I've been using the View Filter and I'm seeing some weaknesses.
First, the View Filter can get really messy when creating a lot of smarlsts/playlists. Second, it doesn't keep the order that you would be used to seeing it in the tree all the time.
How about doing something kinda like this:
Keep the "Show all files", "Audio", and "Image". Add "Video" since that is the 3rd media type anyway.
Next, get rid of the Show Only & Hide menus. Instead, replace them with the playlist items themselves. Like this:
Show all files
----------------
Show only Audio files
Show only Image files
Show on Video files
-----------------
Auto Smartlists (music) >
Auto Smartlists (video & image) >
etc.
If "show all files" were previouly selected (default), then show a checkmark beside each menu entry which would mean "show". If someone would click on it, it would then "hide" the contents of that smartlist/playlist.
There has been a lot of request to do multiple view filtering and this would make it work. If someone clicked on another checked entry, it would then hide that one as well. Get the idea?
Another idea would be instead of using the word "show", just have it implied as filtering. (check on/off).
So then it would be this:
Reset
-------
Audio
Image
Video
--------
Auto Smartlists (music) >
Auto Smartlist (video & image) >
--------
check means showing
unchecked means hiding.
when reset isn't checked, it means filtering
when reset is checked, it means no filter has been applied (showing all files).
I'm sure it's very possible to do this and by looking at how it works now. Maybe instead of check boxes, use bold and plain text, or plain text and light (almost hidden/disabled) text.
This would be cleaner and it would retain the playlist structure everyone will be used too for easy navigating/reading.
Is this something worth thinking about? Anyone use the view filter a lot and have an opinion on this?