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Topic: Columns UI (Read 4560184 times) previous topic - next topic
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Columns UI

Reply #4725
Feature request:
- Size of separators configurable, or an option to hide them, when needed.

Any chance?

Columns UI

Reply #4726
Odyssey, I’m back to reply!

(Sorry to disappear for a week.)

[quote name='odyssey' post='588691' date='Sep 16 2008, 13:13']
You should check out EL Playlist - It offers the customization it seems you are looking for. However you will lose inline editing, but then you will have to make a choice.[/quote]
Thanks, I’ll bear that in mind.

However, I’m sure it can’t be that hard to allow bold text or to change the space above or below group headers. I don’t think these things would be a big departure for the extension, otherwise I’d agree that there are other extensions for other things. Columns UI is predominantly an extension for enhancing the appearance of Foobar. It lets you change the text colour. It lets you adjust the leading (padding between lines). To me, it seems perfectly logical for Columns to allow these other two things.

[quote name='odyssey' post='588691' date='Sep 16 2008, 13:13']
[quote name='Grand Dizzy' post='588683' date='Sep 16 2008, 22:21']
3. Ability to specify whether text is antialiased in certain panels.[/quote]
I have never seen programs that had different settings of aa, and it really is a Windows setting - on or off.[/quote]
I’ve never seen a non-graphics program that allows antialias settings to be changed. I have no idea how possible it is; it was only a request. If it’s simply a matter of 30 seconds of coding, why not include it?

[quote name='odyssey' post='588691' date='Sep 16 2008, 13:13']
With your complaints, I fail to see why you even have it on.[/quote]
I don’t have antialiasing on. My eyes can’t handle it. I just think it’s a shame I can’t have antialiased text for my playlist because I have large text in my playlist and I think large text looks ugly when it’s not antialiased.

[quote name='odyssey' post='588691' date='Sep 16 2008, 13:13']
[quote name='Grand Dizzy' post='588683' date='Sep 16 2008, 22:21']
4. Ability to show data such as replaygain and codec in Item Properties.
[/quote]
Nice panel, but it seems that it should be used for editing tags.
[/quote]
You sound as though you’ve never used Default UI? (The Item Properties panel is called ‘Selection Properties’ in Default UI.)

The primary purpose of the panel is not for editing tags. You can’t edit tags in Default UI. Columns UI lets you do it, but that is a bonus. The purpose of the panel is simply to show you information about the currently selected track. The Default UI version shows ReplayGain, codec info etc. so I don’t see why the Columns version shouldn’t allow this? Again, I wouldn’t imagine it was a big job for the programmer.

[quote name='odyssey' post='588691' date='Sep 16 2008, 13:13']
Also there are better ways to show technical things as ReplayGain info etc.
1. Configure the statusbar
2. Create a foo_trackinfo panel
3. Create a column in the playlist
[/quote]
1. The point of the Item Properties panel is to show all the data in an easy-to-read table format. The status bar doesn’t achieve this.
2. I’ve had a look at this extension and it seems to just be a replacement for Item Properties panel. Columns has its own replacement, which works well. All it needs is to feature ReplayGain info etc. and it will be working fine. Sure, Columns UI users can download a whole other extension just to gain this feature, but if a single line of code can enable it, it would seem a good idea for the programmer to do it, if he/she chooses (sorry, musicmusic, I don’t know much about you!).
3. No, the only fields I want in my columns are fields I want to browse at a glance, or compare. But other information I only want to see when I’m examining a particular track. I don’t need it in my columns all the time because I don’t want to look at it all the time.

Besides which, I wouldn’t have enough room to make columns for: filename, foldername, file path, file size, samplerate, channels, bitrate, codec, encoding, tool, tag type, track gain, track peak, album gain and album peak. All of which are displayed in the Selection Properties tag of the Default UI.

[quote name='odyssey' post='588691' date='Sep 16 2008, 13:13']
[quote name='Grand Dizzy' post='588683' date='Sep 16 2008, 22:21']
5. In the playlist, ability to inline-edit multiple fields in a single column.
[/quote]
I don't see how this would work in practice.[/quote]
Well you perform a normal inline edit by re-clicking on the column you want to edit, and a text box appears. With my option, it would simply look where the cursor was at the time. Any part of the text that was taken directly from a field is associated with that field, so you can edit it. If you click on text that isn’t taken from a field, nothing happens.

[quote name='odyssey' post='588691' date='Sep 16 2008, 13:13']
If you choose to have an advanced formatting, I don't see why the developers have to make up weird workarounds to make a marginal usergroup happy.[/quote]
Arguably, most Foobar users are using it in “advanced” ways. Arguably, Columns UI itself is for advanced users. Arguably, there are many feautres in the options that a lot of people would never use.

Besides which, displaying multiple fields in a single column is hardly “advanced”! One of the default columns already does this (the track number column combines the disc and track number together). So every Foobar beginner is using this “advanced” feature from the start. Incidentally, if someone did want to inline-edit the disc and track number with Columns UI, they wouldn’t be able to.

In general, you come across as quite dismissive of all my ideas (it’s probably not intentional). Please bear in mind, they’re only ideas. The author can cosider them, and may like them, or may not. That’s up to him/her, surely? There’s no harm in putting them to him/her, is there? And anyway what’s wrong with an option few people use?

[quote name='odyssey' post='588691' date='Sep 16 2008, 13:13']
Also this could be solved in a "tag-edit" layout.[/quote]
Could you elaborate please? I don’t know what that is.

[quote name='odyssey' post='588691' date='Sep 16 2008, 13:13']
You could try make a "Maintenance" playlist (that's the way I do it). It contains the music I want to edit tags for and has a different view (note, the playlist filters).[/quote]
That sounds interesting. You’re saying there’s a way to use multiple column configurations? If so, how would I do that?

[quote name='odyssey' post='588691' date='Sep 16 2008, 13:13']
[quote name='Grand Dizzy' post='588683' date='Sep 16 2008, 22:21']
Could you include an option so that double clicking on the album art[…] launches the image file so it appears in your default image viewer?
[/quote]
Try foo_run. With this you can make a button that opens the image with your favorite application.
[/quote]
Again, it’s very easy for the author to implement, why not add it? It saves people having to use multiple extensions when one can do all these things.

I realise that some extensions are for very specific purposes/functions, but I was under the impression that Columns UI was “the mother of all extensions”, combining lots of useful tweaks into one extension — essential things that are missing from default Foobar, so that people can install one extension and have almost everything they need.

Now surely viewing the artwork is one of the most fundamental things you should be able to do it Foobar? What’s the point in having all this artwork if you can only see a tiny thumbnail version of it? To me, this is something that needs fixing.

[quote name='odyssey' post='588691' date='Sep 16 2008, 13:13']
[quote name='Grand Dizzy' post='588683' date='Sep 16 2008, 22:21']
9. I can’t select multiple items in the album list![/quote]
Admittedly, I don't use Album List, but can't you just send each selected item to the same playlist and compose a playlist that way?

If you want to edit a tag across half or your entire music collection, send the parts to a playlist, rightclick and edit Properties.[/quote]
No, it would be much slower doing it this way.

Consider the two different ways of doing it:

Editing tags for multiple items in Default UI
1. Select all the items you want to edit (2 clicks).
2. Hit the key for 'Properties'.

Editing tags for multiple items in Columns UI
1. Select first item
2. Right click second item
3. Select ‘Add to Playlist’
4. Right click third item
5. Select ‘Add to Playlist’
6. Right click fourth item
7. Select ‘Add to Playlist’
[…and so on…]
8. Select all playlist
9. Hit the key for 'Properties'.

The beauty of the Default UI Album List is that you can just select any files and hit a key and you’re editing their properties. I don’t want to have to put those files into a playlist just to edit their properties!

[quote name='odyssey' post='588691' date='Sep 16 2008, 13:13']
[quote name='Grand Dizzy' post='588683' date='Sep 16 2008, 22:21']
It would be nice if you could click anywhere on the row[/quote]
I disagree that this behavior should be changed, and I highly doubt that it will.[/quote]
I just thought it would be neater.

[quote name='odyssey' post='588691' date='Sep 16 2008, 13:13']Try foo_playlisttree_mod. It offers this kind of customization and has advanced options for creating playlists.
[/quote]
Thanks!

Columns UI

Reply #4727
Different artwork for NG playlist and Artwork panels!

With imgsize plugin for Totalcommander (searching images bigger than x), TreecopyPlus (for the copying part) and XNview I was easily able to copies of all cover images smaller than 300px. I have a lot of cover art which exceeds 1000px, I want to be safe for the future.
I renamed the original (big) ones and put the small ones as folder.jpg besides the originals.

What I want (and what maybe others want. Good for playlist performance!):

- Small images to be displayed in NG playlist and windows explorer (folder.jpg!)
- Big images to be displayed in album art panels in fb2k.

I cannot achieve this afaics? It seems an either - or situation.

 

Columns UI

Reply #4728
@Squeller

I was doing what you want to do for a while now.

If you don't have any trouble with it, foo_uie_albumart (listed in Known potential troublemakers but I didn't experienced any crash so far and I like the ability to change mouse click function) is the easiest way.

Unless you used all 3 picture type (  ) ... You can assign your unused art (I don't use Disc) to your main cover and have artwork panel lock to it.

But I think you might thought about these ideas already..

Columns UI

Reply #4729


5. In the playlist, ability to inline-edit multiple fields in a single column.

I don't see how this would work in practice.

Well you perform a normal inline edit by re-clicking on the column you want to edit, and a text box appears. With my option, it would simply look where the cursor was at the time. Any part of the text that was taken directly from a field is associated with that field, so you can edit it. If you click on text that isn’t taken from a field, nothing happens.

How should it react on formatted strings? Did you ever try to code a program? You make it sound pretty simple, but I think that not just the code behind, but also the use of it would be VERY confusing!


Also this could be solved in a "tag-edit" layout.

Could you elaborate please? I don’t know what that is.

In your layout definition, you can save it as a preset. You can create as many presets/layouts you want, and they are easily accessible through the "View" menu. You could create one "Playing layout" with EL Playlist that has the looks that you want, and a "Tagedit layout" that are better suited for editing tags.

You could try make a "Maintenance" playlist (that's the way I do it). It contains the music I want to edit tags for and has a different view (note, the playlist filters).

That sounds interesting. You’re saying there’s a way to use multiple column configurations? If so, how would I do that?

In columns configuration you can use the "Playlist filter" box to define which playlist(name)s it should be showed on. F.ex. I have created many columns with most of them defined that they should only be showed on playlists called Maintenance* (wildcard chars accepted).



Could you include an option so that double clicking on the album art[…] launches the image file so it appears in your default image viewer?

Try foo_run. With this you can make a button that opens the image with your favorite application.

Again, it’s very easy for the author to implement, why not add it? It saves people having to use multiple extensions when one can do all these things.

If the author meant to include every possible option, I think he would not have created the API to allow other developers to contribute. I'm not fully against this feature request, but I would rather request user customizable click-actions on the artwork. That together with foo_run could make it launch your favorite viewer to show the artwork.

Another way to show the artwork is again through foo_trackinfo_mod panel. You could create a tabbed splitter that you can switch between playlist and a large trackinfo panel that shows your artwork or something similar.
Can't wait for a HD-AAC encoder :P

Columns UI

Reply #4730
i've a couple of minor requests for musicmusic. i'm really sorry if they were asked already, but 190 forum pages is a lot of stuff to read at once, since searching didn't produce relevant results.

in the *single column playlist* i ask for:
1. the ability to jump to first item in alphabetical order of the ordered column, when the corresponding keyboard letter is stroke. (as happens in the library filter)
2. a search box like that in the library filter, with option for searching among artist or album or title or a combination of them

i also subscribe the request for $font settings in the columns, or simply the ability to show bold and italics text.

many thanks

EDIT: * i meant the standard columns playlist, sorry

Columns UI

Reply #4731
@ v.1
Single Column Playlist weren't developed by musicmusic, so there is no support for this I think, but if you meant NG Playlist look here and scroll down to "TYPEFIND", install and type in your playlist to jump to the characters!
(if you want not to show the artist's names in the first column b/c you have it in the grouping-header, just resize it to non-visible, but it's needed to typefind,... this is the way I use it)

@ Grand Dizzy
To shorten your problem with the album list you could assign a keyboard shortcut to the official one, then you have a pop up window which supports multiple selection. the problem with your "enter" for properties shortcut would still exist...
fb2k on OSX: flac q8 > rockboxed Sansa e280v1: Vorbis q5.0

Columns UI

Reply #4732
Unless you used all 3 picture type (  ) ... You can assign your unused art (I don't use Disc) to your main cover and have artwork panel lock to it.
[foo_uie_albumart]
I don't care about "known potential troublemakers", I tend to judge by myself and I'm free to drop the component in case of trouble.
But I think you might thought about these ideas already..

No, I haven't! And thanks for your advice. I didn't ever try this component, it makes the album art displaying more flexible and I can exactly define, what I want to have displayed. The core's album art display is very weak at that. Didn't have any problems so far with it.

Columns UI

Reply #4733
In the latest version, in the artwork panel, with displayed track set to automatic(current selection/now playing), the current selection artwork doesn't always show, it only seems to if the panel is properly focused, although it also works when playlist switcher is focused.

It might be that the other panels I'm using (ELPlaylist, lyrics show panel etc) don't have the same behaviour as the native CUI panels, but it's really annoying to just move my mouse around and have the artwork panel go black...

Columns UI

Reply #4734
@ v.1
Single Column Playlist weren't developed by musicmusic, so there is no support for this I think, but if you meant NG Playlist look here and scroll down to "TYPEFIND", install and type in your playlist to jump to the characters!
(if you want not to show the artist's names in the first column b/c you have it in the grouping-header, just resize it to non-visible, but it's needed to typefind,... this is the way I use it)


  i mismatched em! i was talking about standard columnS playlist. i'm sorry

Columns UI

Reply #4735
Feature request:
- Size of separators configurable, or an option to hide them, when needed.

Any chance?


Please, at least one word about this!
I think that is a little piece that would make Columns UI almost perfect.

Columns UI

Reply #4736

@ v.1
Single Column Playlist weren't developed by musicmusic, so there is no support for this I think, but if you meant NG Playlist look here and scroll down to "TYPEFIND", install and type in your playlist to jump to the characters!
(if you want not to show the artist's names in the first column b/c you have it in the grouping-header, just resize it to non-visible, but it's needed to typefind,... this is the way I use it)


  i mismatched em! i was talking about standard columnS playlist. i'm sorry


this works of course for standart columns playlist, too!
fb2k on OSX: flac q8 > rockboxed Sansa e280v1: Vorbis q5.0

Columns UI

Reply #4737
New version 0.3.2 of Album List Panel available for testing. It updates with media library changes (i.e. when you rescan, retag etc.). Please report any issues encountered here, crashes in [codebox ] tags.
.

Columns UI

Reply #4738
New version 0.3.2 of Album List Panel available for testing. It updates with media library changes (i.e. when you rescan, retag etc.). Please report any issues encountered here, crashes in [codebox ] tags.

Thank you, this is great!

Columns UI

Reply #4739
New Album list is awesome.

Bug (I think): context menu item "Remove from library" still forces a rescan.



Columns UI

Reply #4742
I recently switched from the Album Art panel to the built-in Artwork View, which can show cover art from foo_lastfm_radio.

I noticed that when hovering the artwork panel, the cursor changes to a hand, but clicking doesn't seem to do anything.  Am I missing something?

Columns UI

Reply #4743
A question : In the context menu, is the 'Refresh tree' entry still useful ?
Not so much, only for those with 'Populate on initialisation' disabled. For the next release I was planning to change it to 'Populate', show it only for those with that option enabled, and hide it once executed. At the moment it may also be useful to check the state of the tree is correct.

I noticed that when hovering the artwork panel, the cursor changes to a hand, but clicking doesn't seem to do anything.  Am I missing something?
Currently it cycles through artwork types. This will change sometime though
.

Columns UI

Reply #4744
When no tracks are selected (for example just after startup), the artwork view shows nothing (just the background colour).

I would expect it to show the "generic" cover when nothing is selected.  Did you really intend it to work this way (i.e. show nothing), or is this a bug?

Columns UI

Reply #4745
halabund, go to path mentioned below and type in location of your generic cover.

Preferences/Advanced/Display/Image to display when no album art can be found

Columns UI

Reply #4746
Preferences/Advanced/Display/Image to display when no album art can be found

I already did that.  The "problem" is that the image I set there is only displayed when a track is selected (and no other cover art is associated with it).  But if no track is selected at all (for example just after program startup, or after dropping files to the playlist from the file manager), then nothing is displayed at all.  The artwork view is just black (because I set the background colour to black).

Columns UI

Reply #4747
I already did that.  The "problem" is that the image I set there is only displayed when a track is selected (and no other cover art is associated with it).  But if no track is selected at all (for example just after program startup, or after dropping files to the playlist from the file manager), then nothing is displayed at all.  The artwork view is just black (because I set the background colour to black).


Same here. I think that's what "playlist selection" as displayed track does, and for me "current selection" only ever shows the artwork of the first item in the playlist, and only when playlist switcher or artwork viewer has focus- at other times (most of the time) it's black. In fact just trying it now I can't get it to show any art at all. Weird.

It would be nice if there was a "focused item" and corresponding "automatic(focused item/now playing)" option, so that there is always some album art on display.

Columns UI

Reply #4748
New version 0.3.2 of Album List Panel available for testing. It updates with media library changes (i.e. when you rescan, retag etc.). Please report any issues encountered here, crashes in [codebox ] tags.

Not really a bug, but most of the double/middle click actions seem to have a silent "and play" tacked on to them (e.g., Send to new playlist creates a new playlist and begins playback of the sent items immediately).

Perhaps you could make the available actions in the pulldowns the same as those for the filter panel (with the same behavior)?

Columns UI

Reply #4749
When no tracks are selected (for example just after startup), the artwork view shows nothing (just the background colour).

I would expect it to show the "generic" cover when nothing is selected.  Did you really intend it to work this way (i.e. show nothing), or is this a bug?
I designed it like that as I like distinction between "no artwork found" and "no items active". But anyway it can be added as an option if you feel differently.

"current selection" only ever shows the artwork of the first item in the playlist, and only when playlist switcher or artwork viewer has focus- at other times (most of the time) it's black.
It requires your playlist view to report its current selection by an API added in the foobar2000 0.9.5 SDK.

It would be nice if there was a "focused item" and corresponding "automatic(focused item/now playing)" option
No. Keyboard focus is a keyboard navigation aid, I don't/won't use it for anything else.
.