Get the Purple Button? Serrabona Category Explorer

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.handango.com/brainstore/PlatformProductDetail.jsp?siteId=311&productId=87970' target='_blank'>http://www.handango.com/brainstore/...productId=87970</a><br /><br /></div>Here's a unique program! Seems like an interesting idea - anyone tried it yet? What do you think? Fundamentally, this is based on the concept of documents being objects in a database, and objects being part of the file system regardless of where they're located on the device. You don't need to know where your file is located, you just need to know what type of file it is. Microsoft is doing something similar for Longhorn. :wink: <br /><br /><img src="http://www.handango.com/pictures/421939/categoryexplorer.gif" /><br /><br />"Welcome to Serrabona Category Explorer, the unique category based file explorer for Pocket PC users. Serrabona Category Explorer redefines the explorer experience for Pocket PC owners. It will allow you to define the categories your files fit into and will display your files based on those categories, without regard to the folder structure on your Pocket PC. Never again will you have to hunt through the folders on your Pocket PC for your favourite movie, music or picture. That important document will be instantly accessible if you use Serrabona Category Explorer to organise your Pocket PC files."<br /><br />You can <a href="http://www.handango.com/brainstore/PlatformProductDetail.jsp?siteId=311&productId=87970">download a free trial</a> or buy the full version for $7.95 USD. [Affiliate]

[JustinGTP]

Hmm, looks interesting.

I dont think it'll kill me to try it :wink: So thats what Ill do

:D

-Justin

[jmarkevich]

Sounds like... Palm. Or Mac. Or kinda like OS/2.

I really really miss metadata like this. I always cringe when people tout a "real file system" as a good thing. :roll:

Looks good! Off to try it out now!

[ctmagnus]

Lately, I've been steering towards metadata. But I still see the need for a true file system simply because computers do not function on media alone. Not having tried this program, I'd say it's useful but metadata just isn't ubiquitous enough yet, imo.

[lapchinj]

COOL 8) - Objects ROCK. This is a most natural way to look at things - anything :D. Definately can't go wrong for that price.

[Kati Compton]

Hmmm. I tend to use directories to accomplish a similar structure, myself. I always get a little nervous when my computer is abstracted further and further away from my direct control...

But I can see how this could be useful as an interface. As long as I can get into the file system beneath. :)

[ctmagnus]

But I can see how this could be useful as an interface. As long as I can get into the file system beneath. :)

I concur. One must always be able to fiddle with dlls, etc. if necessary.

[lapchinj]

Hmmm. I tend to use directories to accomplish a similar structure, myself....

...But I can see how this could be useful as an interface. As long as I can get into the file system beneath.

I just finished downloading it and I'll try it out for a few days. If it's not too much of a hassle to maintain then it would be handy to have around even though I live in Resco's file exploerer. I guess it would more like as a Table of Contents to "categories" of files and dirs which would enhace the use of a conventional file explorer.

I think this would be much more useful on the desktop though. I have thousands of directories spread across multiple drives and machines and the naming conventions run a little thin.

[Kati Compton]

I think this would be much more useful on the desktop though. I have thousands of directories spread across multiple drives and machines and the naming conventions run a little thin.
I make shortcuts to directories when necessary to make my filing system work even if I have to have folders spread across multiple drives, or if some files are relevant in more than one place.

[Paul Kay]

But I can see how this could be useful as an interface. As long as I can get into the file system beneath. :)

Kati,

The product also contains a traditional file explorer implemention for those retro browsing moments.

Paul Kay
Serrabona Limited

[mr_Ray]

It's a reasonable idea, but not without downfalls for non-trivial usage.

Don't know where that file is? How will you know if it'll still be there when you swap out for CF card?

Fixed media devices it would do well on, but I see it as being more effort than it's worth for any device with removable media, and especially so for PPCs where the majority of data is often removable.

[Paul Kay]

Don't know where that file is? How will you know if it'll still be there when you swap out for CF card?


Very true mr_Ray, and that is where the strengths lie in our other new product - Serrabona Storage Card Manager.

The same implementation of the Category Explorer functions, but it also monitors storage card insertion and removal and presents the files on your storage cards based on categories which can be different for each storage card.

This one adds the Green, Yellow and Red buttons (and even a blue one for that 4 storage card slot device that must be out there somewhere!)

Paul Kay
Serrabona Limited

[rpommier]

Is it just me or does this program seem a little slow? I also wish there was a way to choose a font size at least. So far I'll have to stick with Resco, I just can't take the performance hit. I'm on a 2210...

However, I do like the new method of browsing content on my device...

[Paul Kay]

I also wish there was a way to choose a font size at least.

:idea: ... now rapidly adding ideas to upgrade development list. While weeds are rapidly growing in the garden!

Paul Kay
Serrabona Limited

[theone3]

personally, I may have been interested in the software when switching from palm, and I can see major benefits in the software. Unfortunately I really can't be bothered learning it all over again.

however, it is fantastic to see the writer taking so much interest in the customer feedback :mrgreen:

[mr_Ray]

Don't know where that file is? How will you know if it'll still be there when you swap out for CF card?


Very true mr_Ray, and that is where the strengths lie in our other new product - Serrabona Storage Card Manager.

The same implementation of the Category Explorer functions, but it also monitors storage card insertion and removal and presents the files on your storage cards based on categories which can be different for each storage card.

This one adds the Green, Yellow and Red buttons (and even a blue one for that 4 storage card slot device that must be out there somewhere!)

Paul Kay
Serrabona Limited

Certainly sounds intersting.

I definitely agree with the idea of virtualised storage and access by type & purpose rather than strict file heiracies.
It has IMO the potential to do well on the desktop where 95% of storage is fixed local, and can make the masses of files on the (fixed) network easier to locate and organise.
I'm just not convinced of it's applicability to the PPC when most storage is non-local for many people, but I'll give it a try and see how I go with it - despite good intentions my file oranisation often leaves much to be desired.

Have you considered adding a small icon overlay showing the location, or some similar method, or did you decide that you wanted to keep this only in the "classic" file browsing?
Or maybe it's there and I'll discover it when I download it. :D

[Paul Kay]

Have you considered adding a small icon overlay showing the location, or some similar method, or did you decide that you wanted to keep this only in the "classic" file browsing?
Or maybe it's there and I'll discover it when I download it. :D

mr_Ray,

There is an Up/Down button at the extreme right of the lower button bar whiich exposes the full path of the selected file. Not ideal, but as with all PPC applications I was rapidly running out of screen space having already forgone the top and bottom bars to achieve my overall 'Button Access' concept'.

It is one area of the UI that I ponder on at length.

Paul Kay
Serrabona Limited

[lapchinj]

I make shortcuts to directories when necessary to make my filing system work...

Yeah I do the same and this works great but it's with my archived “stuff” that I really don't remember where its filed. For instance I've been programming for a living since '86. I've worked a lot of gigs since then and written a lot of code. Most of it is now archived. To find an app or build directory from say 10 years ago would be much easier if those files and directories were cataloged.

You could say that all those directories should also be properly named. But alas the "stuff" was built years ago and the naming conventions weren't so great (Dos' 8x3). In DOS I created real intuitive directory, application and file names :roll: . They were great then but now I usually have no clue without looking at them (even having to open them up) - but that's all we had then. But if there is too much overhead with this app then the “stuff” will stay another bunch of years the same way they were.

But then again this would only be an issue on the desktop. On the PPC it's really not an issue like you said.

Jeff -

[lapchinj]

...I make shortcuts to directories ...

FYI
This is a neat app. A little slow but very neat. The app comes initialized with all the basic categories a person would use. So when I do a category view in this explorer for say a document it shows me all documents on my PPC. Very little overhead also. I can create a category and map file extensions to that category and presto the explorer gives me all the files that reside on my PPC with that extention. COOL 8)

Jeff -

[blusparkles]

So just to confirm, do you need two separate programs to access files on your PPC and storage card respectively? I tried the Category Explorer and it only shows files on my PPC, not on my storage cards.

[Paul Kay]

So just to confirm, do you need two separate programs to access files on your PPC and storage card respectively? I tried the Category Explorer and it only shows files on my PPC, not on my storage cards.

No Sparkles,

Tap the settings button (the gear wheel thingy) at the top, and select 'Include Temporary Storage' and the App. will also show the files on your currently inserted storage card.

Paul Kay
Serrabona Limited

[lapchinj]

...and it only shows files on my PPC, not on my storage cards.

Yes that's true it only shows files on the PPC. I found out to late and wasn't able to get to the forum to post this. This is a real problem that I hope would be fixes in the very near future. I have 90% of my apps loaded onto a storage card and whenever I have a choice where to save a file or doc it's always to the storage card so this is a major oversight on the part of Serrabona. Without being able to look at my storage card make this app not very handy.

Jeff -

[lapchinj]

...Tap the settings button ...

Presto fixed already :oops: I looked all over and at that too but I didn't relate it to the storage card. Anyway it's a really beautiful app, nicely designed and very handy. To be able to categorize my files is great and very much needed on the PPC since most apps don't let the person choose the directory to place the app. Having someting like this really helps find "all" my pictures etc. Do you use the bottom of the screen for anything I haven't seen?

Jeff -

[Paul Kay]

... Do you use the bottom of the screen for anything I haven't seen?Jeff -

Jeff,

No, in order to go with the concept of on screen buttons with this and my other product 'Serrabona Storage Card Manager' I have foregone the use of the top and bottom bars in the main form, though they do come into use in some of the dialogs.

It's a masochistic way of giving myself less screen real estate to play with when designing the UI, and probably a guarentee that I'll never get a 'Designed for Windows Mobile' Logo. :D

Paul K.
Serrabona Limited

[lapchinj]

No, in order to go with the concept of on screen buttons with this and my other product 'Serrabona Storage Card Manager' I have foregone the use ...

Hey Paul - The app is a 8) idea but how about a user wish list - some food for thought.

How about letting your Category Explorer work off a database so it can be opened much quicker and updating the database could be done by the user when needed. If you did this then you could port this over to the PC desktop. Right now even on my PPC it opens very slowly if I'm looking at a storage card.

Why not use the top and bottom of the screen for the app? That floating button could still be used but I think it sort of gets into the way. Besides most people have some sort of task switcher loaded or use Microsoft's drop down.

Jeff -