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Author Topic: Interface questions  (Read 6991 times)

The New Guy

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Interface questions
« on: March 06, 2012, 01:13:14 pm »

Hi

I'm new with the program, and I've been using the trial version for less than a weak

I can't ignore the huge improvement that I'm hearing, but before I decide to buy it I have to think about a few problems i encountered so far.

This program is well known for its sound qualities.

If I buy it - I'll want to use it for sound purposes only.

I find the interface rather annoying and inefficient due to all the clumsiness that comes with other features.

I used to listen to music with the AIMP2 program, which is used only for playing music. It has a very user friendly and clear interface. For example, there is a feature for lining up a playlist which is very clear, easy to use, very intuitive and fast to use. In addition, i don't have to open the entire widow in order to see what songs are being or will be played but have a small window on the side of the screen. This allows me to see what is playing and continue doing things on the computer.

I would like to know if you are thinking of changing the interface in a similar way.
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JimH

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Re: Interface questions
« Reply #1 on: March 06, 2012, 01:35:49 pm »

Try Tools/Options/General/Features.  You can remove items you don't want.
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The New Guy

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Re: Interface questions
« Reply #2 on: March 06, 2012, 01:48:37 pm »

Doesn't help. It isn't what I'm looking for.
You should try AIMP2 in order to understand what I'm talking about
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JimH

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Re: Interface questions
« Reply #3 on: March 06, 2012, 01:51:57 pm »

Right.  

To answer your earlier question about whether we're thinking of changing the interface, the answer is no.

It sounds like you may be using Media Center, not Media Jukebox.  Correct? 

If so, you might try playing from Theater View.
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The New Guy

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Re: Interface questions
« Reply #4 on: March 06, 2012, 01:59:03 pm »

Too bad.

Hope this whole post is not out of line... That is not my propose.
About the easy lining up feature - is there something like that in the scoop?
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JimH

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Re: Interface questions
« Reply #5 on: March 06, 2012, 02:01:08 pm »

Are you using Media Center or Media Jukebox?
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The New Guy

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Re: Interface questions
« Reply #6 on: March 06, 2012, 02:06:44 pm »

Media center. What's the Jukebox?
From all the pictures I saw it's looks the same as the Media Center, or I'm wrong...
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mojave

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Re: Interface questions
« Reply #7 on: March 06, 2012, 02:09:56 pm »

You posted in the Jukebox subforum. Jukebox is just for music and even for music doesn't have all the features of Media Center.

Since you are using Media Center, you can switch to a mini-view (Ctrl+2 or View > Mini View). This gives you a simpler view for just music. If you switch to any of the mini views besides Slim, you can then right click anywhere on the view, select Options, and select Always On Top. Now if you switch back to Slim it will always be on top.

My favorite mini view is Paradigm Essence. Go to the Skins and Plugins page, select Mini View Skins, click on Most Recent and you will be able to find it.

Can you explain more what you are looking for when you say "lining up a playlist"?
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The New Guy

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Re: Interface questions
« Reply #8 on: March 06, 2012, 02:29:28 pm »

I have just installed Media Jukebox. I have to play with that a bit, but as I saw before, it looks pretty much the same.

The mini view is grate, but it'll be better If I'll have the option to open in mini view another window with a list of files or songs which I like to play.
I don't think you'll appreciate if I'll post a picture of some other program with the example of what I mean

'lining up a playlist' - Lets say I've got a playlist of all Eric Clapton songs, and suddenly I fill like I want to heat now A song, afterwords B song, then C and so on...
It could be that I will pick any song from the playlist and with a mouse click (lets say the middle click) there will be a number by the song that'll say it's the next one to play (again, I don't think you'll appreciate if I'll post a picture that'll demonstrate exactly what I mean). Then, if I'll want to change my opinion concerning the order of the songs, or actually stop this all 'lining up list' I've just made, I could open a queue list window manger, where all the songs I've picked will be placed in the order I just chose, and I could easily control it.
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JimH

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Re: Interface questions
« Reply #9 on: March 06, 2012, 02:38:12 pm »

Right click on a track to add it to the current playlist.  There are several options.

Click on Playing Now and use drag and drop to re-order tracks.

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mojave

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Re: Interface questions
« Reply #10 on: March 06, 2012, 02:43:34 pm »

On the left of the standard display is Playing Now. That is your current playlist. You can rearrange the songs anyway you like in the playlist. You can also browse your music and right click on a song and select "More Play Options" and you can add the song as next to play, add the song to the end of the playlist, and many other options. I will often start a song and then add to my playlist as I'm listening.

If you go to View > Split View > Show Two Views, then you can have Playing Now in one view and Artists in another view. You can drag and drop your selections into Playing Now and put them where ever you want.

In View > Skins you can change the mini view skins using the ones at the bottom. Some of those skins have the current playlist shown and let you drag and drop to rearrange. However, you can't browse your library using the mini view.
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The New Guy

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Re: Interface questions
« Reply #11 on: March 07, 2012, 12:56:19 pm »

I got the picture
You are positive that you have the best software, and don't really want to hear about any other good features you can add
Your loss
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JimH

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Re: Interface questions
« Reply #12 on: March 07, 2012, 01:02:12 pm »

We do think it's the best software available in the digital media space.

We continue to work to improve it.

We listen to our customers.  We sometimes do what they propose, but not always.

I'm sorry if you feel that you are being poorly served.
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The New Guy

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Re: Interface questions
« Reply #13 on: March 07, 2012, 01:25:25 pm »

I gave you the credit for best software in the sound field

About the other things - in order to take the credit for the best software, you need to know the other ones

I am frustrated with the way this discussion is going

It's almost impossible to explain the different between some methods of features and interface, without any common experience with this specific ones

I'm repeating on my preview proposal for you - to try working with that specific software for 3 days
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MrHaugen

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Re: Interface questions
« Reply #14 on: March 07, 2012, 02:15:52 pm »

Personally I get frustrated by persons that have so little patience with such an advanced program as MC. You almost demand changes immediately, before testing basic functions like play options, queuing and playing now ordering. Features you mention is either already in this application, or it can be done very close to the descriptions you have given. Only thing not doable here is to detach the playing now window. MC can be scaled, the left tree can be hidden, you can add tabs and split views as Mojave tried to explain. A few persons now and then ask for detachable this and detachable that. The requests have probably not been frequent enough for JRiver to find it worth the extra work.

If you can't live without a detachable playing now window, then stick with the Aimp2. But you'll miss out on some really impressive stuff. Much more impressive than a detachable window. I can promise you that.

I've spent 10 minutes to look at demonstration videos of this Winamp lookalike average music-player-only application, and it was a total wast of 10 perfectly good minutes.
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The New Guy

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Re: Interface questions
« Reply #15 on: March 07, 2012, 03:20:13 pm »

Personally I got frustrated with you guys a day ago.
Why are you assume I haven't tested your program? I even seriously considered purchasing it for the last weak.
I've installed ver.17 and tested it for a few days.
I'm working with ver.16 the whole last weak exclusively.
But it just can't be. It couldn't actually be that I'll work with your program and that I'll find it more than slightly problematic in the some aspects. It couldn't be that after using some other software for the last several of years, I'll move to your software and find it interface a bit old, slow, and not intelligently programed.
Therefor it must be that I haven't tested it! It must be that I'm a bored person that picking up on you!

I'm a little curious how you blame me that I did not learn your software, or try to understand it, when you admit you did not worked with the other program, and only saw a demo clip for ten minutes ...

Something to think about.

And just in case you do decide to check it carefully - try to put together a playlist, then play with the songs by clicking the middle mouse button. Come back to me with your conclusions regarding the usability and executing deducted
All other things - the design of the screen - it's just a bonus
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fitbrit

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Re: Interface questions
« Reply #16 on: March 07, 2012, 04:09:28 pm »

Personally I got frustrated with you guys a day ago.
Why are you assume I haven't tested your program?

Why? Because your response to this:

On the left of the standard display is Playing Now. That is your current playlist. You can rearrange the songs anyway you like in the playlist. You can also browse your music and right click on a song and select "More Play Options" and you can add the song as next to play, add the song to the end of the playlist, and many other options. I will often start a song and then add to my playlist as I'm listening.

If you go to View > Split View > Show Two Views, then you can have Playing Now in one view and Artists in another view. You can drag and drop your selections into Playing Now and put them where ever you want.

In View > Skins you can change the mini view skins using the ones at the bottom. Some of those skins have the current playlist shown and let you drag and drop to rearrange. However, you can't browse your library using the mini view.

... was this:

I got the picture
You are positive that you have the best software, and don't really want to hear about any other good features you can add
Your loss
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The New Guy

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Re: Interface questions
« Reply #17 on: March 07, 2012, 04:16:20 pm »

My response to this was that it's impossible to discuss where the feature is better when your side don't have some of the information

After you'll know exactly what I'm talking about we can further discuss and compare where the interface is more friendly, convenient and fast (that remark is about the editing of the playlist feature)
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lise

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Re: Interface questions
« Reply #18 on: March 07, 2012, 04:24:18 pm »

I'm not exactly sure what you asking, not having used that other program, but is this screenshot relevant?  
In it, I've hidden the tree, and enabled split view (View > split view) to view 2 different things side by side.
On the left I'm browsing my library, and on the right is the playlist of songs playing right now.
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MrHaugen

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Re: Interface questions
« Reply #19 on: March 07, 2012, 04:33:22 pm »

I've tested this program now. Been through most settings and menus there is. And quite frankly, it's not much more here than winamp could offer me 10 years ago. Only thing I found that MC17 can not do, but AIMP2 can, was to set a Auto shutdown clock, as well as some sort of numbering of play priority of tracks in a playlist. This can be done EASILY in MC, but with a slightly different approach than you are used to. I noticed AIMP3 was out, but did not want to spend more time on this than necessary. I've already waste well over one hour on this nonsense.

MC does not work as regular media players where you play from playlists. You have to just deal with that. If not, you will not have a great experience. You add what you want from playlists or the library, and add tracks or whole albums, artists or playlists to Playing Now. Adding tracks as with the middle mouse button in AIMP2, so the track you click will be played after one another is done in the following way: You go to option select normal double click behavior to "Add to Playing Now (to end)". That way, all the tracks you click will be added last in the list and played in the exact same way as you're used to. When you are running out of tracks, you find the playlist again and add others. Or you can add the whole playlist and drag and drop to set the order of playback. And you can combine this things.

I assume you have not tested the program well because you ask for things that is possible with the app. Even though it might be slightly different from what you are used to. You refuse to look into these choices, and demand corrections or additions to todays functions instead of making small adjustments. That is not a great start. If you had managed to explain a bit better what you were looking for, we might have given you more detailed instructions as to achieve exactly what you want. But do you really expect people to do that with this attitude? You can't expect all to start using a software to test things either. You either have to show the users or explain it carefully. There have been several screen shots on this forums, so you will not get punished for adding that as I know of. As long as there is no direct link to competing application websites and such.

One other thing. You also mention that MC17 is slow and badly programmed. I'm amazed. Come barging in to a product forum and saying such things. What tests have you done, and what have you compared it with?

All apps have their faults. Nothing is perfect, and I'm sure that MC could be programmed better in certain places. But if you think that this app is slow then you should start looking into certain processes on other players. This library is much more effective than anything else I've seen on the market. And I've tested a high number of players and media Centers. There have been several comparisons with other media center apps, and MC beats the crap out of most of them. This is not a small player that is designed to pop up in 0.01 seconds when you double click a track in explorer. It's a Media Center. There is lots of data and library stuff that needs to be prepared before it can take advantages of it's true power. So, to compare speed on MC and AIMP2 or 3 is a bit far fetched and unfair if you look at the wrong things. Even with this I would bet that such a feature poor and lightweight app like AIMP would be put in the corner if we measured time consuming tasks on both.
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The New Guy

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Re: Interface questions
« Reply #20 on: March 07, 2012, 04:42:01 pm »

I'm not sure you'll understand my massage, and that's my I thought it'll be better if you learn it yourself.

As a user, what I understand about AIMP philosophy is that they're trying to propitiate the commands that are more useful from the commands that are less

It becomes easy when you are actually using your program for a lot of time

Then they are trying to find a way to make to more common commands work with only one mouse click, and it actually work!

I know I wrote about how the interface is appeared, but more important than that is usability of the program, and that information couldn't pass through any print screen.

I know I can drug and drop songs, but making a list faster than that with one click on the mouse is much more easy and fast.

I wrote before how much I love the sound of your software, but using it on a daily basis is so frustrating, because it fills like getting ten years back

Hope the point got through. At the end of the day I don't like spending my time in this forum for nothing. I do hope I could find in JRiver the good from all the worlds
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The New Guy

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Re: Interface questions
« Reply #21 on: March 07, 2012, 04:48:55 pm »

in the following way: You go to option select normal double click behavior to "Add to Playing Now (to end)".

Can't find it. Trust me, I didn't bothered you guys before I went trough the whole option menu

I don't think it fair to mention the word attitude towards me. Read again both of your posts and see that you have to agree with me. The words you're choosing are not regularly accepted in a seller - client conversation.

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lise

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Re: Interface questions
« Reply #22 on: March 07, 2012, 04:53:09 pm »

Can't find it. Trust me, I didn't bothered before I went trough all the option menu

I don't think it fair to mention the word attitude towards me. Read again both of your posts and see that you have to agree with me. The words you're choosing are not regularly accepted in a seller - client conversation.



What can't you find?
In Media Center, look at the Menu bar at the top.
You will see the word "Tools".
Click on that and select "Options"  (or just do Ctrl-O)
Now select "General" in the left column of the dialog box.
Look to the right for "Behavior".
The first item under Behavior is "double-click: somedefaultoption
Click on the little arrow next to "double-click" and select "Add to Playing Now (to end)".

Now whenever you double-click on anything it will be added to the currently playing playlist.

.
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The New Guy

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Re: Interface questions
« Reply #23 on: March 07, 2012, 04:57:40 pm »

One more good things with the numbers: in your software, when I left clicking on song, and choosing 'play (as next to play)', let's say I did it for 5 or 6 songs, the order that they're coming eventually is making less of a sense then numbering them in the order they where clicked
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The New Guy

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Re: Interface questions
« Reply #24 on: March 07, 2012, 05:01:04 pm »

What can't you find?
In Media Center, look at the Menu bar at the top.
You will see the word "Tools".
Click on that and select "Options"  (or just do Ctrl-O)
Now select "General" in the left column of the dialog box.
Look to the right for "Behavior".
The first item under Behavior is "double-click: somedefaultoption
Click on the little arrow next to "double-click" and select "Add to Playing Now (to end)".

Now whenever you double-click on anything it will be added to the currently playing playlist.

.

OK. Now I found and did it. Thanks!!

Still, I think it makes more sense to use all the options - mouse click, double click, and middle button for more than one operation command
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MrHaugen

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Re: Interface questions
« Reply #25 on: March 07, 2012, 05:03:03 pm »

You've not made any comment before now that you have tried what is suggested.  If you have, what is not working correctly? Hitting the middle mouse button once, compared to hitting the left mouse button twice should really not make a big difference.

Can't find it. Trust me, I didn't bothered you guys before I went trough the whole option menu

I don't think it fair to mention the word attitude towards me. Read again both of your posts and see that you have to agree with me. The words you're choosing are not regularly accepted in a seller - client conversation.

Try to write "double" or "playing" in the search box in options and the options will narrow down. The exact location is: Options - General - Bahavior - Double Click....

I think that the word "attitude" is well used in this thread. I'm not a seller. I'm a user just like you. I'm not trying to be rude here. But I do find your way of solving such problems mighty strange. I most often try to get other users to use this product, because it's honestly the best choice for many people. But in such threads I have a hard time just staying silent. This is the facts:
- You're a new user that asks for functionality that for most parts can be achieved
- Repeated attempts to help you, with no response other than dismissal and negativity
- You complain that we are not willing to test another app, because you are too bad at explaining exactly what you want
- You attempt to talk down on the software with nothing else to back it up

You're sure you don't understand just a little bit why people react?
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JustinChase

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Re: Interface questions
« Reply #26 on: March 07, 2012, 05:06:15 pm »

The words you're choosing are not regularly accepted in a seller - client conversation.

Just to be clear, everyone that has responded to you in this thread is a customer, just like you, except JimH, who is the president of JRiver.

I get the impression English may not be your first language, and that might be part of the frustration.  Forgive me if I'm mistaken about that.

I think what you want is very possible with MC.  I also think that if you just specify exactly what you want, instead of asking MC to be more like another program, you'll get better feedback.  Asking people to learn your preferred program to understand what you wish for is unlikely to work.

You are absolutely not alone in being a bit overwhelmed at the power of MC.  It sounds like you've done a good job of testing and trying to get MC to do what you want, which is great.  I'm not really sure I understand what exactly you want, so I can't help you with that, but I would suggest that a bit of patience, and perseverence will get you there.

Specific questions, and feedback on exactly what problems you encounter will eventually get you what you want, I'm pretty sure of that.

I hope you keep trying, it really is a great program, and as you dig deeper, you'll find amazing and clever possibilities with Media Center.

Good luck :)
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The New Guy

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Re: Interface questions
« Reply #27 on: March 07, 2012, 05:36:00 pm »

First of all let me apologize: since in each and everyone of your details you described has 'MC Beta Team' I got the wrong impression...

I didn't purchase this software. My point of view is of a client which is wondering about the option of buying it.

JustinChase - you was quiet right about the language part, as well as my mistake of asking users to learn another program.

But in the matter of operating the program I still stand behind my words:

I think JRiver have got to know all the other programs in the market in order not to fall behind, even if it's not about the sound, rather than just about the surrounding things.

I still stand behind what I wrote in comment #20 #23 #24

It's not comfortable giving up the 'play' command in favor of 'play next'. From my experience them both could be on a mouse click, and in very convenient way.

Ordering more than 2 or 3 songs with that method makes more sense with the number system near each song like in AIMP. Additionally the control on the order of the songs, is much more intuitive when the first song you'll click on will be the first one to play next, the second - second etc.
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lise

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Re: Interface questions
« Reply #28 on: March 07, 2012, 05:45:10 pm »



It's not comfortable giving up the 'play' command in favor of 'play next'. From my experience them both could be on a mouse click, and in very convenient way.

Ordering more than 2 or 3 songs with that method makes more sense with the system of numbers near the song. Additionally the control on the order of the songs, is much more intuitive when the first song you'll click on will be the first one to play next, the second - second etc.

I have double-click set to add to the end of the playlist. So in that sense, my songs do get added the way you want: I double-click on song A, it's in Position 1. I double-click on song B, it gets position 2.  etc.

If I come across a song I want to play now or next, it's just a matter of right-clicking on it and selecting "More Play Options" to add it as "next" or Play now, or whatever.  To summarize, double-clicking builds the playlist in order of the songs you choose (when that behavior is selected as the default), but if you want to interrupt the playlist to hear something right now or next you can.  Win win.
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rick.ca

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Re: Interface questions
« Reply #29 on: March 07, 2012, 06:24:18 pm »

Quote
but if you want to interrupt the playlist to hear something right now or next you can.

Not to mention there are eleven More Play Options. Those can't all be accommodated with mouse buttons. Furthermore, whatever option is selected will then appear at the top of the MRU list on the context menu for quick access. This is just one of thousands examples where MC has evolved light-years beyond most competitors. Contrary to not considering the competition, this has been the result of many years of listening to and responding to users—each of whom has brought there experiences and preferences from previous applications.

It is true that MC is more complicated than other applications. That's the price we pay for it's power and flexibility. Personally, I much prefer spending a little time figuring out how to do something—and even more time training myself to let go of old habits and do things a better way—than put up with software that's limited and just can't do what I want it to do. Not everyone has the time or inclination to do that, and some will be happier with less capable but simpler software.

BTW, speaking of power and flexibility, check out lise's recent post MC for documents. Try doing that with AIMP2. ;D

If using the middle mouse button is that important, you can use something like X-Mouse Button Control to map it to any command you like for MC.
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fitbrit

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Re: Interface questions
« Reply #30 on: March 07, 2012, 08:28:04 pm »

Actually, it may not be such a bad idea to suggest that the development team add a middle click behaviour selection in options. I don't think MC makes much use of the middle button in standard view, so why not? Maybe something good could come of this thread?
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rick.ca

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Re: Interface questions
« Reply #31 on: March 07, 2012, 09:18:21 pm »

Yes, it occurred to me an option for the middle button to execute the last-used command might be handy. As might the ability to map it to any command. Are there more obvious choices?
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fitbrit

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Re: Interface questions
« Reply #32 on: March 07, 2012, 09:30:10 pm »

Yes, it occurred to me an option for the middle button to execute the last-used command might be handy. As might the ability to map it to any command. Are there more obvious choices?

How about the same options as the double click offerings. Then some could have two oft-used shortcuts.

Or:

A pop-up menu with your most often used expressions (for tagging).
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rick.ca

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Re: Interface questions
« Reply #33 on: March 08, 2012, 01:07:36 am »

Quote
How about the same options as the double click offerings.

Yes, that would be a more obvious first choice. Also, I was thinking the last-used command (as it appears on the context menu) would include play commands. It doesn't, so there would need to be some way to pick those.

I'm using X-Mouse Button Control to assign to MRU command to the middle mouse button. This nifty little app can assign any number of keystrokes to any mouse button for any number of specified apps, and has five "levels" so multiple commands can be assigned to each button. I don't use it much, but I have found it very useful for some repetitive tasks for which I've temporarily programmed a few buttons for running keyboard macros. I suppose it can also be used to discover what commands might be most useful assigned to a middle mouse button...
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MrHaugen

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Re: Interface questions
« Reply #34 on: March 08, 2012, 02:49:33 am »

I do not object about using the middle mouse button to something useful. That could help others.

The idea of adding numbers to current playlists to see the queue numbering of items in Playing Now might be a bit more problematic though. I just don't see how it would fit in MC's idea of not using playlists to play from, but rather a play center. Numbering on playlists would require a separate column that is for Playing Now sequence. Just placing a number on something else might not work that well, because the playlist can contain anything. And you can have the same tracks on different playlists. So, people might expect to see them here as well. Overall a quite strange way of dealing with the problem.

I would rather suggest that you start using a split view. One with playlists or your library, and then Playing Now in the other window. This will give you the overview that you might look for.
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The New Guy

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Re: Interface questions
« Reply #35 on: March 08, 2012, 03:54:07 am »

It’s a bit difficult to describe the differences, but I'll try anyway
Adaptation of software to people is actually a simplifying the software to the most accessible level
Similarly, preparing a list of songs is a kind of very easy programming
AIMP working in a software configuration which with it all playlists are under Now Playing. In fact there is nothing that is not under Now Playing. The lists are arranged in tabs (which by the way, one of the ways you can move between them is pointing on their area with the curser, and scrolling with the mouse. It is quite useful), and of course you can use a large number of playlists which could be open, and thousands of songs on each list.
Of course there is the option of random playback of songs, but there is also an additional option of selecting tracks with the Middle mouse key, to be played themselves right next. So clicking the mouse adds to the file a little number in ascending order
You can add songs to play immediately, one after another, from all open playlists
So what it gives you?
It’s getting back to the simplifying programming idea
Suppose now that I hear all the songs of Eric Clapton, and suddenly I fill that I just have to listen to specific 3 songs. I can quickly and easily not only choose what will play immediately, but also I can choose afterwards what will happen:  what playlist, and what format playing (random, etc.) will it continue with after this three songs
Another option: choosing songs to play immediately, is usually characterized by quite a one – time use, and not really saved for the future (there is a way in which you can restore it, but it is not the intention). Suppose I chose that way a list of 17 songs which are all same the same song in a different performance, to compare between them and to choose my favorite. Suppose that after the second song my wife enters the room, and if I won’t stop the ‘temporary’ list, the music will get her so annoyed that I would have to completely turn off the music. I have the ability to open a separate window "QUEQE MANAGER" in which I can take off songs from the temporary list, change their order and even put this list on PAUSE, and continue playing regular one, and only later re-enable this list.
I will not go into the extensive user-friendly mouse use in the software, which in a lot of places in the interface when you put the curser on display  parts and scroll - what it does.
Some of the questions I asked here about these features indicate a lack of openness in thought. It's as if they were coming to Bill Gates with the idea of adding a button using the computer (it just an example. I didn’t searched for who brought it up first), which can also scroll the screen, and he would say "What is it good for? I can do that with the keyboard in this way, and it that way, or grab with the curser the scroll bar on the side, or .. . you get the idea? How could we know if the development of the middle button is really good? Look for anyone today that would think of giving up on this possibility...
The same way I can write that I worked with this software only for a week. Probably not learned yet it whole, but its drawbacks have quite prominent, and honestly and without condescension it feels to me like giving up the middle mouse button.
All sorts of things written here about AIMP quite arrogant and closed-minded. This program is free software, very well written, and its user-friendliness excels. It is written by some Russians programmers, who are not trying to promote it with any marketing efforts. AIMP got to where it stands in the market mainly by way of referrals, and it won a lot of awards and recognition. There's no shame to look at they success and try to understand it .
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MrHaugen

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Re: Interface questions
« Reply #36 on: March 08, 2012, 04:43:46 am »

And we're on this track again! Amazing.... As suddenly as people point out that a middle mouse action might be a good idea and support it, you're willing to give up. All this while you're still talking about things you can not do, which you in fact CAN do if you use tabs, split views, recently used command counters and double clicks. Only thing you can not do in MC is to easily play from one playlist, adding things to playing now. Adding more stuff from another playlist, pause the first list and then resume the last list. If i understood that right at all. I'm not sure. You can however save playlists, have lots of playlists lined up. Quickly jumping from the items in the "first playlist" to the second playlist simply by double clicking the first item from the "second list" in Playing Now. You can rearrange the contents of Playing, shuffle music, add things from other lists, lasso select songs with right click and delete songs with two clicks and so on, ctrl + click to select songs and delete those. And so much more.

AIMP is in my opinion very simple, and the reason is that it does not have 1/100'th of the choices that MC has. Having much option in a program WILL complicate things. No matter how good a programmer is, or how long you work on it. JRiver tries however, to do the default experience as user friendly as possible for new users. They aim at pleasing most of the users, and things often change to improve this. Most users comes from applications like iTunes, and MC does a good job at doing a similar job as iTunes for the first time users. The two fundamental differences is how the program work with play queues. iTunes and many other applications simply play what you see. MC does not. This is important to understand and ACCEPT. Because it gives you a lot more flexibility, but it also introduces some adaptation problems for new users. Just like you've experienced. Playlists and library is only there for you to pick what to play. It's no indicator of what is coming next. That is what Playing Now is for. As I mentioned this is one of the fundamental functions of MC, and will probably never change. Asking for changes that rocks with this concept will probably not give you much.

I'm not saying AIMP is a bad program. It probably work perfectly well for it's use, and I can understand people with music only and limited management configuration needs might suffice. But I would not manage with such and application at all. It's way to limited in my opinion.

If you want to work this out it would help with a list of step by step instructions of how you work with AIMP, and then people could give you simplified instructions on how to do the similar things in MC. I would be VERY shocked if it's not possible to achieve the same goal in MC with approximately the same number of steps as you use in AIMP. It's important that you explain carefully each step though. Because you've tried several times now, and I'm still not sure if I'm following you. Bulleted lists with simplified and carefully explained steps would be the best.
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The New Guy

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Re: Interface questions
« Reply #37 on: March 08, 2012, 02:19:24 pm »

Anyone?

I would also like to get JimH opinion about this
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JimH

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Re: Interface questions
« Reply #38 on: March 08, 2012, 02:30:25 pm »

I think it would be good for you to decide whether you want to use MC as it is.  We can't make changes that don't make sense to us.

Locking this now.
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