# Dirnotes Table of Contents ---------------- * [SYNOPSIS](#synopsis) * [USAGE](#usage) * [INSTALLATION](#installation) * [CONFIG FILE](#config-file) * [LIMITATIONS](#limitations) * [PROGRAMMER NOTES](#programmer-notes) * [MacOS](#macos) * [DEVELOPMENT STATUS](#status) ## SYNOPSIS The **dirnotes** family of apps allows you to add a descriptive comment to a file. The descriptions are stored in two places: * in the _xattr_ properties of the file * in a _database_ located in the user's home directory [The [MacOS](#macos) stores its comments in a similar way.] The **dirnotes** app is a GUI app, using the Qt5 framework. At startup, it displays the contents of the current directory, and the comments associated with any of the files or directories. Simple mouse clicks allow you to tunnel down into directories, or rise up the file system. You can create/edit comments and choose whether the _xattr_ or _database_ version of the comments take priority, The **dirnotes-tui** is a very similar app, but uses the _curses_ framework to display its activity in a terminal window. This can be handy if you have to work across a network, or if terminal apps are you preference. The **dirnotes-cli** is a command line tool, which may be handy for scripting. ## USAGE The **dirnotes** program displays usage and keystoke info when you press _F1_. The **dirnotes-tui** program display onscreen usage when you press the 'h' key, or _F1_. The **dirnotes-cli** program has a man page. In short, you navigate **dirnotes** and **dirnotes-tui** by using the up/down arrow keys, to enter into a directory. The **-tui** version accepts _e_ for edit, _s_ for sort, _M_ to change between xattr/database priority. The **dirnotes-cli** has options for _-l_ list and _-c_ create a comment. All three apps in the **dirnotes** family have the ability to copy files from the current directory. ## INSTALLATION Each of the 3 apps in the family is self contained. The **dirnotes** app requires _Python3_ and the _Qt5_ framework. The **dirnotes-tui** and **dirnotes-cli** apps simply require _Python3_. ### CONFIG FILE By default, the file **~/.dirnotes.conf** will be used to load the user's config. This is a JSON file, with three attributes that are important: > * xattr_tag (default: usr.xdg.comment) > * database (default: ~/.dirnotes.db, sensible alt: /var/lib/dirnotes.db) > * start_mode (_xattr_ or _db_ priority) The _config_file_ should be auto-generated the first time one of the **dirnotes** apps is run. [_not fully implemented_] ## LIMITATIONS The file comments are located in two locations: a database, and in the xattr properties of the file. Each of these storage locations has its own benefits and limitations. These can be summed up: **_xattr_** comments follow the iNode, **_database_** comments follow the file name. ### xattr Comments stored in the xattr properties can be copied/moved with the file, if you use the correct options: **cp -p**. The **mv** utility automatically preserves _xattr_. Other programs can also be coerced into perserving _xattr_ properties: * **rsync** * **tar** * **mksquashfs** Not all file systems support xattr properties (vfat/exfat does not). The current implementation of **sshfs** and **scp** do not support the copy of _xattr_ properties. If you want to copy files to a remote machine and include the _xattr_ comments, use **rsync** with the _-X_ option. Or **tar**. Some editing apps (like _vim_) will create a new file when saving the data, which orphans the _xattr_ comments. For these apps, use the _database_ system. Removable disk devices (usb sticks) which are formatted with a Linux-based filesystem (ext2/3/4, btrfs, xfs, zfs) will carry the _xattr_ comments embedded in the filesystem metadata, and are portable to anther computer. ## database Comments stored in the database work for all filesystem types (including vfat/exfat/sshfs) Comments are personalized to the _current user_. Another user on the same system will not see these comments. Files are indexed by their complete path name. Removable filesystems should be mounted in a consistent way, so that the complete path name is reproducable. Comments stored in the database do not travel with the files when they are moved or copied, unless using the **dirnotes** family of tools. The _database_ comments that are stored in ~/.dirnotes.db are inherently associated with a single user. If the _database_ is located in /var/lib/dirnotes.db, it is shared by all the users in the system. The comment with the 'most recent timestamp' wins. ## PROGRAMMER NOTES Instead of an API, here is how you can get directly at the underlying comment data. If you intend to use the **dirnotes** apps, try to keep the two versions of the comments in sync. * xattr Use the commands xattr -l [filename] to display the comments/author/date on a file. For example: $ xattr -l /etc/fstab user.xdg.comment: controls the default mount bindings user.xdg.comment.author: patb user.xdg.comment.date: 2022-09-29 08:07:42 The other options on the **xattr** command line tool allow you to write (*xattr -w*) or delete (*xattr -d*) the comments. * database The comments are stored in an Sqlite3 database, usually located at "~/.dirnotes.db". The database itself is contained within that file, and its schema is this: ~~~~ CREATE TABLE dirnotes (name TEXT, date DATETIME, size INTEGER, comment TEXT, comment_date DATETIME, author TEXT) ~~~~ | field | usage | example | | -------- | -------- | -------- | | name | the long filename, using python's os.path.abspath() | /home/patb/projects/dirnotes/README.md | |date | the file's modified date | 2020-01-13 09:25:40 | |size | the byte count of the file | 145 | |comment | a utf-8 string | the readme for the GIT page | |comment_date | the date of the comment itself | 2020-10-03 22:30:19 | |author | the system name of the user who created the comment | patb | The _date_ and _size_ fields reflect the file's modification date and size at the time of the last edit of the file comment, which is stored in _comment_date_. As comments are editted or appended, new records are added to the database. Older records are are not purged. This gives you a history of the comments, but it means that fetching the most recent comment involves something like ~~~~ SELECT * FROM dirnotes WHERE name=? ORDER BY comment_date DESC ~~~~ and just fetch the first record. The database is created the first time one of the **dirnotes** apps is run. * misc The **dirnotes** gui app has a desktop icon built into the code. There is not need for an external .icon file. There was _no_ consideration given for language translation. Email [me](mail:patb@pbeirne.com) if you want this, or can help. ### MacOS {#macos} The **MacOS** inherently supports file comments. The Finder app manages most of the user activity. It handles file comments in a similar manner to **Dirnotes**. Comments are stored in two places: * in the xattr properties of the file * using a different xattr-tag (com.apple.metadata:kMDItemFinderComment) * the comment string is wrapped in a pList * in a database located in each directory * in the .DS-Store file The user can examine the file comments by opening the GetInfo dialog, and scrolling down to "Comment" If the Finder is used to copy/move files, the comments are moved properly to both destinations. If you use the os to copy/move the files, you can ask that the xattr properties get moved, but the .DS-Store file will not be updated. That means the Finder will not see file comments on the destination file. **MacOS** has AppleScript, by which you can ask the Finder to perform the file copy/move. In this case, the comments are moved properly. ## DEVELOPMENT STATUS{#status} Each app is a standalone file. That means there is a lot of redundancy between the three apps. And there _may_ be some inconsistency. 2022-10-04 : All three apps are functioning and usable. The _config_file_ is fully implemented. Themes are not implemented. Comments are intended to be _utf-8_, but are _strings_ in some places. MacOS code is not written yet. The _help_ dialogs in **dirnotes-tui** are meagre. The _qt-gui_ app is working pretty well.