Adding custom/new properties to any file regardless of type and extension e.g. setting 'Author' on a .txt file

Question

I want the ability add properties and tags to a file (specifically ebook files and ebook related properties in Windows 7 but interested to go so for as many OSes as possible)

For e.g. Example.txt or Example.doc or Example.epub should all store and carry properties like 'Author', 'Publication date', 'Tags' etc..

the properties should be stored with the file itself. Such that if it is transferred to another system it retains the properties (even if i need to install 'my app' to support this function on the other machine)

How do I make this possible using .net (preferred) and what file system concepts should I learn to understand the underlying concepts and limitations to be able to implement this feature?

Any application that already does this? Thank you

Answer 1

Your options are:

• Make a pact with your religions version of Satan.
• NTFS streams, with the restriction that copying to any non file stream supporting file system (FAT/FAT32) will strip the meta info.
• Stick to files that have the meta info built in.
• Store the meta info in a separate file and implement a massive array of shell extensions to monitor copy operations and re-sync the .fileinfo files when the user copies them.