How to add an attribute with the same value to multiple files?

[moorpipe]

I understand the concept of having multiple attribute items (rows/records) per file. I think I understand the way to maintain those items, in single mode and merge mode. But... although this is a flexible concept I do see a rather inconvenient side effect of it. Let me try to illustrate this with the following example.
Suppose you have a single file attribute set having 2 fields (columns) A and B. A has a unique value and B is empty (initially). Of course, A being unique there will never be matching rows of data after selecting multiple files and the resulting attribute panel is empty. Now, if I want to add some identical data in B over the selected files, the only way is to create an extra row for each file. I would rather see the data in B in the same row as A.

example (2 files selected):

file;A;B
file1;uniqueName-X;[empty]
file2;uniqueName-Y;[empty]

I want to assign a value to B, let's say "1999", for both records, this is what happens:

file1;uniqueName-X;[empty]
file1;;1999
file2;uniqueName-Y;[empty]
file2;;1999

All I want is:
file1;uniqueName-X;1999
file2;uniqueName-Y;1999

Is there a way to achieve that in one go?

[Mario]

In this special case you have to switch to Single mode so you see the individual values for each file, and then enter the data you want for each file.
There is no way to somehow display different values for the same column otherwise.

[moorpipe]

Hi Mario,

Thanks. I was afraid of that. I will turn to metadata instead or write a script. Single mode is not an option, because in real life I'm talking about hundreds of files. Moreover, I don't want to clutter up the database with extra records. In the examples you gave it makes perfect sense to have separate records, but in my case it doesn't. Well, I guess you can't have it all. 

Regards, Ronald

[sinus]

Hi Mario,

Thanks. I was afraid of that. I will turn to metadata instead or write a script. Single mode is not an option, because in real life I'm talking about hundreds of files. Moreover, I don't want to clutter up the database with extra records. In the examples you gave it makes perfect sense to have separate records, but in my case it doesn't. Well, I guess you can't have it all. 

Regards, Ronald

If you are able to write a script, I would go this line. With a script, you can do exactly what you want (well, most), and specialy for your own workflow.

[Mario]

Well, I guess you can't have it all. 

You may add a feature request. May something like:

beach|outdoor|<empty>
beach|volley|123
beach|<empty>|<empty>

and IMatch then shows (in merge mode) one row, but like

beach|???|???

and when the user fills in one of the ? ? ? values it is written to all files, whatever value they had before in that column...?