FreeCommander

Windows - metadata

Windows offers the option to store metadata such as ratings, keywords, and comments in the file metadata for some file types.

Supported file types are for example:

Audio file types: .mp3, .wma, .aif
Video file types: .mp4, .m4v, .wmv, .avi, .mov
Image file types: .jpg, .png, .gif, .bmp, .heic

File properties

Activating the menu item "Main menu → File → Properties..." or the shortcut "Alt+Enter" opens the Windows standard window "Properties" for the selected file.

In the tab "Details" metadata can be specified. Rating is displayed as a star rating from 0 to 5 stars. Keywords and comments can be edited for the file.

Files rating

Activating the menu item"File → Other operations → Files rating" opens the split window "file rating".

File list

Top left in the split window is displayed how many files were selected in the panel from which this menu item was activated.

In the left bottom of the split window all files are listed that were selected in the panel from which this menu item was activated.

Pressing activates a menu with features for the list:

• Select all files
  or the shortcut CTRL+A select all files in the list
• Rename file
  or the shortcut F2 opens the rename dialog for the file highlighted in the list.
• Toggle view mode
  or the shortcut CTRL+I toggles the view mode of the list
• Thumbnails >
  if the view mode is thumbnails, the size of the thumbnails can be changed

Rating

In Windows rating is displayed as a star rating from 0 to 5 stars. The underlying numerical values range from 0 (unrated) to 99, with specific ranges for each star level:

0 Stars: 0 (Unrated)

1 Star: 1-12

2 Stars: 13-37

3 Stars: 38-62

4 Stars: 63-87

5 Stars: 88-99

There is an additional radio button to remove the rating.

This rating is stored in the file's metadata and can be viewed in Windows Explorer. 

The rating is set per file. If more files are selected in the file list below, the rating will be set to all selected files.

In FreeCommander it can be useful to add the "Rating" column to views. 

Keywords and Comment

One keyword per line and a comment can be set per file. If more files are selected in the file list below, the keywords and comments will be set to all selected files.

In FreeCommander it can be useful to add a "Keywords" and a "Comment" column to views. 

Preserve file timestamp

If this setting is checked, when saving the file(s) (using the "Run" button), their timestamp will not be overwritten with the current timestamp.

The Run button

The changed rating, the keywords and comments are saved, when the "Run" button is activated.

File view

The right part of the split window "file rating" offers the view of the file highlighted in the list.

This file can be edited like described in the menu item "Main menu → File → View".