Author Topic: Modular layout components (re: consistency)  (Read 4882 times)

psychoadept

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I know this would probably require a major overhaul and is a long shot, but I would LOVE to see the various sidebar/track details components be drag-and-droppable modular pieces that could be put in any bar (left, right, or bottom) or floated, and closed like windows. These would be the pieces that I would expect to be draggable:

Lyrics
Album Artwork
Artist Gallery
Details from web
Player (wave bar still attached)
Library Explorer
Now Playing

possibly also limited version of this functionality for the Track Browser
Last Edit: February 07, 2013, 08:53:30 PM by scampbll
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Zak

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Already raised:

http://getmusicbee.com/forum/index.php?topic=7888.0

I know this would probably require a major overhaul and is a long shot
Both 100% correct. :P

From a coding point of view, this kind of drag and droppery isn't trivial to implement.
Bee excellent to each other...

psychoadept

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I know this would probably require a major overhaul and is a long shot
Both 100% correct. :P

From a coding point of view, this kind of drag and droppery isn't trivial to implement.

That's what I was afraid of.  :)  And apologies for being redundant (I'm not surprised it was raised before). 

These things keep coming up as I explore layout options for a comprehensive layout guide.  It's all kind of fragmented and obscure right now - button menus, right click menus, preferences screen, program menu options, stand alone preferences dialogs.  There's got to be a better way that doesn't involve a total overhaul...
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Steven

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although this is not implemented with the drag/drop functionality, i have consolidated all the options into the Now Playing layout dialog (and got rid of the right click layout options for laying out the now playing panel), so hopefully that will make it a little easier and clearer with the layout settings

psychoadept

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Cool, I look forward to checking it out!
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psychoadept

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I haven't played around with it a whole lot yet, but at a glance it seems much clearer.  Way less likely to induce hair-tearing.  :)
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psychoadept

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Consistency of layout options is coming up again as I try to describe them on the wiki and still come across many cases of "this works like this, unless you do this," or "in order to do this, you need this particular combination of settings," etc.

Forget about drag-and-drop, that's just icing.  The various "Now Playing Panel" components can still be decoupled, which was really the point in the first place  So each of these should be separate pieces, able to be moved or enabled/disabled independently:

*Now Playing list: left, right, main panel options (already does this, but it's not obvious that you could separate it from the Now Playing panel or how to do it, as demonstrated by recent question from WimYogya).

*Track Details/Lyrics: one, the other, or both, vertical or in tabs (as now), left or right panel.  Option of above or below Now Playing list.  No stand-alone artwork tab here.

*Stand-alone artwork: as currently available in left sidebar, with option to move to the right sidebar.

*Player: position options as now.  No longer able to have two players (one in sidebar, one at top/bottom) OR (if someone is really invested in having both?) top/bottom player configured/enabled separately from sidebar player.

*Spectrum visualization and wave form: sidebar versions as now - option of right or left sidebar.

*Compact Player/floating window: configured separately from main window components.  As-is they don't transfer over precisely anyway.  Perhaps just a checklist for which of the components to include in the compact player.  Opening the floating window wouldn't close any main window components.

This would massively simplify layout configuration.  There wouldn't be any confusing exceptions or exclusions to figure out.  You just put each piece where you want it and you're done.
Last Edit: February 07, 2013, 10:14:12 PM by scampbll
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lnminente

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I would like to help but my sidebars have the minimun and with autohide enabled, i moved all the extra info to the bottom panel using TM embedded. Most of the time use Now playing in a tab. This is my layout: http://s11.postimage.org/gp9j4ogur/layout.png

So can't apport much here but just in case it helps i had a idea of reusing some code of the highlighting rules sorting. Maybe a row for left panel and another for right panel chosing the sorting of different elements could help to seeing it simple




psychoadept

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Yeah, your mockup is basically what I was envisioning for the compact player.  You're right, it could work for everything.  Maybe check boxes for the main window in general, and radio buttons for left or right (extra choices for now playing and player location).  And another column of check boxes for the compact player.
Last Edit: February 07, 2013, 10:32:06 PM by scampbll
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