How do you use Smart Folders?

[lawrencegoodman]

Like many other features in Tiger, I love the idea of Smart Folders, but have no idea how to integrate them into my daily work flow. I was hoping people could post some examples of Smart Folders they've created which have enhanced their productivity or, in any way, made life a little easier for them.

Thanks.

[Mikuro]

Well, due to some bugs/quirks in Spotlight, they haven't helped me nearly as much as I expected. But that's another issue.

The single feature I've used most is the ability to search by image width/height. Unfortunately you can't search by aspect ratio, but even so, it's a big help. I've been collecting desktop backgrounds since I used an 800x600 monitor. I've since moves to 1024x768 and now 1280x1024. Smart Folders/Spotlight really help me sort and clean out some older stuff I don't want anymore.

I also use it to (sort of) mimic my iTunes smart playlists in the Finder. But due to the bugs/quirks I mentioned before, it's not perfect. Still, it's handy.

That's really all I use it for right now, although I intend to set up some Smart Folders that make use of the new "where from" tag (which can be a folder if you moved it from somewhere else, or an URL if you downloaded it).

[Randman]

Create a smart folder, alt/option-apple n. For the criteria, under Any, change it to application. Then for Kind, click on Comment (for example) is ... your word(s) (I use dockapp which is unique enough).

For the apps you want, do a show info, Apple i, and type dockapp (or whatever you choose) in the Spotlight comment (I'm assuming your using Tiger, yes?) Hit save and put that folder in your dock and wherever you want it.

This also works great for documents, images, whatever. And it will update itself once you add or remove the comment (or whatever criteria you set).

By doing this, you can also use spotlight to search and open the app by calling up dockapp. That way you don't even need a folder in the dock.

[lawrencegoodman]

I've played around with Spotlight Comments, but I see no advantage over simply grouping the files together in a single folder. It can be a pain to label all these files with a Spotlight comment.

I also see no advantage of Spotlight in:
1) launching apps since this can be done very easily through the dock.
2) finding specific files since this is done far faster by a free app called Quicksilver (www.blacktree.com).

I am starting to become a bit disillusioned with Tiger.

[Scottfab]

i nearly never touch spotlight due to quicksilver.

[Randman]

QS? How last year. F10 and Spotlight both beat the heck out of QS.

[Cat]

How do you move files with SPotlight then? Or append text to files? Or attach a document to a mail message through spotlight?

QS and spotlight are two very different things. QS isn't meant to find stuff quickly, although it does, but to execute actions on stuff. Spotlight isn't meant to launch apps, althought it does, but to find stuff. QS isn't a searcher, spotlight isn't a launcher. The one cannot replace the other, unless you already use it for something it wasn't intended for. You'd better switch app then.

[lawrencegoodman]

In my opinion, QS is what Spotlight should have been — a quick way to find files, apps, numbers, and addresses on your computer. In my opinion, Spotlight only beats QS when it comes to finding specific snippets of text in email or files. But if you more certain about the piece of information you are looking for, QS reigns supreme. In fact, there's no contest.