Working with a Catalog

The tab Catalog includes:

  • Catalog tree.
  • Catalog's current folder files.
  • File descriptions.
File Catalog
The catalog mode allows grouping files from multiple disks into folders of the tree-like catalog.
The program allows adding files to the catalog from the browse disk pane or from the search results pane.

Description of the catalog toolbar buttons

To modify data in the catalog, use the toolbar that has the following buttons:
Add new folder - Add new folder.
Add new subfolder - Add new subfolder.
Delete folder - Delete folder.
Rename folder - Rename folder.
Sort folders - Sort folders alphabetically within the parent folder.
Move folder up - Move folder up.
Move folder down - Move folder down.
Move folder right - Move folder right (turn into child).
Move folder left - Move folder left (turn into parent).

Creating and filling the catalog

1. Create the category folders.
E.g. Programs, Music, Texts, Video ...

2. Create the category subfolders.
E.g., for music you can create subfolders with music styles: Ambient, Rock, Trans, House, Pop ...
Later these folders can be renamed or moved to another location with either toolbar buttons or mouse, using the Drag'n'Drop.

3. Select files and folders to be viewed on the disk browse pane or search results pane.
Use Disk browse or Search results buttons to select the pane to be used (on the View menu, point at Panels and then select Disk browse or Search results). Search results can be displayed either as a file list or as tree that displays only the disks and folders that have at least one found file. Use the button View as tree to toggle the search results display mode (select the View as tree item on the Search menu).

4. Place the cursor on the tree node to be used and click the button Add files to catalog (select the Add files item on the Catalog menu).
When adding a folder, the program will open the dialog window and suggest selecting one of the two options:

Adding folder to catalog

a. Insert folder as link.
b. Copy data entirely.
When the option b. is selected, the folder's content will be copied entirely along with its subfolders to the catalog tree. Should the information in the original folder change, that change will not be reflected on the catalog tree. The content of such folder can be modified (e.g. delete redundant files and subfolders that do not fit the subject).
When the option a. (default; recommended) is selected, only link to the target will be inserted in the tree. The amount of memory being used will be smaller compared with the complete data copying. Modifications of the original data will also be reflected on the link's content. However, the content of the link cannot be edited (just like with archives).
We recommend that you add links to folders on the catalog tree instead of copying data from folders when the folders contain many files (hundreds or thousands) and also when the folder's content fully fits the catalog's category, which the new link is to be inserted into. Link icons are marked with the arrow in the lower left corner: Folder link icon.

Note: Instead of using the Add files to catalog button on the toolbar you can simply drag files from the lower part of the window to the upper pane or to a tree node with a mouse using Drag'n'Drop, just like in Windows Explorer.



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April 19, 2017
Hey! We are almost not updating the program but you can order licenses if you need the program. The project is not dead and the latest version of SMD is 4.43.


April 16, 2014
A little bugfix is uploaded.


January 11, 2011
SearchMyDiscs 4.4 released. Added the Blu-Ray disk support.


May 28, 2010
SearchMyDiscs 4.3 released. Added an option that allows configuring the CD/DVD drive letter list.


March 23, 2010
SearchMyDiscs 4.2 released. Updated MSdcRAW.dll for scanning RAW files. Added support for lossless sound files APE, FLAC, and CUE.


November 30, 2009
SearchMyDiscs 4.1 released. Added searching photos by EXIF tags. Added getting additional EXIF tags.


April 1, 2009
SearchMyDiscs 4.0 released. Added new and powerful report generator. New features: Better looking tables and reports; Detailed preview window; Exporting to the PDF, DOC, XLS, HTML, CSV, JPG, BMP, GIF file formats. Added creating reports on the file catalog.


July 7, 2008
SearchMyDiscs 3.7 released. Added support for multiple scans of the same folders (you can select whether you want to refresh a folder's content or to create a new copy of the folder). Added importing folders with the same paths. Now you can create a database of local disks (and removable disks) of all your computers and search files in the database. Updated MSdcRAW.dll for scanning RAW files. Added support for new digital cameras.


May 5, 2008
SearchMyDiscs 3.61 released. Added automatic rotation of photo thumbnails according to EXIF data and FreeDB support for scanning mixed-mode CD disks (data+audio).


October 26, 2007
SearchMyDiscs 3.5 released. Added batch files tagging. Added support for read-only databases. Now you can open databases stored on CD/DVD disks or network servers. Improved Windows Vista compatibility.


August 16, 2007
SearchMyDiscs 3.4 released. Added getting thumbnails from video files (avi, vob, wmv, etc.). Added support for DNG digital photograph raw files. Added ability to include file descriptions to reports. Added saving IPTC comments for digital photographs. Added support for the "descript.ion" files. Added ability to add disk cover images. Added support for removable drives (Zip, Jazz, USB drives, etc.). Added new languages: Swedish, Bulgarian, Brazilian Portuguese.


May 17, 2007
New article: Search photos by EXIF tags


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