File Metadata Management

When organizing local videos, design assets, photos, or contracts, operating system file managers typically only show filenames and modification dates. They offer no native way to tag files, assign ratings, track review statuses, or jot down notes.

File Metadata Management presents an ordinary local folder as a structured table. Every custom attribute you enter is saved directly to the physical file itself, giving you an effortless way to categorize, tag, and filter your local digital assets.

---

1. Quick Start

Getting started takes just three steps:

1. Create a file: In the Eidos Lite sidebar, click New File (shortcut: Cmd/Ctrl + N), and choose Eidos as the file type.
2. Enable management: Check the File Metadata Management toggle. The default filename is files.eidos (feel free to rename it), then click Create.
3. Start tagging: Open the created table and click the + (Add Column) button on the right side of the header. Enter a property name (such as “Status”, “Rating”, or “Tags”) and start recording metadata directly on your files as you would in a spreadsheet.

---

2. Daily Workflow & File Safety

• Zero duplication, safe and lossless: All physical files remain in their original disk folders. Eidos never creates redundant copies that waste disk space, nor does it alter the raw contents of your files.
• Automatic disk change detection: When you add, rename, or delete files in your operating system, the table detects the changes and updates in real time without requiring manual refreshes.
• Instant full-screen previews: Click on any file name or attachment icon in a record to view images, videos, or documents directly without leaving your current workspace.

---

3. Scope of Management

An .eidos file with File Metadata Management enabled scans its containing folder and its descendants.

It does not walk up the parent hierarchy or follow symbolic links. Ignored entries are excluded. A table created in a subfolder scans that subfolder and its descendants.

• DirectoryMovies/

  • files.eidos Manages this folder and its descendants
  • Interstellar.mkv
  • Dune.mp4
  • Poster.jpg
  • Notes.pdf

---

4. Nested Folders & Shared Attribute Mechanics

Complex project structures often contain nested subfolders (for example, a project folder containing dedicated asset subfolders). When both a parent folder and a subfolder create their own files.eidos:

• DirectoryCreative-Project/

  • files.eidos Includes files in nested folders
  • Project-Plan.pdf
  • Budget.xlsx
  • DirectoryVisual-Assets/

    • files.eidos Manages subfolder files independently
    • Hero-Poster.png
    • Brand-Logo.svg
    • Illustration.jpg
  • DirectoryReferences/

    • Competitive-Review.md
    • Moodboard.png

Independent layouts and configurations

The .eidos file in the parent folder and the one in the subfolder are completely separate documents: Layouts, view styles, filter criteria, and sort rules are independent. The parent table can include files in a subfolder whether or not that subfolder has its own .eidos file.

Shared underlying metadata on physical files

Because custom attributes are recorded directly in physical file extended attributes:

• Storage identity determines sharing: The default tags and rating fields use shared storage keys. Newly added fields receive independent keys; giving two fields the same name does not make them share values.
• Renaming preserves values: A field keeps its storage key when renamed. Tables using the same namespace and storage key read the same value on the next query.

Important precautions

1. Edits affect physical file attributes: Tables sharing a storage key can observe each other’s edits. Matching display names alone do not imply shared data.
2. Moving files: An ordinary rename on the same filesystem preserves file attributes. Copying or transferring files depends on the filesystem and tool. The destination table needs the same namespace and storage key to read existing values.
3. Difference between “Deleting a column” and “Clearing a cell value”:
   • Deleting a column (field) removes the column and clears its stored attribute from files included in the table. This also affects other tables sharing that attribute.
   • Clearing the content of a cell explicitly removes that attribute value from the physical file’s system metadata.
4. Attribute portability:
   • Values use extended attributes on macOS/Linux and alternate data streams on Windows. The filesystem must support them. Do not assume that Graft history, Sync, backups, or copying an .eidos file preserves these external attributes; verify your backup tool separately.
   • If files are transferred using third-party tools that strip extended attributes (such as sending individual files over instant messaging apps) or copied onto basic FAT32 media, the extended attributes may be ignored by the operating system.
5. Transaction limits: Ordinary transaction and savepoint rollback restores metadata while the process is running. The journal is in memory; it does not provide crash atomicity or isolation from other programs changing the same attributes.

---

5. Built-in System Fields

The system automatically extracts physical file properties (read-only):

Field	Type	Description
name	Text	Physical filename (e.g. Photo.jpg)
path	Text	Relative path from the folder root, serving as the record title and primary key
extension	Text / Select	Lowercase file extension (e.g. jpg, mp4, pdf)
size	Text / Integer	File size (formatted automatically as KB, MB, or GB)
mimetype	Text	Media type (e.g. image/jpeg, video/mp4), useful for filtering media types
file	Attachment	Local file handle providing instant thumbnails and full-screen previews