General Layout Configuration

[Greb]

This is related to how the layout is configured: sometimes it takes place in the preferences window, sometimes in the context menu, sometimes in other places.

For example:

- Artist information tab is selected in the icon besides the search.
- Artist information docking appears in 'Now Playing' in Preferences.
- Playlist docking appears in a context menu.
- Now Playing docking appears in the same context menu.
- Player docking appears in another context menu and in 'Layout' in Preferences.
- Artwork docking appears in Now Playing Layout Configuration in 'Layout' in Preferences.
- Lyrics docking appears in Now Playing Layout Configuration in 'Layout' in Preferences

and so...

So every time I try to change the layout I'm walking around the program trying to remember where was this specific option  

It would be great to have a window where all those options are placed together so they can be accessed easily!!!

[Steven]

the Layout tab in the preferences screen consolidates the layout options, but i agree it doesnt have links to all the things that affect the layout

[VX]

This is related to how the layout is configured: sometimes it takes place in the preferences window, sometimes in the context menu, sometimes in other places.

For example:

- Artist information tab is selected in the icon besides the search.
- Artist information docking appears in 'Now Playing' in Preferences.
- Playlist docking appears in a context menu.
- Now Playing docking appears in the same context menu.
- Player docking appears in another context menu and in 'Layout' in Preferences.
- Artwork docking appears in Now Playing Layout Configuration in 'Layout' in Preferences.
- Lyrics docking appears in Now Playing Layout Configuration in 'Layout' in Preferences

and so...

So every time I try to change the layout I'm walking around the program trying to remember where was this specific option 

It would be great to have a window where all those options are placed together so they can be accessed easily!!!

+10 on that

I explained more in another topic.

[Greb]

Agreed.

A 'Layout Configuration' window would be a great add, just linking all this distributed options.

[Steven]

greb, this is the purpose of the Layout tab in the preferences window.

VX, I think you should find most of the preferences are linked to but via a buttons which open another window and not directly on the panel as i expect is what you are asking for. But also keep in mind there are many more settings in MB than the players you mention and i suspect it wouldnt be feasible if i attempted to do that without making it a cluttered mess

[Greb]

As a I understand it, it's not that easy and code could become a real mess 

And how about an alternative? Perhaps the option of 'saving' workspaces? (in a similar way to 'quick layout' but customized)

[Roadrunner]

Perhaps the option of 'saving' workspaces? (in a similar way to 'quick layout' but customized)

Yes, that's what I'd like very much too!!! Now, it's very easy to destroy a nice layout and hard to build it again... It should store all together including chosen columns, column widths, sorting order.

[Adson]

+1

Thanks

A.

[Steven]

for the next weekly update i will do something simple where you can save the musicbee preferences and settings to a file (named as you want). Its simply a copy of MusicBeeSettings.ini
You would be able to save as many different settings files as you want.
Then the other function would be to choose a settings file to load from any of the saved settings files
The main downside i can see is that its more than just layout - its eveything except your library preferences (which are saved per library), so if say you change a hotkey, then already saved settings files wont reflect that change.

edit:
thinking about this some more, its not a good idea just to save all the settings, so what i will do is only save and load the settings related to layout, leaving other settings permanently saved irrespective of whether you load an old config

[Roadrunner]

Sounds great (including the edit), thx!!!

[Steven]

this includes a couple of menu commands to save/load settings from the view menu. It only reloads the layout specific settings (fields, panel docking etc)
http://www.mediafire.com/?d7zugld7lr4lajd

[Goster]

This is related to how the layout is configured: sometimes it takes place in the preferences window, sometimes in the context menu, sometimes in other places. ..........

I have the same feeling as you. MusicBee is great but GUI configuration is a mess :-) It has to be simplified and gathered in one place and naming convention for fields, panels and so on should be simple and unambigous.

[Sarge]

I have the same feeling as you. MusicBee is great but GUI configuration is a mess :-)

I have to strongly disagree on calling it a mess. Take some time and learn all the great features.

Sir Elton John once said .."If the human brain were so simple that we could understand it, we would be so simple that we couldn't.”

[Steven]

This is related to how the layout is configured: sometimes it takes place in the preferences window, sometimes in the context menu, sometimes in other places. ..........

I have the same feeling as you. MusicBee is great but GUI configuration is a mess :-) It has to be simplified and gathered in one place and naming convention for fields, panels and so on should be simple and unambigous.

Edit/ Preferences/ Layout

in addition to the layout preferences screen, i see no reason why also being able to  configure the layout settings relevant to a context using right click/ Configure Layout is a bad thing

[VX]

This is related to how the layout is configured: sometimes it takes place in the preferences window, sometimes in the context menu, sometimes in other places. ..........

I have the same feeling as you. MusicBee is great but GUI configuration is a mess :-) It has to be simplified and gathered in one place and naming convention for fields, panels and so on should be simple and unambigous.

Edit/ Preferences/ Layout

in addition to the layout preferences screen, i see no reason why also being able to  configure the layout settings relevant to a context using right click/ Configure Layout is a bad thing

I supported the idea of simplifying GUI Layout Configuration. IMHO, Steven has made enormous effort to implement this and I'm quite happy how it is solved in the latest MB development version (1.2.4116)  .

Thank you very much Steven, that you are always very patient and sympathetic towards users requests and opinions.
Thank you for creating MusicBee and making it better and better with every development release 

Constructive critics could stimulate the development, but personally I don't like users who keep complaining just because they are too lazy to learn sth new or have nothing valuable to add.