Too many files in Tags.dat. Could be a bug?

[LittleBiG]

I use tags, labels and comments in a moderate way as it is necessary to me. But I have just checked the number of tagged items in the Configuration and astonishingly it contains 2151 records. It is hundred percent sure I have never tagged this amount of files. Using the Find Files, I listed all files, which have tags (comment, label, tag = *), and yes the list contained 2151 files, but in case of a very big amount all three columns (Label, Comment, Tag) was empty! Why are these items in the tags.dat, if they don't have tags at all? And why are they listed? Could be an earlier bug, which left them there? Or could be a bug alive? (I have check my other computer and the situation is the same. Many files in tags.dat without tag.)

[binocular222]

It's not a bug.
Whenever you de-tag an item, the tag.dat simply record that item has blank tag instead of deleting the entry.
But it seems the blank things does not slow down XY.
The only thing bother me is when I want to views all tagged items via AB search:
Computer?:lbl:** AND tags:** AND cmt:**
All empty items show up

[armsys]

Computer?:lbl:** AND tags:** AND cmt:**
All empty items show up

I'm sorry. What's the purpose of "**" (double asterisks)?
Thanks.

[binocular222]

Ah, nothing. You can search for all tags just by Computer?:tags:
Double asterisk is just the scrap resulted from my script (too lazy to cleanup this part)

[armsys]

Ah, nothing. You can search for all tags just by Computer?:tags:
Double asterisk is just the scrap resulted from my script (too lazy to cleanup this part)

Oh, that's it! No wonder can't find it in the manual. Thanks.

[LittleBiG]

If it would be intentional:
1. They shouldn't be reported in the case of comment, label, tag = *.
2. There should be a option to clear them similarly to orphaned items. (Hm... from a certain point of view they are also orphaned ones)

But it seems the blank things does not slow down XY.

Yet. But when it reaches an extent, where you feel the slowness, you won't have any automatic way to delete them.

And I think the first two records can also point out that it is not an intentional effect: |0|||||

[admin]

Whenever you de-tag an item, the tag.dat simply record that item has blank tag instead of deleting the entry.

Sorry, but this is plain wrong. It's true for the Windows registry but not for XYplorer's tag.dat where deleted items are really deleted.

I assume LittleBig's phenomenon comes from ticking "Configuration | Tags | Copy tags on copy operations". You will remember that I resisted some years to add this option exactly because I feared unwanted multiplicaton of tagged items.

[LittleBiG]

I assume LittleBig's phenomenon comes from ticking "Configuration | Tags | Copy tags on copy operations". You will remember that I resisted some years to add this option exactly because I feared unwanted multiplicaton of tagged items.

It would be an easy answer to the problem. I have the Confirm copying tags also on, and I say No in the 99% of the cases. (I copy tags only if the file has important comments.) Anyway, I cannot see the connection between copying tags and live items without tags remained in the tags.dat. Haven't you just skimmed this thread through quickly? That Carnival could be very good ;-)

EDIT: And clearly a bug: I have chose Database Check. It said I had 35 orphanes. I decided to remove them. The dialog said 36 was removed.

[admin]

Can you show me a way to create those phantom items? I think they are relicts of a bug that was recently fixed...

[LittleBiG]

No I can't yet. I have just shockingly realized the effect. (and I can see whole folder structures were added to the tag.dat, not just one or two unique files.) But I am about to clean my tag.dat and check it regurarly.

You can look at that funny mathematical challenge in my previous post :-)

[admin]

You can look at that funny mathematical challenge in my previous post :-)

Works unfunny here. Your DB is corrupt. Clean it once and it should be okay. The old bug is gone.

[nerdweed]

That bug was raise here - http://www.xyplorer.com/xyfc/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=10482

Fixed in v13.10.0149 - 2013-10-29 22:58 - http://www.xyplorer.com/xyfc/viewtopic. ... 760#p94543

[LittleBiG]

Thanks nerdweed and Don.

By the way I had to (nerd)weed out roughly 2000 items.