Table of Contents
Categorizing files using Multi Search views
29. March 2025
Table of Contents
Overview
Explains how multi-search views work and can be used to tag files through drag and drop.
What are multi-search views?
Multi-search views can be considered a generalized classified view, where you view and edit the content of other metadata fields than the Classify state field. There are many things to consider when creating a multi-search, especially when using the Byline, Keywords, or Supplemental Category fields.
When you use a multi-search view, FotoStation will search through the source you are currently working with, looking for files that match the search criteria defined for the selected multi-search. If you configure your multi-search to allow dragging and dropping files from one column to another, you must also create macros that change the metadata of the files you are dropping. This topic deals with the basic usage scenarios for the three multi-search views that come installed as standard:
Categories
This view sorts files from the selected source into six different categories according to the content of the Category metadata field. You can change the order of the six categories by clicking on a category’s header and dragging that column to the new position.
In the Categories category, you can only view the files. You cannot drag and drop files from one category to another. If this is what you would like to do, you should use the Categorize view:
Categorize
As with the Categories multi-search described above, this category sorts files from the selected source into six different categories according to the content of the Category metadata field. You can change the order of the six categories by clicking on a category’s header and dragging that column to the new position.
Moving a file between categories will normally result in changes to one or more metadata fields, but this depends on the multi-search configuration. If you have any questions regarding your available multi-search categories, contact your administrator since these categories are often configured locally.
News Agencies
This category sorts files from the selected source into six categories according to the content of the Credit metadata field. You can change the order of the six categories by selecting a category’s header and dragging that column to the new position.
In the News agencies category, you can only view the files. You cannot drag and drop files from one category to another. If you discover that a file is located in a column where it should not be, you must change the text in the Credit field.
Creating your own custom multi-search views
Using the program configuration, you can create your own multi-search views that apply custom search processing and optionally allow dropping files into the columns you define and applying metadata using an associated macro.
Learn more in the Creating custom multi-search views topic.