JRemote has a longstanding problem with MC zones that needs to be fixed. Some of the effects (like constant crashing of JRemote) have been fixed. Thanks for that! But there's a significant problem that still remains.
When the "App follows server zone changes" feature is turned on, JRemote is unable to follow server zone changes if the server changes to a zone with a Zone Index number higher than that of any hidden zone.
This failure leads to a second problem, which is when JRemote is in this desynchronized state, all operations including simple scrolling become very sluggish; MC becomes non-responsive to JRemote commands, and JRemote scrolling stutters. The problem disappears as soon as the MC server changes back to a zone with a Zone Index number lower than that of any hidden zone.
Since Zone Index numbers are created automatically by MC and cannot be edited by the user, this creates an incompatibility between using JRemote and having hidden zones.
To reproduce:
1. Have an MC server with at least 3 zones. Turn on "App follows server zone changes"
2. Create ZoneSwitch Rules to route tracks to the zones with Zone Index numbers of 1,2,3 based on whatever criteria. We'll refer to these zones as Zi1, Zi2, Zi3.
3. Hide the zone with a Zone Index number of 2 (Zi2)
4. Connect JRemote to server, so it gets an up to date zone list.
5. In JRemote, start playback of a track that will play in Zi1. JRemote follows the zone change, and everything works normally.
6. In JRemote, start playback of a track that will play in Zi3. Playback will start, MC will change zones. Observe JRemote fails to follow the zone change. Observe scrolling and other operations are problematic.
7. Get the server to play a track that routes to Zi1.
8. Observe JRemote follows the change, and everything is back to normal.
The problem can be mitigated by un-hiding the zone with Zone Index 2. But that's the whole point: they're incompatible. We either have to lose hidden zones, or we have to lose "app follows server zone changes."
I'm requesting that this be addressed, please.
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Topic: JRemote doesn't work properly when the server has hidden zones (Read 842 times)