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[ksvane]

I find it really difficult to manage tags as it is now, when the tiny box for editing the values appear in the left sidebar. Things seem very compact and small, or is it just me? Not easy to get an overview of what tags a file contains for instance. What's the idea of doing it this way instead of for instance a pop-up window (à la iTunes)?

[Matt]

Try a details list.  And Cover View if you need more space.

You can in-place edit any value with F2 (or right-click).

[bunglemebaby]

The Tagging Window is able to be customized somewhat. If you click on the top left-hand little icon (I don't know what it's supposed to be, and it might change between skins...) you can choose what tags you would like to be visible in the tagging window.

If you just want to see all the tags that are in a file you can click on the top line of text that contains the File Type, Duration and File Size. It will show you the actual tag contents (not just what the MC database contains).

Alternatively you can edit tags directly in the details view by pressing F2. This is only for one file at a time.
You can also give Pane Tagging a try. In a view scheme with panes, just press F4, then select one or more files. More here: http://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/Tagging_Mode

There is also something called Tree Tagging, which I don't personally use much. It's worth searching a bit on the forums for though as it may work well with the way you think/operate. Someone else might stop by to offer up a bit more on it too.

For whatever it's worth I prefer all of these tagging methods to what is available in iTunes. They each have their own strengths and weaknesses and if you play with them a bit you'll figure out what works best for you. If you've got any other questions wrt tagging, feel free to ask away.

-Jon

[Alex B]

Alternatively you can edit tags directly in the details view by pressing F2. This is only for one file at a time.

You can edit a tag in all selected files at once.

A nice way to do this is to use the lasso selection feature on a list view. By default lasso selection is enabled for the right mouse button, but you can enable it also for the left button in options.

Draw a "lasso" over the files inside the column you want to edit and press F2. You can combine several lasso selections by pressing the shift button when dragging a lasso selection.

Before proceeding add the needed columns to a list view. This can be a dedicated view for tagging. I have tagging views that contain over 50 columns. Here is an old reply in which I tried to explain list view tagging: http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=36072.msg246236#msg246236  (In case you wonder, back then the name of a "View" was "View Scheme".)

[Daydream]

Related to this list tagging technique... There's a thing that eludes me and I'm thinking it might have to do with how other operations are intended to happen.

Why can't I navigate a list Excel-style? I have to click a column to start editing one or more values, but I can't roam around, between columns, by keyboard, and press F2 wherever I want. I have to switch to mouse to pick another column. Am I missing something?

[Alex B]

In MC you must first change the focus inside the "table" by opening a cell for editing (F2 or right-click > rename). After that you can use tab, shift-tab, up arrow, down-arrow, page up and page down for going to other cells. (If you don't edit the value in the first opened cell it will stay intact when you move away from it.)

[Daydream]

But I can't use left arrow or right arrow to get to where I wanna press F2. I need a mouse. Which is unlike list views in any database around. But I was hoping...

Your tip is good but in my opinion this style is unsafe: user navigates while in editing mode; a mistype and I'm lost as to how many keystrokes and in what direction I should go to rectify the problem (problem made worse when landing on a list field with multiple values). Navigating and then editing seems more friendly.

[glynor]

Did you know you can expand the Tag AW to take up the whole left hand pane as well (cover up the tree)?

[brossmac]

But I can't use left arrow or right arrow to get to where I wanna press F2. I need a mouse. Which is unlike list views in any database around. But I was hoping...

Select a field in the file list and hit F2.  You can then Tab to move to the next column or Shift-Tab to go to the previous column.  The up and down arrows can move you between rows.

[Daydream]

Did you know you can expand the Tag AW to take up the whole left hand pane as well (cover up the tree)?

I do, although I found out about that rather late; and by accident

Select a field in the file list and hit F2.  You can then Tab to move to the next column or Shift-Tab to go to the previous column.  The up and down arrows can move you between rows.

I got it, when AlexB mentioned it.

Look, sometimes the expendable Tag pane is the best solution. But other times list view works best (say I'm collecting music clips - not only music videos - and their naming it's always a mess, so there's still more manual work then I'd like to admit, for filenaming structure to fields). So I bulk rename, Fill prop. from filename, Pane tag them to death. If there's still a few particular inconsistencies it's faster to fix them by hand then to invent a suber-uber-complicated technique that can only be used 3 times. So I move around and type and the expectation is that everything will behave like the rest of the world when navigating/typing something. Learning Tab - Shift-Tab - Up - Down, instead of the normal 4 arrow keys looks backwards to me, and there should be a pretty good reason for it which right now I'm not seeing. Also doing this while pretty much being in edit mode for every field from here to there... I don't get it. If I navigate and I overshoot (the only mistake possible when just navigating) I get back fast, fingers still on the 4 arrow keys. If I navigate while in editing mode (F2->Tab or Shift-Tab) crazy things can happen since every field from here, all the way to there, can be edited by mistake.

It's not an end of the world problem but I find it curious that while in TheaterView the navigation is hell-bent on using only the 4 arrow keys (with implications bigger than one might think), in standard view Edit modes and Shift-Tab combinations are required.

[Gl3nn]

I'd still like an option to turn off automatic drop-down lists when in edit mode.  I'd like to navigate using the 4 arrow keys and then *IF* I want to see a drop-down list of existing entries, hit CTRL-down arrow.  The old way of doing things (MC 15?) was much better for me.

[Lasse_Lus]

I'd still like an option to turn off automatic drop-down lists when in edit mode

you could add an expression instead, then there are no lists to choose from