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add existing tags with mouse clicks from list


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I am only using the web based version. I can't find a way to add already existing tags with a mouse click. If I must insert every tag with the minimum pressing a letter, then I must know the existing tags in mind. Double, tripple and more tags with the same meaning are simply possible. With names: dr schmidt ... or only schmidt ... or prof dr schmidt.... The same person, three tags starting with three different letters.

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  • Level 5*

Hi.  If you add a tag and press 's' you'll get a list of all the tags starting with that letter from which to choose.  It should be impossible to misspell 'schmidt'.  If you're going to use tags at all,  then you have decisions to make about how to standardise issues like Dr.  or Professor Dr.. - the simplest being,  don't use titles.  Without showing a full list of all tags it would be impossible to give a choice of he options you mention - as well as being unnecessary,  because a search for 'schmidt' will turn up all records with that name anyway...

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Ok. I understand your point. But: the persons name with the leading titles was only an example. Possible is an first name and surname or vice versa. Possible my example with titles was an mistake. So I will ask again with the real "problem".

 

Its a technical note of an error, of an defect and the solution e.g. the repair process. How can I add all usefull exiting tags without knowing which tags are already defined? If I can read the tags I will see prompt whats important for this note.

 

Manufacturer: Ford, BMW, Mercedes etc.

Fuel-Type: electro, gas, diesel or a combination

Vehicle-Type: van, truck, cabriolet, tractor etc.

Kind of defect: motor, electric, cables, plugs, doors, light etc.

And other main characteristics...

And in the following a mass of detailed tags. This detailed tags are not important like the main ones.  

 

This clickable tags list are solved e.g. by www.delicious.com not perfect buts its an suggested clickable list of the most used tags. The most used tags are simply the important ones.

 

So if you enter a new note you must now which main characteristics are there and should be used! A possible sub-solution is to build two part tags seperated by a colon. First part is the field-type, second part is the value e.g. manufacturer: ford

 

But this doesn't solve the named problem: After some time you forgot the tags, enter a new note and the you must search in the tags. Instead of an suggested clickable list of the main tags. There is already the shortcut system there. This shortcut system was better invested if it was an clickable tag list generated from the user. In my opinion a shortcut system is only needed if the search and find system not powerfull enough.

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  • Level 5*

Hi.  I understand the problem - I suffered from it heavily when first using Evernote,  and wound up with tags like 'bank' 'banks' 'bankers' 'banking' as the result. Some tag 'discipline' is required - a defined structure that you can remember easily and that will help you to construct tags consistently.  That format is basic information theory and something you need to define for yourself.  Evernote helps by allowing you to hit 'b' and see all the relevant tags,  so close duplications and misspellings should not be an issue.  And it has optional-depth tag 'folders' so under 'vehicle' you could have 'manufacturer' and under that 'Ford', 'BMW' etc,  and the same for Fuel and Vehicle type,  so that you are reminded of the appropriate options rather than having to guess

 

Transpose .(formerly KustomNote) - https://transpose.com/ - allows you to set up templates for notes containing structured information too.

 

The thing to remember is that unless you'll want to find every door fault in BMWs reported last year,  you don't need to tag in detail.  I use many more note titles than tags - in the format <date><note type><source><content><keywords> - so that an intitle:<search> will get me a list of relevant information.  I rely on the fact that information on specific topics is often linked by addresses,  account names,  model numbers etc etc - if I find one instance of a note on a topic of interest,  I can search on other keywords in that topic to find anything else on the same theme.  If I find several notes that have no other obvious links,  I might add them to a new notebook temporarily while I use them,  collate the details into fewer,  or only one note,  or tag all those notes with a specific word related to my current project/ query so I can find that specific set of notes again quickly if I need to.  I no longer tag notes automatically,  but rely primarily on searches and titles.

 

You also have the benefit of the desktop editors - you can browse your complete list of tags at any time,  merge notes with similar tags,  edit,  remove and reorganise the hierarchical structure as your use develops.  It's a factor of using a big database that part of your time has to be spent curating the content,  and that you will change your usage over time,  and -probably frequently- discover new and better ways to organise content.

 

Evernote is your 'external brain',  but planning and organisation is required to use it best.

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