I accidentally deleted my entire music library via MusicBee (empty Recycle Bin)

[Abendstern]

I did it as shown in the images: https://imgur.com/a/musicbee-bZKz9LP
P.S. Fortunately, I have a backup of my collection on 06/22/2024.

My suggestion:
1) Send deleted files to recycle bin. If you delete small files, they will be in the trash, but if you delete a 200GB folder, they will not.
2) Allow folders on the left side of the tree to be deleted ONLY by right-clicking. The Delete key on the keyboard should always delete the currently playing track. It's a feature I'm sorely missing.
3)There probably should be a special confirmation, not the usual standard one, when the user wants to take down something really big. For example, different warnings about deleting a folder or a track being played?

Lyrics:
I always curate my music library by deleting tracks I don't like, ensuring that I only keep the music I truly enjoy. However, MusicBee requires confirmation for every deletion, which can become tedious when removing multiple files. Over time, I've developed a habit of agreeing to these confirmations without fully reading them. Unfortunately, this led to an accidental deletion of my entire music collection when I mistakenly selected a folder instead of a single track.It's my fault, but it seems wrong that MusicBee allows you to so easily and irrevocably delete your entire music collection. I propose the following improvement to prevent such accidents.

[sveakul]

Over time, I've developed a habit of agreeing to these confirmations without fully reading them. Unfortunately, this led to an accidental deletion of my entire music collection when I mistakenly selected a folder instead of a single track.It's my fault, but it seems wrong that MusicBee allows you to so easily and irrevocably delete your entire music collection. I propose the following improvement to prevent such accidents.

There's a lot to be said here, but I'll take this:  first you complain about being asked so many confirmations, then complain because you stop reading them.  The word "irrevocably" is simply not true--that means without using the Recycle Bin, which you must CONFIRM if that is the desired action.  

Simply paying attention to what you are doing is a prerequisite when running most applications.

[voodoopunk]

The word "irrevocably" is simply not true--that means without using the Recycle Bin, which you must CONFIRM if that is the desired action.  

Unfortunately, he's correct over a certain size files will be permanently deleted and not sent to the recycle bin.

[phred]

Unfortunately, he's correct over a certain size files will be permanently deleted and not sent to the recycle bin.

That's correct. But that's a Windows thing, not something controlled by MB. So other than additional warnings, which the OP admits they don't read after a while, there's not much Steven can do.

[voodoopunk]

Oh yes, I wasn't stating otherwise.

[phred]

Oh yes, I wasn't stating otherwise.

@voodoopunk: despite my using your quote, my comment was directed to the OP.

[hiccup]

But that's a Windows thing, not something controlled by MB. So other than additional warnings, which the OP admits they don't read after a while, there's not much Steven can do.

I'm pretty sure that Windows shows a popup warning when files are too large for the recycle bin.
If that message is currently somehow suppressed by MusicBee, perhaps that could be changed.

[phred]

I'm pretty sure that Windows shows a popup warning when files are too large for the recycle bin.
If that message is currently somehow suppressed by MusicBee, perhaps that could be changed.

Hmmm ... yes, there's a popup from Windows. I would find it strange that MB would suppress that warning, so we'll have to wait to hear from Steven.

[Abendstern]

Simply paying attention to what you are doing is a prerequisite when running most applications.

Yeah. At the same time, it always seemed to me that if the interface design is really good, it implies a protection from a user mistake (or from a fool). When I deleted my entire 10 year old collection in lossless my first thought was something like %u201CIs that real, lol? It was so easy?%u201D. It makes no difference to MB to destroy 200 GB or just 1 small track, that's what I think is the point that can be improved.

I'm pretty sure that Windows shows a popup warning when files are too large for the recycle bin. If that message is currently somehow suppressed by MusicBee, perhaps that could be changed.

Yeah, that's a good idea. Sometimes I accidentally misclicked and tried to delete large file folders in Windows. Due to the fact that in Windows, regular files can be deleted without confirmation and large files with confirmation, it saved me.

So let me generate more ideas for how to prevent this:
4) Remove the delete confirmation for regular files, and leave it for deleting folders/large files like Windows. Or put 2 warnings instead of one when deleting folders/big files.
5) Color the edges of the special warning window red or put a big exclamation mark there when trying to delete a folder, which will help a person who doesn't read warnings, like me, to see the wrong and unusual warning. People react to color before letters. Pretty dumb, but effective.

[sveakul]

I'm pretty sure that Windows shows a popup warning when files are too large for the recycle bin.
If that message is currently somehow suppressed by MusicBee, perhaps that could be changed.

Hmmm ... yes, there's a popup from Windows. I would find it strange that MB would suppress that warning, so we'll have to wait to hear from Steven.

It's still shown.  My own feeling is why should MusicBee be involved in "user-proofing" matters that deal universally with how the Windows operating system operates, not how MusicBee operates.  I'm sorry maybe I'm not being patient today but how the OP made an issue out of some niche action he mistakenly did and then expects Steven to add even more warnings, etc. after complaining he's stopped reading the warnings "blows my mind."  How many people, and how often, mistakenly attempt to delete 200GB worth of files that now we have to take over the perfectly adequate "handling" of the situation by Windows?  Not to be taken as a personal attack.  The OP is to be commended for having backups of his collection--that is the ultimate "red arrows," etc.

[Fazer]

It's normal not to read the warning when deleting tracks, I have a keypad with delete and enter mapped next to the media keys, these are pressed immediately after eachother when deleting a track. It's not realistic to read the warning every time you delete a track (Which happens a lot) just in case you accidentally did a 1/1000 mistake by misclicking a folder instead of a track.

This topic has scared me because I was not aware it was possible to completely delete and lose folders because they are too big for the recycle bin. This should not be possible so easily!!

I'm all for:
An option to disable the delete key for folders (right click only)
An option to give a double warning for folders
A red warning screen for folders

Or for simplicity pack these under one safe delete option for folders, I would be using them all anyways. And I think it makes sense, because I delete a lot of files but rarely delete folders.

I'm pretty sure that Windows shows a popup warning when files are too large for the recycle bin.
If that message is currently somehow suppressed by MusicBee, perhaps that could be changed.

Hmmm ... yes, there's a popup from Windows. I would find it strange that MB would suppress that warning, so we'll have to wait to hear from Steven.

...How many people, and how often, mistakenly attempt to delete 200GB worth of files...

It's rare but it only needs to happen once.

As important as backing up is, in reality most people don't do regular backups, so the software has to have some effective built in safeties which are in proportion to the potential loss.

[sveakul]

This topic has scared me because I was not aware it was possible to completely delete and lose folders because they are too big for the recycle bin. This should not be possible so easily!!

It's rare but it only needs to happen once.

As important as backing up is, in reality most people don't do regular backups, so the software has to have some effective built in safeties which are in proportion to the potential loss.

The only thing in proportion to potential loss of a lifetime of collecting is regular backups.  Anyone not doing that SHOULD be scared, not because it's so "easy" to delete large amounts of files.  Windows had to made useable and flexible and not over-restrained across a large list of situations.  If I want to delete 300GB of files, I expect Windows to allow me to do that after being appropriately warned, which is what indeed happens.  MusicBee aside, Windows can be set to never allow permanent deletion of ANYTHING without warning.  What else can be expected?  What I don't want is to be hand-held across every possible scenario when I do actions I have approved of.  I keep multiple SSD backups of my entire Windows and Data drives.  Why be afraid?  If "most people don't do regular backups" then yes, they have a problem.

[Zak]

The word "irrevocably" is simply not true--that means without using the Recycle Bin, which you must CONFIRM if that is the desired action. 

Unfortunately, he's correct over a certain size files will be permanently deleted and not sent to the recycle bin.

Users can right-click their Recycle Bin on the Desktop, select Properties, and set the maximum size it will use for storing deleted files on each disk:



I haven't tested this, but I guess if you never want the Recycle Bin to automatically delete files when it's full - even if you accidentally delete every file - set the maximum size to be the size of the disk.

[voodoopunk]

I don't know everything regarding Windows, but must admit to being surprised that I didn't know that!

[hiccup]

I'm pretty sure that Windows shows a popup warning when files are too large for the recycle bin.
If that message is currently somehow suppressed by MusicBee, perhaps that could be changed.

It's still shown.

Now I am confused.
You are saying that it will show (as I would expect), but Abendstern says there is no warning at all.

@Abendstern:
Can you confirm that Windows does not warn you when files are too large for the recycle bin when you delete them using MusicBee?