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[audioriver]

MC is the best-sounding audio player, with all important features and then some, so I'll probably go ahead & purchase (wish there was a Xmas offer). I'll try to list all my concerns here and keep it as short as possible.
1. The most important shortcoming for me: The inability to always keep the "playing now" pane, either on the action window and/or the main panes/categories. It shows what's to be played next and allows easy drag'n'drop - important stuff. I searched the forum and it seems impossible. Instead, there is always the pointlessly empty "Display" window.
2. Struggled a bit with the interface - so I started a new empty view "Panes (genre, artist, album)" and I seemed to have changed the undesired search bar default behaviour (doesn't search the entire library). I still not fully understand how it works, every now & then I get "No results" as it seems to limit its search again.
3. A track-change tray notification. It seems there's a very old plug-in (Playingnow), but I didn't figure out if it's available, compatible with the new versions, or requiring an extra fee. Wish it were a standard feature.
4. I can't find a way to eliminate non-audio files (not just folder.jpg, but all image or other file types) from the search results. I've unchecked Image Support from Features and checked 'Ignore special files' from Media Import.
5. I added a File Path category, so when I'd click on an album folder it will play the entire album. Some times it will, others it won't. It'll either display an error about image files, won't start at all, or start and automatically switch from Standard to Display view. Maybe it's not designed to work this way.  ?
6. Any way I could get the "Add to playing now" context-menu option, out of the Media Center folder, and put it directly below Open (Play) in the parent context-menu?.

That's all I can think of right now, sorry for the long post and keep up the great work with this superb player.

[MrC]

1. The most important shortcoming for me: The inability to always keep the "playing now" pane, either on the action window and/or the main panes/categories. It shows what's to be played next and allows easy drag'n'drop - important stuff. I searched the forum and it seems impossible. Instead, there is always the pointlessly empty "Display" window.

Let's start with this one.  It is a little unclear what you asking for.  You know you can open a Tab, and set it to the current zone in Playing Now, right?

You can also right-click the current zone, and Edit Playing Now in Action Window.

You can also Split views and keep on always showing Playing Now.

[MrC]

2. Struggled a bit with the interface - so I started a new empty view "Panes (genre, artist, album)" and I seemed to have changed the undesired search bar default behaviour (doesn't search the entire library). I still not fully understand how it works, every now & then I get "No results" as it seems to limit its search again.

MC maintains everything internally in a database (aka the Library).  Files are broken down by file type, and the views are categorized into basic media types: Audio, Video, Image, etc.  When you create a view, and place the view in the tree under one of those types, it inherits the type of files selected from the parent view (Audio will show only Audio files).

You can override this when you customize a view, under Set Rules for File Display... and then select the Media Type and set Audio, Video, Image, etc.

This is an enormously powerful program; give it a few days to start sinking in.

[MrC]

3. A track-change tray notification. It seems there's a very old plug-in (Playingnow), but I didn't figure out if it's available, compatible with the new versions, or requiring an extra fee. Wish it were a standard feature.

There is a old plugin called PlayingNow by RhinoBanga, and some folks have gotten it to work with at least MC16 as far as I recall.  I have not used it in ages.  JRiver purchased it, but has not developed it further.  Don't know what the status is.  Best bet now is to search the forums here to find latest posts.

[MrC]

4. I can't find a way to eliminate non-audio files (not just folder.jpg, but all image or other file types) from the search results. I've unchecked Image Support from Features and checked 'Ignore special files' from Media Import.

This is because your view includes them.  Import defines what gets pulled into the MC Library (database).  Views define what is seen by you at the moment.

If the view includes files types you don't want to see, exclude them from the view, or you can use the Search Wizard to temporarily exclude them (e.g. [Media Type] is not Image).  If you have a panes view, you can add a column that shows file type, and then select only the file types you want to see.

Refer again to the concept outlined in response to your question #2.

[MrC]

5. I added a File Path category, so when I'd click on an album folder it will play the entire album. Some times it will, others it won't. It'll either display an error about image files, won't start at all, or start and automatically switch from Standard to Display view. Maybe it's not designed to work this way.  ?

This generally is what Tags/Properties are for.  Set the Album property/tag correctly, and use an Albums view.  The problem is that you're using views to include all types of files, and then wanting not to see / play them.

Set up your views such that Play/double-click behavior does what you want, or open the file list and select only the files you want played.

MC can perfectly well play images, but those are done in another "image zone".  This allows you to have both audio playback and an image view up and running.

[audioriver]

Thanks for answering MrC. I tried the 2nd tab suggestion, and if I understood correctly it would still mean to move away from my main view and clicking on the 2nd to get the desired "current playlist". Then, back to the 1st tab for searching etc. I'd ideally want it always visible/available, sth like: right-click/add category to left etc. and then an option to add the "playing now" window to the interface.
Your 2nd suggestion, again I think involves selecting it every single time. That's what I do now: "Player/Playing Now/Edit Playing Now in Action Window..." but again, it has to be done every single time MC is restarted.
The Split view solution is almost perfect, thanks a lot! The Play Doctor leaves up a small blank space, but even if it can't be closed completely (couldn't do it), thing are now much better.

[MrC]

6. Any way I could get the "Add to playing now" context-menu option, out of the Media Center folder, and put it directly below Open (Play) in the parent context-menu?.

For me, Play in Media Center does not replace the Playing Now list.  It appends.  Open replaces.

Edit: I've confirmed this.  The shell integration context menu uses the Play command:

  http://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/The_Command_Line

and this appends when a playlist exists.

[audioriver]

Thanks for your answers, the image files issue is more clear now.
About the context menu: right-clicking an audio file, shows "Open" at the top. This always starts playing the file, which is correct for me. It never "appends/enqueues", even with an existing playlist. Below "Open" there is the "Media Center" entry which opens a submenu with "Play" (also always opens, never appends=correct), "Add to Playing Now", "Replace & Play", "Edit" and "Import". They all work fine, I was just wondering if it's possible to take "Add to..." out of the submenu and put it directly to the first context menu. I use it a lot and entering the "Media Center" sub-menu every time is a bit time consuming.

[MrC]

Glad to help where I can.

Do you not have the same Play in Media Center context menu shown in the attached image?  Are the given file types associated with JR Media Center

You can define what the context menu Open and Play actions do, via Regedit.

[audioriver]

Do you not have the same Play in Media Center context menu shown in the attached image?  Are the given file types associated with JR Media Center - You can define what the context menu Open and Play actions do, via Regedit.

Yes, that' it. I'm not sure regedit allows moving the commands in and out of folders though, I'll try.
Another minor issue: it seems MC specifies all its associated files as "Media Center file". This make it impossible to sort them by type in Windows Explorer. Maybe "Media Center [file extension] file" would be more flexible.