New Compact Player Layout

[Iasc]

I like how the the musicbee icon auto-hides when the window loses focus. Since both the MB icon and the text autohide they seem as single unified element (does that make sense?). Currently only clicking on the icon opens a menu. Wouldn't it make more sense if both icon and text could be clicked to open the menu?

+1
that would be not only comfortable but also consistent with Main Player view

+1

[jistme]

- depending on the horizontal space available, the volume control starts as a button only, when enough space is free shows the full slider and if the wavebar is displayed and enough space free also shows the equaliser button

This is a smart and elegant solution.

[Steven]

Big thumbs up for majority of changes in latest patch.
One problem for me is the "framing" of smaller artist pics. Preferred when the background colour went all around the pic.

i did change the handling but should still be the case that it does, so if you have the picture could you send it to me

[psychoadept]

Requesting one more small artwork-related function: how about a right-click menu item to force going to the next image?

[Steven]

http://musicbee.niblseed.com/V2_1/MusicBee_Exe_Patched.zip

- when the wavebar is displayed the player now needs to be wider before volume slider and equaliser icon shows
- artist pictures now always rotate but can be restricted to rotate local pictures only
- you will need to reset the flickr.com option if you want to include it for artist pictures
- artist pictures now also automatically rotate in the main player (Playing Track Tab and when docked on the bottom of the main panel)
- tweaked the colouring and transparency of the close/ restore buttons

[psychoadept]

- artist pictures now always rotate but can be restricted to rotate local pictures only

nice!  that almost negates my preceding request (though it could still be useful sometimes)

[redwing]

http://musicbee.niblseed.com/V2_1/MusicBee_Exe_Patched.zip

- when the wavebar is displayed the player now needs to be wider before volume slider and equaliser icon shows
- artist pictures now always rotate but can be restricted to rotate local pictures only
- you will need to reset the flickr.com option if you want to include it for artist pictures
- artist pictures now also automatically rotate in the main player (Playing Track Tab and when docked on the bottom of the main panel)
- tweaked the colouring and transparency of the close/ restore buttons

Thanks a lot for implementing all these! Great improvement both in layout and in functionality!

[Bee-liever]

Big thumbs up for majority of changes in latest patch.
One problem for me is the "framing" of smaller artist pics. Preferred when the background colour went all around the pic.

i did change the handling but should still be the case that it does, so if you have the picture could you send it to me

PM sent

[Alexis]

one of my comments was related to the fact that with 'change panel color for each displayed picture' checked, the beautiful border which goes around the player, tends to go around the skinned play-bar.   I am aware that this is really trivial, and other things should take priority.

I do not even know if it is possible or worth it to do what I am trying to propose (From my little skinning experience, I am do not think the height of the edge can be split for two colors joining as I am presenting, but just food for thought).

So, showing my thought for comparison.  
First image is the current, the second is the proposed.  
The focus is on the color of the edges on the bottom and the right of the play-bar.  If the play-bar was say pink, then the edge down there would be same pink.  In other words, all the edges of the play-bar keeps the original skin color setting.

[Steven]

@alexis, your proposal works for dark skins but not for other skins

[ma_t14]

I love the latest changes. It makes the compact player view almost perfect in my eyes.

1. Now the only part that looks somewhat out of place is the right pane when on auto-hide. When it shows it doesn't look so "classy" as the rest of the elements.

Here is what I would suggest, when the right-panel is on auto-hide mode and you mouse over to make it show the window control buttons ( ) should disappear so that the right panel takes over the whole space (and return when the right panel disappears).

Also it would look more pleasing to the eye if the right panel had a very subtle transparency.

Something like this maybe:



I'm really bad with mockups but hopefully you get the general idea  

Additionally it would be ideal if the headers (now playing, lyrics, etc) took the whole horizontal space of the panel and were centered to make their clicking area larger and thus easier to access



2. Here is another idea I have just come up with. Why does the auto-hide/auto-show should be only triggered when you mouse over to the edgle? I personally find this inconvenient in that it requires the user's attention/concentration to move the cursor  to the edge.

What do you say to the change that whenever the mouse pointer is ANYWHERE inside the window the panel is shown. This goes by the logic that when you have your mouse inside the window you are about to do some work (queue tracks, change order etc) so you need the Now Playing list visible. This seems as a more natural behaviour in my eyes

EDIT

I now realize that my 2 requests clash. There wont be a way to click any of the window control buttons if both suggestion are implemented exactly as how I described them. Alternatively instead of the second suggestion I would like to see a slight increase in the area that triggers auto-show of the right panel as I find the current area too thin

Opinions?

[redwing]

+1 for the #1 transparency idea.

But I would prefer current way of unhiding. After Steven made it easier, I have no problem with it. If the panels are auto-open whenever you mouse over, it would neither look good nor serve any additional functionality. The panels already stay open when you mouse-over them e.g. for lyrics.

[ma_t14]

But I would prefer current way of unhiding. After Steven made it easier, I have no problem with it. If the panels are auto-open whenever you mouse over, it would neither look good nor serve any additional functionality. The panels already stay open when you mouse-over them e.g. for lyrics.

To be honest I find it a bit "irritating" having to concentrate to hover my pointer to the edge. Regarding it not looking good (?) that will only happen when your cursor is inside the window which normally only happens when you are trying to change or do something. At all other times when your cursor is away the window will look exactly the same as now.

I just think it is a simple and elegant solution. In practice I think it would perform better than it sounds  

Nevermind, see my original post

[VX]

Thanks for the improvements in the latest patch. I appreciate all of them 

- artist pictures now always rotate but can be restricted to rotate local pictures only
- artist pictures now also automatically rotate in the main player (Playing Track Tab and when docked on the bottom of the main panel)

Where can it be configured (restricted) I can't find a proper setting in the (Modern) Compact Player Layout configuration window.

+1 for the first mat's idea.

[Iasc]

nice changes in the new patch, thanks.