This reply relies on my expertise, not with key phrases, however with tags.
I counsel that key phrases are usually not what you ought to be making an attempt to make use of. It’s because it’s not straightforward so as to add key phrases to present information.
For information and functions (that are a bundle of information) key phrases are included in the file when the file is created of modified. In different phrases they’re a part of the file.
Key phrases are additionally used for pictures inside a Photographs library. These key phrases are held in a database.
Each forms of key phrases are extracted from the file or database by the Highlight indexing processes and are, as you recognize, accessible for Highlight and Finder searches.
You’ll have extra success utilizing tags. Tags are usually not a part of a information content material, relatively they’re file system metadata. Since they’re within the file system, tags will be added to any form of file with out modifying the file content material. Extra exactly, tags are saved as prolonged attributes related to the file.
Tags are most simply added in Finder utilizing the Get Information window or by right-click and selecting Tags…
There are additionally command line apps and GUI apps (e.g. Leap) which you’ll be able to set up to help tagging. However you do not want these to get began with tags.
In Highlight or Finder, you may search utilizing tag:phrase syntax the place phrase is your chosen tag-word.
Warning: It is vitally straightforward to get carried away with tags, freely creating tags each time you see a file. Very quickly you neglect the tags you may have used they usually quickly develop into ineffective for looking.
Even with a comparatively small subset of your information (e.g. simply functions) it’s straightforward to get in a large number. As a trivial instance, did you tag an app with sound or audio? Are you able to keep in mind subsequent time you put in one other associated app.
I’ve discovered it important to stay to a small set of tags and which will probably be simply remembered. I take advantage of about 40 tags for functions, which is absolutely too large however simply manageable. And I’ve saved searches for every of these tags.
Since I take advantage of tags for different forms of information, I attempt to distinguish my ‘software’ tags from others by beginning my software tags with the character @. So a Highlight search instance can be:
One other warning: You possibly can’t add tags to apps that are a part of macOS – e.g. Music. It’s because they’re within the signed system quantity of latest macOS variations. The one resolution I’ve discovered for that is to create aliases for these apps. I then maintain these aliases in a subfolder of /Purposes.
I’m considerably of an app-junkie, so it’s important to have a simple manner of discovering my apps. Strictly managed tagging is my resolution.
