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Topic: Re: Syntax (for 'Custom Columns' Pattern field) for making custom duped columns (Read 7350 times) previous topic - next topic
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Re: Syntax (for 'Custom Columns' Pattern field) for making custom duped columns

Hey there!

New user here, with a limited veterancy of Foobar2000 (thoroughly enjoy the customizing and usefulness of it (including some thoroughly excellent processing plug-ins, as a music fan, but a lot of the syntax business still goes right over my head).

I recently knocked out my prior Playlist setup when I was fiddling with the UI layout (in this case, by cut'n'pasting a component window from a Scratchpad in place of the Playlist, rather than adding it below it as an addition: fumble fingers, I am) and after replacing my playlist's Column setup to my liking, I'm reasonably sure I had one last column behaviour that I either grandfathered in from an older version of Foobar2000 or had some help in fixing.

My issue: column centering (specific columns, meaning, but being able to do this for any 'copy' of a default UI column would also be fine). So far, both in the one post I found here before I signed up, and a number elsewhere (a handful of vintage ones on the subReddit for Foobar2000), the simplest answer would entail this method: make a custom 'duplicate' of the offending column using the criteria and syntax used in the original default UI fields, then set the 'copy/copies' to whatever individual alignment one prefers.

The problem I've having is that I can't seem to work out which 'pattern' field syntax would be used for the 'copies' (derived, I would expect, from the originals). You can't modify the original UI elements, of course; so 'diving in' into their configuration would, I assume, not be workable. I would like to know, if one of my fellow users would and could tell me, what would be the 'pattern' syntax, meaning which default UI columns, by name, correspond with the necessary syntax? I've gone through

http://wiki.hydrogenaud.io/index.php?title=Foobar2000:Title_Formatting_Reference#Track_info_fields_and_functions

quoted elsewhere as an exceptional reference, which I'm not at all contesting. But for whatever reason, the limitations my cognition functions under have only been getting best guesses (per 'pattern') for one, and the rest I can't work out from said reference. Pointing me to this reference won't help me with this, I'm afraid. It would be much easier to have a 'legend' for the 'pattern' field, again, corresponding to each default UI column's own internal syntax (which again, I cannot access, nor directly duplicate a field for customizing, as far as I know).

I'd very much like it if a body here might take pity on this particular Borrhomeo's ignorance, and assist this Audioastrologer with discovering this Grand Arcanum. Have a good one!

-Gozer, listening.

Re: Re: Syntax (for 'Custom Columns' Pattern field) for making custom duped columns

Reply #1
Under the Help menu you can open the Title Formatting Help page. It's a simpler and easier to understand version.

If you don't want anything to appear unless there's relevant information for a field, wrap the syntax in square brackets (otherwise you might see a question mark instead).

So for a Title column you'd use [%title%] as the syntax.
For Album it'd be [%album%] or  [%album_artist%%]. The difference is explained.

You can use more than one field per column. Something like this would display Artist and Album with a dash between them.

[%artist% - ][%album%]

That's the basics.
I do this sort of thing, which you can do for any column. It highlights the text in the column when a track is playing.

[$if(%isplaying%,>>>%artist%<<<,%artist%)]

You can choose the highlight colour under "Preferences/Display/Default User Interface/Colors and Fonts".

Re: Re: Syntax (for 'Custom Columns' Pattern field) for making custom duped columns

Reply #2
Actually, I have a question....
Anyone know if it's possible to duplicate the default Playing column, and/or if you can access the Play/Pause icons it uses?

Re: Syntax (for 'Custom Columns' Pattern field) for making custom duped columns

Reply #3
Playing column can't be replicated with title formatting.

Here's title format code for standard columns and approximation for Playing column with unicode characters for play and pause:
Item index$num(%list_index%,1)
Artist%artist%
Album%album%
Artist/album%album artist% - %album%
Track no[%discnumber%.][%tracknumber%]
Title%title%
Title / track artist%title%[ '//' %track artist%]
Date%date%
Duration%length%
Codec%codec%[ / %codec_profile%]
Bitrate[%bitrate% ]kbps
Playing$if(%ispaused%,⏸,$if(%isplaying%,▶,))
File name%filename%
File extension$ext(%path%)
File path%path%
File size%filesize_natural%

Re: Re: Syntax (for 'Custom Columns' Pattern field) for making custom duped columns

Reply #4
Playing column can't be replicated with title formatting.

Here's title format code for standard columns and approximation for Playing column with unicode characters for play and pause:

Thanks.

Re: Syntax (for 'Custom Columns' Pattern field) for making custom duped columns

Reply #5
Case & Yetanotherid, good morning!

Most excellent! What you've posted is exactly what I'd been hoping for, and will solve my wee problem thoroughly well. I'm fond of how detailed the Foobar2000 Hydrogenaudio Wiki was, and more than impressed by how much one can do with that kind of detail available for use, but your provided legends above will serve me much better as a relatively Junior Journeyman, and I thank you kindly for that!

May no Great Satan, appearing in Milan by Divine Permission, trace an 'S' in a strange, revolting liquid on your door (including a white-bearded giant, who suffered for his treachery after more than one person noticed he wasn't invisible). :) BTW, Case: may I ask if your alias is a 'Neuromancer' reference?

Good morning to you all, Sirs and Madams gentile and audacious!

-G.

Re: Syntax (for 'Custom Columns' Pattern field) for making custom duped columns

Reply #6
Note the default 'Playing' column also has a %queue_index% in there. That is, it shows the number of the queued item(s), after right-clicking track(s) > 'Add to playback queue'. So to replicate that in addition to what Case posted -

Code: [Select]
$if(%ispaused%,⏸,$if(%isplaying%,▶,))['('%queue_index%')']

Cheers

Re: Re: Syntax (for 'Custom Columns' Pattern field) for making custom duped columns

Reply #7
Anamorphic, thank you for posting in, and for the important correction! I've rarely worked with manual queueing (usually relying on rearranging the playlist at hand as I go), but I would prefer a given duplicated 'Playing' column (which I believe is what shows the small 'symbol' for Foobar2000's 'transport control' state (play, pause or stop)) to be identical to the original, were it to be needed (I checked, and the default UI does have a default 'centered' alignment, so I may only try doing a duplicate to experiment at my end), so I'd rather know than not know.

I really am blown away by how helpful you all have been, and very directly and simply so in explanation you've been to me and in answering my request. I'm very happy I signed up here yesterday, and again, thank you very kindly for the considerable assistance you've all supplied in the last eight hours alone!

Stay frosty, and rock on, mes amis!

-G.