Different random functions not consistent?

[HannibAlBundy]

Hi,

I'm not sure that the different ways to randomise a playing tracks list are consistent, but I prefer to check before to claim a dysfonction.

If I set the "shuffle settings" in the "Now Playing" section of the Edit Preferences panel on "random", everything seems to work as it should be.
Nevertheless, if I set it on "different artist" instead, I note that the "shuffle on" mode available in the main player control panel seems to behave like it was set on "same artist" while using "Play Shuffled" from the context menu works as it should be.
On the other side, the "Shuffle List" function available in the playing tracks context menu always seems to behave like a basic random mode no matter the "different/same artist" setting.

Also, I'm surprised that when using "Queue random" on a selection from the context menu, the "shuffle on" mode will actually go through all the first selection in random mode before to play the 2nd "queued random" selection in natural order.

My final goal is to be able to mix different playlists and play the whole aggregated content in a "different artist" random mode.

At the moment, just being able to play them in a basic random mode require either to use the "Shuffle List" function or to "Queue Next/Last" the playlists and then use the "Shuffle On" mode.

Do you notice the same behavior and is it normal or am I missing anything?

Thanks!!

ps: using 3.4.7611

[psychoadept]

I'm not sure I follow everything you're saying, but regarding your stated goal, have you messed with Playlist Mixers at all? That sounds like basically what you're describing.

[HannibAlBundy]

Thanks for your reply, I didn't know about Playlist Mixer!

Nevertheless, I can't manage to make it do what I want, most probably because I don't use it properly. A little bit of help would be very much appreciated !!

"gap before same artist can repeat" doesn't seem to have any kind of effect.
I stuck to "play each criteria in sequence" as I have only one criteria where I source from the playlists I want and apply a fake rule "match any of the following rules: any filed has a value". I select the shuffle "different/same artist" but again it doesn't seem to have any kind of effect no matter where I set the slider.

And to try to explain in another way what might be a dysfunction in MusicBee, there are 3 different ways to shuffled a track selection that I know of:
     1) Shuffle On/Off (from the main player control panel)
     2) Shuffle List (from the playing tracks contextual menu)
     3) Play Shuffled (from the selection contextual menu)

The setting "different/same artist" only seems to have the appropriate effect on the "Play Shuffled" option (3). "Shuffle List" (2) always seems to behave like a basic random mode no matter the setting, whereas "Shuffle On/Off" (1) always seems to work as if it was set on "same artist" even if it's set on "different artist". If I use the setting "random" instead of "different/same artist" this Shuffle On/Off feature works as it should be though.

Also, when "Shuffle On" is activated in the main player with an already populated playing tracks list, we can "Queue random" from the contextual menu on any selection. But when I use this, the play order will actually go through the original playing tracks list in a random order before to play in the natural order the selection I've just "queued randomly".

I hope it makes more sense.

ps: now using 3.4.7735