Metadata & Properties
Phials shows two kinds of information about your files. They look similar in the UI, with extra columns and preview panels, but they come from different places and behave differently.
Metadata (read-only)
Metadata is detail Phials reads from the file itself. It is not something you type in Phials.
Examples:
- Image width, height, and camera EXIF
- Audio duration and codec
- Video resolution and frame rate
- Generic file facts the app extracts from disk
Metadata appears in:
- The preview sidebar when you select a file
- Optional columns in Details, Thumbnails, and Gallery (turn them on in field visibility on the path bar)
Metadata updates when the file on disk changes. Most metadata is read-only in Phials. Audio tags are the exception: edit them in the preview sidebar Tags section for audio files (see Audio preview).
For other file types, use an external tool when the format supports embedded tags.
Phials caches metadata on disk so large folders stay responsive. If previews or columns look stale after you changed files outside the app, see Caches.
Properties (your fields in a Vial)
Properties are fields you define for files inside a Vial: ratings, tags, status, due dates, relations, and custom columns you add to the schema.
Examples:
- A five-star rating on photos in a project folder
- Tags shared across Vials
- A Status select (To do, Doing, Done) that drives Boards view
Property values are stored in the Vial’s portable data and travel with the folder. You edit them in the preview sidebar, in Details cells, and in other Vial UI.
Properties exist only where you created a Vial. A normal folder has metadata columns but no custom properties until you set up a Vial.
Quick comparison
| Metadata | Properties | |
|---|---|---|
| Source | Read from the file | Stored by Phials in the Vial |
| Editable in Phials? | No (except audio tags in Tags) | Yes (inside a Vial) |
| Available in | Any folder | Vial folders |
| Typical use | Technical facts (dimensions, duration) | Your workflow (rating, tags, status) |
Where to go next
- Define and edit properties: Properties in a Vial
- Per-file notes (Markdown, separate from file content): Notes in a Vial
- Columns and caching: View modes, Caches
- Filter and sort by properties: Sorting, filtering & grouping