Two computer node folders open at once / Split screen / Two files elements

[Fazer]

In my workflow I'm constantly going back and forth between two folders, is it possible to have two computer node folders open at once? It would be neat if there were two "files" elements in the arrange panels window. When you click a playlist or folder from the computer node it gets put into the files element which was last in focus. Ideally there is an option to stack files elements vertically to be able to show all tags on my vertical screen.

The closest I've seen is the ability to have a playlist open in the right collumn by right clicking playlist => edit playlist. If this would work for computer node folders it would not suffice because it doesn't display all the tags. Having two files elements could also benefit users who use playlists a lot.

[hiccup]

A spur of the moment, not well thought through thought:
Perhaps using two simultaneous instances of (portable) MusicBee would do the trick?
(having 'continuously monitoring' activated for both)

[Fazer]

Hi hiccup, that's pretty clever  

I installed a portable version of musicbee and loaded my settings and library into it, it works simultaneously! This helps my workflow a lot.

Some downsides I've noticed so far:
1) Every time I go from listening mode into work mode I need to open up the portable instance, resize windows etc. This is not practical if you want to do many small work sessions throughout the day. I pinned the icons of both instances to the windows taskbar so they are easy to launch, still resizing is a bit of a hassle (even though I use display fusion software for this with hotkeys).
2) Global media hotkeys such as play/pause only work on the musicbee instance which was opened first which makes the workflow inconsistent. Giving up global hotkeys is quite the sacrifice. Musicbee can't map the same function with and without global setting to two seperate keys so no proper way around this.
3) While a track is loaded into one instance, its tags can't be edited by the other instance. (file used by other process)
4) Some space is wasted due to duplicate players, waveforms etc.
5) As far as I understand it, when I restart both instances within seconds from eachother the main instance will change it's D: drive library>monitored folders to some C: drive folders I used a while ago. Weird behaviour.

I'd love to hear other peoples thoughts, if they would appreciate being able to have two folders/playlists open or if there are other methods to achieve a similar result. This would be a really usefull feature with multiple applications.

Thank you hiccup, still a great idea!

[Zak]

A spur of the moment, not well thought through thought:
Perhaps using two simultaneous instances of (portable) MusicBee would do the trick?
(having 'continuously monitoring' activated for both)

I would describe this as A Bad Idea.

MusicBee isn't designed for concurrent use, so you could frequently lose updates to settings, tracks, tags, etc. if one instance overwrites the changes made by the other while both are running.
Google "Database Lost Update" for a more detailed explanation.

I'm sure a lot of people would find it useful, so I suggest posting a formal request on the Wishlist forum.
Like many similar requests though, I see this belonging in the realm of 'easy to picture, hard to implement', so it probably wouldn't be done soon.

FWIW, I'm always moving files from working folders into my main music Library folder too, so I do all my file management using Directory Opus which has dual file views (and a lot more besides).
That is a paid program, though there are lots of free File Explorer alternatives with dual folder view support.
A quick search shows OneCommander, FileVoyager and FreeCommander.
(Not an endorsement - I've never used them)

Acknowledging too, that a lot of users would rather pluck out their eyeballs than do file management outside of MusicBee, but it's fine if you know the implications. I've done it for years without any problems.

[hiccup]

I installed a portable version of musicbee and loaded my settings and library into it, it works simultaneously! This helps my workflow a lot.

Great!

Be aware that any edits you make to files in the secondary MB instance should only be to tags that are contained and stored in the files themselves.
Tags or other information that are stored in the library file will obviously not get synchronized between the two installations.

P.S.
You are probably aware of this, but you could optimize the panel layout of the secondary MB instance for editing only.
E.g. remove the Player Controls and the Now Playing panels, have the Vertical Tag editor always in sight, remove Multimedia hotkeys, etc.
That might have some advantages over trying to do something like this in a single MB instance.

[Fazer]

I'm going through my old music, checking volume using the track gain tag/waveform, then loading the selected track into SPEK via hotkey to detect quality loss (the spectrogram plugin is a little too slow and not as accurate), if needed I replace the file with a better quality version and then I tag the quality into the file. I need my specific music and download folders open simultaneously to avoid back and forth folder hopping + being able to play tracks from both windows + having the SPEK hotkey available for both.

@hiccup Can you give an example of what you mean with tags which are stored in the library? (opposed to tags stored in the music file or software settings)

@Zak Am I fine as long as I'm just dragging files from folder to folder and editing mp3 tags? How could both programs simultaneously make a change when I can only control one instance at a time? Maybe I misunderstand.

From a quick google search, Directory Opus might be able to send files into SPEK. Still not ideal to have playback seperately. I will look into some of those suggestions anyways, could give me some ideas.

I will make a wishlist suggestion once everything is said here.

[hiccup]

@hiccup Can you give an example of what you mean with tags which are stored in the library? (opposed to tags stored in the music file or software settings)

1.
Custom tags that are set to: 'Save to MusicBee database only'.

2.
Some of the settings under Tag Editor > Tab 'Settings'. (some depending on file type)

3.
Play and skip counts

4.
Maybe I am forgetting some...?

From a quick google search, Directory Opus might be able to send files into SPEK.

Are you aware that you can create a toolbar button and/or a hotkey combination to send selected file(s) to SPEK?
 

[Fazer]

Good to know! Doesn't seem to be anything I'm using for now.

Are you aware that you can create a toolbar button and/or a hotkey combination to send selected file(s) to SPEK?

Yes, you can read my process in my previous reply and in earlier screenshots you can see spek on the toolbar. I use a hotkey mostly though  

[hiccup]

From a quick google search, Directory Opus might be able to send files into SPEK.

For sure.
Besides the option of having dual file panes, I find Directory Opus great for its use of tabs, and the possibility to customise its interface and have all kinds of shortcuts, buttons and icons.
E.g. in this screenshot you can see pinned tabs that I have when I have DO in 'audio' mode, and on the left vertical rows of icons of several programs that from there can simply be opened, or files can be dragged to for editing or processing.
So I can simply drag files to open/process them with MusicBee, Foobar2000, Tag&Rename, Picard, etc.
So you could add SPEK there too.

[Fazer]

I downloaded the Directory Opus demo and have been trying it for a few days now, definitely a powerful program and a good replacement for the windows explorer.

I tried to explore how much I can do in Directory Opus for my purpose, some things which I haven’t found yet or aren’t supported:
-Hotkeys to open/play the next/previous file
-Global hotkey feature
-Display the “Track gain” tag

Some notes of what I understand so far, don’t take it as fact  

The main reason for me to use Directory Opus is already reduced now that I know I can use two instances of musicbee to get double file panes. Hopefully this feature will be properly implemented because it's quite a hassle and far from ideal. Also the ability to make folder shortcuts.

[hiccup]

Also the ability to make folder shortcuts.

You can achieve something like that by using Windows' library feature and MusicBee's Computer node:
Create a new Windows library, e.g. 'MB folders'.
Add folders to that library. (by right-clicking on a folder > include in library, or right-clicking on the library > properties > add folders)
After that, that library and the folders that it contains should be visible in MB's Computer node:


You could then also make these folders permanently available as pinned tabs, so you won't need to navigate to them using the Computer node.
 

[Fazer]

Didn't know that! As far as I can see libraries bring one advantage over "right click folder > filtered folders", you can change the order of appearance without having to change the folder locations. (Click on libraries in the left navigation pane, right click a library in the files pane, click properties, drag folders in the order you prefer.)

Sorry for not being specific enough, what I'm really looking for are shortcuts on the toolbar as these will always stay visible and in the same expected place, for example all these computer node folders will push eachother away when expanded or leave our sight when scrolling through the tree.

And when I use libraries in musicbee it doesn't remember after startup where I am within the tree and for some reason expands my entire C: drive every time.

[hiccup]

You could also create library filters. (using 'path begins with...')
Those will stay in the same place.

But since MusicBee is based on the concept of working on libraries, these filters will only display folders and their content that has been scanned for the current library. And I am suspecting—but I could be wrong—that you want folder shortcuts that will work regardless of that?

If you do want to open and view folders irrespective if their content has been scanned for the current library, the only place to do that is the computer node in the navigator panel.
And I think it should stay that way, and all other parts of the user interface (including the toolbar) should only work on files and folders that are recognised for the active library.

[Fazer]

That's right, I have no files loaded into the library. I think for a dj like me who wants to manage their folder structures as they would appear in dj software, everything in the library is irrelevant and more geared towards people who like to create a listening environment with better looks. It may be my ignorance, but I don't see any benefit for my purpose. And so far I haven't found a better software for my needs.

Music comes into my download folder, I check quality, drag files into subgenre folders on the left, then I tag for mood and energy level. When I want to make a mix I drag files into playlists, order the files and then export the playlist to traktor dj software.

all other parts of the user interface (including the toolbar) should only work on files and folders that are recognised for the active library.

Why do you think this? I wonder since you mentioned computer folder toolbar shortcuts as one of your favorite features in Directory Opus.

Musicbee provides many features which aren't available in directory opus, I barely have any benefit from double file panes in dopus when I still need to hop the same folders in musicbee to use it's features (such as track gain tag). Afaik dopus requires to have filename visible and this doesn't leave enough space for other tag collumns, afaik I can only click filename and not other tags to open files. Using both programs simultaneously takes up too much screen space. Dopus opens SPEK windows on top of itself blocking the view (disaster). I searched dopus settings and can't find how to edit title and artist tags from the file pane (metadata pane takes up too much space and it's unintuitive).

If musicbee had double file panes this would reduce the need to folder hop a lot (double musicbee instances made my workflow almost double as fast) which makes computer folder toolbar shortcuts less needed. But also it seems like the latter is less trouble to implement and just a good feature overall.

[hiccup]

all other parts of the user interface (including the toolbar) should only work on files and folders that are recognised for the active library.

Why do you think this? I wonder since you mentioned computer folder toolbar shortcuts as one of your favorite features in Directory Opus.

Because Directory Opus is a file manager, and MusicBee is a music manager.

Directory Opus is a replacement for Windows Explorer, and so all files and folders (known by Windows) should be available for tabs, buttons and toolbars.

MusicBee is not a folder player. It is designed to work on music libraries and metadata (tags).
So it makes sense that all items in its interface follow that principle, and not mix it with any file/folder manager options.

Your user case seems to lie somewhere in the middle: you want Directory Opus to be more of a music manager, and MusicBee to be more of a file manager.

Maybe the two should have a child? ;-)

P.S.
Have you looked at foobar2000?
It is crazy customizable, and I am guessing you should be able to duplicate panels in its interface.