Phials documentation
Developer docs

Vials

You’ll see the word Vial throughout Phials, so here’s the short version.

A Vial is an ordinary folder that you’ve asked Phials to remember extra things about. A plain folder just holds files. Turn it into a Vial, and Phials can also keep:

  • Ratings and tags for sorting the keepers from the rest
  • Custom fields of your own, such as a status, a due date, a client, or a link
  • A note attached to any file
  • Links between related files
  • Saved views of the folder

All of that is stored quietly inside the folder, so it moves with your files when you copy or sync them. Your files themselves are never changed, and a normal folder stays normal until you decide to make it a Vial.

Turn a folder into a Vial

Right-click a folder in the file list and choose Create Vial. From then on, browsing that folder shows the Vial’s toolbar above the file list, where you can add fields and switch views. That’s all it takes to start.

Going further

This page is just the introduction. When you’re ready for the details, the dedicated Vials section covers everything: