Group Training announcement and links to past sessions: Group Training Sessions

Hi IQ Users,

InfoQube has tags... yeah like GMail and so many other apps. Nothing to write home about. Right?

Yes and no... There is so much more. 😯 In this session we'll show you:

1. How and where tags can be added to items:
   • Tags pane
   • Tags dialog
   • Tags grid column
   • Item editor
   • Copy / paste multiple tags from one item to another
   • Inline by typing ## (in both grids and the Doc pane)
   • Other UIs
2. How tags can be used to only show relevant items:
   • From the Tags pane
   • Tag filtering in grids and other UIs
   • Filter by selection in grids
   • Live-Search
3. Advanced features:
   • Tag inheritance
   • Using the Tags grid
   • Tag branches

To prepare for this session, read all about it here: 3. Tags and here: 7. Tags Pane

This Friday, July 11th, 13h00 ET (UTC-4). Open to all: https://meet.google.com/hvx-imkj-brp

Pierre_Admin
IQ Designer

Notebook LM transcription of the training session (so good, it is unbelievable !):

Here are 2 summaries

1. Summary 1

Tags in IQ are a versatile feature that share many similarities with yes/no fields but also offer distinct advantages, particularly in their ability to support hierarchy and inheritance.

Core Concepts and Functionality of Tags: 

• Similarities to Fields: Tags can be used almost anywhere a field can be used, and they function similarly to a checkbox or yes/no field.
• Advantages over Fields:
  • Hierarchy and Organization: Tags can follow a hierarchy, similar to how items are organized. This allows for better organization of your tags.
  • Inheritance: IQ supports tag inheritance, meaning if you search for a parent tag, it will also find items tagged with its subtags. This eliminates the need to tag items with every level of a hierarchy (e.g., tagging an item as "dog" will make it searchable under "mammal" if "dog" is a subtag of "mammal"). This inheritance can be controlled in grid properties, allowing users to specify if they want to include subtags or only the specific tag.
  • Multiple Parents: A single tag can exist under multiple parent hierarchies, which is useful for organizing information from different projects or contexts (e.g., a "followup" tag could appear under both "grids" and "items" branches). This allows for combined views of related information regardless of its primary project.
  • Non-Unique Names: Unlike fields, tags can have the exact same name. IQ indicates duplicate tag names with a small icon for management purposes, but the system distinguishes them by unique tag IDs. Searching by tag ID is an option that remains stable even if a tag's name changes.
  • Batch Operations: You can copy and paste multiple tags to multiple items simultaneously, which is not possible with fields.
  • Specific Branch Views: You can create a column in a grid to show only a specific branch of tags and its subtags, which is useful for focusing on tags relevant to a particular project or area, especially when dealing with many tags.

Managing and Assigning Tags: 

• Creation: Tags can be defined as items within the tags grid, created directly in the tags pane by right-clicking (Add tag or Add child tag), or even automatically generated by IQ (e.g., when importing email to IQ if the tag doesn't exist). Autogenerated tags typically appear under an "autogenerated" section and can be moved into a desired hierarchy.
• Viewing Tags: Tags can be seen in grids (via a dedicated tags column), in the properties pane of an item, and in the tags pane. The tags pane can be viewed as a flat list or a hierarchical tree.
• Assigning Tags:
  • Multiple items can be selected and assigned a tag simultaneously.
  • Tags can be assigned by pressing F2 (to open the tags dialogue) or Ctrl+T (to switch to the tags pane or open the dialogue).
  • Inline Tagging: While editing item content (in the doc pane or item text), typing ## (double hashtag) brings up a popup to assign tags. This tag then appears as a hyperlink within the text and is also assigned at the item level. Clicking this hyperlink can then display all items with that tag.
  • Automatic Assignment: Tags can be auto-assigned based on item text using assignment rules defined under equations in the field management properties.
• Removing Tags: Tags can be removed by clicking a little 'X' in the tags column or within the tags section of the properties pane.
• Archiving Tags: Instead of deleting, tags can be archived so they don't show up in regular views but can still be found if needed. A similar "archive" functionality for items, using a specific field value to exclude them from searches, is a planned future enhancement.

Viewing and Filtering Tagged Items: 

• Direct Selection: Clicking on a tag in a grid, the properties pane, or the tags pane will display all items assigned that tag in a scratch grid.
• Live Search: The live search view allows for filtering items based on tags using "OR" and "AND" modes (e.g., show items with Tag A or Tag B, or Tag A and Tag B).
• Grid Source: The "grid source" can be manually edited to combine tags and fields in complex filter criteria.
• Filter by Selection: In a grid, you can select one or more tags (or field values) in a column and apply a "filter by selection" to view only items with those selected tags.
• Other UI Elements: Tags can also be viewed and interacted with via the navigation bar (navbar), the Item Editor (Ctrl+E), and the status bar or a dedicated Item Tags toolbar.

User Experiences and Use Cases: 

• Intense Tag Usage: The inheritance feature is particularly beneficial for "intense tag users". One of the participants, uses 2,000-3,000 tags, primarily for categorization and names (e.g., in genealogy, for first and last names to quickly find all instances of a name).
• Context Management (GTD): Tags can be used to set contexts for tasks, such as "calls," "errands," or "computer" (related to the Getting Things Done method).
• Daily Notes: Tags are integrated with the daily notes concept, allowing users to embed tags within their daily journal entries.

Related Features and Future Development: 

• Grids: Grids in IQ are flexible tools that do not contain items themselves but rather define what items are displayed based on columns and filter criteria. There is no limit to the number of grids a user can create or delete.
• Obsidian Sync: The integration with Obsidian primarily relies on tags. A specific tag is defined for synchronization, and items with this tag are then synced to a designated Obsidian vault (file folder). The daily notes feature, for instance, automatically assigns a tag (e.g., "OB daily notes") to facilitate this sync.
• Calendar: IQ has a calendar feature that can sync with Google Calendar, providing reminders and events on both IQ and mobile devices. A new list view for the calendar is a significant upcoming enhancement, which will allow searching for events, including individual occurrences of repeating events.
• Future Enhancements: Planned improvements include adding a tree view option for tags in the live search UI and the ability to exclude items from live search results based on specific field values (e.g., an "archive" flag).

Summary 2:

IQ Software Briefing Document: Tags vs. Fields and Advanced Features

1. Introduction: Tags vs. Fields

IQ offers two primary methods for organizing and categorizing information: tags and fields. While they share similarities, particularly with "yes/no" (checkbox) fields, tags offer distinct advantages in flexibility and hierarchical organization.

• Similarities: Both tags and yes/no fields can be used almost interchangeably in many contexts. They can both indicate the presence or absence of a specific attribute for an item.
• Advantages of Tags:Hierarchical Structure: Tags can be organized into hierarchies, much like items themselves. This allows for broad categorization and more specific sub-categories.
• Multiple Parents: A single tag can exist under multiple parent tags, enabling cross-project or cross-context categorization without duplication. This means a "follow-up" tag could appear under both "grids" and "items" hierarchies, allowing users to access it from either context.
• Non-Unique Names: Unlike fields, tags can have the same name, differentiated by their unique Tag ID. IQ visually indicates duplicate tag names with a small icon, aiding management.
• Batch Assignment: Multiple tags can be copied and pasted to multiple items simultaneously, a feature not available for fields.
• Dynamic Filtering: Tags enable more dynamic and context-sensitive filtering through features like "tag inheritance" and "show branch in grid."

2. Core Tag Functionalities

2.1 Defining and Assigning Tags

• Definition: Tags are defined as items within the "tags grid" by checking the "tags" field, which automatically assigns a unique "Tag ID."
• "The tags defined is having the tags field checked and which would will automatically assign the tag ID."
• Creation Methods:
  • Creating an item directly in the "tags grid."
  • Right-clicking in the "tags pane" and selecting "add tag" or "add child tag."
  • Auto-generation: If a tag doesn't exist when assigned (e.g., via "email to IQ" import), it will be created automatically under "autogenerated." These can then be moved into a user-defined hierarchy.
• Tags Column (in Grid): Pressing F2 on the tags column to open a dialogue for selection.
• Properties Pane: Under the "tags" section of an item's properties.
• Keyboard Shortcut: Ctrl+T (opens tags pane if active, otherwise opens tags dialogue).
• Inline (Doc Pane/Item Text): Typing "##" (double hashtag) within the doc pane or item text opens a tag selection dialogue. The selected tag is then inserted as a hyperlink in the text but assigned at the item level. Clicking this hyperlink will show all items with that tag.
• "You can simply use the double hashtag which would show you the tags popup dialogue."
• Copy/Paste: Copying tags from one item's tags column (Ctrl+C) and pasting (Ctrl+V) to one or multiple other items.
• Auto-Assignment Rules: Tags can be automatically assigned based on item text or other criteria using "assign rules under equations" in the field management properties.

2.2 Tag IDs vs. Tag Names

• Tag ID: A unique identifier automatically assigned to each tag. This ID remains constant even if the tag name changes. Using Tag IDs in searches or filters ensures consistency.
• "The advantage of the tag ID is if you change later on change the tag name, some of your search or filter may not work correctly. But if you use a tag ID, then it's unique. It won't change."
• Tag Name: The user-defined name for a tag. While convenient, changing a tag name can break existing searches/filters if they rely on the name.

3. Viewing and Filtering Items by Tags

IQ provides numerous ways to view and filter items based on their assigned tags, offering high flexibility:

• Clicking on a Tag:
  • In the "tags pane."
  • In the "tags column" within a grid.
  • In the "properties pane" under the tags section.
  • In the "navbar" (if enabled).
  • In the "item tags toolbar" (a floating toolbar).
  • This action typically opens a "scratch grid" showing all items assigned that tag.
• Tags Pane: Displays tags as a flat list (alphabetical) or a hierarchical tree. Includes an option to "Show item count" for each tag.
• Tags Column in Grids: Can display all tags or be configured to show only a "branch" of tags (e.g., tags and subtags related to a specific project).
• "Showing a a specific branch gets more to the point."
• Live Search: Offers a dedicated tags section with "OR" and "AND" modes for combining multiple tags. The UI for this section is slated for improvement to include a tree view option, especially useful for users with thousands of tags.
• A user reports having "3,000 tags," primarily for categorization like "names" (e.g., "every first name, every last name" for genealogy).
• Grid Source: The "grid source" (visible when viewing a grid) allows for manual editing of search criteria, enabling complex combinations of tags and fields (e.g., (#dopaint and #itemeditor) or [active]).
• Filter by Selection (Column Filter): Works for both tags and fields in a grid. Selecting one or more values/tags in a column and clicking "filter by column" will display only items matching the selection.

4. Advanced Tag Management Features

• Hierarchy and Inheritance:
  • Tags can be arranged hierarchically.
  • Tag Inheritance: A crucial feature where searching for a parent tag (e.g., "mammals") will automatically include items tagged with its subtags (e.g., "dogs").
  • "If you search for info cube you'll find the calendar item because it's a sub item because it's a subtag."
  • This behavior can be controlled in "grid properties" via the "tag inheritance" setting (0 = specific tag only, 1 = tag + subtags).
• Multiple Parents: A single tag item can be linked to multiple parent tags, allowing it to appear in different hierarchical contexts without being duplicated. This is achieved by dragging a tag while holding the Control key, or by using "paste special" (Shift+Ctrl+V) for existing tags.
• "Followup is under items and it's under grids."
• "This is something that you cannot do with fields and it can really help in organizing your information project by project but at the same time it it combines it."
• Renaming and Archiving Tags:Tags can be renamed.
• Archiving: Instead of deleting, tags can be archived. Archived tags do not appear in normal views but can be retrieved if needed, preserving historical context.
• "Show This Tag in the Grid": Right-clicking a tag in the tags pane and selecting this option will create a new column in the current grid displaying only that tag and its subtags, streamlining focus on specific project tags.

5. Integration with Other IQ Features and External Tools

• Obsidian Sync: Tags are the primary mechanism for syncing IQ items with Obsidian. A specific sync tag and a vault path in Obsidian are defined to configure this integration.
• "Obsidian sync relies on tags primarily as the way to connect the two."
• A daily notes field can be configured to automatically assign an "OB daily notes" tag, facilitating seamless synchronization of daily notes to Obsidian.
• Calendar:The upcoming calendar "list view" will allow searching and filtering of events, including repeating events, even though they are represented by a single item. This will be a significant enhancement, similar to Google Calendar's search capabilities.
• IQ's calendar can sync with Google Calendar, making events and reminders accessible across devices.

6. User Experience and Development Notes

• Panes: Tags pane and properties pane are flexible, allowing users to move, resize, and dock them, even across multiple monitors.
• Grids: Grids do not "contain" items; they are merely a "set of columns and some filter criteria." Deleting a grid does not delete items, and there is no limit to the number of grids a user can create.
• UI Improvements: The live search UI is considered "old" and will be updated to include a tree view for tags, addressing the needs of users with large tag databases.
• Future Feature: The possibility of "archiving" items (similar to tags) to exclude them from searches without deleting them is being considered, potentially implemented via an "exclude" filter in live search based on a specific field value (e.g., an "archive" flag).