Author Topic: Different libraries with different settings?  (Read 629 times)

MusicBebe

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I created a new library to work with audio files that are not part of my main music collection. This worked well, but a couple of things were unexpected.

The main library had some filters that I created for subsets of the whole library, with specific search criteria. These appeared as folder items under Music at the top of the navigation panel. When I created the new library, those same filters were there, even though they'd be meaningless to the new file set. The playlists from the main library were not in the new library, nor were (I don't think) the paths in the Scan Folders For New Files dialog, as I wouldn't expect them to be in a new library. But the filters were retained. I deleted them, because, why not?  :-\  

Later when I reopened the main library, the filters were gone there too. Which I also didn't expect, but maybe I should have...? It's not clear how it works, or why it would work as it apparently does.  :-\  

I also found that changes I had made to the displayed fields of the new library's Music node that were specific to its purpose were propagated to the main library. I really didn't expect that one!

I would have thought libraries would be separate from each other, or could be made more or less that way. But I'm not finding options related to this, or enlightenment in the wiki.

What is it I'm missing?
Last Edit: April 16, 2022, 03:23:45 AM by MusicBebe

please55

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Sorry that you lost some filters you had worked meticulously to set up. I can't answer all of your questions but I can address your concern about filters.

When you create a filter, or when you right click one and select Edit Filter, you get an option in the floating window at the bottom left to ;make this filter available to only this library'.

In the meanwhile I intend to test it out myself to answer your question....

As far as I can tell the main panel view settings are not unique to a library. Even the tabs at the top persist through switches.
However, you can still right click the header back of the main panel (where you choose which view you want Album covers, tract, etc) and create and save a custom view which you could then use whenever you want to view that Library.

Given the limitations I just described, I prefer Hiccup's answer. That way you can have multiple instances of mb running and even have them skinned differently to easily tell them apart. I'm sure you could also give them different icons too!
Last Edit: April 16, 2022, 07:22:56 AM by please55

hiccup

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There will obviously be personal differences between what users would like to keep separate or would like to be shared when using different libraries.
Filters? Playlists? Skins? Layouts? Virtual tags? etc. etc.

If your preference goes towards keeping things as much isolated from each other as possible, you could consider using separate portable installations for different purposes.
I have several of those myself, e.g. one for my classical music and one for my non-classical music.
Never the two shall meet.

MusicBebe

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Thanks for these replies. They've been helpful!

When you create a filter, or when you right click one and select Edit Filter, you get an option in the floating window at the bottom left to ;make this filter available to only this library'.

That's the option I didn't see at the time I made the library.

Having multiple portable installs is an interesting option. I think for now, while I'm still deep in newbie mode, I'll stick to a single install (portable) as I'm learning my way around. It seems that filters will let me simulate close enough a second library, which I can spin off at a latter time if I want. As long as the basic tags get written to the files themselves and are not held only in the MB database, then I shouldn't lose any of the tagging work I'm doing. Or so it seems.....?

So good to have this capability!  :)