Add Rules to a Folder

To add rules to a folder, follow these steps:

1. In the Folder Tree, click on the folder you want to smarten up with a rule, then click the Smart button on the toolbar and choose Rules from the pop-up menu.

2. Zoot opens the Rules Dialog. This is where you describe the items you want the folder to pull in (assign). You do this by specifying values for any applicable database fields. Starting at the left side of the Rules Dialog, do the following:

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Click on the small Select Field button [] and choose a field from the pop-up menu.

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Next indicate how you want the value in the selected field to be evaluated. Your options here will vary depending on the field's data type.

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Finally, enter a value or value range. Acceptable values or value ranges will depend on the field you've chosen.

3. Take a moment to confirm the selections you have made, then click the Add button to add your rule to the rules list box below. At this point you can click the OK button to close the Rules Dialog or you can continue to add rules by repeating the steps above.

Combining Multiple Rules
If you need to specify more than one rule in order to describe the items you want your folder to pull in, you must indicate how you want the rules to be combined logically. You do this by specifying that the rules be combined using either the Boolean AND/OR operators or by creating a new rule group.

If you specify the Boolean AND operator, an item must match both rules in order for the folder to pull in the item. If you specify the Boolean OR operator, an item must match at least one of the rules specified in order for the folder to pull in the item. If you create a new rule group, an item must match at least one of the rule groups.

When you're finished creating rules, click the OK button to close the Rules Dialog. Zoot immediately refreshes your folder, pulling in any items matching your folder rules


Notes:

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Rules govern which items are assigned to a folder. Rules can assign items to a folder and can also remove items that do not match. Note that a rule will not remove items you have explicitly assigned to a folder (using drag and drop or some other manual assignment method) unless you specifically instruct the rule to do so. The Rules Dialog includes a check box called Remove explicitly assigned items. You must check this box if you want explicitly assigned items to be removed.

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After you create rules in a folder and Zoot refreshes the contents of the folder, if you don't see all the items you expected, check to see if a filter is hiding some of the items. To do this, click the Smart button on the toolbar and choose Filter from the pop-up menu. See if a filter in the extended menu has a check mark next to it. If so, click on the Ignore Filter menu item. If the items you expected to see still do not appear, carefully review the rules you created.

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Check the Rule out matching items check box if you want your folder to pull in items that DO NOT match the rules you've defined.

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When experimenting with a new rule, you might want to save your database to file first. This way, if the rule you create wreaks havoc on your database, you can use the Edit | Undo Special command to restore your database to its pre-rule state.