SOLVED >> Media keys are not working in the latest Windows store version

[JoanM]

Hi,

Installed the latest version from the Microsoft Store.

Now the media keys are not working.

Using AutoHotkey to send play/pause, volume up / down, next / previous song...
Volume works, but the other ones fail most of the time.

Same script with youtube, VLC... works flawlessly.  As it worked with the previously installed MusicBee version.

Thank you!

[hiccup]

I'm sorry, I have no useful insights why this is not working for you.
But if I understand correctly, things were working fine when you used a regular install of MusicBee, but things are now failing with a 'Store' install?
Allow me to regurgitate what each and every forum member trying to give support will say about using the 'Store' version of MusicBee:

don't

Use the portable version.
You won't regret it.

Report back if the issue then still exists?
And be aware that if there is indeed some media keys issue with newer MusicBee releases, a possible fix will be available for non-store versions immediately, while 'Store' users will have to wait months at least.

[sveakul]

Hi,

Installed the latest version from the Microsoft Store.

Now the media keys are not working.

Using AutoHotkey to send play/pause, volume up / down, next / previous song...
Volume works, but the other ones fail most of the time.

Same script with youtube, VLC... works flawlessly.  As it worked with the previously installed MusicBee version.

Thank you!

Out of curiousity, what made you install the Store version?  Was it the "..with auto update feature" part of the ad line?  I have a feeling that makes many people think it's always updating itself to the newest fix or feature.  Actually, it is freezing you OUT of applying updates until a new package version is released, weeks or months down the road.  With the Portable and Installer versions you can optionally download AND APPLY RIGHT NOW any updates, fixes, or additions upon release--which is often 2 or 3 times a WEEK.

If it wasn't that, what was it?

Take hiccup's advice, you won't regret it.

[JoanM]

@hiccup:
Media keys were working before (even with an older microsoft store version).
Now they don't (only in MusicBee).

I will take a look at the portable version then...

Thanks for the suggestion.

@sveakul:
Yes, I thought it would be easier to update it... much before winget appeared... maybe I could use winget to update musicbee in a regular basis too...

In any case I'll take a look at the portable version as you both suggest.

Thanks for your answers.

 

[JoanM]

OK,

Uninstalled the windows store version.

Wanted to install the portable version into the program folders (as all the other applications I have installed but I have not been lucky... all files got skipped.  ^^¡
Installed the MSI and it installed correctly into the program (x86) folder.

And media keys work again but only sometimes.

I've just installed another music software (which looks terrible compared to MusicBee) and that thing works as expected.  Something has gone haywire with MusicBee.

[sveakul]

Mary you didn't read the instructions posted on installing the Portable Version:

https://getmusicbee.com/forum/index.php?topic=40059.0

See Step#4.  You installed it smack dab in the middle of the Program Folder hierarchy, worst place on the PC because Windows tries to apply all kinds of user permissions blablabla for anything installed there.  Please use "C:\MusicBee."

Also, there IS NO *.msi installer file for the Portable version--where did you download this from?  MB Portable is a self-extracting zip package, that allows you to choose any folder you want to install it to.

Delete/uninstall anything related to MusicBee.  Try again, downloading the Portable from the download page on this website.  If you follow the step-by-step instructions at the link I gave you,  there shouldn't be any problems.

[JoanM]

I meant the "Installer edition", sorry... Wrote this without looking at the file.

In any case... just uninstalled MusicBee again, restarted the computer (just in case) and installed the portable version at C:\MusicBee (even I don't like it, let's try it and see what happens).  And the result is the same, when just installed, after opening it with musicbee focused, it works perfectly as soon as I remove the focus from the musicbee window it stops working or it works sometimes only... like before (store / normal installer).

Looking at the release notes... maybe the "7. Added hotkey commands to select tabs 1..9" iks the cause of all this... who knows...

I have found where to download the old releases, and after installing the second to last MusicBee version it works again...

Clearly it is a bug with the latest version.

Thanks for the help.

[sveakul]

I meant the "Installer edition", sorry... Wrote this without looking at the file.

In any case... just uninstalled MusicBee again, restarted the computer (just in case) and installed the portable version at C:\MusicBee (even I don't like it, let's try it and see what happens).

The "Installer Edition" is not a MSI file either.  MSI installer files have an extension of *.msi.  BTW, what did you "not like"about the Portable edition?  It looks/runs exactly like the Installer version.  It just keeps all its files in one place so they are easier to find, not affected by Windows permissions, and simple to back up.

[JoanM]

@sveakul: Not important for the problem / just explanations to your questions
OK, as I already told you, did not looked at the file extension/name when I answered and just supposed it was that kind of file (again sorry, my fault)... In any case, this has nothing to do with the problem I depicted in my first post, and frankly has 0 relevance to solve it.

Answering what I don't like about the portable one: I don't like having programs installed in "non standard" folders, I am an industrial programmer, use my computer for work and try to keep everything as well organized as possible otherwise it gets messy in no time.  Apart of that I have no problems with the portable installation except it doesn't work like the other ones.

What I love about MusicBee is the simple interface, hability to read FLAC files, that it remembers the file it was playing when closing it.  I don't need anything else... backing it up therefore is not important to me as a clean installation just works as I want.

Now, as this is the bug reporting forum, I'd like to keep this post as focused on the real issue as possible:

Following with the real problem, which now is much more tested and I can explain even better:
After all the suggested tests, which included uninstalling the Microsoft store version, installing the normal version and then uninstalling it to install the portable version, all of them suffer from the same problem in the latest release: media keys are not working properly.

Installing an older version gets media keys working again, so for any reason there is something wrong in the latest version which made all this stop working properly.

Thank you all for your help!

[karbock]

@JoanM

My two cents:
To prevent C:\ from getting messy, I always install portable apps in subfolders of "C:\Users\Public\Applications".
The portable edition of MusicBee is one of them, and I don't regret the changeover from the installed version.

[JoanM]

@karbock, thank you for sharing it.  I know how to organize folders, been working as a professional programmer since 1998, it's just a personal preference, I don't like install programs out of the programs folder, that's all...

[hiccup]

I know how to organize folders, been working as a professional programmer since 1998, it's just a personal preference, I don't like install programs out of the programs folder, that's all...

I also like to keep my files and folders organised and well-structured.

And same as karbock, I also keep all my portable applications stored in a separate folder outside Windows system/user/programs grasp.
I think it's a much better practice than mingling them into the same folder together with installed software.
For one, you can then backup and restore all your portable software at once using that single 'portable software' folder.
I would recommend this practice to anyone. Even to professional programmers.

[JoanM]

Do you all understand, this is the bug report forum, that I have reported a bug that is in the last version on all the available musicbee options (installable,  portable and windows store)?

The programmer of this software should be able to navigate through this forum easily without having to wander through futile and non-useful recommendations that don't solve anything remotely related to the problem itself.

This said,  I will try to mark this post as solved and publish a brand new one with te complete details of the problem, please, for the benefit of any user of musicbee, refrain to hijack the post to speak about folders, versions and anything else than giving a solution or leaving it alone for Steven to see it and, maybe, when he has time to do it, solve that issue.

Thank you all for your cooperation and have a nice weekend.

[hiccup]

Do you all understand, this is the bug report forum, that I have reported a bug that is in the last version on all the available musicbee options (installable,  portable and windows store)?

I'm pretty sure everybody who has contributed to this topic understands that.
But you have mentioned the aspect of where to store programs yourself, and even your last post (before this one) is about that.
So you shouldn't be surprised when people read it, consider it, and then reply to it and share their opinions.

Don't mention the war again, and we won't talk about the war ;-)

Marking this topic as 'solved' seems a bad way to handle this.
The issue as described has not been solved for you, right?
No need to clutter the forum with some additional bug report on the same issue.

edit
Hmm, too late.
I see you have marked this thread as 'solved'. Even though it isn't.
And you created an additional bug report on the exact same issue.

Neither is good.

But to be honest, the new bug report is better than this one.
Let's hope all the information provided will get the reported issue fixed.