OpenMeta

Could you check the logs for any errors? Go to the "Info" tab and look for any mentions of the file in question.

Also, I'm digging into this more so it's all preliminary right now but do you have Yojimbo installed by chance? Also, if you are able to use the commandline, can you run the 'mdls' command on the tagged file?

Thanks.

Hi,

I don't know very much about OpenMeta yet.

By the way:
1) Do I have to "install" OpenMeta in any way? Or does it just work directly?

2) What I meant was: I tagged a file with Fresh, but Hazel doesn't "see" the tag. The rule just works with: "Tags" "is blank". Then every file is moved. So I think, that I use the wrong spotlight attribute in "others". The problem is, that I use the German OS X, so I onl yhave the German expressions there.

3) I downloaded the openmeta commandline tool von codes.google - but I don't know, how to use or install it

It's a "executable unix file", but if I double click it, it lists some help and says: "process ended".

Is there somewhere a step by step installation guide?

One test you can try is to try and do a Spotlight search on the tags you added via Fresh. For me, the situation was a bit confused as Yojimbo was also registering a Spotlight attribute called "Tags". With that cleared out, while I can see the OpenMeta tags on the file if I use 'mdls' to check, it appears that the Tags attribute is not being registered properly with the Spotlight schema so I don't see it in the list in Hazel or in Finder (Spotlight).

I'll need to play with it a bit this week and see what turns up but you might also want to check with the Ironic guys about it. Also, note that if/when Hazel supports OpenMeta, it will most likely grab the tags directly from the extended attributes instead of going through Spotlight.

Last edited by sjk on Tue May 05, 2009 3:14 am, edited 1 time in total.

Mr_Noodle wrote:Also, note that if/when Hazel supports OpenMeta, it will most likely grab the tags directly from the extended attributes instead of going through Spotlight.

Would there be any reason(s) to go through Spotlight for that? And by "grab" it seems you're implying Hazel might read tags but not write them?

Mr_Noodle wrote:One test you can try is to try and do a Spotlight search on the tags you added via Fresh.

If I do a search with spotlight for "tag:test" it instantly shows my file.

1) Again: I think I don't know how to use Hazel correctly and set up a rule which will catch the tags added by Fresh.
In my German OS there is no "Other --> Tags" Option.

2) I don't know how to use the command line tool. I only have the exectuable Unix file, but don't know what to do with that.

sjk: No need to read too much into it. My point was that if OM support goes in there, there will most likely be an explicit Tags attribute that will get the tags directly instead of relying on Spotlight. Also, there would be an action to set tags if OM is supported.

xaMax: When you do a Smart Folder, does "Tags" show up as one of the attributes you can specify? If not, then I believe there's an issue with OpenMeta registering the custom fields into the schema. Again if/when OM is fully supported, this won't be an issue as Hazel wouldn't rely on Spotlight to get at those tags.

Mr_Noodle wrote:xaMax: When you do a Smart Folder, does "Tags" show up as one of the attributes you can specify? If not, then I believe there's an issue with OpenMeta registering the custom fields into the schema. Again if/when OM is fully supported, this won't be an issue as Hazel wouldn't rely on Spotlight to get at those tags.

Yes, when I create a smart folder, I can choose the German Word for "Tags".
But again: What do you mean with "registering" OpenMeta?

[A] simple shell script … can be used to set the tags.

Huh? If I wanted to muck with shell scripts, why would I spring for Hazel in the first place? I'll stay in my little corner of the world (literary theory) and happily pay to use the excellent fruits of your labor.

Count this as a vote for OpenMeta support in Hazel.

ashkenaz wrote:
[A] simple shell script … can be used to set the tags.

Huh? If I wanted to muck with shell scripts, why would I spring for Hazel in the first place? I'll stay in my little corner of the world (literary theory) and happily pay to use the excellent fruits of your labor.

Count this as a vote for OpenMeta support in Hazel.

That's what I'm saying.

xaMax: I'm referring to OpenMeta registering the new fields with Spotlight. Oddly, I can't get the new fields to show up in either Hazel nor Smart Folders at the moment.

And thanks for the votes for OM but really, you don't really need to do that. The desire for OM was never in question. Please read the linked discussions in Ironic's forums for the details. As things stand now, we have agreed on changes that would satisfy my requirements for safety of the data. The issue now is that those changes have not been done yet so I am stuck delaying my beta/release until they are rolled in and pushed out.

I will go right now and nudge them again but the ball is not in my court at the moment.

Mr_Noodle wrote:I will go right now and nudge them again but the ball is not in my court at the moment.

Thanks for the update, and the nudge over on the OM forum. Looks like Tom is saying he might release the code soon, so there's hope.

Hi,

same problem here.
Setting openmeta tags with either fresh or leap (or tags) results in a Hazel identifying files where Other:Tags is blank or not blank and working appropriately. What Hazel is failing to do however is parse the actual content of tags. I'm trying to file stuff automatically depending on whether there is a particular openmeta tag but Hazel doesn't seem to be able to actually read the tags, only whehter they exist or not.

regards

Michael

I ask that you hold on for a bit. I'm still waiting for the new OpenMeta code to be released so I can integrate it but until then, I'm stuck sitting on the Hazel 2.3 beta. Once that is integrated, this issue should be fixed in the sense that there will be a built-in Tags attribute that will use a more direct route to get the info.

Mr_Noodle wrote:I ask that you hold on for a bit. I'm still waiting for the new OpenMeta code to be released so I can integrate it but until then, I'm stuck sitting on the Hazel 2.3 beta. Once that is integrated, this issue should be fixed in the sense that there will be a built-in Tags attribute that will use a more direct route to get the info.

I'm highly impressed with you sir. I never though Hazel would make an impact in my computing life and it was one of those apps that I bought in a bundle that figured I'd never get around to using. Now I'm ready to move up to a family pack once I get more knowledge about how to set up some good rules.

Hopefully by version 3.0 you'll be able to kind of let Hazel coast along and add another app to your plate. I'm sure you're eager to add another project after all application development taps the creative bone as much as anything else.

Posting an update and the news is not good.

You can see the details here: http://groups.google.com/group/openmeta/browse_thread/thread/91ebaecdb7f4d93

In short, they surprised us by not putting in the agreed upon changes, the upshot being that I have delayed the 2.3 beta by about a month or so for no good reason.

The attitude of the OpenMeta developers makes it clear that they are not interested in being taken seriously. They have evaded questions, keep asking the same questions of their own over and over again even though they have been answered several times over, and they have proven to be untrustworthy when it comes to fulfilling what has been agreed upon. Simply put, they don't seem to actually listen.

In the end, the OpenMeta code, as it stands, is unacceptable. It is risking user data unnecessarily. The current backup implementation is not something that I trust (remember that we devs have the actual code, being an open source project). I cannot in good faith integrate this code into my own and have user data reliant upon it.

I can't waste any more time on this. I can't keep delaying my release based on what might or can happen. I have to assess things as they stand right now.

All that said, I am considering putting in unofficial support. The notion is that if you have OpenMeta already installed, you can have Hazel access the 'omtool' of that install via a hidden defaults settings. This would be unofficial and unsupported but for those who want to brave the risks involved can do so. Nothing is final but at this moment this represents the best case scenario that can be expected.

I'm sorry it had to come to this but if you read the above thread, hopefully you'll come to understand. If you have any questions, please ask them here or email me.