GUI changes for v3.0

[jaume]

Just noticed that when creating a playlist this gets placed in the playlist panel but does not get into the right alphabetical order until you restart MB.

Also, the playlist name remains highlighted until you click somewhere else. Not sure if this is the expected behaviour.

By the way, really prefer the new approach of writing the name of the new playlists  in a pop-up window.

[vincent kars]

First time with V3
First impression: an even better interface than V2

Found a little cosmetic error




If I select Composer, the heading in the panel says "All Artist"

One can choose custom tags as well to display in this panel.
Would love to see this extended to Virtual tags as well.

Occasionally a picture of the composer is displayed.
Most of the time in my case blank or "last.fm"
How can the user populate the composer pictures?

[Pingaware]

Chiming in with Hiccup, I also have some ideas floating in my head about what to do to improve preferences. Just need time to write them up.

[ankor]

Handy for all and simplicity for new/infrequent users...

What about including Configure Layout below Preferences in the Edit menu.  And add an icon next to Configure Layout button that provides access to Preferences.

Also be consistent with tooltip (Configure Layout) and window caption (Panels Configuration)...maybe Customize Layout or something...just an OCD pet peeve.

One more..."Customize Toolbar" is tooltip on main window and inside Preferences | Layout(1) it says "command buttons - Customize Layout" and the window caption is "Set Toolbar Buttons".  It would be easier to find and realize these are the same things with consistent terminology.  For Layout(1), perhaps "Toolbar buttons - Customize Toolbar" or something.  I would reserve "Layout" for customizing panels.

btw, I like the tabs bar icons

[endeavour1934]

However for existing v2.x users, we have seen serveral times that people get confused because they expect that aspect to accessed from the Panel Layout button.

That's just because they're used to the old version, but the new layout is clearly faster/easier to use.

where to drop an element is indicated by a bar that displays to the left of the panel area that can be dropped into. I guess its possible on the skin you were using it doesnt show clearly.

You are right. Maybe a more eye catching color would help noticing the bars.

I have been thinking about putting a tooltip explaining each element (did you mean "element" instead of "panel"?) - I do think thats important as new users wont know what a "sidebar player" or "now playing bar" is.

Yes, I meant element. That's exactly what I was thinking: a tooltip or collapsible description of each element.

The hide/show panels section is collapsed by default if no panels are marked as hidden - thats to reduce clutter on the screen for a feature that in my view only more advanced users would need. I am not strongly attached to that view though.

I agree, but sometimes you add a panel and it doesn't show up (because it's set to hidden) so it's a bit confusing for the user if he doesn't notice that it's set as hidden on those options.

One thing was already planning to do was to add a "spacing" element which can be used to pad vertical spacing between elements. If you have time could you post a screenshot of how you see the ideal spacing?

Left bar.


20 or 22 should work too if you want to use an even number. Still working on the others, but other lists could use the same number for the sake of uniformity.

[psychoadept]

I agree, but sometimes you add a panel and it doesn't show up (because it's set to hidden) so it's a bit confusing for the user if he doesn't notice that it's set as hidden on those options.

I agree with this.  It's particularly been a problem for the "Left Main Panel" column browser.  Maybe if a panel has no elements, it should automatically be shown when someone adds an element to it.

[Steven]

http://musicbee.niblseed.com/V3_0/MusicBee3_Patched.zip

unzip into the musicbee application folder and run MusicBee3.exe
- a couple of bug fixes
- clicking a header in the expanded artwork panel now selects the tracks under that header eg. double click the header to play only those tracks
- tweaks to the Panel Arrangement dialog (info button that describes what an element does and a couple of visual tweaks)
- vertical spacing has been increased for the left navigator and for the header bars

edit:
i have made a couple of tweaks along the lines of psychoadept's suggestion

I agree, but sometimes you add a panel and it doesn't show up (because it's set to hidden) so it's a bit confusing for the user if he doesn't notice that it's set as hidden on those options.

I agree with this.  It's particularly been a problem for the "Left Main Panel" column browser.  Maybe if a panel has no elements, it should automatically be shown when someone adds an element to it.

[endeavour1934]

- vertical spacing has been increased for [..] the header bars

I see that you used 24px for header and 26px for panel.childheader, and that's a bit odd
I meant the same value for both, whether it is 24 or 26px. Maybe 24 for both is the right choice.

Sorry for the confusion... my fault!

EDIT: Hm, also on the left bar the spacing is uneven: 20px for most elements, but there are 27px from History to Now Playing and 22px from Now Playing to Music Explorer. (pls don't kill me)

[Steven]

it was intentional as i felt the headers within the panels needed a bit extra space

[Steven]

Occasionally a picture of the composer is displayed.
Most of the time in my case blank or "last.fm"
How can the user populate the composer pictures?

just put a .jpeg file with the same name as the composer in the Thumb sub-folder of the artwork folder configured in Tags(1) preferences

[hiccup]

- tweaks to the Panel Arrangement dialog (info button that describes what an element does and a couple of visual tweaks)
- vertical spacing has been increased for the left navigator and for the header bars

- The library filter entries now also have a lot of vertical spacing, which is not needed since they don't have 16x16 icons.
- Vertical spacing of the header titles is slightly off. (a bit low)

[rurutia10]

A feature I'd like to see:

Autodj selection mode: higher play count preferred

[Steven]

Autodj selection mode: higher play count preferred

please keep requests on this topic restricted to GUI changes. You should create a new wishlist request for this

[hiccup]

The smaller description text here seem to get darkened relative to the titles, but for dark skins they are darkened a bit too much to remain well readable.

[Steven]

- The library filter entries now also have a lot of vertical spacing, which is not needed since they don't have 16x16 icons.
- Vertical spacing of the header titles is slightly off. (a bit low)

i agree about the filters and have changed that. I also made some small adjustment to the header spacing