Do you use labels?

adamraoadamrao
Posted:
in macOS edited January 2014
Do you use labels in Mac OS X? Does it improve your workflow/organization?



I just can't seem to get used to the look of them, but I use color-coding in Entourage and it's unbelievably helpful (particularly in the calendar). To have that ability system wide seems like a really cool thing... Anyone do this? Suggestions on how to start? Is the eight-colors only (or whatever it is) a hindrance?
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 39
    code mastercode master Posts: 344member
    Back in OS 9 I'd use them, but I think it was more for the pretty colors on otherwise bland icons. These days they just look obtrusive and I just use folders to organize my stuff. With all the colors and pretty icons these days, I find you just don't get the same contrast as you used to in the old days.
  • Reply 2 of 39
    bergzbergz Posts: 1,045member
    It's so easy to just change the icon for an image with get info that if you want to personalize it/make it instantly distiguishable from the rest of your folders, why just change the color?



    --B
  • Reply 3 of 39
    zapchudzapchud Posts: 844member
    I don't mind the looks of the labels in OS X (they look much better than in OS 9), but I don't have squat to use them for.
  • Reply 4 of 39
    keshkesh Posts: 621member
    Labels will either be more or less useful when Tiger debuts. For files without much metadata, labels will be great for some Spotlight searches. The ones with metadata probably won't need labels in the Finder to be located in a search.
  • Reply 5 of 39
    arnelarnel Posts: 103member
    I did have one use for labels about a year ago, when I was (briefly) doing some contract work. I had a directory with all of my invoices in, and I labelled them red for unpaid, and then green once I'd received the money. It made it nice and easy to see how many were outstanding...



    Now I'm employed again, so I don't need them anymore. Which is good, as one of those invoices stayed red for a year. Grrrrr.



    Neil.

    a.k.a. Arnel
  • Reply 6 of 39
    thorzdadthorzdad Posts: 50member
    I use labels in a group of related folders, in order to quickly differentiate, for instance, the "live" project folder from the archive or from the "development" folder. It's just a quick visual que thing.
  • Reply 7 of 39
    newnew Posts: 3,244member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Thorzdad

    I use labels in a group of related folders, in order to quickly differentiate, for instance, the "live" project folder from the archive or from the "development" folder. It's just a quick visual que thing.



    In a big server environment with hundreds of jobs in each directory, I use labels to mark the jobs currently in work, and the ones containing original source material. Saves me several minutes every day...
  • Reply 8 of 39
    messiahmessiah Posts: 1,689member
    I used to use labels in OS 9 all the time. They've been "missing" from OS X for so long that I'd kind of forgotten that Panther had reintroduced them.



    In saying that, I stumbled across labels again the other day there and I've started using them for a major project I working on. They're really useful and I can't believe that Apple left them out of OS X for so long...
  • Reply 9 of 39
    hobbeshobbes Posts: 1,252member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Messiah

    I used to use labels in OS 9 all the time. They've been "missing" from OS X for so long that I'd kind of forgotten that Panther had reintroduced them.



    In saying that, I stumbled across labels again the other day there and I've started using them for a major project I working on. They're really useful and I can't believe that Apple left them out of OS X for so long...



    Same here. Except I eventually stopped using labels in OS 9 as I always found the implementation so clunky and unattractive. Coloring over an already colored icon -- ick.



    Use them more at work than at home, but they're very useful.
  • Reply 10 of 39
    bigbluebigblue Posts: 341member
    I use them all the time. Very handy. Labels just need some more customization, picking your own color and stuff ... The colors are now often too saturated to my taste (and not enough different ones). Maybe in Tiger ?
  • Reply 11 of 39
    vox barbaravox barbara Posts: 2,021member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by BigBlue

    I use them all the time. Very handy. Labels just need some more customization, picking your own color and stuff

    ...



    Dito



    This said, there are some 3rd party tweaks too. (only labeling the first

    line in the doc title etc.)
  • Reply 12 of 39
    costiquecostique Posts: 1,084member
    I've been using labels since I don't quite remember when. But their current appearance sucks and it's probably more reasonable to simply paste icons onto folders.



    Hopefully, smart folders will make labels obsolete once and for all.
  • Reply 13 of 39
    th0rth0r Posts: 78member
    Pre OS X, I used to label all Extensions and Control Panels blue on a fresh OS install.. this way I could see what app installers put crap in my System Folder.



    Don't use them in OS X-- though this thread gives me some ideas.
  • Reply 14 of 39
    ireneirene Posts: 17member
    may be late maybe not to tell you guys



    http://www.apple.com/pro/tips/comments.html
  • Reply 15 of 39
    adamraoadamrao Posts: 175member
    I've been trying to use labels for different purposes over the last week or so. I don't see much use for them without more customization (more colors) except for temporary purposes. (This is a temp folder, this is an assignment I need to print out and turn it, this can be deleted in a month, etc.)



    Any other ideas?
  • Reply 16 of 39
    sc_marktsc_markt Posts: 1,402member
    I wish Apple would have also had the option of shading the folder like in classic. And, I'd like the ability to change some of the cheesy colors they have.



    And while I'm complaining, give me a dock that fits all the way to the screen edges so that I can't see the wasted space between the dock edge and screen edge. (I know you can hide the dock but then you have to move your mouse to a specific area to see it, everytime! This doesn't work for me. I just want to always have it there like the menubar.)
  • Reply 17 of 39
    vox barbaravox barbara Posts: 2,021member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by adamrao

    ...

    (This is a temp folder, this is an assignment I need to print out and turn it, this can be deleted in a month, etc.)



    ...



    You've created a fine list of your likes (and mine) already.



    Seriously, did you know, that you can add "state of label" as a search criteria?

    You could label all your critical files and folders to, say, red. Then perform a finder search (CMD + F), set "label" "is" "red". There you are, - all your red labeled files appear in one smart folder all the time, just update this folder (there is a little circle with a tiny arrow top right, THE UPDATE BUTTON) from time to time and you are all set. Keep this "smart folder" in your dock.



    best
  • Reply 18 of 39
    vox barbaravox barbara Posts: 2,021member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by sc_markt

    ...

    And while I'm complaining, give me a dock that fits all the way to the screen edges so that I can't see the wasted space between the dock edge and screen edge...





    How so? I'd consider this dock behavior, that you've mentioned above as ... much more wasting space. The dock as its current state is a living thing, and so is the entire Mac GUI. Like it or not



    Quote:

    Originally posted by sc_markt

    I wish Apple would have also had the option of shading the folder like in classic. And, I'd like the ability to change some of the cheesy colors they have...





    True, but as soon as "smart folders" appear (like costique mentioned) nothing will be the same any more.



    I guess it will be a similiar situation when "Exposé" got introduced. Exposé changed my way to navigate entirely. I am literaly unable to navigate through PRE- EXPOSÈ systems anymore (this includes windows systems also)



    Quote:

    Originally posted by costique

    I've been using labels since I don't quite remember when.

    [...]

    Hopefully, smart folders will make labels obsolete once and for all.



    Well, to some extent we have smart folders right now. I pretty often perform a finder search (with particular criterias) and keep the window with all the results in my dock. Then from time to time i update this particular window, and, hey, it is smart and it is kinda folder



    my2cents
  • Reply 19 of 39
    vox barbaravox barbara Posts: 2,021member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by irene

    may be late maybe not to tell you guys



    http://www.apple.com/pro/tips/comments.html



    Hey, warm welcome anyway, irene
  • Reply 20 of 39
    bigbluebigblue Posts: 341member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by irene

    may be late maybe not to tell you guys http://www.apple.com/pro/tips/comments.html



    A 'Get info' comment is just a different way to get (meta)information from your file. Labels, on the other hand, are no more (or less) than quick, visual references.
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