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[Manfred]

I just noticed the Spotlight Icon in the neighbourhood of the Amazon Link. I first thought the Icon belongs to Amazon. I think that it would better to have a unique format:

Icons for all or replace the Spotlight Icon with the Name "Spotlight",or put the Icon in the neighbourhood  of the Artist Image?

I have attached a screenshot how it looks in my environment.

[markf2748]

In my library Standard View (Audio), the Spotlight icon only appears next to "Close" in the upper right corner of the lower split view.  Single click activates it after short delay.

Similarly, in library Standard View (Images), icon is next to the image size slider in the lower split view.

Absent from Player View, absent from my Links menu (which is fine with me, an improvement), and absent if view is not split.

or put the Icon in the neighborhood  of the Artist Image?

That would be a more universally available location (assuming you mean the small Artwork image that is optionally turned on at top of main window (RMB > Show Artwork) ).
Perhaps no Spotlight icon at all in that area to keep things clean.  Instead, Shift+click on the Artwork image.  Maybe add a briefly flashed tooltip with shortcuts list when mouse crosses through the small Artwork image, but retain current enlarged Artwork display without tooltip when hovering.  Also simply add it to the RMB context menu for small Artwork image, with keyboard shortcut indicated there.

MC 29.0.31  Windows 11 Pro 64-bit.

[MusicBringer]

I am Audio only with v29.28 and have failed to find this elusive Spotlight Icon anywhere.

[marko]

I am Audio only with v29.28 and have failed to find this elusive Spotlight Icon anywhere.

If you have a lot of tabs open, and, or, also many audio 'links' showing at the right end of the tab bar, so that those links overflow into a dropdown list, the Spotlight icon will not show.

Here, if I drop out of Cover View back to Standard View, the spotlight icon will disappear.

[MusicBringer]

If you have a lot of tabs open...the Spotlight icon will not show.

Thank you for your clear to understand answer.
I did have half a dozen tabs open. Did I really fail to notice the drop down chevron?
Anyway its there now - but I have no Yellow Torch icon, just the link name - I am not bothered just saying.
🙂

[marko]

You're welcome.
The link name won't work. As long as the chevron is there, you won't see the icon. You need to make the chevron disappear, by closing tabs, and/or removing links, then the icon will appear.

Alternatively, you could also just wait until there's a fix in place for this undesired behaviour.

[MusicBringer]

Happy to wait. Thanks for the follow up.

[markf2748]

Happy to wait. Thanks for the follow up.

With current release, you don't have to wait to follow progress.  Just split the Standard View (Audio or Image) by double-clicking on the horizontal "splitter-bar" near the bottom, and the Spotlight icon appears in upper right of the opened lower pane, as I pictured above.  Double-clicking the splitter-bar again returns to single pane.  There are also 2 single-click controls near the center of the splitter-bar (a little difficult to see) which split/unsplit the view.  Dragging the splitter-bar adjusts its height.

BTW, same actions apply to the left pane (Tree) vertical splitter-bar.

It's a good idea to save views in case things get messed up (View > Load / Save View > Save > ...), then you can easily restore them.

MC 29.0.31  Windows 11 Pro (64-bit)

[MusicBringer]

Hello Mark, in spite of your clear detailed reply, I am sorry to say I do not have the "horizontal splitter-bar" of which you speak. Also I do not have the 'close' in the upper right corner of a lower split view. I am not bothered, just saying.

[markf2748]

I am sorry to say I do not have the "horizontal splitter-bar" of which you speak.

Seems odd to me.  Visibility of the splitter bar varies considerably, depending on the skin.  You might try a few different skins: View > Skin > Blue Steel has a pretty clear splitter bar.  Hovering the mouse in region just above the bottom of its single pane, or the upper part of the lower split pane, you should see the single pointer change to a vertical double-headed arrow when over the splitter-bar.

There is also a setting Options > General > Features > [] Split View. I find it makes no difference whether checked or unchecked, I always have a splitter-bar.  The main effect I see is to add "Split View" to the View Menu.  Try View > Split View > Show 3 Views, and you should see a lot of vertical splitter-bars.

I have no expertise with skins, but definitely find these splitter-bar actions very useful.

Also I do not have the 'close' in the upper right corner of a lower split view. I am not bothered, just saying.

Puzzling also. I see it in 29.0.31, and seem to recall it in earlier versions as well.

[gappie]

i think the splitter-bar is also not there when you use a view as file list (customize view and left pane choose file list) .

 
gab
 

[markf2748]

i think the splitter-bar is also not there when you use a view as file list (customize view and left pane choose file list) .

 
gab

Good point, that would explain it.  I mainly use View As: Category, whereas View As: File List does not have "Close" or horizontal splitter-bars.
Important for Spotlight developers to keep this in mind.

[HPBEME]

Just seeing this thread, so my reply is regarding the OP's initial post.

Icons for all or replace the Spotlight Icon with the Name "Spotlight"

Great idea! Since the links bar is only used for links to web pages, why not just use the web page favicon just like browser tabs do?  The space saving would be enormous.  I personally will take an icon over text every time.  Of course any change will inevitably upset someone, so maybe make it like the top/bottom toolbar - that is, icon, or icon+text, and a 3rd option for text only.  That should meet anyone's desired look and workflow - but more work for the MC team. 

I would absolutely love to see a favicon only option... if others agree, please chime in and help encourage this "feature request".

[jkauff]

I would absolutely love to see a favicon only option... if others agree, please chime in and help encourage this "feature request".

Two problems with using favicons only. 1) Some users may not recognize all the icons; 2) Custom and standard links would all have the same icon (I have AMG - Artist and AMG - Album links).

I think icon+text for custom links only would be OK to save space, but I'd want to do some usability tests with the different possibilities.

[HPBEME]

1) Some users may not recognize all the icons

Which is why I suggested keeping a text only option.

2) Custom and standard links would all have the same icon (I have AMG - Artist and AMG - Album links).

Two identical favicons next to each other merely requires remembering the 1st one is AMG Artist, and the 2nd is AMG Albums... pretty straightforward.  Could also have a tooltip on hover indicating the favicon's identity for the severely memory challenged.

I think icon+text for custom links only would be OK to save space

If the majority of one's links are custom, this would take up even more space then the current text only (plus 1 spotlight icon).

I'd want to do some usability tests with the different possibilities.

If JRiver were to pursue this, I think it goes without saying they would do a lot of testing prior to unleashing it upon the unwashed masses - and then adjust as needed per feedback.