Using The Data File Links Index Window
The Data File Links Index Window is used to manage all of the Data File Link records in a project.
This window can be opened by clicking on the Data File Links Index hyperlink found at the top of
almost every
window in the software.
Like all "Index" windows, this window's primary function is to make it easy to locate a record,
select it,
and then click on some hyperlinked function that will do something with, or to, that record.
Using Simple Keyword Searches To Locate Computer Files And Then Open Them
The easiest way to find a record is to do one or more keyword searches, using keywords that you think
will be
found somewhere in the contents of the records your searching for.
For example, if I were looking
for any
computer files that had something to do with, "brainstorming how to write the code for drag and drop
operations", I could start by doing a keyword search for 'brainstorming' to see what comes up. This
search
found 16 records.
Now, I search those records for the ones that have the phrase 'drag and drop' somewhere in their
contents,
and just one record is found.
I single click on that record to select it, and because the record is
linked
to an image file, I can see a preview of that image.
The image preview looks like a photographed note. Now, if I want to see that image, all I have to do
is
double click anywhere on the record, or the Image Preview panel, and the software that works with
that type
of file, will load and display that image.
On my computer, the Windows Photo Viewer software is used
to
display image files and you can see the note it's displaying below.
It won't matter what type of computer file a Data File Link record is linked to, if you double click
anywhere
on that record, the software that's used to work with that type of computer file, is going to be
loaded and
it will display the computer file's contents for you.
This feature makes it very fast and easy to locate computer files, load them, and then start working
with
their contents, using the software that you usually use for that kind of data.
Using An Advanced Search To Find Data File Link Records
There will
be times
though when you want to search just a set of specific fields, and perhaps for more than one set of
keywords
at a time. To perform these types of searches you can click on the Advanced Search hyperlink.
The type of searches done above were examples of regular keyword searches. These types of searches
let you
search all the displayed records, for the 'keyword phrase' entered in the Search field.
For a detailed lesson on how to perform Advanced Searches, click
here.
Finding Data File Link Records Related To The One Your Working With
The Data File Link record that's currently selected was created by a Task record. I know this because
there's
no ID numbers for a parent Note, or Work Session record.
Now, let's say that I'm curious about what other computer files are linked to that Task record, to
find out
all I have to do is click on the "The Task's Data File Links" hyperlink, and a list of those
computer files
(Data File Link records) will be displayed.
The image below shows that 9 computer files are linked
to the
Task record.
Whatever other types of records the selected Data File Link record is owned by, one of the hyperlinks
in the
The, "This Data File's Siblings" hyperlink's name is not very clear about which parent record's Data
File
Link records it'll be displaying. That hyperlink displays the record's "directly linked"
parent
record's", Data File Link records, and here's how you figure out which type of record, that parent
record
is.
Look at the ID numbers of the parent records that own the Data File Link record. The ID number
of the record lowest in the list, is the directly linked parent record. In the image below, there's
only an
Idea and Task ID. So, the Task record is the Data File Link record's directly linked parent record,
because
that's the record that created it.
So, if you click on the "This Data File's Siblings" hyperlink, you'll see a list of that parent
record's Data
File Link records.
Opening A Selected Record's Parent Record
By clicking the appropriate Display... hyperlink, you can display any of the selected Data File Link
record's
parent records in their editing window.
For example, if I wanted to look at the Task record that owns the selected Data File Link record in
the image, all I need to do is click on the Display Task hyperlink, and that Task record will be
displayed in its "editing" window, and I can work with it (see next image).
The parent Task record is being displayed in its "editing" window and you can make changes to it in
there.
Making Changes To The Selected Data File Link Record
Any of these hyperlinks will make changes to the selected Data File Link record.
Detailed instructions on how to use these features are provided in these help pages.