Inherited tags: what, why and how
Inherited tags are a feature in Ritt designed to help users tag their files more quickly and efficiently. However, they can also be confusing at first. In this post, we will discuss inherited tags, their intent, and how to properly use them.
What are inherited tags?
In v1.5.0, we introduce a new tag attribute called Inherit. Say we have a tag called To Sort with the Inherit attribute at level 1 (we will discuss what levels are later).
Now, when the user tags a folder called Recent downloads with To Sort, all files and folders within Recent downloads will inherit this tag. This also applies to files added to Recent downloads subsequently. Files moved out of Recent downloads will lose the inherited tag. So if you click on To Sort and Group by Location, you will see Recent downloads and the files and folders within it.
If we look at the details of one of the files, we can see that it has inherited the To Sort tag.
Inherit levels
The level of the Inherit tag attribute determines the depth down the folder tree for tag inheritance. At level 1, only the files and folders within the tagged folder inherit the folder tag. At level 2, items within subfolders of the tagged folder also inherit the folder tag. For example, if we change To Sort's Inherit attribute to level 2, we can view items within the Gaming subfolder.
What is the purpose of inherited tags?
Inherited tags are designed to reduce the amount of tagging required. If all the files within a folder share a common tag, it will be easier to simply tag the folder instead of the individual files within it. Moreover, you do not have to apply the common tags to new files that are added later.
How to effectively use inherited tags?
An inherited tag works the same way as a direct tag. For example, we can drill down to the desired file(s) by intersecting an inherited tag (To Sort) and a direct tag (Art Deco).
When not to use inherited tags
Do not use inherited tags if you are going to move the files frequently and wish the tags to 'stick' to the files. In this scenario, simply tag the files as usual.
Conclusion
Inherited tags can help you save time when tagging. However, they might not fit every workflow.
Do you use inherited tags? Do you have any feedback about inherited tags or any other Ritt features? Please let us know using our Discord server.
