Constellation

Organize your universe of files.

Constellation is a Windows desktop application that breaks free from the limitations of traditional folder hierarchies. Using a flexible tag system, you can classify your files across multiple dimensions simultaneously—without being forced into a single organizational structure.

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💡 The Problem with Folders

Traditional folder structures force you to choose a single classification dimension:

Option A: By Language           Option B: By Author
├─ Japanese/                    ├─ Author A/
├─ English/                     ├─ Author B/
└─ Chinese/                     └─ Author C/
   └─ Some Work/                   └─ Some Work/
      ❌ Can't find by author         ❌ Can't find by language

You can't answer questions like:

• "Show me all Japanese works by Author A that are full-color"
• "Find all original works in English"
• "List everything by Author B that's complete"

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✨ The Constellation Solution

Multi-Dimensional Tagging

Tag any folder or file with multiple attributes:

• Language: Japanese, English, Chinese
• Author: Creator names
• Work: Series or project names
• Attributes: Full-color, Original, Complete, etc.

Then search using Boolean logic (AND/OR) to find exactly what you need:

• Japanese AND Author A AND Full-Color
• Author B AND (Original OR Fan Work)

Non-Invasive Design

• ✅ No filename modifications
• ✅ No extra files in your folders
• ✅ All tags stored in a separate SQLite database
• ✅ Your original file structure stays untouched

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📸 Screenshots

Tag Management	Advanced Search
Batch operations with multi-select support	Filter by tags, file types, size, and date

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🎯 Key Features

🏷️ Flexible Tag System

• Tag Groups: Organize tags into categories (Language, Author, Status, etc.)
• Color Coding: Assign colors to tag groups for quick visual identification
• Tag Templates: Save frequently used tag combinations for one-click application
• Auto-Complete: Suggestions while typing to avoid duplicates

🔍 Powerful Search

• CQL Search Engine: Full boolean syntax with AND, OR, NOT, and parentheses
• Mixed Queries: Combine tag filters, filename patterns, size, and date conditions
• Real-Time Filtering: Click tags in the sidebar to instantly filter results
• Search History: Automatically saves recent queries for quick reuse

🖼️ Media Preview

• Thumbnail Generation: Image and video thumbnails with disk caching
• Configurable Cache: Adjustable cache size with automatic eviction
• Preview Settings: Dedicated settings tab to configure thumbnail behavior

📁 Automatic File Tracking

• Path Sync: Detects file renames, moves, and deletions automatically
• Cross-Volume Detection: Tracks files moved between different drives
• NTFS Journal Integration: One-click enable for drives without Change Journal

🗂️ Integrated File Browser

• Dual-Panel Interface:
  • Left: Toggle between file tree or tag management
  • Right: File list with tag information
• Expanded Panels: Full-featured tag management and advanced search views
• Multiple View Modes: Detail view, large icon view, and picture grid view
• Smooth Performance: Virtual scrolling handles thousands of files effortlessly

⚙️ Settings

• File Tracking: Configure auto-refresh and per-drive status
• Preview Settings: Thumbnail cache size and behavior
• About: Version info and license

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🆚 Why Not Use...?

Solution	Limitation
TagSpaces	Modifies filenames or creates sidecar files that clutter your folders
Eagle	Forces you to import files, breaking your original folder structure
Obsidian/Notion	Can only create references, can't operate on actual files
Directory Opus	Expensive, complex, replaces your entire file manager
macOS Finder Tags	macOS only, tags frequently lost when moving files

Constellation keeps your folders clean, works directly with files, and is built specifically for Windows.

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🛠️ Tech Stack

• Core: Rust + Tauri 2.0
• Frontend: Vue 3 + TypeScript + Pinia
• Database: SQLite (via rusqlite)
• Platform: Windows 10+ (optimized for Windows-specific features)

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🚀 Getting Started

For Users

Download the latest release from the Releases page.

System Requirements:

• Windows 10 or later
• 150MB available disk space

For Developers

Prerequisites:

• Rust (latest stable)
• Node.js (v18+)

Installation:

# 1. Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/DaLaw2/Constellation.git
cd Constellation

# 2. Install dependencies
npm install

# 3. Run in development mode
cargo tauri dev

Building:

cargo tauri build

The executable will be in src-tauri/target/release/.

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📝 Known Limitations

• Windows only (utilizes Windows-specific APIs like NTFS Change Journal)

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📄 License

GNU GPLv3

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👏 Acknowledgements

• App icons designed by Freepik from Flaticon