Topic: I love the library browser (Read 3806 times)

sapnho · « **on:** March 02, 2005, 01:19:44 pm »

It seems to me that there are quite different but again not a lot of opinions about the library browser. I discovered it by accident in MC11 and yes, it is still VERY slow but I think it's got great potential. Not as a replacement for panes, of course but as a great alternative.
The browser view gives you a much better overview of your music collection especially because it also shows the cover and in a clever way.

Here's my wish list (if I may):
- make it faster (obvious comment

)
- make it fully customizable
- make it faster (did I mention that already?

)

But most of all: Please keep this function!

lee269 · « **Reply #1 on:** March 02, 2005, 01:34:17 pm »

Totally agree - I use this a lot.

Matt · « **Reply #2 on:** March 02, 2005, 02:01:22 pm »

Thanks

I've found that Library Browser is the main way I pick tunes at home now.

However, it shouldn't be too slow. What size library do you have, and what speed machine?

Thanks.

JimH · « **Reply #3 on:** March 02, 2005, 02:02:25 pm »

And is the library on a network drive? If so, details?

sapnho · « **Reply #4 on:** March 02, 2005, 02:10:50 pm »

Quote from: Matt on March 02, 2005, 02:01:22 pm

What size library do you have, and what speed machine?

Library is appr. 25k files. Machine is a 2.8Ghz. Files are on a server EPIA ME 6000. I tried both ethernet and wireless connection but it doesn't really make a difference. It takes a loooong time, but it is still great!

JimH · « **Reply #5 on:** March 02, 2005, 02:14:08 pm »

As a test, try a local library.

sapnho · « **Reply #6 on:** March 02, 2005, 02:24:53 pm »

Quote from: JimH on March 02, 2005, 02:14:08 pm

As a test, try a local library.

Faster, yes. But who wants a local library with the new Library Server? Hey, you guys let that ghost out of the bottle...

Edit: It takes about 15 seconds until the genres are displayed with a remote library.

Deivit · « **Reply #7 on:** March 02, 2005, 02:29:44 pm »

I also discovered the library browser when I upgraded to MC.11 a few weeks ago... and, as Matt said, I find myself using it as my default view for selecting songs.

If it could be more customizable (to the extent of having the ability to determine the tabs to use), the back button worked fine (as reported in the build thread) and more layouts were available, I would no longer use the panes at all.

In my case, the speed is not an issue... it's relatively fast. My library (local) is aprox. 200.000 files

The more I use it, the more I like it.

UnknownID · « **Reply #8 on:** March 02, 2005, 03:00:30 pm »

I was using it for a while, but I got frustrated with how slow it took to scroll the screen.

I am running Windows 2000 with a wonderful 1.5 Ghz processor. I also have a 22" Sony LCD DVI display set at 1600 X 1200. Graphics are displayed with a ATI Radion 9800 256M Video Card (running at 4x).

Cover art appears lightning fast (local library), but scrolling is slow and causes ripples on the screen. My cover art is 300 x 300px at 72 dpi, so MC shouldn't have a problem with it. I see 3 columns; maybe this is causing an issue. I would actually prefer only 1 column (or at least the option for 1). (Also there is a shift from right and left when selecting the 1st and then the 3rd column respectively. I reported this a few builds ago in one of the beta threads.)

I love this feature, it just needs to be tweaked and expanded upon.

UnknownID

Matt · « **Reply #9 on:** March 02, 2005, 06:19:27 pm »

Quote from: sapnho on March 02, 2005, 02:24:53 pm

Faster, yes. But who wants a local library with the new Library Server? Hey, you guys let that ghost out of the bottle...

Edit: It takes about 15 seconds until the genres are displayed with a remote library.

Currently, library browser doesn't build thumbnails in the background, but instead blocks while building a thumb. This causes a slowdown when you first visit a page.

The problem is a lot worse with Media Server because thumbnails don't live between sessions.

Chasoscar · « **Reply #10 on:** March 02, 2005, 08:44:15 pm »

I hope this is on topic for this thread........ I have a Library Browser question..... but first, let me say I think it is a great feature and I have had no problems with the speed of the browser function (Im running 3.4gig P4 w/1gig 3200ddr) but the other night I ran across a feature in it that I have not been able to duplicate and thought I would ask if someone might enlighten me how to get back to it. It was a page that had a "lyrics" and a "notes" pane, I cant remember too much else about it, but have been unable to get back to it using any menu options. TIA

sapnho · « **Reply #11 on:** March 02, 2005, 11:36:49 pm »

Quote from: Matt

Currently, library browser doesn't build thumbnails in the background, but instead blocks while building a thumb.

Does this mean that we will se more work on the library browser in the future?

evanr76 · « **Reply #12 on:** March 03, 2005, 01:06:14 am »

Quote from: Matt on March 02, 2005, 06:19:27 pm

Currently, library browser doesn't build thumbnails in the background, but instead blocks while building a thumb. This causes a slowdown when you first visit a page.

The problem is a lot worse with Media Server because thumbnails don't live between sessions.

i know it all too well

Herakles · « **Reply #13 on:** March 03, 2005, 03:01:36 pm »

A love it too, but i would love it even more if there was an option to always filter some of my files just like on a view scheme.
I am using the library browser mostly to view my full albums but with the current config, all orphan files are shown as well and it makes so many useless entries in the view...

Adding the option that i talked about would be great! Or perhaps having the possibility to choose Library Browser as a List Style in a scheme...?

Chasoscar · « **Reply #14 on:** March 03, 2005, 03:40:58 pm »

Maybe I just thought I saw an option in the browser that allowed you to add notes and lyrics......seems no one else has seen it

Deivit · « **Reply #15 on:** March 03, 2005, 03:47:29 pm »

Quote from: Herakles on March 03, 2005, 03:01:36 pm

I am using the library browser mostly to view my full albums but with the current config, all orphan files are shown as well and it makes so many useless entries in the view...

A possible workaround with this could be using the "Album Artist" field of all your orphan files and setting it to "Singles" or group them by genres and set the "Album Artist" to "Rock sampler", "Jazz Sampler", "Rock Singles", "Electronica Singles", etc. Then, the library browser will group all your orphans together according to the value(s) you entered in "Album Artist" instead of scater them all over the place. You'll also see the nice cover-art slide show when you hover the mouse over the cover art of that "Album Artist".

Hope it helps.

----
Listening to: '(The Word of) Confirmation' from 'Mecca for Moderns' by 'The Manhattan Transfer' on Media Center 11

Deivit · « **Reply #16 on:** March 03, 2005, 03:50:16 pm »

Quote from: chasoscar on March 03, 2005, 03:40:58 pm

Maybe I just thought I saw an option in the browser that allowed you to add notes and lyrics......seems no one else has seen it

I think you're maybe confusing the library browser with a "tile view" in a view scheme. The standard tile view shows a link to lyrics and artist bio and has a similar layout to the library broswer.

indybrett · « **Reply #17 on:** March 03, 2005, 06:33:15 pm »

The library browser is very nice. I just tried it for the first time.

I did notice that I have several albums that are listed as unassigned. Further investigation reveals that these albums consist of text files and pdf files that are located in my music directories.

KingSparta · « **Reply #18 on:** March 03, 2005, 06:44:01 pm »

I try to only import MP3\media files into my library

Chasoscar · « **Reply #19 on:** March 03, 2005, 06:49:17 pm »

Thanx for repling to my question David but I am pretty sure it was not a view scheme...... I am not proficent with view schemes yet and do not even know how to set one up.
I did just go and try to play with them a bit but could not figure out how they worked.

Im pretty sure that I was in the Library Browser when I ran across the view that I referred to, mainly because it had that Library Browser "look" and I was just playing with different things in the Browser, but as I have said, I have tried everything to get the view to come up again.

I wish I could remember more so I could be specific, but then if I could I probably wouldnt have this question.
Thanx for repling anyways
C

Bartabedian · « **Reply #20 on:** March 04, 2005, 10:25:04 am »

Quote from: chasoscar on March 03, 2005, 06:49:17 pm

I wish I could remember more so I could be specific, but then if I could I probably wouldnt have this question.

I think I know what you're talking about, I've seen it while using "Drives & Devices->My Computer", or explorer through MC. When music files are present in a directory, I see a detailed list, but when certain data only files exist, you get this weird and usually confusing mess of a screen, that has icons and links. I just tried to recreate it but now can't, although I know I've seen it before.

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Author Topic: I love the library browser (Read 3806 times)

UnknownID