Getting Started With InfoLayout
Part 1. Start using by creating new catalog.

The first part of Getting Started tells you how to get started with InfoLayout, create catalog and fill that catalog with data.

InfoLayout is a cataloguer software with many useful features. To start using InfoLayout you need to create new catalog or open existing one.

Catalog - it is place where information about your files resides. Some of that information the program collects automatically, for example names of files, folders structure, mp3 tags, descriptions in descript.ion files. You can also add other information to make work with files more convenient and efficient.

On the first launch of program you will see demo catalog shipped just for example of what program can do for your. The demo catalog is located in c:\Documents and Settings\<USER_NAME>\My Documents\My InfoLayout Catalogs\demo.xtdb
On subsequent launches the program automatically loads last used catalog.

To create new catalog on the File menu, click New . Program will you prompt 'Save As' dialog where you select path and name for your new catalog.

To open existing catalog on the File menu, click Open .

In result you will see the program's window like this:

The main window has the following main elements:

• Folders tree (1) - displays tree of all folders in catalog. All virtual folders, disks, actual folders on disks, archives displayed in the view.
• Items list (4) - displays items list in the currently selected folder. If you select a folder in folders tree, the items list will display all items of that folder. You can also change appearance of the items list using View Type button (2).
  
  
  
  
• Item properties (3) - displays all available properties for a selected item in catalog. For different items there will be different set of properties. For example for mp3 file artist, album, title and for jpg file width, height and bits per pixel.
• Item notes (5) - displays added notes for an item in catalog. You can add any number of notes to any item, for example lyrics for music, description of video etc.
• Item preview (5) - shows preview for an item in catalog. This can be image thumbnail, or text item. Previews added to automatically during adding your files and folders.

After you create new or open existing catalog you will see several views displaying almost no info - this is because new catalog is empty for a while. Now it's time to add some files to catalog. Let's say you have a disc with pictures that you want to add to catalog. To do that use Add Folders and Files item on Catalog menu.

What's the next

After creation or opening catalog program is ready to work. To store information on files in catalog, it's necessary to add folders and files. While adding, InfoLayout scans base information about files that can be extracted. The cataloguer automatically scans archives, descript.ion files, imports mp3 tags, images preview and so on. After finish scanning all that information is available to be viewed and searched by InfoLayout.

The second part of this tutorial describes in details how to add disks to catalog.