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Author Topic: Some Lost Functionality??  (Read 2441 times)

Callithumpian

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Some Lost Functionality??
« on: October 16, 2011, 02:55:25 am »

Hey!
Long time no interact.

Just upgraded from MC12 which has been so perfect for so long.  But I figure if I get too far behind it might all get too hard.
Most everything in MC16 seems very,very familiar.  While things seem to be in the same places, it all looks a little smoother and streamlined but doesn't seem to do anything extra that I desperately need.

I do, though, have a few questions about seemingly reduced functionality and some general FYI's.

1) Is there an in-built way to port over my old settings?
Preset and recent renaming templates, various personalised expressions, toolbar items, playback preferences, mobile device settings and the like.
While I moved some over by rooting around in the registry, a migration facility would have been real handy.

2) Why can I no longer use Track# for images and video? (Or edit the Library Field to include other flags)
Sure, I set up a custom field which is calculated from Track #, but heaven knows how a newbie would number hundreds of photos in a new album. One by one. By hand?
"Set Track# number from list order" is also a vital function applicable to more than just audio.
BTW can you implement a new function - (Set track# numbers from list order starting at number "N")

3) After a backup, I converted the Old MC12 Library by pointing MC16 directly at it.  Then I decided to rename the library folder.
How come I could not then simply repath the library to point to the new folder name.?
You could in MC12 and it makes sense.
In MC16 I had to load a dummy library so that I could delete the current library and make a new library pointing to the renamed folder.
Minor but Unneccessary hassle.

4) FYI, I kept MC12 installed and it retained ownership of the shell integration.  Rightclick, import was bringing files into MC12. Did it couple of times before I realised.

5) In the Tagging box of MC12 you could move from a given field of one file to the same field of the next file in the list by hitting "Page Down".  This is very handy in many, many situations.  This function has seemingly been removed.  Now, in MC16, individually naming a list of photographs has been rendered laborious due to a simple reduction of utility.  Yes, you can still do it in-line but then you can't see the photo thumbnail.  This alone may make me revert to MC12.

6) Video that plays on MC12 and on WMP and on MPC and on VLC, etc, plays with a green artifact and an unwatchable flicker in MC16.
This is not what I am used to with MC. On so many occasions it has been that other players fail with this file or that, but MC12 (with comprehensive codecs installed) has never (ever) failed to play anything that I've thrown at it. Ever.
I use MC on 5 PC's in the house.  All those machines play my videos fine using a variety of different apps. But two of them (the two I would least prefer) manifest this green stripe when using MC16. (MC12 still plays them fine on the same machines)
The two that are affected have little in common and I am not prepared to throw hours at fiddling about tweaking with video settings.
Is this a known issue with perhaps a simple solution?


So, what I'm hoping is that I have overlooked some funky new ways to replace these functions that I really value (Track # and PgDn when tagging particularly)
I can probably live with most of these changes.  Hey, you expect to have to shift your use pattern when you upgrade stuff!

But 5) and 6) above are real heartbreakers with which I probably cannot abide.
Would love to stick with MC16 but need your help.
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bunglemebaby

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Re: Some Lost Functionality??
« Reply #1 on: October 17, 2011, 07:35:50 am »

I'll see what I can do here...
1- There is now definitely a way to port settings over. It's part of what is saved in the library file. I don't think it is possible with an MC12 library though. From what I remember though things like expressions at the least should stick with the library.

2- I hadn't noticed that this had happened. I'm not sure of the reason, but in order to get the functionality of "set track# from list order" in another field you can use the Counter() expression by selecting a group of files and entering =counter() in a field in the tag window. There are also options available for the function to start from a number other than 1, etc.

3- Not sure exactly what you're trying to accomplish here...

4- In case you hadn't figured it out already, you can uncheck the shell integration box in the MC12 menu to avoid this.

5- You might be out of luck with this one. Someone else who tags lots of pictures might have a good work around suggestion for you though, I suppose.

6- Go to Options > Video > General Video Settings >  and choose Red October Standard. Red October is a new way of handling video files (as of MC16). It is fully automatic and doesn't require installing additional codecs or filters (for almost all cases). If this doesn't clear up the video problems, I would make a new post with specifics about file type, etc. 

Hopefully that was at least a little bit helpful. -JB
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JohnT

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Re: Some Lost Functionality??
« Reply #2 on: October 17, 2011, 03:18:04 pm »

6) Video that plays on MC12 and on WMP and on MPC and on VLC, etc, plays with a green artifact and an unwatchable flicker in MC16.
This is not what I am used to with MC. On so many occasions it has been that other players fail with this file or that, but MC12 (with comprehensive codecs installed) has never (ever) failed to play anything that I've thrown at it. Ever.
I use MC on 5 PC's in the house.  All those machines play my videos fine using a variety of different apps. But two of them (the two I would least prefer) manifest this green stripe when using MC16. (MC12 still plays them fine on the same machines)
The two that are affected have little in common and I am not prepared to throw hours at fiddling about tweaking with video settings.
Is this a known issue with perhaps a simple solution?
In general, video playback is MUCH better with MC16 compared to MC12, we've put a ton of work into and it's still highest priority at the current time.  Is the problem video small enough to send it to us or can you post it somewhere we can get at it?  I'm sure we can get it working well for you.
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John Thompson, JRiver Media Center

CountryBumkin

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Re: Some Lost Functionality??
« Reply #3 on: October 17, 2011, 04:20:44 pm »

For question 5, if I understand you,
You can select mulitiple files but clicking on one, then holding the CNRL key while clicking (selecting) the others. Once you select all files you want to update, you hit F2 to "edit" the field (or use the Tab key to move over to the field you want to change). Then make your edit/change and hit Enter. All the selected files will update.

You can even group your files by "empty field" or some other field data, to make multipe selections easier. Just make sure the field is visible at the top of the column.

For example if you want to edit "Demensions" add it to the fields "to show" at top. Sorry if I over simplified this - or if this is not waht your asking about.

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Callithumpian

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Thanks, CountryBumkin, but more like this...
« Reply #4 on: October 18, 2011, 06:43:47 am »

In MC16 , in between each edit I have go to the mouse for, not one, but two clicks.
In MC12 the hands could just stay on the keyboard as you zoomed down the list in the same field.
That can't be? I must be doing it wrong?

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Callithumpian

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Thanks, bunglemebaby. Counter is a good work around, but...
« Reply #5 on: October 18, 2011, 06:48:35 am »

Counter works a treat! Thanks for that.

Most of what I posted was just FYI for developers - like the repathing of libraries.

I have, of course, unchecked the shell integration in MC12 and checked it in MC16.
But....Right-click, Import - still imports the files into MC12!

Also...Am using Red October Standard - it is the default - but on two of my machines, all videos (mostly h.264 DivX & Xvid in avi or matroska containers) play fine using VLC, WMP, MPC and MC12.

So codecs and hardware are adequate, though the hardware is nothing fancy and all just on-board video.

Yet in MC16 I get an odd green artifact, looks like a straight up decoding error.
I'll make a new post with screenshots
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rick.ca

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Re: Thanks, CountryBumkin, but more like this...
« Reply #6 on: October 18, 2011, 03:56:19 pm »

In MC12 the hands could just stay on the keyboard as you zoomed down the list in the same field.
That can't be? I must be doing it wrong?

Nothing against that particular MC12 behaviour for the tagging window, but this sort of edit can be done directly in the list. In edit mode, type the value, and then press {down} to move to the next record.

You'll find there have been quite substantial changes in how editing/tagging works. It may take some getting used to.
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bunglemebaby

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Re: Some Lost Functionality??
« Reply #7 on: October 18, 2011, 07:03:39 pm »

Quote
Nothing against that particular MC12 behaviour for the tagging window, but this sort of edit can be done directly in the list. In edit mode, type the value, and then press {down} to move to the next record.
Could you explain further how to do this with the images visible? Thumbnails work fine for me; not sure about OP. I only know how to do this with a Details style view, which is fine for music but not so much for images.
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rick.ca

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Re: Some Lost Functionality??
« Reply #8 on: October 18, 2011, 09:50:28 pm »

Quote
Could you explain further how to do this with the images visible?

No. I thought it should work in preview mode, but it doesn't. The value is accepted and it advances to the next image when {down} is pressed, but then it leaves edit mode—requiring {F2} be pressed to edit the next record. I don't know if that's a bug, or just a natural consequence of the preview being updated. In any case, it would be nice if the usual behaviour work in preview mode.
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Callithumpian

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Page Down Function Broken in Tagging Window.
« Reply #9 on: October 19, 2011, 05:55:16 am »

Yeah, sorry Rick, but the whole idea is to be able to see the thumbnails, not the list.

In-list editing came to MC in about V9 or so or maybe even back when it was still MJ.
But that doesn't do what I need.
I need to be able to see the thumbnails and move, with just one keystroke, to the same field of the next file in a list of files.

There doesn't really seem to be very much at all changed about how editing/tagging works in MC16 compared to MC12 - except that I now can't do this pretty simple thing that I've been doing in this software for the last 10 years or more!
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Callithumpian

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MC12 Definitely Retains the Shell Functions
« Reply #10 on: October 19, 2011, 06:08:57 am »

MC12 shell integration turned off.
MC16 shell integration turned on.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\JRiver\Media Center 12\Properties\Enable shell integration = 0
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\JRiver\Media Center 16\Properties\Enable shell integration = 1

Right click > Media Center > Import  ---> launches MC12 and imports the files.
Even if MC16 is already running.

I am loathe to uninstall MC12 because of the issues outlined above.
At this stage it looks more like MC16 that's going to get uninstalled.
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mbagge

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Re: Some Lost Functionality??
« Reply #11 on: October 19, 2011, 06:35:27 am »

If you are familiar with regedit you should checkout the key HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\
In there you will find Media Center and a guid.
Then checkout HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\Media Center - it should have the same guid

Hope it helps.
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