# Key Attributes

Storyspace keeps track of hundreds of attributes for each note, but a few attributes of each note are likely to be of particular interest to you. If you are making notes about books, for example, key attributes might include author, title, and ISBN number.

A note's key attributes are displayed at the top of its text pane, and at the top of the text window.

You choose the key attributes by setting the value of the attribute `$KeyAttributes` — just enter the names of the attributes you'd like to make key attributes, separating them with semi-colons.

To add an attribute to the note’s key attributes,

- Press the Key Attributes Button (labelled “+”) in the upper right-hand corner of the text pane
- Add the key attributes you prefer

Drag key attributes to up or down to rearrange them. Select any key attribute and press Delete to remove it.

Notes often inherit key attributes from their prototype.

### Key Attribute display differences

Attribute data types are discussed in more detail further below, but it is worth noting how attribute data types are displayed or edited slightly differently when a key attribute:

- String data types appear as a simple text field.
- Boolean data type displays as a checkbox.
- Color attributes display the color name and a swatch.
- Date type attributes are shown as the day, month and year plus hours and minutes, formatted according to the user's System Preference using the 'short' data format. If a date is entered manually and the time is omitted, the current system time is appended. Seconds are not used.
- Numeric attributes are displayed as numbers.
- List and Set attributes are shown as a single string with semicolons separating individual values.
- URL attributes show a globe icon to the left of the text field. Click the icon to open the URL in your web browser.
- File attributes show a folder to the left of the text field. Right-click the folder for a contextual menu of operations on that file; click the folder to open the file in the appropriate application.

### Key Attribute value pop-up lists

For String, List and Set data types, a triangle at the right end of the key attribute field opens a pop-up menu which shows all discrete values for that attribute in the current document; for list and sets the listing is of all discrete list values across the document. These menus are typically limited to no more than 99 values. For such attributes no pop-up list control if shown - so the absence of a disclosure triangle indicates many values. Values are case sensitive ('dog' and 'Dog' will be separate entries).

Clicking a list item sets a String attribute to that value or with Lists and Sets it is appended to existing values.

### Key Attribute value autocomplete

Where value lists are offered, autocompletion is available. As the user types a value it is completed with the nearest possible case sensitive match. Up and Down keys can be used whilst editing to scroll other possible list values for the stored value list.