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# Adding Notes to Clips

You can add notes to clips on the EditDesk using the built-in notepad, which is a simple text editor. Each entry is annotated with the creation date and time of the note and the user who entered it, so you can use the clip notepad as an informal discussion area for clips in progress.

Notes are saved as part of the clip's metadata so the information is preserved if you transfer the clip to another workstation using Wire. When you copy a clip on the EditDesk that contains notes, the notes are copied too. When you archive a clip, its notes are saved with the archived clip.

EditDesk search tools make it easy to find clips based on their notes.

NoteNotes in the notepad should not be confused with comments that you add to clips in the clip library. You cannot add comments to clips on the EditDesk, and you cannot edit a clip's notepad in the clip library.

To add notes to a clip's notepad:

1. On the EditDesk, Shift+V-click a clip.

   The clip's notepad appears.

   TipYou can edit the notepad of any clip in the Source Area, including the record viewer. In the Record Area, you can edit a clip's notepad provided it is not in Timeline, List or Clip History view.
2. Enter your notes.
3. Click anywhere outside the notepad to close it.

   An icon with the letter “N” appears on the clip, indicating that the clip has a note.

To edit a clip's notepad:

1. On the EditDesk, do one of the following:
   - Ctrl+spacebar-click a clip that has a note.
   - Double-click the “N” icon.

   The clip's notepad appears.

   The annotation that tracks the creation date and time and the user who added each note makes it easy to conduct informal discussions about a clip.

   (a) Annotation

2. Place the cursor after the last line and then enter your notes.
   TipWhen you enter a note, the annotation is always added as the last line. To ensure an easily trackable sequence of notes, add new notes at the end.
3. Click anywhere outside the notepad to close it.

To delete a clip's notepad:

1. On the EditDesk, Ctrl+spacebar-click a clip that has a note.
2. Select all text in the notepad and then delete it.
3. Click anywhere outside the notepad to close it.

   The “N” icon disappears, indicating that the note has been deleted.

To search for clips with notes:

1. On the EditDesk, select Source Area from the Menu Priority box.
2. Click Search.
3. From the Search Criteria box, select Notepad.
4. Define the arguments for your search.

   Select: | To:
   --- | ---
   Exists | Search for all clips to which notes have been added.
   Does Not Exist | Search for all clips to which notes have not been added.
   Matches Pattern | Search for notes containing a text string that you specify (this option supports wildcards such as * and $).
   Does Not Contain | Search for notes not containing a text string that you specify (case-sensitivity is optional).
   Contains | Search for notes containing a text string that you specify (case-sensitivity is optional)

5. Click Search.

   Search results appear selected on the EditDesk.

To resize a notepad:

1. Click the lower-right corner of the notepad and drag.

   A red outline of the notepad appears as you drag.