Topic: Too Easy VI -- Things we should have done because they were so simple (Read 32277 times)

JimH · « **on:** July 25, 2020, 09:53:27 am »

We've done several "small change" request threads. Here's the last one.
https://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php/topic,119218.0.html

The rules are the same and if you don't read them, you will find your post missing.

PLEASE READ THIS ENTIRE POST BEFORE POSTING
Long or complex posts will be removed.

In the Too Complex thread, we were told how unintuitive MC could be.

So here's the challenge for those who want intuitive software.

Suggest a change that will make MC easier to use (but NOT a feature request).

If you can meet the following guidelines, we'll try to make the change.

A change needs to be:

1. Easy to implement (less than an hour of our time)

2. Generally useful to most users

3. Something that doesn't remove existing functionality and that isn't controversial

In other words, it must clearly be an improvement.

and

4. Something that can be described in 10 lines or less (not complex to describe)

PLEASE don't post anything else in this thread (no "+1" posts or comments). Start a new thread if it doesn't fit the requirements.

Thanks!
Modify message

RD James · « **Reply #1 on:** July 25, 2020, 10:12:31 am »

ASIO device settings: add a "maximize device volume during playback" option.
This bring parity with WASAPI to ASIO outputs, and fixes bit-streaming on many devices that respect the Windows volume setting rather than bypassing it.

Good idea

DSD input filters: adjust the "medium" filter to 48dB/octave rather than the insufficient 24dB/octave.
Scale filters with frequency. 1x DSD should filter at 24/30/50 kHz. 2x DSD at 48/60/100 kHz etc.

wer · « **Reply #2 on:** July 25, 2020, 12:19:59 pm »

Make the info line in the Theater View Playing Now screen an expression, so that we can display what we want.

The expression should be set from Theater View options.

Good idea

Default value should be what the line currently displays.

tzr916 · « **Reply #3 on:** July 25, 2020, 01:23:01 pm »

Change "View>User", so that Clients can startup as a different User than the Server, and Remotes like android, jremote, panel, etc. can actually utilize the "User" feature (don't simply run under the same User as the Server).

Good idea but not a one hour task.

lepa · « **Reply #4 on:** July 25, 2020, 02:08:12 pm »

Quote from: wer on July 25, 2020, 12:19:59 pm

Make the info line in the Theater View Playing Now screen an expression, so that we can display what we want.

The expression should be set from Theater View options.

Default value should be what the line currently displays.

That picture reminds me....

Option to show time values / volume value instead of those "flowing dots". MC already show real values when selecting the line but I want those dots gone also when not selected. They just flow there without any context about what they should indicate.

~OHM~ · « **Reply #5 on:** July 25, 2020, 02:47:22 pm »

I use tabs and a lot of them, of course I will close one down accidentally, I like them in a certain order. Is it possible to have a drag to reorder them like you can with a browser?

Good idea

Doof · « **Reply #6 on:** July 25, 2020, 03:08:41 pm »

On the Windows side, I would love it if MC would behave more like a native application does re: window management/resizing. Things like:

Win+Arrows don't snap MC
Can't snap into the corners
When MC is mazimized and I drag it down to un-maximize it, it sometimes moves itself to a random location on the screen. It's not under my mouse cursor, but it's still movable by the mouse until I let go of the click.
I often find myself struggling to find that magic spot on the window that I need to click on to move it. A lot of Microsoft apps have started putting stuff into the formally empty title bar, but they're still easily movable whenever you click on an empty spot of the title bar. MC has a bigger deadzone near the top that's unclickable and for some reason I hit that first 90% of the time I want to move the MC window.

MC is a super powerful and complex piece of software but I don't often struggle with using it. These few things are like invisible walls that I smack into repeatedly in my daily workflow when every piece of software I'm using throughout the day all behave the same way except for my favorite one.

Good idea We'll do what we can.

Doof · « **Reply #7 on:** July 25, 2020, 03:09:57 pm »

Quote from: ~OHM~ on July 25, 2020, 02:47:22 pm

I use tabs and a lot of them, of course I will close one down accidentally, I like them in a certain order. Is it possible to have a drag to reorder them like you can with a browser?

Yes, please. A "reopen closed tab" option like most browsers have would be very welcome as well.

JimH · « **Reply #8 on:** July 25, 2020, 04:39:04 pm »

Just a reminder, that this isn't a good place to propose anything complex. Read the first post if you don't understand why.

SkGe · « **Reply #9 on:** July 26, 2020, 02:39:59 am »

A simple task I think, is adding image support for playlist;
When playlists are in group show the playlist instead of all files in those playlist.

Fangio · « **Reply #10 on:** July 26, 2020, 05:13:42 am »

Music Album Cover Art > Get from internet: Allow the user to edit the text which will be used for the lookup.

Good idea

Awesome Donkey · « **Reply #11 on:** July 26, 2020, 08:22:52 am »

Quote from: RD James on July 25, 2020, 10:12:31 am

DSD input filters: adjust the "medium" filter to 48dB/octave rather than the insufficient 24dB/octave.
Scale filters with frequency. 1x DSD should filter at 24/30/50 kHz. 2x DSD at 48/60/100 kHz etc.

This would be one of my main two requests as well. My other main request is as follows...

- Allow MC clients running on different machines (connected to a library server) have, use and save their own column size customizations for panes/list views.

Right now clients inherit the sizes of columns (e.g. when using panes with list) from the server but this can pose two issues; 1) if the server is running on a system with a screen resolution of 1440p or 4K for example and the columns are sized on the server to those screen resolutions, if you connect a client it inherits those column sizes from the server, but if you screen is 1080p or lower, the columns are sized outside of the visible view (because they're sized for 1440p/4K screen resolution). 2) the reverse is also true, if you have a server running at 1080p (with columns sized for that screen resolution) and you have a client running on a device with a 1440p or 4K screen, the columns sizes are inherited from the 1080p server, and columns are too small.

You can resize the columns in the clients, yes. But if you close MC and reopen it, those column resize changes aren't persistent and thus not saved and it reverts back to whatever column sizes the server has for the resolution it's running on. Of course any columns size changes should be changed/saved/loaded on the client side and not the server side, last thing I'd want is resizing columns on clients and have those changes affect the server's column sizes.

That's my top request for MC27, for column sizes to be saved on clients (and used when opening MC clients) instead of always using the server's columns sizes. In theory this shouldn't take long to implement, correct?

NNTK · « **Reply #12 on:** July 26, 2020, 08:55:43 am »

Add "Send To (external)" in Customize Toolbar

Move or Duplicate "Send To (external)" in "Send To" to root of Context Menu.

Change name to "Open With"

JimH · « **Reply #13 on:** July 26, 2020, 10:30:55 am »

Quote from: NNTK on July 26, 2020, 08:55:43 am

Change name to "Open With"

That's probably a good idea.

AndrewFG · « **Reply #14 on:** July 26, 2020, 05:23:55 pm »

Playing Now // TheaterView // JRemote => Swipe Left, Right => Next, Previous track (or image) in playlist.

Good idea

(EXCEPT: on longer video movies instead of Next / Previous video, suggest to do a +/- 5 minutes skip instead..)

jmone · « **Reply #15 on:** July 26, 2020, 06:15:35 pm »

Option to create a particle for each chapter.

Good idea[/color

greynolds · « **Reply #16 on:** July 26, 2020, 07:26:28 pm »

Add the Tag feature for TV Recordings in TheaterView. It's already available for other views, just not for TV Recordings.

Good idea

Scobie · « **Reply #17 on:** July 26, 2020, 10:55:12 pm »

Have the "Associate with DLNA Server" result pop up window also supply an inline Edit link to View/Edit the DLNA server config.

Good idea

AndrewFG · « **Reply #18 on:** July 27, 2020, 02:44:11 am »

Quote from: Scobie on July 26, 2020, 10:55:12 pm

Have the "Associate with DLNA Server" result pop up window also supply an inline Edit link to View/Edit the DLNA server config.

And, or, the Renderer Right Click menu could have (in addition to “Disable Transport Events”, and “Disable SetNext”) also a link to the DNLA server settings.

Good idea

leezer3 · « **Reply #19 on:** July 27, 2020, 04:38:03 am »

When selecting to tag on import, this appends on fields which are a semi-colon deliminated list.

This *really* needs an option to overwrite not append; All it wants is a little checkbox when setting up the rule.
I maintain my own filing system, and I don't need or want whatever junk is in the tags polluting my library.

Good idea

Awesome Donkey · « **Reply #20 on:** July 27, 2020, 04:40:32 am »

Okay, I thought of another one.

An option to disable the smooth scrolling effect used in panes when scrolling up or down the lists.

Why?

Scobie · « **Reply #21 on:** July 27, 2020, 04:46:31 am »

Quote

And, or, the Renderer Right Click menu could have (in addition to “Disable Transport Events”, and “Disable SetNext”) also a link to the DNLA server settings.

Yeah, some way to link the Renderer config directly with the server config without having to traverse the menus.

lepa · « **Reply #22 on:** July 27, 2020, 05:29:12 am »

Duplicate dlna server views option during add server so it is easy to create multiple dlna services with same views.

Good idea

Why do multiple dlna services with same views?
- different DSP
- different encoding

Awesome Donkey · « **Reply #23 on:** July 27, 2020, 07:10:33 am »

Quote from: Awesome Donkey on July 27, 2020, 04:40:32 am

Why?

Because the smooth scrolling experience is terrible to me, it bothers me and I've never liked it (trust me, I've tried). Web browsers which support smooth scrolling have options to disable it so it's always the first thing I disable in web browsers so there is a precedent for that kind of option.

Also I seem to recall during MC25 or early MC26's release cycle there was an experiment with disabling smooth scrolling in MC by holding down a button while scrolling but it was removed. All I'm asking is to restore that functionality with an option to always disable smooth scrolling.

JimH · « **Reply #24 on:** July 27, 2020, 07:31:37 am »

Quote from: Awesome Donkey on July 27, 2020, 07:10:33 am

Because the smooth scrolling experience is terrible to me, it bothers me and I've never liked it (trust me, I've tried). Web browsers which support smooth scrolling have options to disable it so it's always the first thing I disable in web browsers so there is a precedent for that kind of option.

Also I seem to recall during MC25 or early MC26's release cycle there was an experiment with disabling smooth scrolling in MC by holding down a button while scrolling but it was removed. All I'm asking is to restore that functionality with an option to always disable smooth scrolling.

If it's easy, we'll do it.

wer · « **Reply #25 on:** July 27, 2020, 01:09:50 pm »

When watching a video in full-screen or theater view, there is no way to know when Clip Protection engages.

Add an option to display for 5 seconds a small visual reminder that clip protection has engaged, like in the example shown, when watching a video full-screen or in theater view.

Good idea

Use the existing OSD functionality and the existing clip-protection "detection" code from Audio Path to make this easy. The option can reside in Theater View->Advanced. Default is OFF.

Efjay · « **Reply #26 on:** July 28, 2020, 02:35:54 pm »

For albums with more than one disc, it would be nice to be able to tell JRiver to play a particular disc number (as well as have JRemote have the ability to do this as well).

JimH · « **Reply #27 on:** July 28, 2020, 03:35:55 pm »

Quote from: Efjay on July 28, 2020, 02:35:54 pm

For albums with more than one disc, it would be nice to be able to tell JRiver to play a particular disc number (as well as have JRemote have the ability to do this as well).

MC has a tag called Disc #. If you enter it correctly, the set will appear as separate albums.

Efjay · « **Reply #28 on:** July 28, 2020, 07:04:57 pm »

Quote from: JimH on July 28, 2020, 03:35:55 pm

MC has a tag called Disc #. If you enter it correctly, the set will appear as separate albums.

I've done that (see pic) but I don't see how to access disc 2, for instance. At one point I simply tagged multi-disc albums as individual albums. What am I missing (running v.23 if that makes a difference.)

RoderickGI · « **Reply #29 on:** July 28, 2020, 07:17:26 pm »

When using the Tag Dump Group in the Tag Window, use the available space to avoid having to scroll up and down to see tags in the Tag Dump.

I always put the Tag Dump at the bottom of the Tag Window, and there is a lot of wasted space below it that could be used. See image.

principal_X · « **Reply #30 on:** July 28, 2020, 07:24:11 pm »

How about a way to trigger Run Auto-Import now without having to leave Theater View. Thanks

RoderickGI · « **Reply #31 on:** July 28, 2020, 08:06:53 pm »

Quote from: principal_X on July 28, 2020, 07:24:11 pm

How about a way to trigger Run Auto-Import now without having to leave Theater View. Thanks

Add a new External Program menu item to Theatre View. Have it run MC26.exe with MCC Command 23020, which is "MCC_IMPORT_AUTO_RUN_NOW".

Scobie · « **Reply #32 on:** July 28, 2020, 08:08:51 pm »

Does the Alt + I command work in Theatre View? Cant run Theatre on the server in my setup.

RoderickGI · « **Reply #33 on:** July 28, 2020, 08:42:31 pm »

Quote from: Scobie on July 28, 2020, 08:08:51 pm

Does the Alt + I command work in Theatre View? Cant run Theatre on the server in my setup.

Actually, it does, and it runs MCC Command 23020. So if a keyboard is available, that is the simplest option, and already exists.

Otherwise, if only a Remote Control is being used, a menu item in Theatre View will do it.

JimH · « **Reply #34 on:** July 28, 2020, 09:46:49 pm »

Quote from: Efjay on July 28, 2020, 07:04:57 pm

I've done that (see pic) but I don't see how to access disc 2, for instance. At one point I simply tagged multi-disc albums as individual albums. What am I missing (running v.23 if that makes a difference.)

Look under Albums or Artists. If you don't see two, then the tags may not be correct.

mattkhan · « **Reply #35 on:** July 29, 2020, 02:31:24 am »

label the tick marks on the y axis in the DSP analyser so you can see the level of the signal

mattkhan · « **Reply #36 on:** July 29, 2020, 02:32:16 am »

add min/max fields to the y axis in the DSP Analyser to let the user control the displayed range

mattkhan · « **Reply #37 on:** July 29, 2020, 02:32:56 am »

let the user choose which channels to show in the analyser (e.g. by clicking on the channel name in the header area)

mattkhan · « **Reply #38 on:** July 29, 2020, 02:34:32 am »

add a "custom biquad" filter type to the PEQ screen which lets the user enter the biquad coefficients directly (i.e. a0,a1,a2,b0,b1,b2)

benefit is that no one has to ask for any further specific filter types to be added

mattkhan · « **Reply #39 on:** July 29, 2020, 02:36:40 am »

add keyboard shortcuts for add/remove in the PEQ screen

mattkhan · « **Reply #40 on:** July 29, 2020, 02:37:11 am »

allow user to squelch the "are you sure" dialog when you click remove on a PEQ

mattkhan · « **Reply #41 on:** July 29, 2020, 02:38:15 am »

add support for copy/paste on the PEQ screen (i.e. allow user to copy and paste individual filters)

mattkhan · « **Reply #42 on:** July 29, 2020, 02:47:32 am »

after adding a PEQ filter, change keyboard focus to the 1st edit field automatically (currently have to tab twice to get there)

to explain... combining this with https://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php/topic,126265.msg875299.html#msg875299 would make keyboard driven entry much less tedious, e.g. adding PEQ filters would be

ctrl++ (lets assume this is add a filter)
enter a freq
tab
enter q
tab
enter gain
tab
down arrow (to open the channel select)
down arrow + space as many times as necessary to select the desired channels

repeat as many times as you like without any mouse movements

NB: preferred solution is import from some well defined txt format instead but I very much doubt that fits in the 1hr window whereas these keyboard tweaks are really tiny changes

leezer3 · « **Reply #43 on:** July 29, 2020, 08:23:27 am »

If currently editing a tag, don't allow the import summary window to steal focus.

(This is *really* bad when typing in a field)

Doof · « **Reply #44 on:** July 29, 2020, 04:08:50 pm »

Could these radio buttons be replaced/augmented somehow with regular buttons or hyperlinks so that we can just click the button for the option we want and go there, instead of selecting the radio button and clicking Next? 1 click is better than 2?

terrym@tassie · « **Reply #45 on:** July 29, 2020, 07:52:21 pm »

Quote from: RoderickGI on July 28, 2020, 08:06:53 pm

Add a new External Program menu item to Theatre View. Have it run MC26.exe with MCC Command 23020, which is "MCC_IMPORT_AUTO_RUN_NOW".

How about an option to specify 'self' or %MC% for the launcher in Theater View External Program menu items.
e.g if you are running on MC26 it would select MC26.exe, if MC 27 it selects MC27.exe, it would save having to edit my Theater View external commands after every yearly upgrade (which I always forget to do).

Good idea

RoderickGI · « **Reply #46 on:** July 29, 2020, 10:18:08 pm »

Quote from: terrym@tassie on July 29, 2020, 07:52:21 pm

How about an option to specify 'self' or %MC% for the launcher in Theater View External Program menu items.

Yes, that would be good. It should be done so it works with Standard View as well, or even external scripts. Perhaps an environment variable for the current program or similar.

Glynor wrote up a procedure for making scripts and so on MC version agnostic some time ago. I don't have a link on hand, but I think it used a separate small program. EDIT: Okay, I found the link. https://glynor.squarespace.com/mccl It is part of MCUtiltiies.

Anyway, I made that suggestion based on existing functionality. Implementation of your suggestion would be greatly appreciated Terry.

vulture_g7 · « **Reply #47 on:** July 30, 2020, 08:18:41 am »

How about the ability to reorder tabs just by dragging them?

JimH · « **Reply #48 on:** July 30, 2020, 08:22:20 am »

Quote from: vulture_g7 on July 30, 2020, 08:18:41 am

How about the ability to reorder tabs just by dragging them?

Probably not a one hour task.

datdude · « **Reply #49 on:** July 31, 2020, 10:49:38 am »

If I select Showtime, instead of Watch, can MC bypass the bookmark (if there is one) and just start the movie from the beginning without prompting the user? I have many movies I haven't watched in a while that prompt to resume and this interrupts the experience of the smooth transition from the trailers to the main movie.

I realize I can reset that field so there is no bookmark, but then the problem gradually gets worse again overtime. I know I can also disable the prompt to resume all-together, but it seems like an elegant solution to assume that if the user selects Showtime, they want the movie to start from the beginning. If they click Watch, and there happens to be a bookmark, it will still prompt to resume.

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Author Topic: Too Easy VI -- Things we should have done because they were so simple (Read 32277 times)