Columns UI

Hi musicmusic

Hello

1. is it possible to use a different font for the "heading" in the grouped view?

Not ATM though it is being considered.

2. Is it possible to add a setting that allows us to use grouped view when playlist name satifies a certain criteria?

I did think someone would want that, so I am considering playlist filters for the groups just like the columns.

3. Is it possible for you to make the default UI elements usable in column UI? I ask because if there isn't interoperability, we'd be in a pretty crappy situation where panels made for columns don't work in default and vice versa, leading to fragmentation of the available components, and unnecessary duplication of effort (a panel developer needs to make a seperate plugin for default UI and for column UI).

I don't like the situation as much as you. However I don't think I created this situation.

I doubt I could realistically add support for them on my side. I think some kind of helper that wraps both APIs for panel/element developers is the only possible way forward, but I don't know how feasible that is either. There's only one person I know that would currently be able to make a good judgement there...

Frank Bicking has also mentioned that his Facets component will be a default UI only release, which sucks because its a really good plugin and i'd love to use it with column UI.

What features of it do you prefer over foo_browser? (aside from any general suckyness of the latter )

Quote from: musicmusic on 2007-10-23 19:35:18

thanks for all your work on column ui and foo_dop.

Welcome

Columns UI

Reply #3753 – 2007-10-23 22:53:28

I could imagine there are some users more than only me, using foobar since years, using ColumnsUI since years, keeping an eye at the development, valueing your efforts and investigations, in creating THE superb UI, who cannot understand why there's one man missing in the boat/cruiser/ultra-outtaspace-glider..

Columns UI

Reply #3754 – 2007-10-23 23:56:03

Is it possible to have a different style for a selected and playing track? For example:

Selected: Blue
Playing: Purple
Selected & Playing: Pink

If it isn't would you (musicmusic) beable to create a command (such as %selected%) so that this would be possible? Then I can just use $if($and(%selected%,%_isplaying%),$rgb(),$rgb()) to change the color of a selected and playing track.

Thanks .

Columns UI

Reply #3755 – 2007-10-24 01:46:43

musicmusic in regards to foo_browser, other then the fact that it simply sucks performance wise with my 60,000 music collection, it is also no longer actively developed.

below are the screenshots of the issues I was having with NG Playlist within the latest alpha, please let me know if you need any other shots or details. ng playlist was working fine in v2 final with 0.4 of ng playlist

Columns UI

Reply #3756 – 2007-10-24 06:15:03

Hi musicmusic

thank you very much for your prompt reply .

Quote from: kanak on 2007-10-23 18:34:08
2. Is it possible to add a setting that allows us to use grouped view when playlist name satifies a certain criteria?
I did think someone would want that, so I am considering playlist filters for the groups just like the columns.

Yes! Thank YOU!
I was also wondering if it would be possible to have different grouping styles (group by album, by genre etc) that we could use per playlist. I know it's a bit far fetched, but it'd be seriously awesome if this could be implemented; we could have certain playlists grouped by albums, others by artists etc.

Quote from: musicmusic on 2007-10-23 19:35:18

Quote from: kanak on 2007-10-23 18:34:08
Frank Bicking has also mentioned that his Facets component will be a default UI only release, which sucks because its a really good plugin and i'd love to use it with column UI.
What features of it do you prefer over foo_browser? (aside from any general suckyness of the latter )

Speed is the main reason i'm using facets- Browser was just unusable on my collection... excessive startup times, unbelievable memory usage. That being said, i'm really hooked on the new albumlist panel (with filter- THANK you for the filter!), so i don't think i'd really lose a lot if facets couldn't be made to work with columns UI.

Quote from: musicmusic on 2007-10-23 19:35:18

Quote from: kanak on 2007-10-23 18:34:08
1. is it possible to use a different font for the "heading" in the grouped view?
Not ATM though it is being considered.

Please please consider it . Having the header stand out would make it much more "useful".

I also have a couple of requests regarding the playlist switcher panel:
1. The ability to sort a playlist by clicking on some 'header' column or through context menu would be really awesome.
2. Ability to include info like "playlist length", "items" and "size" (like in the default UI), would be very nice too.

Once again, thank you for all your work, i may bug you with some foo_dop requests soon too .

Columns UI

Reply #3757 – 2007-10-24 23:28:05

Quote from: Keikonium on 2007-10-23 23:56:03

Is it possible to have a different style for a selected and playing track? For example:

Selected: Blue
Playing: Purple
Selected & Playing: Pink

If it isn't would you (musicmusic) beable to create a command (such as %selected%) so that this would be possible? Then I can just use $if($and(%selected%,%_isplaying%),$rgb(),$rgb()) to change the color of a selected and playing track.

Thanks .

Yes you can. See:
-Colours and Fonts prefs page
-Style string
-$rgb documentation

Quote from: 4nt1 on 2007-10-24 01:46:43

musicmusic in regards to foo_browser, other then the fact that it simply sucks performance wise with my 60,000 music collection, it is also no longer actively developed.

OK thank you for the information That's a lot of music..

You can try the new Filter Panels in 0.2.1 alpha 2. BTW: if you have SpeedStep, Cool'n'Quiet etc. enabled you may get a noticeable improvement in speed if you disable them (change power profile in Control Panel). That's not a suggestion, of course there are good reasons for using them, so it is entirely your choice. It may not be noticeable since your library is quite large anyway, but it makes a good difference on my two computers (~3000 tracks in library).

Quote from: 4nt1 on 2007-10-24 01:46:43

below are the screenshots of the issues I was having with NG Playlist within the latest alpha, please let me know if you need any other shots or details. ng playlist was working fine in v2 final with 0.4 of ng playlist

Please try alpha 2.

I was also wondering if it would be possible to have different grouping styles (group by album, by genre etc) that we could use per playlist. I know it's a bit far fetched, but it'd be seriously awesome if this could be implemented; we could have certain playlists grouped by albums, others by artists etc.

How does that differ from what playlist filters would let you do? Or would you prefer some other implementation of this rather than playlist filters?

BTW: I made a section on my wiki to track these things (the stuff on the rest of the page is out of date though). Please feel free to edit if I missed anything, but please don't make requests there.

Speed is the main reason i'm using facets- Browser was just unusable on my collection... excessive startup times, unbelievable memory usage.

OK well you can try filter panels in 0.2.1 alpha 2

I also have a couple of requests regarding the playlist switcher panel:
1. The ability to sort a playlist by clicking on some 'header' column or through context menu would be really awesome.

Yes I would like to move the playlist switcher to the new list control (same as NG Playlist and Filter Panel). That would relate to this because you'd have columns to use for sorting then But it's low priority ATM. But these sorts would be permanent. Date created would be a nice sort actually, but not exactly possible

Quote from: musicmusic on 2007-10-24 23:28:05

2. Ability to include info like "playlist length", "items" and "size" (like in the default UI), would be very nice too.

You can do this through the title formatting. Documentation

0.2.1 alpha 2 released

NG Playlist improvements
Added support for globals, playlist filters to columns in NG Playlist
Added pressed state for live editing command in buttons toolbar
Added Filter panel
Similar to foo_browser et al.
To configure, enter the names of the fields you which to filter by in the prefs page. Note: these are field names and not title formatting! The filtering is progressive and the order of the fields in prefs is the order the filters are applied. Changes to the field list are applied when you close the prefs page.
To use, insert multiple panels into your layout. To choose the field for a panel, right click the column header.
Note: it does not refresh on media library changes ATM and there is no direct way to refresh them.

Columns UI

Reply #3758 – 2007-10-25 01:19:36

Quote from: Keikonium on 2007-10-23 23:56:03

Is it possible to have a different style for a selected and playing track? For example:

Selected: Blue
Playing: Purple
Selected & Playing: Pink

If it isn't would you (musicmusic) beable to create a command (such as %selected%) so that this would be possible? Then I can just use $if($and(%selected%,%_isplaying%),$rgb(),$rgb()) to change the color of a selected and playing track.

Thanks .
Yes you can. See:
-Colours and Fonts prefs page
-Style string
-$rgb documentation

Yeah, I know I have to use that stuff, but I don't know how to lay it out. I see no variables to make the selected tracks background a different color. I can make the text a different color, but I am given that option in the colors and fonts page.

Would you mind supplying some example code on how to make a background of a selected track a different color?

Columns UI

Reply #3759 – 2007-10-25 02:37:35

awesome news music music, ng playlist is now looking pimp and even uses my globals from my playlist which blew me away, it looks much more polished now, I will be using this instead of playlist from now on.

one this I would like to be able to click on the group header and have it select the album below.. this is done in the new default ui and think its a great addition... see what you think...

as for the filter component damn you work fast, what you have so far runs like a bat out of hell...

its a given we will requets more features for it to be like facets but its definately a step in the right direction.

some requests for filter, allow columns in the panels, ie total number, file size, rating etc...

the ability to look at the musics preferences from the filter itself, so if I make a sertain filter down to an album I want to just right click on the 3rd pane and choose properties, with facets and foo_browser i believe this is possible...

also once I do change some properties and I have an existing selection, it is not dynamically removed from the list until I make a new selection and then revisit my previous filter selection once more... further to that I can only refresh the list if its not the first panel, ie if I reselct a genre then the list displayed is the new list of artists with my changes.. but if I modify a genre then I cannot see the change in the first pane.. I hope this makes sense..

i think this is done in the new album list and also for sure in facets...

excellent job so far - great performance

Columns UI

Reply #3760 – 2007-10-25 03:26:50

This might be a stupid question, but what's the best way to change colors of things in NG Playlist? (background color, for instance)

Columns UI

Reply #3761 – 2007-10-25 09:22:28

Concerning the NG Playlist.
* Globals Style support?
* Auto-size columns?

Good job with the Filter panel. Very cool.

Columns UI

Reply #3762 – 2007-10-25 14:55:56

Quote from: Keikonium on 2007-10-25 01:19:36

Yeah, I know I have to use that stuff, but I don't know how to lay it out. I see no variables to make the selected tracks background a different color. I can make the text a different color, but I am given that option in the colors and fonts page.

Would you mind supplying some example code on how to make a background of a selected track a different color?

If you are using the default config, you can change from the colours and fonts page.

Otherwise there is an example of the style string at the bottom of this page. You can set the style string on a item level (global style string) or subitem/cell level (column style string).

Note: this is for the Columns Playlist only.

one this I would like to be able to click on the group header and have it select the album below.. this is done in the new default ui and think its a great addition... see what you think...

Yeh, that is planned.

as for the filter component [...] what you have so far runs like a bat out of hell...

some requests for filter, allow columns in the panels, ie total number, file size, rating etc...

You mean multiple fields per panel? Or just some extra info (# tracks in entry, total length of tracks in entry etc. - i.e. artist a, xx tracks).

the ability to look at the musics preferences from the filter itself, so if I make a sertain filter down to an album I want to just right click on the 3rd pane and choose properties, with facets and foo_browser i believe this is possible...

Yes I'll definitely add proper context menu.

also once I do change some properties and I have an existing selection, it is not dynamically removed from the list until I make a new selection and then revisit my previous filter selection once more... further to that I can only refresh the list if its not the first panel, ie if I reselct a genre then the list displayed is the new list of artists with my changes.. but if I modify a genre then I cannot see the change in the first pane.. I hope this makes sense..

I think you are saying it does not refresh on media library modifications. Yes, that is known. For now you can restart foobar or switch layout presets and back.

Quote from: nilla on 2007-10-25 03:26:50

excellent job so far - great performance

Thanks

This might be a stupid question, but what's the best way to change colors of things in NG Playlist? (background color, for instance)

It just uses system settings at the moment.

Quote from: mil3s on 2007-10-25 09:22:28

Concerning the NG Playlist.
* Globals Style support?
* Auto-size columns?

Yes, forthcoming..

Quote from: mil3s on 2007-10-25 09:22:28

Good job with the Filter panel. Very cool.

Thanks

Columns UI

Reply #3763 – 2007-10-25 17:57:48

in regards to

QUOTE(4nt1 @ Oct 25 2007, 02:37) *
some requests for filter, allow columns in the panels, ie total number, file size, rating etc...

You mean multiple fields per panel? Or just some extra info (# tracks in entry, total length of tracks in entry etc. - i.e. artist a, xx tracks).

Just some extra info will be fine, once again I dont like to keep referring to facets but it has the right options to add extra columns, having said that it also lets me put colums like date as well as file size type info...

otherwise so far so good, thanks for replying to all my points nice to know you listen to your users

Columns UI

Reply #3764 – 2007-10-25 23:17:49

Quote from: 4nt1 on 2007-10-25 17:57:48

Just some extra info will be fine, once again I dont like to keep referring to facets

I don't either, it sounds like faeces

So, I added a list of requested info fields here, if there's any others feel free to add them.

Quote from: 4nt1 on 2007-10-25 17:57:48

otherwise so far so good, thanks for replying to all my points nice to know you listen to your users

It's easy when there's a couple posts per day

Columns UI

Reply #3765 – 2007-10-25 23:40:30

Quote from: musicmusic on 2007-10-25 23:17:49

I don't either, it sounds like faeces

You must have a weird dialect.

From askoxford.com:
faeces: /feeseez/
facet: /fassit/

Columns UI

Reply #3766 – 2007-10-25 23:51:56

Quote from: foosion on 2007-10-25 23:40:30

Quote from: musicmusic on 2007-10-25 23:17:49
I don't either, it sounds like faeces

You must have a weird dialect.

From askoxford.com:
faeces: /feeseez/
facet: /fassit/

LOL I didn't expect you to take that seriously

As you're reading here, the last sentence [a href='index.php?showtopic=44213']here[/a] doesn't make any sense

Columns UI

Reply #3767 – 2007-10-26 04:24:00

suggestions added, nothing to over the top just a new 3d engine with a flight simulator option when you hit F7, no only joking just a couple additions

Columns UI

Reply #3768 – 2007-10-26 06:42:48

Hey thanks for the update. Haven't had and won't have much time for fb2k - I see problems arising, maybe they are already here? Component developers will have to decide which world (default panel/columns) they serve. And users have to take into account what panels they want to use.
I didn't read the forum lately... Will we be able to use both worlds? As far as I know the project my assumption is "no". So: ColumnsUI outsiders?

Columns UI

Reply #3769 – 2007-10-26 07:02:22

There's still a chance that Columns UI will support official UI Elements.

Columns UI

Reply #3770 – 2007-10-26 07:08:25

Hi musicmusic

I have a couple of questions (and suggestions) regarding columns_ui and the new filter panel:

1. What does the "linked metafield" textbox in the "Edit Column" dialog do?

2. Regarding the filter panel, would it be possible to:
a. have it print to console the amount of time it took to populate the fields?

b. Use stuff like %genre% instead of Genre? (i was trying to get a %date% %album% type field, but i just can't figure out how i'd put it in)

c. add "average play count", "first played", "last played" among the list of proposed "info columns"?

Once again, thanks for your components... the new filter panel looks very promising .

Columns UI

Reply #3771 – 2007-10-26 13:17:30

Hi musicmusic, ColumnsUI is making incredible progress

I've got two feature requests I'd like you to consider.

The first one is explained most easily. Which is the ability to set a certain amount of padding around each element/panel, preferably horizontal and vertical seperately.

The second one is more difficult to explain and to code I suspect.
What I would love to have is the ability to set a "variable panel". What I mean by this is a panel which can be set to another panel by the push of a button.
For instance there would be a panel on the left of the window (or right, doesn't matter) which has buttons that "link" to a certain panel (like a lyrics panel, a playlists panel or a queue manager panel. When clicked it loads this panel into a dedicated panel elsewhere in the window.

Maybe a picture offers a better explanation: http://img9.imagepile.net/img9/32939columnsui.jpg
So, a bit like a tabbed panel stack, but different and IMO providing a cleaner look
A picture of the Rythmbox music player for Gnome which I would really like to mimic with this feature: http://www.gnome.org/projects/rhythmbox/sc...thmbox-main.png

Perhaps a more simple way to achieve this would be to create a list of buttons in the left panel which are able to switch to a different layout (like in view->layout->preset). Then I would be able to achieve pretty much the same thing.

Anyway, I know this is quite elaborate and probably complicated but I hope you understand what I mean and that you could please consider this (if possible at all)

Columns UI

Reply #3772 – 2007-10-26 13:33:41

Quote from: 4nt1 on 2007-10-26 04:24:00

suggestions added, nothing to over the top just a new 3d engine with a flight simulator option when you hit F7, no only joking just a couple additions

Hehe, actually personally I wouldn't mind tagging directly from the filter panel, it would be pretty easy to locate and clear up bad metadata.

Quote from: Squeller on 2007-10-26 06:42:48

So: ColumnsUI outsiders?

I guess so..

1. What does the "linked metafield" textbox in the "Edit Column" dialog do?

It is for the inline meta data editing. That setting used to have a different title ("Meta field to edit" or something), I just changed it.

2. Regarding the filter panel, would it be possible to:
a. have it print to console the amount of time it took to populate the fields?

I generally don't put those in components for release since it can give misleading impressions (it's not always clear what precisely is measured). I guess it can affect startup time though so I'll add something that measures initialisation time.

b. Use stuff like %genre% instead of Genre? (i was trying to get a %date% %album% type field, but i just can't figure out how i'd put it in)

I don't really want to add title formatting, I don't feel it is necessary, it will impact performance and plus it will require too many hacks (on my side) to get multiple values per field working with it.

For date, info columns would deal with that when/if implemented.

I realise there's a problem with Album Artist, for that I can see two solutions:
-Fixed remapping for that field to fallback to Artist
-Custom remappings through extended syntax - e.g.

Code: [Select]

Genre;Album Artist,Artist;Album

c. add "average play count", "first played", "last played" among the list of proposed "info columns"?

Feel free to add them to the list in the wiki.