IMatch Categories Vs Folders

[Darius1968]

So, I have a top-level-folder, "Radio", and beneath it, the subfolders are organized by US states and cities.  What is in those folders are a collection of photos, images, and recordings of various historical radio broadcasts. 

I've already organized the folder structure in a way that is convenient and makes sense to me.  But, the only problem I'm now faced with (in some cases) is I have, for instance, a 17-minute-long mp3 file that belongs to two different radio stations, and I don't want to just make two copies of that audio file, to be deposited in both respective folders. 

I know that really the best way of handing the scenario of an audio file being in two (or more) folders at the same time is to make use of IMatch Categories, which is really what they are for!  Problem:  If I use data-driven categories that reflect my folder-structure, then I cannot manually assign files to any of the resulting data-driven-categories, in an attempt to register the fact that they belong in more than one place (radio station); If I just use the basic IMatch Category, then as more and more files are added to my increasing list of radio stations that I archive, I have to always manually assign those files to the categories. 

So, keeping in mind what I've said above, is it possible to have a file in one folder be somehow referenced in another folder(s), without the need to physically copy that file to one or more other folders? 

[Mario]

You can use file system links (mklink command, see Windows documentation) for details.
But this can get messy quickly, when you mirror files all over the place and then lose track of what you linked from where to where. I would not do this, unless you have one or two files only and you keep notes.
Mirroring the folder hierarchy in categories is usually only producing redundancy and no workflow I would recommend. But your mileage may vary.

[Darius1968]

So, do you (or anyone else reading this) have any ideas on anything I can do in IMatch itself that would handle what I'm trying to accomplish?  (Something that is simple and that can't get messy) 

[Mario]

No.

IMatch manages physical folders as they are intended to be managed. You cannot have the same file into multiple folders, unless you use soft of hard links in the Windows file system. See: mklink command.
A file can be in any number of categories, this is by concept and a common workflow.
Pick one.

[ubacher]

Look at using manual stacks. Create a dummy jpg file which shows the name etc. in the image .
(Batch processor).
Place this file in the "duplicate" location.

The master would be the stack top, the dummy file the one in place of the duplicate.

( I have little experience with stacks - so there may be hidden hurdles in this approach.)

[Darius1968]

Ubacher - You and I are on the same wavelength - That's exactly what I did!  (And, to a very certain extent, it fulfills the requirement!) 

What I'm now working on is, having the MP3 metadata (and, that from other audio/video formats, for that matter!) of the original file also be somehow visible via the dummy file.  Any ideas? 

[DigPeter]

Why not create @keyword categories' hierarchy Radio Stations/State/Station ?  Then tag the files to any of the stations that apply.
I put all files in folders by date the files were created and use Categories to search.  For instance I have a large number of plant images, many of which are of more than one plant.  I have an @keyword hierarchy of Plant/Family/Species. I do not create a folder for each species of plant, but tag the plant names @keyword category to the file for each plant in the image.

[ubacher]

What I'm now working on is, having the MP3 metadata (and, that from other audio/video formats, for that matter!) of the original file also be somehow visible via the dummy file.  Any ideas? 

Maybe a dummy .MP3 file to which you copy the metadata. Should work just as well.