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Dijji
Create custom fields?
Hello. I was wondering if it's possible to create new custom fields and add them to a custom profile. For example, I would like to have "DOI" and "Second Author" fields for pdf files. Based on this, it looks possible on a Windows level.
Hi
The link you give is the correct one. You can indeed define your own custom properties by describing them using a schema, and then calling Windows functions to create the property described. Once you have done so, File Meta should pick them up, just as it does the built-in properties.
But notice that 'should'. I have never done this, and I've never seen it done. It requires writing a program to call the windows functions required, and I know of no such program that anybody has written. And the schema is by no means simple to understand.
What I have seen done instead is to re-purpose one of the more than 600 properties defined by the system, with a little creative reinterpretation of its name. Not entirely satisfactory, I know, but not collectively painful enough to have given rise to date to a solution for creating custom properties beyond the fact that the capability exists at the system level.
Dijji
Thank you for the quick reply! I have no idea how to create custom properties, so the real question is: Are there any view plans to include such a feature in FileMeta? If not, renaming an existing property would be fine for me. Do you know of any resources that could help me do that? Thank you.
Changing a system property is more daunting than creating a custom one. In fact, I don't even know if it can be done. I don't think I could recommend it as an approach, even if it is possible. You never know what you will break.
What I had in mind was more something like repurposing, say, 'Contributing Artists' to hold information about additional authors.
I don't know of any software out there that you would support you doing anything else. I would not add the creation of custom properties as part of File Meta, but I could imagine doing a small project focused on just that little job. But first, I think you should exhaust the repurposing idea. There are a lot of properties in there, which is I think why nobody has ever felt the need to add more of their own strongly enough to write the software to do it.
Dijji
Oh, I see. I obviously considered that, but what I mentioned was just a small example. For my purposes, it would be unpractical and confusing to repurpose existing fields. For the number of fields that I need, it would be hard to keep track of what is what. I tried looking into how other software add their custom fields. I found their .propdesc files. That seems easy enough. Also found the registry entries. But modifying any of these didn't have any effect on the actual properties detected by FileMeta. So I suspect there is some registration process (like calling some windows function) that needs to be done first to have windows "see" these custom properties. If you do ever get to that project, it would greatly appreciated. Thanks for the help.
I've been looking at what it would take to create an application to manipulate custom properties, and it doesn't look too hard to get to something at least somewhat useful. I have most of the pieces that I need to hand.
I will look a bit harder, and if it doesn't get worse, start the project immediately. Would you be prepared to be an early adopter, test the versions as they involve and give feedback?
Dijji
That sounds great! I'm really interested in having this capability, so yes, whatever you need I'm up for it. Thanks!
https://github.com/Dijji/CustomWindowsProperties is now open for business!
I have posted an initial testing release, and would love to get your feedback. Can you create the properties you want? Do they work when you do?
The new site does describe the program, and should be enough to get you started. If it isn't, that is one of the things I would like to know!
Please raise issues on the new site to give your feedback.