Refresh Computer Node (for external changes in the filesystem)

[elof]

I usually use the Computer Node when going through new music.

Problem: There don't seem to be any way to refresh (update) the structure under the Computer Node to reflect changes made in the Operating system. :-/

Example:
I have this empty folder when I start MB, C:\Music\Listen\
Then I unzip an album to C:\Music\Listen\Foo_Bar-Gazonk\
But I can't make MB show C:\Music\Listen\Foo_Bar-Gazonk\ under the Computer Node, it still only shows the empty C:\Music\Listen\

I have to completely restart MB for it to show the new state. Annoying.

PS: In my opinion, everything under the Computer Node should be updated at every click, i.e. no need for any Refresh/Update option.

[voodoopunk]

Hi Elof,

Have you tried F5 which works for most things as a refresh when they need refreshing.

[elof]

Naturally! :-)

It doesn't work.

Doing a rescan of the library don't help either.
Not scanning for new media either.

[voodoopunk]

Works fine here.

If you're on a lappy you may need to use it with another key, don't recall which one.

[elof]

Please explain how!

I'm running MusicBee v3.6.9202 on Windows 11.

I start it and browse to C:\Music\Listen\
I now see the subdir 'Foo_Bar-Gazonk' since I just restarted MB.
I open a Windows File Explorer window and go to C:\Music\Listen\. Now I manually rename
the subdir 'Foo_Bar-Gazonk' to '___Foo_Bar-Gazonk'.
I go back to MB and press F5.
The navpane to the left collapses. I expand the Computer Node again and see exactly the same as before - C:\Music\Listen\Foo_Bar-Gazonk\, not ___Foo_Bar-Gazonk as expected.

[phred]

F5 (refresh) will not work because you're changing things outside of MB. You need to rescan the file(s) otherwise MB doesn't know you've made changes.

In MB select the fife(s) that you changed > right-click > send to > file rescan

EDIT: typo

[voodoopunk]

Works fine for me, delete a file from my drive, it disappears from the computer node.

It may depend on device type, this is an external USB key formatted to Fat32.

Also works fine adding and deleting a folder to my desktop on Win 10.

EDIT: This isn't true, it doesn't work from the FAT32 drive as that shows up as a device. It does however work for an NTFS formatted external HDD as well as the desktop.

[Zak]

F5 to refresh the folder nodes works for me.

F5 (refresh) will not work because you're changing things outside of MB, you need to rescan the file(s) otherwise MB doesn't know you've made changes.

In MB select the fife(s) that you changed > right-click > send to > file rescan

OP is asking about updating the displayed folders, not the tag values.

If you're on a lappy you may need to use it with another key, don't recall which one.

Some laptops also have a Function lock key, which if not enabled means F5 might function as a media key or something else.
Do the function keys work as expected in other programs? Does F1 open help? Does F2 rename files in File Explorer?

I go back to MB and press F5.
The navpane to the left collapses.

That's weird. Check your hotkeys preferences to make sure you haven't accidentally assigned F5 to a different MusicBee command.

[voodoopunk]

I don't even need to use F5, files/folders moved to and from the desktop are updated without using F5.

[elof]

I think you don't understand the issue.

The problem is visible the navpane to the left when expanding the Computer node.
Changes made outside of MB, such as a new folder created or renamed, are not updated.


@phred, no, rescan files don't work. The left navpane still show the old cached folders.
Same thing if I press [Insert] and scan for new files (in my case I scan from C:\Music\). The left navpane still show the old cached folders.

This is very annoying.

My request is that MB will refresh the filesystem with the OS when you click (expand) and navigate in the Computer node folders.
Example:

Code

Computer
  C:
    Music
      Listen   <--- I click here, to collapse the folder
        foo
        bar
        baz

In Windows I create a new folder C:\Music\Listen\New_folder\

Back in MB I expand it again:

Code

Computer
  C:
    Music
      Listen   <--- I click here again to re-expand the folder

When expanding a folder, this should trigger a filesystem refresh. Result should be:

Code

Computer
  C:
    Music
      Listen
        foo
        bar
        baz
        New_folder   <------------------------------------------------ Voila! Visible.

[Steven]

press F5 in MB (yes it does work, i just checked) or in the library preferences enable continuous folder monitoring for the relevant parent directory

[hiccup]

This is very annoying.

Just my 2 cents:
It seems to me that both your workflow and how you are trying to use MusicBee, is not what it is designed for.
MusicBee is neither intended to be a file manager, nor a file/folder player.

Perhaps there are solutions to your issues, but I would understand it completely if the developer would not be willing to make changes to MusicBee for something like this.

[voodoopunk]

I'm not sure any changes are necessary, what he describes works perfectly fine on my portable install of MB. Don't even need to use F5 as folder changes update automatically.

elof, try updating to the latest version if you don't already have it.

[elof]

F5 don't work.

But when I went to Preferences | Library | monitored folders and added 'continously monitor' and also
added the parent folder "C:\Music\", it works! :-)
Thanks. :-)



hiccup,
I too understand if the developer prioritize other issues.
The main reason I chose MB is for the tons of detailed bells and whistles.
It is *not* just a library mp3 player.
One of those bells and whistles are the Computer node. It exists. It can be improved. Hence this feature request.

So my problem is now solved.
I'll just finish this thread with a statement why I still think this is an issue.

Sure, my workflow might not be the same as others, since I'm very filesystem-oriented (and not at all library-oriented), but that doesn't mean that obvious (to me) annoyances should not be rectified.
In this case we're talking about the navigation under the Computer Node.
I claim that most users assume that what they see here represent what's on their harddrive, up-to-date.
I claim that only a minority of users know/understand that if they navigate in this tree, they are actually browsing cached data -- unless they have manually enabled continous monitoring and selected folders in the preferences.

Hence, making the Computer node always up-to-date should prevent annoyances from people who don't bother to investigate in depth.

[hiccup]

F5 don't work.

Just to be sure, considering that other users seem to have different experiences with the Computer Node than you:
You are not using the 'Store' version, are you?