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System-Defined Properties for Custom File Formats

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Microsoft Windows supplies a number of system properties that you can use for your file formats. If you are creating a custom file format, you should support as many system-defined properties as you can. Before creating a custom property handler, you should review the system-supplied handlers to see if you can use one instead of writing your own.

The following table categorizes file formats and then lists the most important system properties your file format should support. To provide a good user experience, you should support all priority 1 and 2 properties for your category of file format.

Communications

Name Property Priority
Date received System.Message.DateReceived 1
From names System.Message.FromName 1
Has attachments System.Message.HasAttachments 1
Mailbox System.Communication.storeddisplayname 1
Name System.FileName 1
Subject System.Subject 1
To names System.Message.ToName 1
Category System.Category 2
Type System.PerceivedType 2

 

Contacts

Name Property Priority
Account Name System.Communication.AccountName 1
Business Phone System.Contact.BusinessTelephone 1
Company System.Company 1
Email Address System.Contact.PrimaryEmailAddress 1
Importance System.ImportanceText 1
Mobile Phone System.Contact.MobileTelephone 1
Business address System.Contact.BusinessAddress 2
Business fax System.Contact.BusinessFaxNumber 2
Category System.Category 2
Home address System.Contact.HomeAddress 2
Home phone System.Contact.HomeTelephone 2
Title System.Title 2

 

Documents

Name Property Priority
Authors System.Author 1
Full Text System.FullText 1
Tags System.Keywords 1
Type System.PerceivedType 1
Category System.Category 2
Title System.Title 2

 

Generic

Name Property Priority
Authors System.Author 1
Title System.Title 1
Type System.PerceivedType 1
Category System.Category 2
Tags System.Keywords 2

 

Music

Name Property Priority
# System.Music.TrackNumber 1
Album System.Music.AlbumTitle 1
Artists System.Music.Artist 1
Genre System.Music.Genre 1
Rating System.Rating 1
Title System.Title 1
Album Artist System.Music.AlbumArtist 2
Bit Rate System.Audio.EncodingBitrate 2
Conductors System.Music.Conductor 2
Length System.Media.Duration 2
Protected System.DRM.IsProtected 2
Year System.Media.Year 2

 

Pictures

Name Property Priority
Date imported System.DateImported 1
Date Taken System.Photo.DateTaken 1
Rating System.Rating 1
Tags System.Keywords 1
Type System.PerceivedType 1
Authors System.Author 2
Camera maker System.Photo.CameraManufacturer 2
Camera model System.Photo.CameraModel 2
Comments System.Comment 2
Dimensions System.Image.Dimensions 2

 

Videos

Name Property Priority
Length System.Media.Duration 1
Rating System.Rating 1
Tags System.Keywords 1
Type System.PerceivedType 1
Frame height System.Video.FrameHeight 2
Frame width System.Video.FrameWidth 2

 

Conceptual

Developing Property Handlers for Windows Search

Other Resources

Property System

System Properties