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[Chauncey]

I am trying to figure out a way to sort my audio collection so that an artist's discography is separated into albums, live albums, singles and compilations.  I am in "audio only mode" using the standard view.  Ideally, I want the artist's main album thumbnails to display together (sorted by date, oldest to newest); then singles/EPs and finally live albums and compilations.  Does that make sense?  Can anyone help?                                                       

[Chauncey]

I may have found a way, but I am not sure if it's the best method.  I added info to the "Custom" tag field; "Album" = studio album, "Live" = live album, "Single" = CD single/EP, "Compilation" = greatest hits, box sets, etc.  Next, I switched to the details list view and sorted them accordingly.  I switched back to thumbnails and VOILA!, all looks good.  The studio albums, singles, live albums are all grouped together and sorted by release date.

Is this the best method?  Should I use a different tag field, like "Grouping"?  Also, FYI, I could not add info to the "Custom" field for ALAC files without MC (latest build) crashing.  I had to use dbpoweramp to add a "Custom" tag to my ALAC files.

[bob]

I may have found a way, but I am not sure if it's the best method.  I added info to the "Custom" tag field; "Album" = studio album, "Live" = live album, "Single" = CD single/EP, "Compilation" = greatest hits, box sets, etc.  Next, I switched to the details list view and sorted them accordingly.  I switched back to thumbnails and VOILA!, all looks good.  The studio albums, singles, live albums are all grouped together and sorted by release date.

Is this the best method?  Should I use a different tag field, like "Grouping"?  Also, FYI, I could not add info to the "Custom" field for ALAC files without MC (latest build) crashing.  I had to use dbpoweramp to add a "Custom" tag to my ALAC files.

I'm not sure about the method question but the crash on adding to the custom field for ALAC should be fixed in the next build.

[blgentry]

Just for clarity, you might want to use a new field that you define for this purpose.  Something like "Album Type" ; use a name that makes sense to you.

Otherwise you seem to have figured it out.  Good job!

Brian.

[Chauncey]

Thanks for the suggestion.  I might use “Album Type” instead of “Custom”.  That makes more sense.

[Chauncey]

Now that I’ve figured out how to group albums and singles I would like to take it a step further.  I would love to create a view with stacked images for each group.  I want to see the Artist’s releases stacked together.  After selecting the Artist, the view would be Albums (covers stacked), Singles (covers stacked), Compilations, etc.  Does that make sense?  Is it possible?

[blgentry]

Sure.  Build a new Categories view.  In a Categories view you tell MC which fields will control each screen.  For example, in the normal Artists view, the Categories are Artist, and then Album so you get to select artist and then album.  When you edit the view you'll see these categories in the definition of the view.

So the view you want is probably:  Artist, Album Type, Album.  So the second level would present you with a selection of every album type you have defined for that Artist.  Then the next level would be the albums themselves.  I haven't tried this, but I suspect it will work how you want it to.

Give it a try.  Shouldn't take you 5 minutes to build the new view.  Start with View > New View > Add Library View

Good luck.

Brian.

[Chauncey]

Thanks Brian.  I will give it a try.

[Chauncey]

It worked.  Although, I had to stick with the "Custom" field.  I would prefer to use "Album Type" but I can't seem to edit that field.

[Chauncey]

Any recommendations for which tag field to use to group releases (i.e., studio albums, live albums, singles, etc.)?  I have it working using the "Custom" field, but I would rather reserve that field for other info if I can find a more suitable field to edit.

[Chauncey]

Sorry for being a PAIN!  I have one more idea that I do not know how to implement.  Can I create a rule to show the grouped stacks only when the "Custom" tag field is populated but display the default view if the field is empty?

If I only have 2-3 albums of a particular artist then there is no point in an additional view stacking them.  But I have several complete discographies for a lot of artists, which is why the grouping is helpful.  For example, I have 4 albums by The Allman Brothers Band.  In that case, I would like to just click on the artist and view the albums.  However, I have a gazillion Pearl Jam releases.  When I click on Pearl Jam I can see stacks grouped as albums, albums (remastered), live, singles, etc. (which was my original goal!).  But with this new view I created, if I click on The Allman Brothers I see their 4 albums stacked and labeled "Unassigned".  Then I click again to see the albums.  I'd like to just see the albums unstacked.  Make sense?

Thanks again for your guidance!!!

[blgentry]

Any recommendations for which tag field to use to group releases (i.e., studio albums, live albums, singles, etc.)?  I have it working using the "Custom" field, but I would rather reserve that field for other info if I can find a more suitable field to edit.

Make your own field and call it anything you want.  Maybe "Album Release" ? 

Tools > Options > Library & Folders > Manage Library Fields > Add field

This wiki article will give you some guidance on different field types and things.

https://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/Library_Fields

Brian.

[blgentry]

Can I create a rule to show the grouped stacks only when the "Custom" tag field is populated but display the default view if the field is empty?

This feature has been requested several times before.   You essentially want to skip a level when the level contains no values.  Theater View actually does this automatically.  But Standard View (the computer interface) does not.  I don't know of any good work arounds for this. 

You might do some forum searches to see if there are solutions I don't know about.  MC is very powerful, but it's also limited in certain ways.

Good luck to you.

Brian.

[Chauncey]

Thanks again Brian!

[Chauncey]

This feature has been requested several times before.   You essentially want to skip a level when the level contains no values.  Theater View actually does this automatically.  But Standard View (the computer interface) does not.  I don't know of any good work arounds for this. 

You might do some forum searches to see if there are solutions I don't know about.  MC is very powerful, but it's also limited in certain ways.

Good luck to you.

Brian.

That's exactly what I would like to do.  I will keep looking for a solution.