Adding a folder to the active playlist opened in MB (not adding to queue)

[Moodymann]

How to configure the program and the registry win 7 so that when you right-click on a folder with files from the Windows Explorer, they are added entirely to a specific playlist or active playlist opened in the program (similar to how it was implemented in Foobar2000). This is not about adding a folder to the queue

[phred]

There is nothing in MB that would make this happen. It would require MB to interface with File Explorer and I'm pretty sure that's not easily done.

Someone else may have a clever work-around, but you'll have to wait and see.

[hiccup]

How to configure the program and the registry win 7 so that when you right-click on a folder with files from the Windows Explorer, they are added entirely to a specific playlist or active playlist opened in the program (similar to how it was implemented in Foobar2000). This is not about adding a folder to the queue

That would not match a basic principle of MusicBee.
MusicBee is using the concept of libraries to manage your music.
And its playlists are managed and contained in- and depend on these libraries that contain previously—and intentionally—scanned files and folders.
Just any Windows folders are not part of that realm. And they shouldn't be.

[Pickles7853]

To add on to the information hiccup provided.

The issue here is not the integration with File Explorer.  It would be trivial to add a File Explorer menu item to a right click and have it sent to MusicBee.  You could set it up for either the files menu or folders menu (or both).  What we are limited by is the available options in MBs command line.  The only commands which accept parameters are play or queue.  Neither of which will add the files/ folders to a playlist.  MB will only automatically add files to a playlist for folders which are monitored.  Another command line option would need to added to MB to make this happen.

[hiccup]

It would be trivial to add a File Explorer menu item to a right click and have it sent to MusicBee.

I don't think so.
How would that work if a user has one or more portable installs of MusicBee?
And/or is using more than one library?

[Pickles7853]

The process for adding a menu item to File Explorer is just a new entry into the Windows Registry.
At the proper key address you add a new key name for what the menu will say "Add file to MusicBee..." or whatnot.
The value is the command line argument would be close to...  say
"c:/this folder/MusicBee.exe /playlistadd <filename> playlist1"

For multiple installs, since you need to provide the full path, you would need to either pick one or create multiple menu entries - one for each install.
You can have multiple parameters in the command line.  You would need enough to be able to differentiate between different libraries/ playlists.  This part is kindof getting into the weeds though.  With the proper MB command line it could be done.

[hiccup]

…you would need to either pick one or create multiple menu entries - one for each install.

How about not only multiple installs, but also installs containing different libraries?

[Pickles7853]

Of course each persons setup would need to be adjusted accordingly.
This is not an "out of the box" solution nor for the faint of heart.
But I think submenus would work OK.

Add file(s) to MusicBee - Install1 >>
>> LibraryName1 - Playlist1 "c:\filelocation1\MusicBee\MusicBee.exe \playlistadd <filename> LibraryName1 Playlist1"
>> LibraryName1 - Playlist2 "c:\filelocation1\MusicBee\MusicBee.exe \playlistadd <filename> LibraryName1 Playlist2"

Add file(s) to MusicBee - Install2 >>
>> LibraryName1 - Playlist1 "c:\filelocation2\MusicBee\MusicBee.exe \playlistadd <filename> LibraryName1 Playlist1"
>> LibraryName2 - Playlist2 "c:\filelocation2\MusicBee\MusicBee.exe \playlistadd <filename> LibraryName2 Playlist2"

Light Blue = Main menu
Blue = Sub-menu
Yellow = Command line

[hiccup]

Of course each persons setup would need to be adjusted accordingly.

Highly unrealistic, and something MusicBee's developer should not be bothered with to invest any time or effort in.
People should understand and accept (and sometimes be taught) that MusicBee is not some Windows folder player.

There are other music players that will work better for people that want to rely on, and use Windows folders.
It's just not the essence of what MusicBee is about.

[phred]

A nice list of folder players.

[Pickles7853]

Highly unrealistic

Highly realistic.  As a matter of fact I just outlined exactly how it could be done.

and something MusicBee's developer should not be bothered with to invest any time or effort in.

This statement is completely biased and self opinionated.  It is obviously not the consensus if someone is asking for said feature.
Though it is good to know you are so close to the developer that you can offer your opinion as his own.
 

People should understand and accept (and sometimes be taught) that MusicBee is not some Windows folder player.
There are other music players that will work better for people that want to rely on, and use Windows folders.
It's just not the essence of what MusicBee is about.

Again this is your opinion.

I find it very unbecoming that you would arbitrarily decide this on your own and try and prevent such a feature from being added.
I have a great idea.  How about, if you do not like his idea, then mind your own business and sit out on the side lines.
The other patrons here, who might not mind such a feature, can help OP without you...

........ OK I need to cool off
No need to reply back on this thread.  I think it is time for me to take a break from this board for a while.

[hiccup]

…

What a weird, aggressive, personal, and disappointing response and attack.

Of course anything that I post or say is my personal opinion.
So is anything anyone else is posting on any internet forum anywhere.
It's quite silly to kick in such an open door and trying to blame someone for that.
Also, I was not just presenting some lazy or gratuit personal opinions, but shared my thoughts, based on my insights and experiences on the matter, and I substantiated them.

I do realise you are a bit new to this forum, and you don't seem to have a good understanding of how things work or how to behave, so let me explain:

If you are so certain about what you are advocating for is a good idea for improving MusicBee, the proper way is to create a wishlist topic for it.
Initiating some frustrated argumentative discussion will not get you anywhere, nor will it be beneficial to the forum or its users.

Again, I'm disappointed.
I truly appreciated your earlier contributions and had higher expectations for the future.

Ah well, at least this side of you came out early in the game.
I'm all for nipping things in the bud.

[Moodymann]

Guys, thanks for the answers. In any case, I can create playlists in another application, sending folders there, and then listening via MB. MB does not have the file manager functions that I need. But everything I listen to is always in the library. I periodically transfer files from one physical medium to another (sorting by folders), and send them to the player for listening.

[Zak]

How to configure the program and the registry win 7 so that when you right-click on a folder with files from the Windows Explorer, they are added entirely to a specific playlist or active playlist opened in the program (similar to how it was implemented in Foobar2000). This is not about adding a folder to the queue

As has been mentioned - among other unrelated things - it is not currently possible because MusicBee has no means of accepting files from Explorer for adding to a playlist.

What hasn't been mentioned, is that is possible to drag and drop a folder from Explorer onto a playlist in MusicBee - either into the open playlist itself, or a playlist entry in the left navigation panel - and add the tracks to it that way.

If (a) you insist on doing it with a context-menu entry for some reason, and (b) you're using the plain text .m3u playlist format in MusicBee - it would be trivial to write a helper program that adds selected files paths to a specified playlist.

[Moodymann]

How to configure the program and the registry win 7 so that when you right-click on a folder with files from the Windows Explorer, they are added entirely to a specific playlist or active playlist opened in the program (similar to how it was implemented in Foobar2000). This is not about adding a folder to the queue

What hasn't been mentioned, is that is possible to drag and drop a folder from Explorer onto a playlist in MusicBee - either into the open playlist itself, or a playlist entry in the left navigation panel - and add the tracks to it that way.

Thanks Zak! The solution was so simple and I can get used to dragging and dropping