said what the "Number" and (second) "Description" columns you mention are supposed to show, or which file types we are talking about.

[jcoeng]

Hi Leo,

Sorry its taken me so long to reply to you after you were so prompt in replying to me. The files are for 3D CAD (SolidWorks) that contain a lot of metadata used to manage products. These files have many "configuration" and contain property sets for each configuration and the entire file independently. I have a property that is for the entire file, probably considered a top level property, called "number", it typically contains a 6 digit numerical code (123456), or nothing (if the file has no part number). Now the tricky part (I think), the configurations in the file have a property called "itemnumber" (so there are multiple itemnumbers for a single file but ony a single "number" for a file). This value is actually built from the main "number" property - "SWConfigurationName" property. The property "SWConfiguraitonName" contains a variety of values ranging from a 3 digit numerical code to a text string containing a few words. The calculation of the "itemnumber" value is all done in solidworks. I'm looking for a way to view/search/sort a column that contains the "number" field and a way to search the itemnumbers available in the file (which could be hundreds).

The other property that shows up in WE no problem is called "Description" but I cannot get it to show up in DO. In WE there are two listings for Description, ironically, the first one I activate never works, only the second one I activate shows the correct information. There are other properties I would like to be able to view but these are the most important, of these the Description is more important than "number" since its what I already see in WE.

Interesting to note, the folder that I contain all of my CAD files in loads very slow in DO compared to WE (both on the initial loading and scrolling the window). Any ideas how I can improve the loading of the folders? I am also unable to view the file previews in DO that I see in WE. My files may be parts, screws nuts, etc. and in WE I see a preview image of that, however in DO this does not show up in the preview pane, I tried all of the plugin viewers that come with DO but no luck.

So my question, is there any way to display these bits of information in DO columns.

I've attached some of my CAD files, 3 different kinds that I use most frequently. Test CAD Files.rar (322 KB)
.sldprt (3D part) and .sldasm (3D assembly, multiple parts put together) have multiple configurations like I described and display "solid" type parts
.slddrw (2D drawing) files contain drawings of the parts, they look like a 2D technical drawing.

Also attached are images of the interface used to input the properties showing some values to look for for both "custom" and 'configuration specific" you can also see a list of the available configurations in the .sldprt file. Test CAD Files.rar (322 KB)

I'm not very fluent on the matter, but I do believe that search filters are installed with the main software that allows windows search to index these files for the properties etc. I can try to provide these if it would help and you tell me how to get them to you.

Any help or insight you could provide will be greatly appreciated. There is a free software that allows viewing of some of these properties and other advanced features but it is not built around file management like DO is, which is what I need to do. In my opinion they really missed the boat on their implementation. Anyhow, thanks for at least taking the time to read this if you indeed made it this far. Please let me know if there is any more info I can provide.
Screen Captures.rar (224 KB)

[jcoeng]

Forgot link to the free software: solidworks.com/sw/products/f ... nloads.htm They also have the eDrawings viewer which would be cool to integrate in to DO.

[jcoeng]

Hello again,

I'm still testing DO and my trial is about to run out in approx 3 weeks. I'd like to know if I can get the same columns that I see in Windows Explorer into my DO as I'm still unable to do this. As stated before in WE, when I add a column I have the a column labeled "description" twice. Trial and error selecting one of these gives me the column that I need. See attachment and you will see the option for 2 different "descriptions" and also the effect of enabling the correct one. I've also attached the file shown with the property that I need displayed.

Columns:

Column Active:

File used for example: RP-000002-01.rar (179 KB)

Please help me figure out if this can be done in DO? Also if you need any more info, examples etc. I'm happy to provide.

Thanks!

[jcoeng]

Obviously I keep doing something wrong when attaching files. Sorry about that.

Here's the column in use.

[Leo]

If you're seeing more than one Description column in Windows Explorer, then one of them is coming from a shell extension. It should work in Opus though, unless it's doing something unusual.

If you open Folder Options in Opus, and then set the Columns category drop-down to ALL, do you see two Description columns there as well?

Either way, try adding the Description column(s) and also the User Description column, lower down in the list..

[jcoeng]

HI,

Thanks for the reply. Unfortunately I have tried this a few times to no avail. Please see attached pics again. DO only shows one "Description" column to choose from and it is blank. If I add the other "description" column into WE, it will also be blank so I agree with you that the one that is working is likely a shell extension. I'm just wondering how I get that to display properly in DO?

Thanks!

[Leo]

I'm not sure in that case, sorry. It looks like that column is being added in a way that Opus doesn't understand, but I can only guess without the software in question.