diff --git a/src/kits/tracker/PoseView.cpp b/src/kits/tracker/PoseView.cpp
index 5347cb1a2e..6076127cdb 100644
--- a/src/kits/tracker/PoseView.cpp
+++ b/src/kits/tracker/PoseView.cpp
@@ -2166,7 +2166,7 @@ BPoseView::MessageReceived(BMessage *message)
 			BPose *pose = fSelectionList->FirstItem();
 			if (pose) {
 				pose->EditFirstWidget(BPoint(0,
-						fPoseList->IndexOf(pose) * fListElemHeight), this);
+					fPoseList->IndexOf(pose) * fListElemHeight), this);
 			}
 			break;
 		}
@@ -6017,33 +6017,50 @@ BPoseView::FindNextMatch(int32 *matchingIndex, bool reverse)
 BPose *
 BPoseView::FindBestMatch(int32 *index)
 {
-	char bestSoFar[B_FILE_NAME_LENGTH] = { 0 };
 	BPose *poseToSelect = NULL;
-
-	BColumn *firstColumn = FirstColumn();
+	float bestScore = -1;
+	int32 count = fPoseList->CountItems();
+	size_t matchLength = strlen(sMatchString);
 
 	// loop through all poses to find match
-	int32 count = fPoseList->CountItems();
-	for (int32 i = 0; i < count; i++) {
-		BPose *pose = fPoseList->ItemAt(i);
-		const char * text;
-		if (ViewMode() == kListMode)
-			text = pose->TargetModel()->Name();
-		else {
-			ModelNodeLazyOpener modelOpener(pose->TargetModel());
-			BTextWidget *widget = pose->WidgetFor(firstColumn, this, modelOpener);
-			if (widget)
-				text = widget->Text();
-			else
-				text = pose->TargetModel()->Name();
-		}
+	for (int32 j = 0; j < CountColumns(); j++) {
+		BColumn *column = ColumnAt(j);
 
-		if (strcasecmp(text, sMatchString) >= 0)
-			if (strcasecmp(text, bestSoFar) <= 0 || !bestSoFar[0]) {
-				strcpy(bestSoFar, text);
+		for (int32 i = 0; i < count; i++) {
+			BPose *pose = fPoseList->ItemAt(i);
+			float score = -1;
+
+			if (ViewMode() == kListMode) {
+				ModelNodeLazyOpener modelOpener(pose->TargetModel());
+				BTextWidget *widget = pose->WidgetFor(column, this, modelOpener);
+				const char *text = NULL;
+				if (widget != NULL)
+					text = widget->Text(this);
+
+				if (text != NULL) {
+					score = ComputeTypeAheadScore(text, sMatchString,
+						matchLength);
+				}
+			} else {
+				score = ComputeTypeAheadScore(pose->TargetModel()->Name(),
+					sMatchString, matchLength);
+			}
+
+			if (score > bestScore) {
 				poseToSelect = pose;
+				bestScore = score;
 				*index = i;
 			}
+			if (score == kExactMatchScore)
+				break;
+		}
+
+		// TODO: we might want to change this to make it always work
+		// over all columns, but this would require some more changes
+		// to how Tracker represents data (for example we could filter
+		// the results out).
+		if (bestScore > 0 || ViewMode() != kListMode)
+			break;
 	}
 
 	return poseToSelect;
@@ -6339,7 +6356,7 @@ BPoseView::WasClickInPath(const BPose *pose, int32 index, BPoint mouseLoc) const
 	if (widget->AttrHash() != AttrHashString(kAttrPath, B_STRING_TYPE))
 		return false;
 
-	BEntry entry(widget->Text());
+	BEntry entry(widget->Text(this));
 	if (entry.InitCheck() != B_OK)
 		return false;
 
diff --git a/src/kits/tracker/TextWidget.cpp b/src/kits/tracker/TextWidget.cpp
index 810d964748..1a74483235 100644
--- a/src/kits/tracker/TextWidget.cpp
+++ b/src/kits/tracker/TextWidget.cpp
@@ -92,15 +92,13 @@ BTextWidget::RecalculateText(const BPoseView *view)
 
 
 const char *
-BTextWidget::Text() const
+BTextWidget::Text(const BPoseView *view) const
 {
 	StringAttributeText *textAttribute = dynamic_cast<StringAttributeText *>(fText);
-	
-	ASSERT(textAttribute);
-	if (!textAttribute)
-		return "";
+	if (textAttribute == NULL)
+		return NULL;
 
-	return textAttribute->Value();
+	return textAttribute->ValueAsText(view);
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/kits/tracker/TextWidget.h b/src/kits/tracker/TextWidget.h
index 87849e70a5..3c9537fcac 100644
--- a/src/kits/tracker/TextWidget.h
+++ b/src/kits/tracker/TextWidget.h
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ public:
 	bool IsActive() const;
 	void SetActive(bool);
 	
-	const char *Text() const;
+	const char *Text(const BPoseView *view) const;
 		// returns the untruncated version of the text
 	float TextWidth(const BPoseView *) const;
 	float PreferredWidth(const BPoseView *) const;
diff --git a/src/kits/tracker/Utilities.cpp b/src/kits/tracker/Utilities.cpp
index 64449fae70..1bba96aa8f 100644
--- a/src/kits/tracker/Utilities.cpp
+++ b/src/kits/tracker/Utilities.cpp
@@ -80,6 +80,8 @@ static const float kStubToStringSlotX = 5;
 
 namespace BPrivate {
 
+const float kExactMatchScore = INFINITY;
+
 const rgb_color	kBlack = {0, 0, 0, 255};
 const rgb_color	kWhite = {255, 255, 255, 255};
 
@@ -1583,6 +1585,77 @@ BootedInSafeMode()
 }
 
 
+float
+ComputeTypeAheadScore(const char *text, const char *match, size_t matchLength,
+	bool wordMode)
+{
+	float first = -1;
+	float second = -1;
+	float third = -1;
+
+	// highest score: exact match
+	float score = 0;
+	size_t pos = 0;
+	for (; pos < matchLength; pos++) {
+		if (text[pos] == '\0') {
+			score = 0;
+			break;
+		}
+		if (tolower(text[pos]) != tolower(match[pos]))
+			break;
+
+		score++;
+	}
+	if (pos == matchLength) {
+		// we don't need to look any further
+		return kExactMatchScore;
+	}
+
+	first = score;
+
+	// there was no exact match
+
+	// second best: all characters at word beginnings
+	if (wordMode) {
+		score = 0;
+		for (int32 j = 0, k = 0; match[j]; j++) {
+			while (text[k]
+				&& tolower(text[k]) != tolower(match[j])) {
+				k++;
+			}
+			if (text[k] == '\0') {
+				score = 0;
+				break;
+			}
+	
+			bool wordStart = k == 0 || isspace(text[k - 1]);
+			if (wordStart)
+				score++;
+			if (j > 0) {
+				bool wordEnd = !text[k + 1] || isspace(text[k + 1]);
+				if (wordEnd)
+					score += 0.3;
+				if (match[j - 1] == text[k - 1])
+					score += 0.7;
+			}
+	
+			score += 1.f / (k + 1);
+			k++;
+		}
+		second = score;
+	}
+
+	// acceptable last: exact match inside the string
+	score = 0;
+	const char* found = strstr(text + 1, match);
+	if (found != NULL)
+		score = 1.f / (found - text);
+	third = score;
+
+	return max_c(first, max_c(second, third));
+}
+
+
 void
 _ThrowOnError(status_t error, const char *DEBUG_ONLY(file), int32 DEBUG_ONLY(line))
 {
diff --git a/src/kits/tracker/Utilities.h b/src/kits/tracker/Utilities.h
index f48e774ea4..1ffd0b92c9 100644
--- a/src/kits/tracker/Utilities.h
+++ b/src/kits/tracker/Utilities.h
@@ -587,7 +587,7 @@ inline void PrintDirToStream(const BDirectory *, const char * = 0) {}
 			thread_info info;													\
 			get_thread_info(find_thread(NULL), &info);							\
 			PrintToLogFile("[t %Ld] \"%s\" (%s:%i) ", system_time(),			\
-				info.name, __FILE__, __LINE__);								\
+				info.name, __FILE__, __LINE__);									\
 			PrintToLogFile _ARGS_;												\
 			PrintToLogFile("\n");												\
 			fflush(logFile);													\
@@ -616,6 +616,10 @@ inline int64 SwapInt64(int64 value) { return (int64)B_SWAP_INT64((uint64)value);
 inline uint64 SwapUInt64(uint64 value) { return B_SWAP_INT64(value); }
 
 
+extern const float kExactMatchScore;
+float ComputeTypeAheadScore(const char *text, const char *match,
+	size_t matchLength, bool wordMode = false);
+
 } // namespace BPrivate
 
-#endif
+#endif	// _UTILITIES_H
diff --git a/src/kits/tracker/WidgetAttributeText.cpp b/src/kits/tracker/WidgetAttributeText.cpp
index 5ee33f8033..4b07980e83 100644
--- a/src/kits/tracker/WidgetAttributeText.cpp
+++ b/src/kits/tracker/WidgetAttributeText.cpp
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ TruncStringBase(BString *result, const char *str, int32 length,
 
 		BFont font;
 		view->GetFont(&font);
-	
+
 	    font.GetTruncatedStrings(srcstr, 1, truncMode, width, results);
 		result->UnlockBuffer();
 	}
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ WidgetAttributeText::NewWidgetText(const Model *model,
 	else if (strcmp(attrName, kAttrOriginalPath) == 0)
 		return new OriginalPathAttributeText(model, column);
 
-	return new GenericAttributeText(model, column);		
+	return new GenericAttributeText(model, column);	
 }
 
 
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ bool
 WidgetAttributeText::CheckViewChanged(const BPoseView *view)
 {
 	BString newText;
-	FitValue(&newText, view);	
+	FitValue(&newText, view);
 
 	if (newText == fText)
 		return false;
@@ -288,7 +288,7 @@ TimeFormat(BString &string, int32 index, FormatSeparator separator,
 
 	BString clockString;
 	BString dateString;
-	
+
 	if (index <= 1)
 		if (clockIs24Hour)
 			clockString = "%H:%M:%S";
@@ -319,7 +319,7 @@ TimeFormat(BString &string, int32 index, FormatSeparator separator,
 		if (index == 0)
 			dateString.Replace('!', 'B', 1);
 		else
-			dateString.Replace('!', 'b', 1);	
+			dateString.Replace('!', 'b', 1);
 	} else {
 		switch (order) {
 			case kYMDFormat:
@@ -438,19 +438,19 @@ WidgetAttributeText::CommitEditedText(BTextView *)
 }
 
 
-status_t 
+status_t
 WidgetAttributeText::AttrAsString(const Model *model, BString *result,
 	const char *attrName, int32 attrType,
 	float width, BView *view, int64 *resultingValue)
 {
 	int64 value;
-	
+
 	status_t error = model->InitCheck();
 	if (error != B_OK)
 		return error;
 
 	switch (attrType) {
-		case B_TIME_TYPE: 
+		case B_TIME_TYPE:
 			if (strcmp(attrName, kAttrStatModified) == 0)
 				value = model->StatBuf()->st_mtime;
 			else if (strcmp(attrName, kAttrStatCreated) == 0)
@@ -476,34 +476,34 @@ WidgetAttributeText::AttrAsString(const Model *model, BString *result,
 					TruncateLeaf(&tmp);
 				} else
 					tmp = "-";
-			
+		
 				if (width > 0)
 					TruncStringBase(result, tmp.String(), tmp.Length(), view, width);
 				else
 					*result = tmp.String();
-					
+				
 				return B_OK;
 			}
 			break;
-		
+	
 		case kSizeType:
 //			TruncFileSizeBase(result, model->StatBuf()->st_size, view, width);
 			return B_OK;
 			break;
-			
+		
 		default:
 			TRESPASS();
 			// not yet supported
 			return B_ERROR;
-		
-	}
 	
+	}
+
 	TRESPASS();
 	return B_ERROR;
 }
 
 
-bool 
+bool
 WidgetAttributeText::IsEditable() const
 {
 	return fColumn->Editable() && !BVolume(fModel->StatBuf()->st_dev).IsReadOnly();
@@ -520,15 +520,16 @@ WidgetAttributeText::SetDirty(bool value)
 //	#pragma mark -
 
 
-StringAttributeText::StringAttributeText(const Model *model, const BColumn *column)
-	:	WidgetAttributeText(model, column),
+StringAttributeText::StringAttributeText(const Model *model,
+		const BColumn *column)
+	: WidgetAttributeText(model, column),
 	fValueDirty(true)
 {
 }
 
 
 const char *
-StringAttributeText::Value()
+StringAttributeText::ValueAsText(const BPoseView * /*view*/)
 {
 	if (fValueDirty)
 		ReadValue(&fFullValueText);
@@ -545,7 +546,7 @@ StringAttributeText::CheckAttributeChanged()
 
 	if (newString == fFullValueText)
 		return false;
-	
+
 	fFullValueText = newString;
 	fDirty = true;		// have to redo fitted string
 	return true;
@@ -573,7 +574,7 @@ StringAttributeText::PreferredWidth(const BPoseView *pose) const
 
 
 int
-StringAttributeText::Compare(WidgetAttributeText &attr, BPoseView *)
+StringAttributeText::Compare(WidgetAttributeText &attr, BPoseView *view)
 {
 	StringAttributeText *compareTo =
 		dynamic_cast<StringAttributeText *>(&attr);
@@ -582,7 +583,7 @@ StringAttributeText::Compare(WidgetAttributeText &attr, BPoseView *)
 	if (fValueDirty)
 		ReadValue(&fFullValueText);
 
-	return strcasecmp(fFullValueText.String(), compareTo->Value());
+	return strcasecmp(fFullValueText.String(), compareTo->ValueAsText(view));
 }
 
 
@@ -625,7 +626,7 @@ ScalarAttributeText::ScalarAttributeText(const Model *model,
 
 
 int64
-ScalarAttributeText::Value() 
+ScalarAttributeText::Value()
 {
 	if (fValueDirty)
 		fValue = ReadValue();
@@ -639,7 +640,7 @@ ScalarAttributeText::CheckAttributeChanged()
 	int64 newValue = ReadValue();
 	if (newValue == fValue)
 		return false;
-	
+
 	fValue = newValue;
 	fDirty = true;		// have to redo fitted string
 	return true;
@@ -757,7 +758,7 @@ NameAttributeText::NameAttributeText(const Model *model, const BColumn *column)
 
 
 int
-NameAttributeText::Compare(WidgetAttributeText &attr, BPoseView *)
+NameAttributeText::Compare(WidgetAttributeText &attr, BPoseView *view)
 {
 	NameAttributeText *compareTo = dynamic_cast<NameAttributeText *>(&attr);
 
@@ -766,10 +767,10 @@ NameAttributeText::Compare(WidgetAttributeText &attr, BPoseView *)
 	if (fValueDirty)
 		ReadValue(&fFullValueText);
 
-	if (NameAttributeText::sSortFolderNamesFirst) 
+	if (NameAttributeText::sSortFolderNamesFirst)
 		return fModel->CompareFolderNamesFirst(attr.TargetModel());
 
-	return strcasecmp(fFullValueText.String(), compareTo->Value());
+	return strcasecmp(fFullValueText.String(), compareTo->ValueAsText(view));
 }
 
 
@@ -837,7 +838,7 @@ void
 NameAttributeText::SetUpEditing(BTextView *textView)
 {
 	DisallowFilenameKeys(textView);
-	
+
 	textView->SetMaxBytes(B_FILE_NAME_LENGTH);
 	textView->SetText(fFullValueText.String(), fFullValueText.Length());
 }
@@ -906,7 +907,7 @@ bool NameAttributeText::sSortFolderNamesFirst = false;
 void
 NameAttributeText::SetSortFolderNamesFirst(bool enabled)
 {
-	NameAttributeText::sSortFolderNamesFirst = enabled;	
+	NameAttributeText::sSortFolderNamesFirst = enabled;
 }
 
 
@@ -925,7 +926,7 @@ OwnerAttributeText::ReadValue(BString *result)
 {
 	uid_t nodeOwner = fModel->StatBuf()->st_uid;
 	BString user;
-	
+
 	if (nodeOwner == 0) {
 		if (getenv("USER") != NULL)
 			user << getenv("USER");
@@ -933,7 +934,7 @@ OwnerAttributeText::ReadValue(BString *result)
 			user << "root";
 	} else
 		user << nodeOwner;
-	*result = user.String();	
+	*result = user.String();
 
 	fValueDirty = false;
 }
@@ -958,7 +959,7 @@ GroupAttributeText::ReadValue(BString *result)
 			group << "0";
 	} else
 		group << nodeGroup;
-	*result = group.String();	
+	*result = group.String();
 
 	fValueDirty = false;
 }
@@ -1017,7 +1018,7 @@ SizeAttributeText::ReadValue()
 {
 	fValueDirty = false;
 	// get the size
-	
+
 	if (fModel->IsVolume()) {
 		BVolume volume(fModel->NodeRef()->device);
 
@@ -1122,8 +1123,7 @@ ModificationTimeAttributeText::ReadValue()
 
 GenericAttributeText::GenericAttributeText(const Model *model,
 		const BColumn *column)
-	: WidgetAttributeText(model, column),
-	fValueDirty(true)
+	: StringAttributeText(model, column)
 {
 }
 
@@ -1133,7 +1133,7 @@ GenericAttributeText::CheckAttributeChanged()
 {
 	GenericValueStruct tmpValue = fValue;
 	BString tmpString(fFullValueText);
-	ReadValue();
+	ReadValue(&fFullValueText);
 
 	// fDirty could already be true, in that case we mustn't set it to
 	// false, even if the attribute text hasn't changed
@@ -1153,10 +1153,10 @@ GenericAttributeText::PreferredWidth(const BPoseView *pose) const
 
 
 void
-GenericAttributeText::ReadValue()
+GenericAttributeText::ReadValue(BString *result)
 {
 	BModelOpener opener(const_cast<Model *>(fModel));
-	
+
 	ssize_t length = 0;
 	fFullValueText = "-";
 	fValue.int64t = 0;
@@ -1179,7 +1179,7 @@ GenericAttributeText::ReadValue()
 				// didn't read the whole attribute in or it wasn't to
 				// begin with
 
-				fFullValueText = buffer;
+				*result = buffer;
 				fValueIsDefined = true;
 			}
 			break;
@@ -1270,7 +1270,7 @@ void
 GenericAttributeText::FitValue(BString *result, const BPoseView *view)
 {
 	if (fValueDirty)
-		ReadValue();
+		ReadValue(&fFullValueText);
 
 	fOldWidth = fColumn->Width();
 
@@ -1303,11 +1303,11 @@ GenericAttributeText::FitValue(BString *result, const BPoseView *view)
 				fFullValueText.Length(), view, fOldWidth);
 			fDirty = false;
 			return;
-			
+		
 		case B_OFF_T_TYPE:
 			// as a side effect update the fFullValueText to the string representation
 			// of value
-			TruncFileSize(&fFullValueText, fValue.off_tt, view, 100000); 
+			TruncFileSize(&fFullValueText, fValue.off_tt, view, 100000);
 			fTruncatedWidth = TruncFileSize(result, fValue.off_tt, view, fOldWidth);
 			fDirty = false;
 			return;
@@ -1315,7 +1315,7 @@ GenericAttributeText::FitValue(BString *result, const BPoseView *view)
 		case B_TIME_TYPE:
 			// as a side effect update the fFullValueText to the string representation
 			// of value
-			TruncTime(&fFullValueText, fValue.time_tt, view, 100000); 
+			TruncTime(&fFullValueText, fValue.time_tt, view, 100000);
 			fTruncatedWidth = TruncTime(result, fValue.time_tt, view, fOldWidth);
 			fDirty = false;
 			return;
@@ -1323,7 +1323,7 @@ GenericAttributeText::FitValue(BString *result, const BPoseView *view)
 		case B_BOOL_TYPE:
 			// For now use true/false, would be nice to be able to set
 			// the value text
-			
+
  			sprintf(buffer, "%s", fValue.boolt ? "true" : "false");
 			fFullValueText = buffer;
 			break;
@@ -1337,7 +1337,7 @@ GenericAttributeText::FitValue(BString *result, const BPoseView *view)
 				fDirty = false;
 				return;
 			}
-			
+
 			sprintf(buffer, "%c", fValue.uint8t);
 			fFullValueText = buffer;
 			break;
@@ -1381,7 +1381,7 @@ GenericAttributeText::FitValue(BString *result, const BPoseView *view)
 			sprintf(buffer, "%Ld", fValue.uint64t);
 			fFullValueText = buffer;
 			break;
-		
+
 		case B_FLOAT_TYPE:
 			if (fabs(fValue.floatt) >= 10000
 				|| fabs(fValue.floatt) < 0.01)
@@ -1392,7 +1392,7 @@ GenericAttributeText::FitValue(BString *result, const BPoseView *view)
 				sprintf(buffer, "%.3f", fValue.floatt);
 			fFullValueText = buffer;
 			break;
-			
+
 		case B_DOUBLE_TYPE:
 			if (fabs(fValue.doublet) >= 10000
 				|| fabs(fValue.doublet) < 0.01)
@@ -1403,7 +1403,7 @@ GenericAttributeText::FitValue(BString *result, const BPoseView *view)
 				sprintf(buffer, "%.3f", fValue.doublet);
 			fFullValueText = buffer;
 			break;
-			
+
 		default:
 			*result = "-";
 			fTruncatedWidth = TruncString(result, fFullValueText.String(),
@@ -1411,11 +1411,25 @@ GenericAttributeText::FitValue(BString *result, const BPoseView *view)
 			fDirty = false;
 			return;
 	}
-	fTruncatedWidth = TruncString(result, buffer, (ssize_t)strlen(buffer), view, fOldWidth);
+	fTruncatedWidth = TruncString(result, buffer, (ssize_t)strlen(buffer), view,
+		fOldWidth);
 	fDirty = false;
 }
 
 
+const char*
+GenericAttributeText::ValueAsText(const BPoseView *view)
+{
+	// TODO: redesign this - this is to make sure the value is valid
+	bool oldDirty = fDirty;
+	BString result;
+	FitValue(&result, view);
+	fDirty = oldDirty;
+
+	return fFullValueText.String();
+}
+
+
 int
 GenericAttributeText::Compare(WidgetAttributeText &attr, BPoseView *)
 {
@@ -1424,14 +1438,15 @@ GenericAttributeText::Compare(WidgetAttributeText &attr, BPoseView *)
 	ASSERT(compareTo);
 
 	if (fValueDirty)
-		ReadValue();
+		ReadValue(&fFullValueText);
 	if (compareTo->fValueDirty)
-		compareTo->ReadValue();
-	
+		compareTo->ReadValue(&compareTo->fFullValueText);
+
 	// Sort undefined values last, regardless of the other value:
-	if (fValueIsDefined == false || compareTo->fValueIsDefined == false)
+	if (fValueIsDefined == false || compareTo->fValueIsDefined == false) {
 		return fValueIsDefined < compareTo->fValueIsDefined ?
 			(fValueIsDefined == compareTo->fValueIsDefined ? 0 : -1) : 1;
+	}
 
 	switch (fColumn->AttrType()) {
 		case B_STRING_TYPE:
@@ -1441,10 +1456,10 @@ GenericAttributeText::Compare(WidgetAttributeText &attr, BPoseView *)
 			{
 				char vStr[2] = { static_cast<char>(fValue.uint8t), 0 };
 				char cStr[2] = { static_cast<char>(compareTo->fValue.uint8t), 0};
-				
+			
 				BString valueStr(vStr);
 				BString compareToStr(cStr);
-				
+			
 				return valueStr.ICompare(compareToStr);
 			}
 
@@ -1580,7 +1595,7 @@ GenericAttributeText::CommitEditedTextFlavor(BTextView *textView)
 					&& strlen(textView->Text()) != 0;
 
 				size = fModel->WriteAttr(columnName, type, 0, &value, sizeof(bool));
-				break;	
+				break;
 			}
 
 		case B_CHAR_TYPE:
@@ -1593,7 +1608,7 @@ GenericAttributeText::CommitEditedTextFlavor(BTextView *textView)
 						"Cancel", 0, 0, B_WIDTH_AS_USUAL, B_STOP_ALERT))->Go();
 					return false;
 				}
-				
+			
 				size = fModel->WriteAttr(columnName, type, 0, &ch, sizeof(char));
 				break;
 			}
@@ -1611,7 +1626,7 @@ GenericAttributeText::CommitEditedTextFlavor(BTextView *textView)
 					return fValueIsDefined;
 				break;
 			}
-			
+		
 		case B_DOUBLE_TYPE:
 			{
 				double doubleVal;
@@ -1625,7 +1640,7 @@ GenericAttributeText::CommitEditedTextFlavor(BTextView *textView)
 					return fValueIsDefined;
 				break;
 			}
-			
+		
 		case B_TIME_TYPE:
 		case B_OFF_T_TYPE:
 		case B_UINT64_TYPE:
@@ -1639,48 +1654,48 @@ GenericAttributeText::CommitEditedTextFlavor(BTextView *textView)
 			{
 				GenericValueStruct tmp;
 				size_t scalarSize = 0;
-				
+			
 				switch (type) {
 					case B_TIME_TYPE:
 						tmp.time_tt = parsedate(textView->Text(), time(0));
 						scalarSize = sizeof(time_t);
 						break;
-						
+					
 					// do some size independent conversion on builtin types
 					case B_OFF_T_TYPE:
 						tmp.off_tt = StringToScalar(textView->Text());
 						scalarSize = sizeof(off_t);
 						break;
-						
+					
 					case B_UINT64_TYPE:
 					case B_INT64_TYPE:
 						tmp.int64t = StringToScalar(textView->Text());
 						scalarSize = sizeof(int64);
 						break;
-						
+					
 					case B_UINT32_TYPE:
 					case B_INT32_TYPE:
 						tmp.int32t = (int32)StringToScalar(textView->Text());
 						scalarSize = sizeof(int32);
 						break;
-						
+					
 					case B_UINT16_TYPE:
 					case B_INT16_TYPE:
 						tmp.int16t = (int16)StringToScalar(textView->Text());
 						scalarSize = sizeof(int16);
 						break;
-						
+					
 					case B_UINT8_TYPE:
 					case B_INT8_TYPE:
 						tmp.int8t = (int8)StringToScalar(textView->Text());
 						scalarSize = sizeof(int8);
 						break;
-						
+					
 					default:
 						TRESPASS();
-				
+			
 				}
-				
+			
 				size = fModel->WriteAttr(columnName, type, 0, &tmp, scalarSize);
 				break;
 			}
@@ -1703,14 +1718,14 @@ GenericAttributeText::CommitEditedTextFlavor(BTextView *textView)
 
 
 OpenWithRelationAttributeText::OpenWithRelationAttributeText(const Model *model,
-	const BColumn *column, const BPoseView *view)
-	:	ScalarAttributeText(model, column),
-		fPoseView(view)
+		const BColumn *column, const BPoseView *view)
+	: ScalarAttributeText(model, column),
+	fPoseView(view)
 {
 }
 
 
-int64 
+int64
 OpenWithRelationAttributeText::ReadValue()
 {
 	fValueDirty = false;
@@ -1726,7 +1741,7 @@ OpenWithRelationAttributeText::ReadValue()
 }
 
 
-void 
+void
 OpenWithRelationAttributeText::FitValue(BString *result, const BPoseView *view)
 {
 	if (fValueDirty)
@@ -1747,14 +1762,14 @@ OpenWithRelationAttributeText::FitValue(BString *result, const BPoseView *view)
 
 
 VersionAttributeText::VersionAttributeText(const Model *model,
-	const BColumn *column, bool app)
-	:	StringAttributeText(model, column),
-		fAppVersion(app)
+		const BColumn *column, bool app)
+	: StringAttributeText(model, column),
+	fAppVersion(app)
 {
 }
 
 
-void 
+void
 VersionAttributeText::ReadValue(BString *result)
 {
 	fValueDirty = false;
diff --git a/src/kits/tracker/WidgetAttributeText.h b/src/kits/tracker/WidgetAttributeText.h
index eeac15c583..021ad08d39 100644
--- a/src/kits/tracker/WidgetAttributeText.h
+++ b/src/kits/tracker/WidgetAttributeText.h
@@ -140,9 +140,11 @@ WidgetAttributeText::TargetModel() const
 class StringAttributeText : public WidgetAttributeText {
 	public:
 		StringAttributeText(const Model *, const BColumn *);
-		const char *Value();
+
+		virtual const char *ValueAsText(const BPoseView *view);
 			// returns the untrucated text that corresponds to the attribute
 			// value
+
 		virtual bool CheckAttributeChanged();
 
 		virtual float PreferredWidth(const BPoseView *) const;
@@ -156,6 +158,7 @@ class StringAttributeText : public WidgetAttributeText {
 		virtual void ReadValue(BString *result) = 0;
 
 		virtual int Compare(WidgetAttributeText &, BPoseView *view);
+
 		BString fFullValueText;
 		bool fValueDirty;
 			// used for lazy read, managed by ReadValue
@@ -200,32 +203,32 @@ union GenericValueStruct {
 };
 
 
-class GenericAttributeText : public WidgetAttributeText {
+class GenericAttributeText : public StringAttributeText {
 	// used for displaying mime extra attributes
 	// supports different formats
 	public:
-		GenericAttributeText(const Model *, const BColumn *);
+		GenericAttributeText(const Model *model, const BColumn *column);
 		virtual bool CheckAttributeChanged();
 
-		virtual float PreferredWidth(const BPoseView *) const;
+		virtual float PreferredWidth(const BPoseView *view) const;
 
 		virtual int Compare(WidgetAttributeText &, BPoseView *view);
 
 		virtual void SetUpEditing(BTextView *);
 		virtual bool CommitEditedText(BTextView *);
 
+		virtual const char *ValueAsText(const BPoseView *view);
+
 	private:
 		virtual bool CommitEditedTextFlavor(BTextView *);
 
 		virtual void FitValue(BString *result, const BPoseView *);
-		virtual void ReadValue();
+		virtual void ReadValue(BString *result);
 
-		// ToDo:
+		// TODO:
 		// split this up into a scalar flavor and string flavor
 		// to save memory
-		BString fFullValueText;
 		GenericValueStruct fValue;
-		bool fValueDirty;
 };