File Descriptions, Multiple Selections, etc

Help & Support
1

I added to the context menu for file type "All files" a new "Add comment..." entry. For the actual command, I used:

SetAttr RECURSE DESCRIPTION "{Rs|Enter Description}" FILE {F}

...which I stole from another thread. (SetAttr Description Question)

It works fine if I just run this on a single file, but here's the interesting thing. If I select multiple files and then do the "Add comment..." command above, the text I use for the first pop-up instantly is applied to all the files (this is a good thing!!), but after that I'll get a pop-up for every other file in the selection.

What's interesting is that any description used for any subsequent pop-up is ignored.

So what's my point? :laughing: I don't know. I guess I am wondering if there is any modification I could make to the above command so that only one pop-up is generated, and the text entered is then applied to all the selected files?

Also, the above method utilizes a hidden descript.ion file, right? I've always hated descript.ion files since 1.) it's very easy to lose the descriptions since they are all contained in a single file, and 2.) it creates a dependency that must be maintained between two independent files and a directory, i.e., the description is only present in that directory, and other future copies will not have the description.

So what about the NTFS description data? Is it possible to modify my "Add comment..." command to update that instead? And furthermore, have a column that displays it?

2

You don't need the FILE argument - that's only if you want to target a specific file not necessarily showing in the source lister.

SetAttr RECURSE DESCRIPTION "{Rs|Enter Description}"

That will apply your description to all the selected files.

As for your NTFS desciption data idea you'd need to make a proper feature request. The descript.ion files work fine for me, Opus maintains the descriptions when you copy and move files around. It's only if files are moved by something which doesn't support it that you could run into problems I guess.

3

To clarify, this is not a "big deal" since just clicking on Cancel in the second pop-up stops the process and still leaves the original comment intact. I'm just wondering if there is a way to stop the second pop-up from occurring in the first place. :slight_smile:

(And I'm wondering about an NTFS alternative as well.)

4

(The above reply of mine was written as you were writing your reply. Ignore it.)

Wow, thanks! Works like a charm!

(I also removed the RECURSE as that really just applied to that other user's needs.)

5

I'm not sure what you think you need the {Rs...} for either, since just SetAttr DESCRIPTION by itself will prompt you for the description string.

6

Hah good point.

7

That works, too, and it's cleaner, and it also removes a little oddity I just discovered when trying to use an empty string as a comment (to clear it), but there is one just thing.

With the Rs|Enter method, I can just quickly type a description and press Enter; without the Rs|Enter, I have to type and then move my hand back to my mouse to explicitly click on "Okay To All" since the "Okay" button is was has the focus by default (i.e., an [Enter] acts like clicking on "Okay").