Better filtering in the computer navigator

[Godwin]

Hi,

I'm using the computer navigation to browse my music collection and the filter option is very useful. My only issue with the treeview is that it shows the complete path and not just the folders I filter. In Winamp there is a plugin(Dynamic Library) that brings explorer style view type media library. But it doesn't show the complete folder structure like in MB, instead only the folders I specify as root. Here's a screenshot of the folder structure as in MB and Winamp.


You can see in Winamp the drive and the root folder is not visible because the root folders I selected were the subfolders inside the "Songs" folder. So it only lists those folders.

This is how you specify the root folder in Winamp


If I want to filter a folder that is 3 levels down in MB you can get an idea how it'll look in the navigator and how much space is wasted on the left side of the navigation panel.

So I wish MB to have a filtering mechanism similar to Winamp(dynamic library plugin) that brings explorer style navigation more flexible.

[blast664]

good idea, I second that.

[Steven]

i like this idea as well, although i'll make it an option

[jB]

i'll third that

[Elberet]

That's a good idea, but I'd really like the explorer view to stay as it is.
Wouldn't a new branch be best suited for this anyways? Basically, a new entry between "Playlists" and "Computer", likely titled "Favorites". You could add (virtual) "folders" and "bookmarks" much like favorites in a web browser - except that bookmarks aren't, of course, just items but show all their files and (system) subfolders right there in the tree.

[john6555]

I was just going to ask for this feature too. It would be perfect as Elberet described it last post.

[Steven]

john6555 & elberet, whats the difference with just selecting specific folders in the folder filter?
i can see the point of the original request in that it presents the selected folders in a more flat way without so much of the hierachy

[john6555]

the idea to have a separate "favorites" menu which could contain paths to folders or websites.

i actually hadn't used the folder filter before, but trying it now i think i've encountered a bug:
i choose D:\Downloads\Music and D:\Music in the folder chooser, but D:\Music will not show up when i select "show filtered folders only". D:\Music is actually where I've directed the "My Music" path on my computer, and it's in the Windows 7 Music library too, maybe one of these settings is confusing MB.

i think the folder filter would be an acceptable substitute for the idea in this thread, but a separate "favorites" menu could still be a nice option. one other thought: is it possible to hide the drive letter when the folder filter is enabled? some of my music folders have pretty lengthy names and the less "levels" displayed the more real estate for the folders i want to show.

[Godwin]

...is it possible to hide the drive letter when the folder filter is enabled? some of my music folders have pretty lengthy names and the less "levels" displayed the more real estate for the folders i want to show.

That is the original request. But like Elberet said, MB can have another section called "Favorites" and add virtual folders (like I have explained in the first post). Or enhance the current filtering method by having an option to either show all branches or only the selected folder+subfolders.

BTW I can confirm that bug you mentioned as well. It happens when the filtered folder is also set as the Music library in Windows 7.

Also Steven, I don't use the Library at all so the "Library" tab is just wasting space and it seems you have made it untickable to hide it. I just want only the "Computer" tab in my navigation pane. Would great if you could activate it.

[john6555]

Hopefully this is a simple bug to fix, outside of the decision whether or not to add a separate 'favorites' menu like requested. If the folder filter is bug-free I could personally get by without that.

[Steven]

could you try this one - it should now work properly with filtering win7 librarys or folders of libraries
http://www.mediafire.com/?3694nu9x8e8vg85

[john6555]

When I select a folder that is part of a library, it includes all libraries (Music, Videos, Documents, etc) in the folder list as subfolders under "Libraries". I actually just want to show a specific folder from a library, not tied to the library itself. Picture below explains better than I can in words. I also received the crash at the bottom of this post.

Code

MusicBee v1.2.3861.34423 (Win6.1), 28 Jul 2010 21:20:

System.NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
   at #=qQoEXhLtSdU45Taq9wGZA4aTLjGWnSNLFBLPuMuBTkpw=.#=qBT7SBbQ5Wg7L3y9u61OP6Q==(Int32 #=qxXy_ofM_qOe0NAg1Rex2yw==, #=qxITewmZFkZ98LyRvVrUsV5NnktYKtPgmzBSnPQ8YIBQ= #=qCKydIxUcLnmfj4iHItnvkw==, #=qf431wQXr549UREkccaHSzajECB9wetiyTfVsmPFrnHw= #=qF$Cm72Lum3NcBaS4PvZJEA==, #=qo21e6ojiNZwZWH8EjeX$NpEnQNuvvU6qCsa9KDPDMyR6LWLLSxjdNxyucNZfNffJ #=qd3rA4qEuJYyNZAmd85XmZA==, TreeNode #=qbryd5VgjNIKLoYcqq2YAtA==)
   at #=qQoEXhLtSdU45Taq9wGZA4aTLjGWnSNLFBLPuMuBTkpw=.#=qWNHxmGyc84xERbUQLv_xtWP0QPpIwlYmqoQGK8oDArc=(#=qxITewmZFkZ98LyRvVrUsV5NnktYKtPgmzBSnPQ8YIBQ= #=qrlhXJUV3WZqyYJUv5Sd57g==, #=qf431wQXr549UREkccaHSzajECB9wetiyTfVsmPFrnHw= #=qhMuJiPpMjJNhYLteTfU8cg==, #=qo21e6ojiNZwZWH8EjeX$NpEnQNuvvU6qCsa9KDPDMyR6LWLLSxjdNxyucNZfNffJ #=qekeJIsF8p8Sdh8c3Y0m5iA==)
   at #=qQoEXhLtSdU45Taq9wGZA4aTLjGWnSNLFBLPuMuBTkpw=.#=qTJws2NIsQTRcBuKWTrAc5$EIFQm7XaahgOmqIfg5LnQ=(Object #=qFZFjhxq0axCckI53qJZLCw==, TreeViewEventArgs #=quZIAOydDIuuiW$RslVRdsA==)
   at #=q2G7UUxREard0E6zGA$Gi6ClwFvvlCOi70ViLbus3bcRXzXZd5c8Tmxt8HfONmEgI.#=qlZk813XWEaGxBPPyE5fwrhyN0FuzEgIXSmzabEySBLM=(Object #=qleC76KkPrmbFU1VwpuJlpA==, TreeViewEventArgs #=qBcz04$UW5Xcet2XOaW_n_g==)
   at System.Windows.Forms.TreeView.OnAfterCollapse(TreeViewEventArgs e)
   at System.Windows.Forms.TreeView.TvnExpanded(NMTREEVIEW* nmtv)
   at System.Windows.Forms.TreeView.WmNotify(Message& m)
   at System.Windows.Forms.TreeView.WndProc(Message& m)
   at System.Windows.Forms.Control.ControlNativeWindow.OnMessage(Message& m)
   at System.Windows.Forms.Control.ControlNativeWindow.WndProc(Message& m)
   at System.Windows.Forms.NativeWindow.Callback(IntPtr hWnd, Int32 msg, IntPtr wparam, IntPtr lparam)

[Steven]

i'll look into why its throwing the error and why the library is not fully filtering, but if you want to acheive just those 2 folders why not just select the music folder from the D: drive rather than via the library? that should work

[john6555]

that's what i'm doing (and what i was trying to explain). i go into the folder chooser, make sure the folder is checked only under D: and un-check all libraries, however after hitting OK the folder still shows up under libraries like the above pic.
in fact when i go back into the folder chooser again, it has been checked by MB under the library as well. right now it seems that if a folder belongs to a library, it isn't able to exist independent of it in the folder chooser.

[Steven]

when folder filtering is enabled i've got rid of the windows 7 libraries so you now only can choose and see specific folders:
http://www.mediafire.com/?2eixc8j2im2nfkc