syncing IQ with file system - would you like this feature?

Submitted by jimspoon on 2021/01/24 13:33
Hi IQ users!
 
Would you like to sync your IQ database with NTFS folders?  So that if you have a file in a particular file system folder, you will also automatically have an IQ item linked to that file?  I think that would be monumental.  You could attach your own fields and values to those files, tags, etc.  You could use IQ to find files meeting your filter criteria, along with your other IQ items.
 
This would solve a big problem for me.  It's inevitable that we have a separate organization of files relating to different subjects, but they aren't synced up with our notes in Infoqube.  Say we are trying to keep an inventory of things we own, their current locations, etc.  For a particular item, we might have a file system folder of photos or documents pertaining to a particular item, but there may not be an IQ item for this inventory item or any subitems, etc.  So currently I have two different stores of information about the same items, that I have to try to synchronize manually.  It's almost an impossible job.
 
Good thing is, Pierre says "I already have working code to monitor NTFS folders and and/remove items to sync with the file system, but never got around to implementing it in IQ.
If there is a demand, I may spend the few hours needed to do it".
 
So fellow users, would you like to see this feature in IQ?  I sure would !!  Let Pierre know if you agree!  And maybe kick in a donation as encouragement!  Mine is "in the PayPal".  Haha.    

Comments

Definitely an amazing concept! Consider me interested!!
Absolutely! I think this will be another game-changer.
Thanks for your specific example; I'm thinking of several similar uses already.
If this were implemented it would be massive !
 

Cyganet

2021/01/29 10:53

In reply to by Paul_J_Miller

This would be helpful for the book that I'm writing. I've just moved all my content from Scrivener to InfoQube. For example, I could put all my notes and attachments in a folder and have IQ catalogue them for me. Or have all the draft text files in another folder and organise them into the manuscript (which I now do by manually linking to markdown files).

Let's say that I create a link in IQ to a file on my HD. I later move the file to another location. This would currently break the link.
It would be great if the "IQ syncing with the file system" could also monitor file movements. In this case, the links would "never" be broken (unless the file is deleted of course...)!

hi Viking,

if you link to a shortcut to the file (see below and link dialogue) -- it will be found if the file is moved (within a partition)

See Link to Files, Folders and URLs

Quote describes dialogue options:

3. Link should point to:

• Actual file [or]

• Shortcut to the file:

a shortcut to the file will be created and saved in the .Files folder (yourfilename].SNDB.Files)

This second option has the advantage that the file will be found even if it is moved (within the same partition)

Hi Tom,

Unfortunately, it doesn't work after I move the file. I will post this as a bug report.

I second this idea (see my post here: http://infoqubeim.com/drupal5/node/5363)

The important part IMO is that when a folder is "imported" this way, any changes to the folder will be reflected in the database.

Also IMO a very lovely idea would be the ability to search also in the files on the HDD instead of just searching their filenames. So, for example, searching for a keyword returns results from the database but also any (at least .txt, .rtf) file in the imported HDD folder that either contains the keyword in the filename or the file itself contains that keyword within its text.

I think this is what people use the likes of OneNote for with the terrible sideeffect of the files being engulfed by the program forever (AFAIK very difficult or impossible to get the original file out of this).

:)

K