A plea for two features

[wordmuse]

I just got a new computer. My data is all on an external hard drive. This creates a problem with URP. Why? Because I have URP items linked to local files.

Unfortunately, the drive for the local files was not assigned the same letter as that on the old computer. So now I have more than 60 items pointing to a non-existent drive letter, meaning I have to go through each item, one-by-one to correct this.

Moreover, if I have additional computers that I have reason to hook up to the external drive, if they assign a different letter for the drive, the same disconnect will take place.

This brings up two feature requests.

#1 - Let me specify drives as variables to be assigned in the Options dialog. If it's drive D on one computer and Drive K on another, then a simple reassignment in that dialog could make life a great deal easier. Here's what I envision. If I actually specify a drive in an item, then that's what it is. But if I assign a drive variable (perhaps something like, "dv") - then dv would be controlled through the dialog.

Examples:
k:\path\filename.ext means that k is the drive and not affected by changes in the dialog.

dv:\path\filename.ext means that the drive letter is assigned through the Options dialog.
It would thus be my choice as I create a link as to whether I want the drive letter hard-coded or not.

#2 - I've asked for this before, but every so often - like today - I am reminded how much I really need something like this: Global search and replace, or perhaps semi-global search and replace, limited to a branch of the tree and/or to selected items.

Por favor?

- Bal

[$bill]

Not to detract from your suggestion, but 2 solutions occur to me.

1. Use the Windows Disk Management tool to change the drive letter assigned to the removable drive.

2. Use the example referenced here http://kinook.com/Forum/showthread.php?t=2825 to do a global search and replace of the drive letter.

Now to your suggestion #1...I also keep most of my files carefully curated in folders on a virtual disk D: I have noted (with a little concern) that Microsoft, with each iteration of windows, seems to be moving us away from drive letters (and even thinking of files as located on a single physical disk). This is not really surprising, remembering that the file system is just another database. At a technical level we can use virtual disks, spanning disks, junction points, etc. At a user level we now have Libraries-- which are like folders, they show me files, but different because the files are in different "locations". Perhaps UR will be able to use/create libraries to reference our documents in a manner similar to your suggestion. (Currently of course, I can use a simple solution and store my documents in UR where they travel hassle free)

-$bill

[wordmuse]

Hey Bill,

When I get a chance I'll study the thread you pointed me to. But that's just the point, isn't it? It's going to be something I have to study. Now, that's not beyond me, but neither does it seem like easy reading to me. Moreover, I think it isn't something I think that users of one of the premier information management tools around should have to deal with, e.g., work with SQL behind the scenes, etc.

This is clearly a business decision for Kinook to make, and I can live with whatever decision is arrived at.

But as this forum is a suggestion box, I suggest. :)

Kind Regards,
Bal

[kinook]

If you specify a relative path (for instance Abc\MyLinkedFile.txt if the .urd file is at D:\MyFolder\test.urd and the .txt file is at D:\MyFolder\Abc\test.urd) in the URL attribute for the linked items, they will work correctly wherever the .urd file is located (as long as the linked files are kept in the same relative location). If the linked files are in the same folder or a sub-folder of the .urd file path, this relative path assignment is automatic when importing.

As mentioned by $bill, you could use SQLite to fix up absolute URLs. For instance, if the URLs of the linked items are like D:\MyFolder\Abc\MyLinkedFile.txt in the above example, this SQL statement would remove the absolute path and make them relative:

UPDATE ItemAttribute SET Value = Replace(Value, 'D:\MyFolder\', '') WHERE AttributeID = 996 AND Value LIKE 'D:\MyFolder\%';

See http://kinook.com/Forum/showthread.php?t=2825 for more details.

[wordmuse]

good to know about the relative paths - I'll try to use them from now on - though when I drag a file into URP, I think it ends up with an absolute path.

And at some point I will check out the threads you mention and try my hand at SQLite.

But does this mean that my idea about controlling this through the Options dialog is without merit?

Also - is there any way to put multi-item search and replace on the roadmap? Or am I actually the only one who would find this a useful function?

Thanks.
- Bal