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[CountryBumkin]

I think (wonder if) it would be useful to have a separate section (I think under "General") in the Interact forum just for people with setup and configuration questions. This would the place to go if you want ask about how to make your movie collection display/sort, and look the way you want.

It would not cover technical issues (like "my playback/system does this .."), or feature requests, or other non-setup stuff. It would just be the place to help new users get things setup and explain how to get the "appearance" the way the user wants. How to use tags, filters, ect. After a while, it might even become the User Manual for setting up MC16.

This way the new MC16 user doesn't need to scan through all the threads in the MC16 section looking for setup help (the Wiki should be the starting place for new users, then it would be this forum if the Wiki didn't answer the question) - and it would probably cut down on duplicate posts by making the "setup/appearence" posts easier to find.

[BartMan01]

Agree.  Several people on the AVS thread have commented that they just don't like the default views and don't see any info in the Wiki showing what is possible.  They 'look and leave' based on this.

[JustinChase]

I also think this is a good idea, but I'm afraid it may fall victim to the unfortunate "lots of ideas, limited man hours" effect for a while.  Who knows.

I still don't think I've ever heard J River confirm that they do want these customers, so this 'difficulty' could be by design, or of simple acceptable omission perhaps.  It's fun to watch either way

[CountryBumkin]

I see it as one of those "sticky" posts like over at AVS (like "how to build a HTPC"). it doesn't have to have an MC official answering questions - just users who figured out things and want to share.

It should not fall into into "lots of ideas" hole, becuase this new section would not be for "new ideas"; it is only for explaining "how things currently work". Ideas and feature requests would go in the existing MC16 thread.

I just figured out how to show/display my TV Shows by "series name" rather than the default listing showing everything (all episodes) in my TV directory. It's not a major accomplishment, but it took 20 minutes of poking around and trying different stuff. Now maybe someone else would like to know how to do this.

I'm also experimenting with the main "Items to Display selections/buttons" and adding new selections (main roller, secondary roller, etc.). I don't find it that intuitive and maybe others don't want to spend their time figuring this out - if this new section was to be created, that would be the first palce to look for an answer or post a question for that sort of thing.

[JimH]

I still don't think I've ever heard J River confirm that they do want these customers ...

If a chimpanzee had a credit card, we'd welcome him or her with open arms.  No offense to chimps ... eh ... or other customers.

Paypal, too.

[JustinChase]

No offense to chimps ...

hehe, none taken 

Hopefully you're finding some of the ideas (here and elsewhere) useful.

[rick.ca]

I'm also experimenting with the main "Items to Display selections/buttons" and adding new selections (main roller, secondary roller, etc.). I don't find it that intuitive and maybe others don't want to spend their time figuring this out - if this new section was to be created, that would be the first palce to look for an answer or post a question for that sort of thing.

It might be more effective add a new "Theatre View" board. Any topic posted there is unlikely to be about anything other than appearance—since that's what Theatre View is all about. That would exclude topics about configuring Standard View views, but those are more likely to be difficult to separate from matters other than appearance.

The introduction of such a board would go nicely with an overhaul of the Theatre View configuration system. There are simple design elements (meaningful and consistent terminology) and behaviours (nesting) that would make it easier and more intuitive to use if improved. More substantial changes, like allowing branches to be copied and hidden (i.e., deactivated), would make it much easier to try things out without risk of breaking what already works. The ability to import/export any branch of the configuration would provide a flexible means for creating backup and exchanging configuration elements with others.

Implementing this last suggestion might be as simple as providing for exchange of XML via the clipboard, as Managing Links now does. That would allow us to post, "This is how I do it..." along with the code. Others would be able to easily make changes (e.g., editing custom field names to match their own), copy the code and paste it into their own configuration to try.

[CountryBumkin]

Great idea Rick. Who can get this started?

[rick.ca]

Great idea Rick. Who can get this started?

Jim can easily add a board whenever he sees fit. As for making improvements to the configuration system, I have no idea when that might become a development priority. Perhaps when it becomes apparent the idea if providing default views that just work without any configuration isn't working very well.

[JimH]

The problem with adding a board that is specific to a single topic like Theater View or setup is that it wouldn't be clear to a user of MC15 or MC14 that it applied to MC16.  They might post and get a "What version are you using?" reply.

Some of those kinds of topics are or should be on our wiki.  I think that's where they belong.

It would be nice to have a forum tool that could filter for single topics.  A low tech way to do this might be to start threads for big topics and use them to list relevant threads.

Thanks for your thoughts.

[rick.ca]

The problem with adding a board that is specific to a single topic like Theater View or setup is that it wouldn't be clear to a user of MC15 or MC14 that it applied to MC16.  They might post and get a "What version are you using?" reply.

I considered one of the significant benefits of such board is that most topics in it would survive program version changes. Even taking a broad view of what configuring it for "appearances" means—ideas about how to navigate and present data in different ways for various purposes and preferences—doesn't have much to do with how the program works. An surely a user of a prior version is going to understand that most people discussing a topic currently are using the current version—which is likely to include changes that have some impact on Theatre View.

Some of those kinds of topics are or should be on our wiki.  I think that's where they belong.

A wiki is not the appropriate place to be exchanging ideas and problem solving. The premise of the suggestion is that even with an intuitive design and some instruction about how to use it, people are still going to look for advice and ideas, and a place to ask questions.

[JustinChase]

The problem with adding a board that is specific to a single topic like Theater View or setup is that...

I had envisioned more of a general discussion about 'form' and leave the current boards for the 'function' stuff.

'form' being theater view, view schemes, data presentation type stuff, skins, views, etc.

'function' being why won't my xxxx file play on my receiver/TV/phone discussion.

I think this 'form' discussion stuff would apply to more than just the current version, and a sticky description could make that extra clear if necessary.

there would be some overlap for sure, where to ask about import questions, for example.  Import is surely 'function', but getting the right data during the process would affect the 'form' stuff, so could really go either way.  This new board is probably best for import stuff.

Anyway, I think in general it might be helpful to have/try this idea.

[imugli]

The problem with adding a board that is specific to a single topic like Theater View or setup is that it wouldn't be clear to a user of MC15 or MC14 that it applied to MC16.  They might post and get a "What version are you using?" reply.

Could you not create a sub-forum in the MC16 board? Just thinking (don't know how many levels yabb allows)...

[fitbrit]

Could you not create a sub-forum in the MC16 board? Just thinking (don't know how many levels yabb allows)...

Exactly what I was thinking.

[rick.ca]

Could you not create a sub-forum in the MC16 board? Just thinking (don't know how many levels yabb allows)...

Yes, a child board can be created. But, as I pointed out, one of the benefits of using a separate board is the subject matter is not particularly sensitive to the particular version being used anyway. And child boards are annoying to use simply because they're not available or visible on the same level as other boards. It's reason for being would be exactly the same as for Media Network, Third Party Plugins, or any of the "device' boards—the topics are simply much easier to find if grouped together.

[CountryBumkin]

The problem with adding a board that is specific to a single topic like Theater View or setup is that it wouldn't be clear to a user of MC15 or MC14 that it applied to MC16.  They might post and get a "What version are you using?" reply.

Some of those kinds of topics are or should be on our wiki.  I think that's where they belong.

It would be nice to have a forum tool that could filter for single topics.  A low tech way to do this might be to start threads for big topics and use them to list relevant threads.

Thanks for your thoughts.

I recommend, if your going to do a new a board, it be listed under the MC16 group. Since most users of Theater View (IMO) are going to be using the latest JRiver product and running the most current version MC16. Plus some of the users of previous versions may even want to upgrade to 16 if they like what they see. The name of the board could be somenting like "MC16 Theater View" to further differentiate it.

[Daydream]

First, there is no other child board on the entire forum. So it'll look rather out of place.

More important, development doesn't stop at version 16. So that means that either they move the child board to follow the last version (and I don't know anybody that administers a forum like that), or they keep on creating child-boards with every new iteration of MC. Which is bad^2 since nobody will know where to post anything and the content in itself gets fragmented for no good reason.

So one separate board is better in my opinion. I just wish that after more experienced users help the first 3000 newcomers with the basics, we would have something creative to talk about on such a board (as in something more complex than lining up dbase fields in the same fixed positions).

[CountryBumkin]

First, there is no other child board on the entire forum. So it'll look rather out of place.

More important, development doesn't stop at version 16. So that means that either they move the child board to follow the last version (and I don't know anybody that administers a forum like that), or they keep on creating child-boards with every new iteration of MC. Which is bad^2 since nobody will know where to post anything and the content in itself gets fragmented for no good reason.

So one separate board is better in my opinion. I just wish that after more experienced users help the first 3000 newcomers with the basics, we would have something creative to talk about on such a board (as in something more complex than lining up dbase fields in the same fixed positions).

A separate board is fine with me. I would just like to see a single place with setup/appearence questions-help.
It could even be a "sticky" thread as far as I'm concerned. But a board is  probably better for getting the attention and for allowing sub-threads within the general topic.