GUI changes for v3.0

[Steven]

There seems to be an issue with some sub-folders in the Playlists:

i cant reproduce any issues. I suggest you check the Playlissts folder in windows explorer. If you see any files with no name and just the auto-playlist extension then delete them ie: the filename called ".xautopf" (or if you prefer rename them with a different extension such as ".xautopf-old"
Restart MB and see if that helps

[Steven]

Hi, fairly long time user, part time lurker, first time poster here, I have a few items to bring up.

"Bug"
1. When editing file info via right click edit, switching files loses focus. For instance, I'm editing a field then use the next or previous arrow to go to the next file, then the cursor is no longer in that field, I have to click on the field to resume typing. This doesn't happen in 2.5.

Questions
1. Can I change the information in the lower right corner (red area) in the now playing tab? I would like it to look like the customized panel I set up (track #, full date, backing vocals, publisher, etc.).
2. Are there no column headers in the now playing tab's right panel by default or did I change something by accident? Without them I can't resize the columns.
3. Can I change the now playing tab to resemble the 2.5 now playing tab with track information instead of pictures?

the edit handling is addressed for the next update
1. no
2. that panel is the Playing Tracks panel. Its intentional there is no header. It can be configured by adjusting the Playing Tracks panel in other windows. I will think about how to make that easier
3. i dont know what you mean. Can you post a screenshot?

[jaume]

There seems to be an issue with some sub-folders in the Playlists:

i cant reproduce any issues. I suggest you check the Playlissts folder in windows explorer. If you see any files with no name and just the auto-playlist extension then delete them ie: the filename called ".xautopf" (or if you prefer rename them with a different extension such as ".xautopf-old"
Restart MB and see if that helps

That fixed it. Many thanks for the tip.

[Steven]

fixes for the issues above and a couple of things i found:
http://www.mediafire.com/download/yg2iu46j3binune/MusicBeeDemo.zip

unzip into the musicbee application folder and run MusicBee3.exe

Also you now have more control over the buffer size set in the Player preferences (in most cases the current default should be fine)

[MeeMeeMee]

TL;DR
Following Steven's latest addition (=user-configurable buffer size) I'm seriously considering giving v3.0 a try, so some obvious questions arise:
1. Can I install it along-side the v2.5 version?
2. Will they use different DB/Settings? Any way to migrate the v2.5 settings/DB to v3.0?
3. How stable is it?
4. Any missing features?

[phred]

Following Steven's latest addition (=user-configurable buffer size) I'm seriously considering giving v3.0 a try, so some obvious questions arise:
1. Can I install it along-side the v2.5 version?

You can have both open at the same time, but I would suggest not making any file changes (tagging, moving, etc) while both are open.  You can open both while moving around v3's design elements so that you can match what you have in v2.  You can have both open for comparison purposes.  If you're going to tag edit, do it in v3 without v2 open.  Then close 3 and open 2 if you want to check the changes.

2. Will they use different DB/Settings? Any way to migrate the v2.5 settings/DB to v3.0?

There's a MusicBee3Settings.ini file that is separate from MB 2 settings.  You can change whatever settings you want in v3 and they will not cause any 2.5 settings to change.  And visa-versa.

3. How stable is it?

I'd have to say it's pretty stable.  I stayed away from working with some of my "irreplaceable" files on v3 for a while.  And then when I did, I made sure I had a backup of the file before touching it.  Now I don't do that.  As a matter of fact, I'm now using v3 almost exclusively.  About the only time I've opened 2.5 in the past couple of weeks, was to compare skin changes I was making.  Or to compare the behavior of one versus the other.

4. Any missing features?

I think at this point it's safe to say that if you could do it in v2.5, you can do it in 3.

But remember, Steven has yet to call this version a beta.  I would call it a late alpha.

[EffenBlue]

the edit handling is addressed for the next update
1. no
2. that panel is the Playing Tracks panel. Its intentional there is no header. It can be configured by adjusting the Playing Tracks panel in other windows. I will think about how to make that easier
3. i dont know what you mean. Can you post a screenshot?

1. Understood.
2. OK, that's how I changed it before.
As for 3:
In 2.5 the now playing tab looks like:


full of track information and data I find useful.

In 3.0 the now playing tab looks like:

which is empty except for lyrics, cover and an image.
I know I can switch to another tab while the tracks are playing if I want to see the track information, I'm just used to being on the now playing tab.

edit: Sorry about the huge images, let's see if the spoiler tag works. edit 2: that didn't work try this.

[cartman005]

In version 3.0, if I use the Copy Tags functionality, the album artwork is not copied over. When I open the Tag Editor and click on the Artwork tab, it says that the picture is corrupted.

[Steven]

In version 3.0, if I use the Copy Tags functionality, the album artwork is not copied over. When I open the Tag Editor and click on the Artwork tab, it says that the picture is corrupted.

how was the artwork stored in the original file (embeded, folder.jpg, linked file)?
and was it copying from one file to one file?

[Xyzzy]

Maybe I am missing something, but where are 'thingies' allowing to show/hide left and right sidebar or how to enable them?

TIA

[cartman005]

In version 3.0, if I use the Copy Tags functionality, the album artwork is not copied over. When I open the Tag Editor and click on the Artwork tab, it says that the picture is corrupted.

how was the artwork stored in the original file (embeded, folder.jpg, linked file)?
and was it copying from one file to one file?

It was embedded and I was copying to multiple files at the same time. It happened with all the sets of files I tried but I didn't try any individual files.

[hiccup]

Maybe I am missing something, but where are 'thingies' allowing to show/hide left and right sidebar or how to enable them?

TIA

I had to do some searching for it too, they are currently to be set at:
Configuration Panel > Layout (1) > bottom panel > status bar:

I personally think it's not the best location for that to be found.

[h0m3r]

i search 2 commands for the toolbar buttons.

View: Show Column Browser
View: Show Thumbnail Browser

is it possible to add this 2 commands?

[Steven]

i search 2 commands for the toolbar buttons.
View: Show Column Browser
View: Show Thumbnail Browser

is it possible to add this 2 commands?

now that per tab overrides to hide the column browser has been implemented i guess its now possible for this command to hide/show the column browser for the current tab. Although you need to understand the column browser needs to be included in the default layout for this to work
I should probably also include the thumnnail browser in the current tab overrides as well

[Steven]

http://www.mediafire.com/download/yg2iu46j3binune/MusicBeeDemo.zip

unzip into the musicbee application folder and run MusicBee3.exe

- fixes for the copy tags issue
- introduces a new Play Now action (in the Now Playing preferences) to play the entire album only for the track you double click on
- you can now override display of the thumbnail browser for the current tab (hotkeys will be done for the next update)