Windows Vista Product Guide screencast - Search Part 3
So what part did I leave for last, as you can imagine I left the best part for last: SEARCH!
Powerful new search and organization features in Windows Vista make extensive use of file properties, or metadata, to give you even more dynamic ways to interact with your information. Many of your files already contain useful metadata. For example, Microsoft Office automatically records certain document properties, such as author and date created. And music ripped from CDs often has properties such as song, album, and artist name. But Windows Vista also gives you ways to apply custom properties to your files.
You can quickly and easily apply properties to any file or group of files in:
Details Pane. The easiest way to add a property to a file is to select the file and change it in the Details Pane at the bottom of the Explorer. Many of the entry fields support AutoComplete, making it even easier to add properties, for one file or across many files. Selecting multiple files and adding a property via the Details Pane adds that property to all selected files.
Properties window. You can still go to the familiar Properties window by right-clicking a file and selecting Properties. In the Details tab you have quick access to a file's metadata. One handy feature is the ability to remove all properties of a file with a single click, which can help you prepare a file for sharing with others by removing details such as the author's name.
Saving a file. Windows Vista features a new common File dialog box for opening and saving files. Applications that use this control enable you to use all of the innovative new searching and tagging features when you open and save files. To add properties when saving a file, you can enter properties directly into the appropriate field in the common File dialog box.
Windows Photo Gallery . Windows Photo Gallery enables you to import, edit, and tag photos. Any tags applied to photos are reflected in the Pictures Explorer.
Windows Media Player 11 . Any changes made to properties of your music files are reflected in the Music Explorer.
A new tool in Windows Vista called Instant Search helps ensure that you're never more than a few keystrokes from whatever you're looking for. Instant Search is available almost everywhere in Windows Vista. Just type a file name, a property, or even text contained within a file, and Instant Search will return pinpointed results.
With its fast-as-you-can-type search performance, the newly redesigned Start menu is your portal to virtually anything on your PC. To find a specific file, application, or Internet Favorite, just open the Start menu—or press the Windows key on the keyboard—and start typing in the embedded Instant Search box. As you type, Windows Vista instantly searches file and application names, metadata, and the full text of all files, and groups your results by category: Programs; Favorites/Internet History; Files, including documents and media; and Communications, including e-mail, events, tasks, and contacts.
Watch the Screencast here:
Screencast: Windows Vista Search Features!
Enjoy and please let me know what you think! Also if you liked the screencasts and want to see more, drop me an email and let me know what you liked, disliked or change? Are there any topics you would like to see in the future let me know. If the suggestion is good, I will find something in my closet to make it worth your while.
You can find part 1 and part 2 here:
Part 1: Windows Vista Product Guide screencast - Search and Organization Overview Part 1
Part 2: Windows Vista Product Guide screencast - Organizational Features Part 2