If there are files that guessing is getting wrong and you can think of a rule that would help, let us know and we'll add it.
The rule that would help the most has been suggested several times and rejected—rules that set Media Sub Type based on file path on import. A companion function for updating those values after import would be helpful for those who move files after import. Surely most users already segregate media in separate folders. Having done that, they would expect to be able to have Media Sub Type use this—
as the primary rule. If I go to the trouble to put a movie into a movie folder, why would I want MC guessing that it's something other than a movie? I wouldn't. And it follows I wouldn't want to rely on any stock views that rely on an unreliable Media Sub Type.
This has no bearing on my personal needs. From the beginning, I've recognized this is of no use to me. That's because stock views are of no use to me. If I have to create my own, I may as well use rules appropriate to my circumstances. I don't use Media Sub Type for anything. If I can't determine the classification I want directly from the file path, I prefer to maintain it in a custom field I have complete control over—not a field restricted to values not applicable to my needs.
So I suppose the purpose of this is to facilitate stock views for users who can't be bothered using the most sophisticated and powerful media manager on the planet to classify their media. Hmm. Okay, maybe it's of some use to new users in the long while it may take them to learn how to use the most sophisticated and powerful media manager on the planet. But does
this really serve them well? Is it not going to foster the belief MC is supposed to magically do everything itself? When a view doesn't work, are they going to understand they can easily create a view that ignores this completely and will be more reliable? I don't think so. Nor do I think they'll listen to an advanced user who tries to suggest they ignore all this nonsense and just configure it according to their needs.
If the accepted values for Media Sub Type were user-configurable (perhaps not to delete, but certainly to add), if those values could be set by user-configurable rules on import, and then stock views used those values, we'd have a system where stock views would be much more reliable and adaptable to anyone's needs. They'd probably be equally useful to beginners who need some place to start, advanced users who want to modify everything according to their needs and preferences, and those who would be happy with anything that just works without any fiddling.
If users are going to discover it's easy to configure their own views, there's going to have to be a configuration system that's understandable and easy to use. That hasn't yet been the case. And from what I gather from others, the recent changes have made it even more difficult to understand and use. I believe providing stock views that provide users with an illustration of how they can be configured is a good idea. But for that to work, there has to be a user-friendly configuration system that will allow and encourage even a novice to make changes and experiment.
The problems with the present configuration system are concentrated in the "Items to Show" section. The terminology used for different objects and view types is not very descriptive or helpful. The nesting functions are particularly annoying to use. It should be as easy as dragging a branch to any location, with the program refusing to accept any invalid location. It should be possible to copy a branch to a new location—to facilitate constructing a new view by copying and modifying an existing one. It should be possible to save and recall individual views, branches and entire configurations—to facilitate archiving, backup and sharing of configurations (or, more likely, parts thereof).
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Topic: Media Sub Type Guessing (Read 6927 times)