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Expert (I know it all!!)

Intermediate (I'm familiar with it but need help from time to time)

Beginner (I'm just learning about it and need a lot of help)

I have no understanding of expressions but want to learn

I have no understanding of expressions and don't want to learn

What the hell are expressions?

[221bBS]

I'm a beginner when it comes to expressions and all I have to say is THANK GOD FOR THE FORUM. I found that the information on

http://wiki.jrmediacenter.com/index.php/Media_Center_expression_language

was a little hard to understand since I have no programming experience. Without this communities help I would still be scratching my head and staring at Media Center expression language wiki page 

[StFeder]

I love the possibilities given by expressions, but I don't know to much about them. I vote for beginner, but perhaps I should have voted "I have no understanding of expressions but want to learn".

MC is able to do some things via expressions, I never would have asked for because I thought it would be to special. I'm always suprised and impressed reading about some expressions written and postet by other members here at interact. It's really just like 

One day I'd love to be able to use them easily and without searching interact and the wikis for hours...

[marko]

I can't say I know it all, because I don't, there are several expression functions listed on that page that I've never used, and don't know why or where I would want to!!

the last time I updated the expression page on the wiki I got the strongest feeling that, as more expressions were being added, the less user-friendly it was becoming.
your comments, and a few mumblings that have caught my eye in the recent past reinforce that feeling.

as time allows, it is my plan to add some pages to the section that should hopefully make it a little easier to get to grips with.

when it comes to bending your copy of MC to fit around your chosen work flow/display options, there really is nothing more powerful than expressions, and where the wiki lets everyone down at the moment, is that it does not really cover the subtle differences required depending upon where you choose to use them. I've been playing with some ideas here for a while now and should be able to start putting some pages out there sooner rather than later.

-marko.

[johnnyboy]

I love the idea of them but have never fully understood what they could do and how to use them.

Abit like the search wizard we now have, if some wizard could be made for these to help us with them I think they would be used 30000x more.
Might take a little bit of thinking about to create a wizard for this - but I'm pretty sure the end result would help all beginners REALLY see the power MC could offer them.

[gappie]

i consider myself intermediate. At this point i want to thank Marko for that. His posts about this subject are very helpfull. He is the expression-master.
thanks
gab

[johnnyboy]

Was thinking about this as I fell asleep (sad I know).
Just a thought I had that might make this alot easier would be if in places where we could use expressions, we got a drop down list of all the expressions by right clicking, it then entered the expression with its default layout into the box so we could see how its meant to be written:

eg we could right click on a textbox, choose 'substring' from the list of functions listed there and MC would enter the following into the text box for us:
   substring(the_string, length_wanted)

That way we could instantly see how it was meant to be entered.
One step smarter would be if it was setup so that if we clicked on the text 'the_string', it would instantly disappear ready for us to enter our text there (abit like how some sites have text boxes that say 'search here' and when you click on them, the field goes blank)

[benn600]

I don't use too many expressions but I have no trouble using them when I need them.  I'm just simple in certain ways and very complex in others.  I don't have a need for too many complex expressions but like that they're there.

[221bBS]

as time allows, it is my plan to add some pages to the section that should hopefully make it a little easier to get to grips with.

Sounds great!

I would like to suggest that an expressions/smartlist only forum be added. It would make searching a lot easier. And the more experienced users might be willing to write beginners guides and How-To articles 

[fitbrit]

Little to no knowledge but would like to learn.

[AoXoMoXoA]

The expressions I have an understanding of are likely to have been shouted at me by passing motorists  

The ones used in MC are quite a different story. I have little or no understanding and must admit I am quite lost.