Better "Play Random Album" functionaity? Buggy "Queue Random" functionality?

[nonhocapito]

I've just started using MusicBee and I love it. But there is something I really miss.

One of the features that I love the most in Winamp is the very simple and intuitive "Play Random Album" function it has.

In Winamp, you right-click anywhere in the main panel and select "Play Random Album". Winamp will clear the playlist and insert the random album, playing it immediately.
Alternatively, the user can select "Enqueue Random Album" and lengthen the playlist for later.

Now, compare with MusicBee. Granted I have just started using it but when I select "Queue Random" it seems that MusicBee will do something very strange...

If I click "Queue Random" from the column, for example, of a certain genre



The playlist gets filled by ALL the albums in that genre IN ORDER!?



How is this random???

OK, maybe this is a bug or I have the wrong configuration somehow?

BUT ALSO, randomness in such a case IMO works like this: the software picks something for you, but then it's up to you to decide whether you like the choice.

In Winamp, if the random choice is something I don't feel like listening to, I just click "Play Random Album" again and try with another.

(to clarify, I have thousands of albums and it is often not convenient to delve into the library to look for a certain album I cannot even think of).

In MusicBee, if I repeat the "Queue Random" command all it does is to enqueue to the existing playlist. But what I really want is for the player to STOP playing what it's playing and start playing something else!

To do this in MusicBee (correct me if I'm wrong), I have to get into the playlist, select all, clear it, try to "queue random" again.

All I'm saying is that it would be great to have a more practical way to get the player to PLAY a random album from the main panel in ONE click.

[nonhocapito]

OK, I now realize that what I'm asking is supposed to be taken care of by the "Auto DJ" feature with "Select by Album" selected.

However: there is no way to start playing a completely different album in one click. Stopping and restarting auto-dj doesn't do the trick, one has to stop the playback as well.

Also, Auto DJ will load a fixed number of tracks, which means that if the first album is shorter than the amount, you will get a piece but only a piece of the second album. This sort of compromises the "random album" functionality I am looking for.

This app is so feature-rich maybe I am sure I missing the way to do what I need, is it possible?

[Sizzlinol]

Hey mate,

I suffered the same problem for a while, but then I had the idea to create an automatically created playlist which allows me to show up a random album I didn't listen to for ages everytime I visit it. Use the right-click menu to queue it the way you want. Here's my setup:



Oh, if Steven reads this thread: Another option to set a certain amount of days for the album (last played) rule would be really, really great.

[frankz]

Another option to set a certain amount of days for the album (last played) rule would be really, really great.

That's in there.  Album (Last Played)->is not in the last->X Days

Maybe it'd be a good idea to ask if things are possible as questions in the questions forum before posting wishlist items until you are familiar with the program?

[nonhocapito]

@Sizzilinol: Thank you! YES, the random album playlist works great BUT, the only way to select a different random album is to click another playlist, and then double click the random playlist again. Otherwise it'll play the same album it has been playing again. Does the same happen to you?

@Frankz, you are right, I wouldn't object to this thread being moved. Although my wish for a simple button to play a random album in one-click is technically not there yet (see above) 

[nonhocapito]

Another problem with the solution proposed by Sizzilinol: it I double-click on the auto-playlist and call another random album, while one album is already playing, it will play the new one starting not from the first track but from the one the old one was playing.