Toggle entries in the fields Column Browser? [Workflow/funtionality query]

[aVataR_eHYeh]

So I use primarily the Main Panel for my operations right now, and the "Column Browser" and "Files" more specifically, with just a bunch of fields in both. Pic for general reference, because the specifics aren't important. 



Ok, so in the pic I selected "Akira Yamaoka & Mary", and let's say there were some albums there I wanted to choose, and then I realize that aha, actually, I also want to select ANOTHER artist to add to the mix ("Files Panel" in the "Main Panel"). Problem is, if I then go to the artist field left of the album and track column, then I suddenly lose the selection I already had. The same for whatever things I decided to choose, such as Rating, Tempo, etc (which is why I sometimes have opted to have some fields basically REPEATED in several columns, say one in the far left, and one toward the far end). So it's like the "workflow" for choosing tracks to "add" to the "Main Panel File Panel" is nested, flowcharty, linear, whereas I really would want it to just be less hierarchical, with more toggle options.

I tried using filters, but only one at a time would work, so I tried combining them, but it all just isn't working very smoothly as soon as I want to switch something up. I'm starting to think that mine is a question not of simple functionality, but of workflow, in that maybe I'm going about it wrong in trying to use just "one step" in my workflow, meaning choosing stuff at the "Column Browser" and "sending" them to the "Files Column", or that indeed one step would be enough, but would have to consist of some other function than these two column panels specifically. Maybe utilizing Auto-Playlists, Auto DJ,  and Playlist Mixer functionality would help me, or some other thing yet? Having a couple of tabs for sure I can imagine could help out, but not quite sure not now, honestly. Still I can't seem to get out of my head that just being able to toggle certain things "on the fly" would help immensely.

Any ideas for me?

[boroda]

you can ctrl+click (and, also, shift+click and ctrl+shift+click) items in column browser like files in windows explorer.

[hiccup]

Are you aware that if you have e.g. filtered the output using a column somewhere in the middle, you can then drag a column left of it to the right of it?
(which will retain the filtering selection that you made in the first column)

Another approach could be:
If it is usually the same tag column that you want sometimes higher, and sometimes lower in the hierarchy, you can create a virtual tag for the tag of that column. (it showing the exact same values)
Then place the original tag column on the left, and the virtual tag column on the right.

There may be other solutions to what you are asking for.
e.g storing various custom views that have different column layouts.

[aVataR_eHYeh]

you can ctrl+click (and, also, shift+click and ctrl+shift+click) items in column browser like files in windows explorer.

This is true, and that lets me select several things at a time, but it doesn't let me select some things in one column, then another one to the right of it, and then go back to select in the left one again without nullifying everything to the right.

[boroda]

you are right, never noticed this. if you post wish in wishlist to keep all valid selection on the right columns after modifying selection on the left columns, then i'll +1 your wish.

[aVataR_eHYeh]

Are you aware that if you have e.g. filtered the output using a column somewhere in the middle, you can then drag a column left of it to the right of it?
(which will retain the filtering selection that you made in the first column)

Another approach could be:
If it is usually the same tag column that you want sometimes higher, and sometimes lower in the hierarchy, you can create a virtual tag for the tag of that column. (it showing the exact same values)
Then place the original tag column on the left, and the virtual tag column on the right.

There may be other solutions to what you are asking for.
e.g storing various custom views that have different column layouts.

Hm, didn't consider that I can move about the columns "mid-selection", as it were. But if I choose say a couple of artists, and a couple of their albums, and then want to select some more artists, and make a switcheroo between the two columns, then the only artists that show up in the artist column now to the right of the album column, are the ones from which the albums were selected to begin with, so that doesn't help me much. If I understand you correctly, that is.

Hehe I did manage to find that virtual tag workaround actually by myself, and if you understood what you were looking at in my screenshot then you would see that indeed I've experimented with having things such as "Stars" and "Love" and "BPM"  both to the far left, and far right. But I don't know, it feels like I have something in mind, an idea about a workflow, and I'm not even sure 100% how it would look like, and so the only concrete thing I know is that I would like to have like a list of "filters" that can be toggled irrespective of everything else.

Right now I'm leaning toward having like two tabs open at all tabs to switch between, for impromptu, and play around some with different auto-playlists.

[aVataR_eHYeh]

you are right, never noticed this. if you post wish in wishlist to keep all valid selection on the right columns after modifying selection on the left columns, then i'll +1 your wish.

Cool, thanks, and done.

[boroda]

i've +100 your wish because i see no reason for current implementation