Usage considerations

This page relates to extend the end.

Extending the end is for when you have a category that requires more than 100 IDs, or an ID that needs to be repeated in some way.

For example, I need more than 100 IDs in my blog post category. Or you need to neatly store similar details in an ID for each of your kids.

Of the three system expansion strategies, creating a sub-ID to extend the end is the simplest and therefore most preferred.

As well as extending an ID -- as we saw on the previous page -- it can be used to link JDex sub-notes back to a main note.

Your JDex

Recording sub-IDs

If you have a full sub-ID to record, use it in the title of your note. For example 11.24+JEM Jemima's eyes, ears, & teeth. This allows you to search for all of Jemima's sub-IDs using +JEM.

A screenshot of Bear, showing two note titles: '11.24 Eyes, ears, & teeth' and '11.24+JEM Jemima's eyes, ears, & teeth'.
Figure 13.32A. Two Bear notes. 11.24 is the main ID. 11.24+JEM is a sub-ID that sorts below it.

Recording sub-notes

Traditionally, each of your IDs has a single JDex entry: it is this entry that defines the ID.

But one note can get long and become difficult to manage. If you want to create sub-notes, just use the + after the ID in the note title.

Screenshot of Bear, showing the two notes as described below.
Figure 13.32B. Two Bear notes with the same ID. 13.41 is the main note. 13.41+ is a sub-note that sorts below it.

For example, I needed to record a long transaction history for a lawnmower warranty return. 13.41 Purchase receipts is the home for this, but I didn't want to clutter the main note.

I created a sub-note, 13.41+ Ozito mower. This note is an instance of 13.41, and the + makes it sort below the main note.

In this case, I didn't need to create a full sub-ID with a code. Adding the + suffices.

Your file system

The sub-ID can be thought of as a file system subfolder.

As the system owner, you might choose to keep your items in the ID folder and create subfolders for each sub-ID. See below, where the names represent our chickens children.

Screenshot of macOS' Finder. It shows the parent folder '11.24 Eyes, ears, & teeth'. In the folder are two PDFs which are my eye prescriptions. Then we have subfolders each for 'Belinda (BEL)', 'Jemima (JEM)', 'Marie (MAR)', and 'Wendy (WEN)'.
Figure 13.32C. Your eye prescriptions are stored in the 11.24 folder. Your childrens' files are stored in coded subfolders.

Or you might find it neater to keep everything in subfolders. If so, invent a short code for yourself as well and store your records there.

Naming considerations

Pick a short code for your sub-IDs that works for you, and use it consistently.

These examples use abbreviations for simplicity. I generally prefer initials. So Jemima Matilda Decimal would be +JMD. They tend to be more memorable.

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