Author Topic: Filters with fixed layouts  (Read 7468 times)

volongoto

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Hi,

I've just started using Music Bee, and I think I'll stick to it mostly because of it being lighter than SongBird (am I right here?).

I have a question regarding the library layout. Is it possible to match filters with certain layouts. Say, I want to have one filter (Filter1) shown in 3-column layout with certain column fields where as another filter (Filter2) should be shown in 2-column view with some other column fields. When I switch back between Filter1 and Filter2 I want to also switch between 3-column and 2-column views (with correct fields for the columns).

Is this possible with Music Bee? If not, should I re-post this as a feature request?

Cheers

ma_t14

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No, its not possible as far as I know. You can use autoplaylists instead until (and if) it gets implemented. It makes sense though

+1

Anti

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I'm in two minds about this.

I agree that pop/dance, classical and jazz all have different column requirements.

However, I used to rage at mediamonkey because every node needed its columns set-up individually, and actually, I wasted a lot of time trying to sync the columns and widths so the main panel wouldn't 'jump' around when I switched nodes.

Steven

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its something i used to hate about itunes, how the fields would jump around when you changed playlists and i just found it confusing. Perhaps if it does get done, it would be on an exception basis (like i did with playlists), where for a specific filter you would opt out of the standard and have a customised view

ma_t14

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its something i used to hate about itunes, how the fields would jump around when you changed playlists and i just found it confusing. Perhaps if it does get done, it would be on an exception basis (like i did with playlists), where for a specific filter you would opt out of the standard and have a customised view

That is exactly the way I was thinking about this too. Have all autoplaylists follow a standard layout but also have an option to force your layout of choice for any autoplaylist you wish

edit
i meant filters  ::)
Last Edit: February 16, 2012, 02:33:17 AM by ma_t14

bigelow13

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I reeealy agree on this one, I'm still looking for a convenient way to store my classical music library and being able to put a custom layout on a filter or a distinct library would do the trick. The column requirements are off course different for my pop and classical music



paq

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I am sort of "against" this. Aren't filters supposed to just filter out something from your view and not affect the view itself? Maybe it's just semantics but shouldn't filters only apply to the information and not the presentation...?

Plus, isn't what you wish for more suitable to do using Auto-Playlists? Using these you can already customize both type of view (Artwork/Album & Tracks/Track Detail) and what columns to be shown.

So, enlighten me. What advantages does filters have over Auto-Playlists, in regard of the above wish? :)


Steven

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to address the different layout for classicial music (without saying whether it will be included with filters), another view could be created: Track Details (Classical) which can have its own columns assigned.
As with the other views, you can assign a specific view to a playlist if you want.

as i dont really listen to classical music i'm not sure whether the same is also needed for Album and Tracks view as well. I really would like to avoid adding: Album and Tracks (Classical) if its not really needed.

paq

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@ Steven: Wouldn't that be sort of "dangerous", say if then someone wants to have "Track Details (Pop)", another one wants "Track Details (Rock)" and so on... In my opinion, the views (Artwork/Album & Tracks/Track Detail) should be those basic fundamental three, and have "nothing to do" with how your columns are set up.

So if I understand the "problem" correctly, it's more something like this: Say my library is about evenly divided by classical and pop music. Instead of having two (auto) playlists "Pop" and "Classical", I have several for my classical music. The classical music are the exceptions, the pop music is fine to look at using the default view. However I don't want to customize columns for each classical playlist so they all look the same, I rather just click a "Track details (Classical)" option.

Wouldn't the better solution be something along these lines:
The simple idea:
If one right clicks at the columns there would be an option "Copy columns setting" and "Paste columns setting". One can then for all playlists that are the "exceptions" then paste some column setting one is happy with. In this way columns won't jump around as much when one changes between playlists that one still want to look the same.
 
The advanced idea:
Being able to save the view and how columns are set up into presets. Somewhere there can then be  a preset-menu where one can save and load different, maybe even named, setups. If someone changes some columns in a playlist where a preset was loaded, the preset wont change, think of it as making "an exception to the exception". However if someone saves some column setting to an already existing preset, every playlist that have loaded this preset will change accordingly.

Just some thoughts. :)

Steven

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i've implemented this by adding a Layout field to the filter definition. By default nothing changes (current library view and fields are displayed), but if you select a specific view (Album & Tracks, Artwork, Track Detail) for a filter, then that filter keeps that view and fields specific to that filter.
Its in the next update