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[stumpygremlin]

I'm wondering how to create a smart playlist that'll show me the songs in which I labeled the "Band" and "Album Artist" fields differently.

Thanks!

[rick.ca]

-[Band]=[] [=IsEqual([Album Artist (auto)], [Band])]=0

'Import' this using a Search Wizard. From the Wizard, note the form of such a 'Custom' rule is [{Expression}]=0|1 (i.e., False|True).

[stumpygremlin]

You, sir, are awesome! Thanks a bunch!

[marko]

<snip> note the form of such a 'Custom' rule is [={Expression}]=0|1 (i.e., False|True).

missing "equals" added in red

[rick.ca]

missing "equals" added in red

Yes, I was thinking it was part of the expression, but it's not. At least it's not at all helpful to think that it is, since the expression doesn't otherwise need it. Thanks for clarifying.

I suppose a better characterization of how this works is the '=' causes {Expression} to be evaluated (in this case, to 0 or 1), and then the whole rule is an expression that evaluates to True or False. In other words, the form of the custom rule is [={Expression}]=c, which—like any condition—is either True or False.

I don't think I understood this well until I was shown how to save global variables with a rule. [=Save(value, variable)1]=1 forces the evaluation of the Save() expression, while the rule always evaluates to (1=1) True, so it has no impact on the Search.

[MrC]

If this helps anyone, the:

   [=  ]

can be thought of as a field specifier, just like any other [field], but the special first character being = means the field evaluator should expect and run the expression inside first, and replace the entire pseudo-field [=expr] with the output.  Then you're really left with something like:

  output=1

which fits the standard simple query syntax.

This form of amendment to an existing set of reserved characters (i.e. adding a character such as = to the opening [ character)  is fairly common in languages.

[rick.ca]

If this helps anyone...

It does, thanks. Whether it's because I'm not a programmer or my brain is old and tired, I have difficulty remember such seemingly simple things. But, if I have some understanding of why it is so—even if that understanding is otherwise of little use—it seems to 'stick'. That's why I appreciate your efforts to explain how things work, rather than just providing the 'answer'. And even if I still can't regex my way out of a wet paper bag, I can still remember, "Regex!...Ask MrC."