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[tjobbins]

Hi all

Just tried Party Mode for the first time ever.  I am actually having a party in a couple of weeks so I thought I'd test it out ahead of time

First, a bug:

* The right-click list of recently run commands enables you to run commands that should not be available in Party mode and are greyed out in their normal menu location.
Example:  Fill Properties From Filename is on my list of 5 recently run commands.  In Party Mode I can't select this option from Library Tools menu, but it does run OK if I select it from the list of recent commands.

One simple solution would be to disable the display of the list of recently run commands on the right click menu in Party Mode.  

Second, a change request:

I think Party Mode allows too much at the moment.  For example, I was surprised that I was able to delete files from library.  The options to send to recycle bin or permanently delete were greyed out, but the basic delete from library was enabled.

I don't think this should be enabled in Party Mode.  Many libraries will, like mine, have "don't import if previously deleted from library" selected;  so  files deleted from the libbrary won't come back on Auto Import, and one would have to a) notice they were gone b) manually re-import them.  This is a pain and I think a good reason why Party Mode shouldn't allow this to happen.

Other examples of functionality I think should not be available in Party Mode:  

1. Add/Customize view styles.  I don't think in Party Mode it should be possible to change any view settings  - these are often intricate and carefully designed, and it's a pain if someone changes any settings.
2. Tag changes:  I would make all views read only, and not able to change any file or tag details at all.
2.  Cover Art.  The whole menu is enabled, allowing a user to change cover art in party mode.  Same as tagging, I would disable this.

If this is too extreme for anyone, it might be nice to add a simple configuration menu with a few options of things that can be turned on or off in party mode.  

[Matt]

First, a bug:

* The right-click list of recently run commands enables you to run commands that should not be available in Party mode and are greyed out in their normal menu location.
Example:  Fill Properties From Filename is on my list of 5 recently run commands.  In Party Mode I can't select this option from Library Tools menu, but it does run OK if I select it from the list of recent commands.

One simple solution would be to disable the display of the list of recently run commands on the right click menu in Party Mode.  

Good find.  This will be fixed in a coming build.

Second, a change request:

I think Party Mode allows too much at the moment.  For example, I was surprised that I was able to delete files from library.  The options to send to recycle bin or permanently delete were greyed out, but the basic delete from library was enabled.

I don't think this should be enabled in Party Mode.  Many libraries will, like mine, have "don't import if previously deleted from library" selected;  so  files deleted from the libbrary won't come back on Auto Import, and one would have to a) notice they were gone b) manually re-import them.  This is a pain and I think a good reason why Party Mode shouldn't allow this to happen.

Other examples of functionality I think should not be available in Party Mode:  

1. Add/Customize view styles.  I don't think in Party Mode it should be possible to change any view settings  - these are often intricate and carefully designed, and it's a pain if someone changes any settings.
2. Tag changes:  I would make all views read only, and not able to change any file or tag details at all.
2.  Cover Art.  The whole menu is enabled, allowing a user to change cover art in party mode.  Same as tagging, I would disable this.

If this is too extreme for anyone, it might be nice to add a simple configuration menu with a few options of things that can be turned on or off in party mode.  

Party Mode changes to the library are discarded when exiting party mode.

So in some cases it will let you make changes, but those changes will never persist after leaving party mode.

I agree that it's debatable whether it's better to disable commands or to allow-and-discard commands.

[HiFiTubes]

Is there a way to have Party-Mode at startup?

What about if I open my laptop as the primary, and the HTPC is read-only.

Then I leave for work. Obviously, the HTPC will stay in read-only, but what about when I return from work and connect my laptop to my network?

[tjobbins]

Good find.  This will be fixed in a coming build.

Great, thanks!

Party Mode changes to the library are discarded when exiting party mode.

So in some cases it will let you make changes, but those changes will never persist after leaving party mode.

I agree that it's debatable whether it's better to disable commands or to allow-and-discard commands.

OK fair enough - ideally they'd be blocked but this is fine too.

Thanks very much!

[Zarius]

Hi,

I found a different bug in MC14.0.101 - changing libraries disables Party Mode.

As I was unsure of what changes "Remove from Library" would make I replicated my library by going into the library manager and using "clone" to create a new one.  I then turned on Party Mode and gave it a password.  It didn't lock down the controls as much as I would like - I'm trying to allow access to the music library for my six-year-old son, would like him to be able to search & play music, create playlists, create/customise views and that's about it.

I found that I can change back to my original library (firstly I didn't think Party Mode would allow me to change libraries) and worse - Party Mode is switched off with no password request (allowing permanent file deletion).  Restarting Media Center leaves me in the library I quit with but with Party Mode turned back on.

I also found Party Mode leaves more than I like enabled - I like the "Kiosk Mode" idea here, however I still like the Standard view (just would like to lock down menus/commands/etc so all you can do is play
 & search).

Also, I don't know if this was disabled in previous versions but "Locate on disk (external)" should not work when in Party Mode.

--Zar.

[Zarius]

*bump* - just want to make sure this bug has been seen

[MGD_King]

Just want to remind everyone of something I found in party mode back in older build that, as of .101, hadn't been addressed.