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[cncb]

MCMultiView[/u]

I have developed a new interface plugin for my multiple display and multiple zone setup to use instead of TheaterView.  So, I thought I would share it in case anyone else might find it useful.


What is it?

An interface plugin to JRiver Media Center 11 that allows simultaneous full-screen control of different Media Center zones on multiple displays / extended desktops.


How is it useful? Why not just use TheaterView or NetRemote?

It is useful if you have a multi-output video card and want to use just one computer running Media Center and use multiple displays or televisions to control different zones. TheaterView only allows you to control one zone at a time and can only be displayed on one extended desktop at a time. NetRemote seems very flexible but (as far as I can tell) requires you to have a client pc running in every zone.


Features:

- Full-screen control of a different Media Center zone on each extended desktop.
- Any view scheme in the tree can be set as "home page".
- "Tile-like" list view of view schemes and files.
- Most colors, fonts, and sizes are easily customizable via setup screen in Media Center.
- Custom buttons can be added to the top area of screen to run any external application (including "mjextman" to control Media Center).
- Selected .url or .html files are shown in integrated browser window.
- Special text can be added to Notes of any file to run an external application.

Note:

- You will have to install the .NET framework to run the plugin.
- MCMultiView is mainly for music. You will still have to use the full-screen mode of Media Center for images and videos but this will only work on the desktop that was specified for full-screen mode in Media Center.

Screenshots
This was set up to look very similar to TheaterView but colors, etc. can be easily changed in the setup screen.

Navigation Screen


Now Playing Screen


Media Center Setup Screen


To find out more or download go to:
http://home.earthlink.net/~craig_mc/


-Craig

[cascius]

This looks very cool! I'll have to try this later on.

Thanks

[Bill Kearney]

It would really help if MCMV had a help screen.  There's no way to know the keys that will work without jumping out to the HTML page, which isn't exactly easy since MCMV forces itself on top.  Support F1 and ? for help.  

The how about supporting Alt-F4 to close MCMV?  Or do you have a problem that MC itself gets the keystrokes first?

[cncb]

Yes, MC processes keystrokes first so ALT+F4 will close MC and this is why I'm using SHIFT+F12 to just close MultiView.

I'm not sure it would be worth it to add a help system for MultiView but I see what you mean about it being difficult to get to the HTML.  If you look at the one of the sample settings files I supplied it has a minimize button which will make it easier (SHIFT+F11 also minimizes but unfortunately launches TheaterView from MC as well).  Alternatively, you could import the HTML "help" file into MC, add it to the tree somewhere and it will be shown in the integrated browser window in MultiView when you click on it.

Thanks for the feedback.  I'm glad to know at least one person is trying to use it .

[Bill Kearney]

Yes, it seems like a good idea.  The issue I'm having at the moment is how to tell MC11 that MCMV is not installed anymore.  I upgraded MC.117 to 118 and now it's choking on startup about MCMV not being found.  I'm willing to keep trying to use MCMV but need to resolve this bug first.

[cncb]

Sorry, I'm not sure why you're having this problem when upgrading.  I just upgraded to 118 and it didn't overwrite any of the MultiView files.  In any case, if you go to the Plugin Manager in MC and click "uninstall" on MultiView it shouldn't try to load it anymore.  If you want it back you will have to copy the MutliView program files back to the MC directory and run the .reg file again.

[cncb]

If anyone out there is actually using this, I have added some features.  The updated version can be downloaded directly from here: http://home.earthlink.net/~craig_mc/MCMultiView.zip   



Version 1.1 Update


     - Added “Details” view for currently playing track. This is a browser view that will display a normal TrackInfo page (set desired Trackinfo page name in new TrackInfoPage property in settings table for plugin) . It will replace all the “TRACKINFO_INSERT_*” keywords but does not support TrackInfo_Insert( ) functions or external pages. Added TRACKINFO_INSERT_NEXTARTIST, TRACKINFO_INSERT_NEXTALBUM, TRACKINFO_INSERT_NEXTTITLE, TRACKINFO_INSERT_NEXTIMAGE keywords for the next track in the playlist. See below for screenshot.
   
    - Added search window which will find items in current list that begin with selected characters. Pressing “Up” key twice or clicking on up arrow in search window closes this window and the “left” key clears the search once the search window is closed. See below for screenshot.
   
    -  Added option in settings to have MultiView window on top of all other windows or not.
   
    - Added action/context menu for Now Playing list. Includes Details, Play, Remove, RemoveAll, and Reshuffle commands.


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