Remarks row in Layout Editor

[Aubrey]

As we become more proficient with the layout editor many of us "tweak" a particular layout.
My layouts are
Aubrey_v4
Aubrey_v5
etc.
Obviously the latest version has been created from the previous one.
It would be nice to have a remarks column to be able to type in a few words to explain to oneself what was changed from the previous version.

Not urgent but another, nice to have feature!

Aubrey.

[Mario]

Which kind of layout are you referring to?

[Aubrey]

Which kind of layout are you referring to?

I was referring to the layout editor of the File Window.
Attached is a copy of the modification window.

Aubrey.

[Jingo]

+1 - though this is why I try to name the layouts as a description  ie: Master    or   Keywords+   or    Location  ... that way, I can get a good idea of what the main display data will be.

[JohnZeman]

+1

[Mario]

I'm not sure what kind of information you want to record there...
Just a simple text property, which only shows in the layout editor (at the top)?

[Aubrey]

I'm not sure what kind of information you want to record there...
Just a simple text property, which only shows in the layout editor (at the top)?

My thought was simply a text area as an aide-memoire as to what was done, and why. Nothing needs to show on day-to-day work, simply next time one enters the complex edit layout and wants to make a change one can be reminded of what one did before.

For example today I found for some reason that using
{File.MD.Exif::Main\36867\DateTimeOriginal\0} to find a date was not working for some of my scanned images.
I changed this to:
{File.MD.XMP::xmp\CreateDate\CreateDate\0}

and it appears to work fine for all my images.

Say in a month's time, or longer, I find this doesn't work for some images, then when I look at the remarks, I will have written something like. This will be useful, at least I know what I had before...

"Changed date to using {File.MD.XMP::xmp\CreateDate\CreateDate\0}, as there were issues with using {File.MD.Exif::Main\36867\DateTimeOriginal\0} for some scanned photos - don't know why, didn't investigate, but this appears to work!"

Just a simple text property, which only shows in the layout editor (at the top)?

I hadn't thought about where; at the top is a logical place.

Anyway if it's a lot of work then there are probably higher priorities. Each user might only use it a few times a year. It's been about 2 months since I made changes to my layout.

[ubacher]

I thought about remarks in the file relations editor for a long time. This post triggers me to put in a feature request for it.

Initially reading this thread I thought it unnecessary to have remarks but your example convinced me that it would indeed be useful.

+1

[Mario]

I thought about remarks in the file relations editor for a long time. This post triggers me to put in a feature request for it.

Initially reading this thread I thought it unnecessary to have remarks but your example convinced me that it would indeed be useful.

+1

Please open new FR.

[Mario]

I have added a Description property to the File Window layout editor:

[Aubrey]

Perfect - thank you.

Aubrey.

[Aubrey]

Perfect - thank you.

I thought about remarks in the file relations editor for a long time. This post triggers me to put in a feature request for it.

I hope I haven't started a run on "remarks"! 
Aubrey.

[Mario]

Perfect - thank you.

I thought about remarks in the file relations editor for a long time. This post triggers me to put in a feature request for it.

I hope I haven't started a run on "remarks"! 
Aubrey.

Dunno. I like to hear from users what they want. And when a request gets some oomph by several +1, I look closely.

On the other hand, it is not hard to have a "readme.txt" file in a dedicated easy-to-find folder in your database.
if you click on it, the Quick View Panel shows its contents. You can quickly edit it with <Ctrt>+<Enter> etc.

If you want it a bit more fancy and with some formatting, you can use a HTML document. The Quick View Panel can render HTML:



This works great. The info is quick to find, you are basically unlimited in what you record etc. You could even add pictures, screen shots, audio notes, whatever.

[Aubrey]

Useful for general notes.
I have a similar file for setting up my Linux server...
When I use a useful url
Little tricks...
E. G. How to back up sql database and various database comnands
Setti g up secure html...
Everything is there... But sometimes I have to search as it's not well ordered... Another task one day.

So having a remarks section is useful and structured.

I used to use a commercial software Petrel for geological modeling. It had a little place one could put remarks for aide memoir it was especially useful when doing esoteric things with data. Almost like commenting a program.

[jch2103]

Thanks, Mario. The advantage of having reminder text where you're currently working is having it immediately available. Keeping a general text file is useful, but can make it (as noted by Aubrey) harder to locate the specific reminder when needed (or easier to forget it's there).