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[Matt]

Overview
MC19 adds user accounts to the library.  User accounts allow you to control what users see what content in your library.  User accounts can optionally be password protected.

The user system replaces Access Control from earlier versions.

The accounts are part of the library.  Any connected clients will have the same accounts as the server.  The user accounts will be part of a library backup.

How to Use
Users are controlled from the View > User menu at the top of the program.

You can add any number of users.

For each user, you can optionally specify search criteria to hide things.  For example, -[Genre]=[Children] would cause an account to hide any files with a genre of Children.  You can also hide content using the 'User Field' (see below).

The Administrator user account will always be able to see all files.

User Field
The library has a 'User' field that allows you to set what users see each file.

If you leave this field blank, all users will be able to see the file (the default).

If you set 'User' to one or more users, then only those users will be able to see the file.

Security
User accounts change what files are shown in the library.  However, they have no impact on a file's actual availability at the operating system level.  

This means any user can open Explorer and find any content.  If they find content not allowed by an MC account, MC will refuse to play it.  Any other program would play the content (since it won't know about MC user accounts).

Passwords are stored encrypted, but a clever person with a hex editor could remove the user accounts completely from the library.

Scope
The possibilities here are pretty endless, but our goals for MC19 are modest.  I want a simple way to not see Curious George when I sit down at the couch.  We're not trying to make everything in MC fully multi-user.

Compared to Multiple Libraries
It has always been possible to maintain separate libraries for different users or purposes.

However, this has several significant drawbacks:
* There are multiple copies of the metadata and keeping each library in sync is challenging
* A tool like television recording needs to know about _all_ recordings for all users to properly handle conflicts and record everything (you can't not record a kid's show because you happen to be watching a parent's show)
* Multiple libraries complicates backup and restore since there's no single set of data
* A library server will only serve a single library

[Matt]

reserved

[6233638]

This sounds interesting - how does it affect DLNA?
I'm still having difficulty getting video to work well over DLNA, but one issue that I've run into is that any time I make a change to the DLNA settings, every television in the house picks that up as a new server, and I have to manually remove it from them.

Is is possible to use user accounts to restrict access to what certain clients can see?
E.g. set up a TV in the kids' room to only have access to cartoons. (or possibly even films below a certain rating)

[MrHaugen]

Great addition!

One thing that's pretty important is to add the possibility to switch users in Theater View. Could you add a menu item so we could select users, and add an on screen keyboard for password? Or allow adding it through the skin. Otherwise it will not be very couch friendly I'm afraid.

[InflatableMouse]

I like how this works already.

Are there any plans to integrate this with 'Authentication' for client connections (and allow read-only connections when no credentials are given)?

[rjm]

Very nice.

I am thinking of using it for non-user applications such as:
- hide everything I've already seen
- show only stuff I've marked as a priority to watch
- show only stuff I know is excellent
- hide any video that won't play on IOS
- etc.

Would you please consider adding toolbar button(s) we could use to select user accounts?

This would make it more convenient for quickly turning on and off the filters I describe above.

Also, is it possible to show the currently selected user in the status display? It would be good to know what filters are currently applied.

[flac.rules]

Sounds good. I will try it out.

Would it be possible to consider the ability to handle the user field different? Me and my wife share the HTPC, and her library is a subset of mine. Being able to only set her name on the files she uses would be easier than setting my name on everything, and hers on "her stuff", and also possibly more robust if more users are added.  I guess the best(?) way to do it would be the ability to mark a user as a "master user" or something, that has access to everything, no matter what is said in the user field?

[mojave]

I guess the best(?) way to do it would be the ability to mark a user as a "master user" or something, that has access to everything, no matter what is said in the user field?

That is how it currently works. The default Administrator account has access to everything. As a safety precaution it can't be deleted. Other users have access only to media that has the User field blank or if it contains the name of their user account.

[flac.rules]

That is how it currently works. The default Administrator account has access to everything. As a safety precaution it can't be deleted. Other users have access only to media that has the User field blank or if it contains the name of their user account.

Ah, ok, very nice. Can you have more than one "Administrator acoount"?

[kstuart]

Is this not implemented if one does nothing ?

Or is it a thing like "Forum Registration" where everyone is required to use it in order to do things (like use the Server from a Client) ?

[InflatableMouse]

Is this not implemented if one does nothing ?

Or is it a thing like "Forum Registration" where everyone is required to use it in order to do things (like use the Server from a Client) ?

It's implemented but the default works just like before, so nothing is actually changed.

Until you create a user and tag some files for this new user.

[drmimosa]

Thanks for developing this feature, this is great.

I could see this being very useful if you could limit the zones each user can control. I recently sent a webgizmo link to my brother so he could listen to my JRiver library at work, only to come home to hear Pantera blasting from the home speakers.

Great to see all the development going on, it's like Christmas on Interact every morning now!

[cncb]

It would be great if this could be expanded to have selective deletion (some media types read-only) based on the user.  I have a fear that a home video will accidentally be deleted via Theater View where ideally I would only like TV recordings to be able to be deleted in this way.

[rossp]

Hi all,

This is a great new feature. My only problem with it is I have a password protected user called 'Ross'. When I select that user I enter the password and am now using MC as user 'Ross' and I can now see some specific files which is correct. If I restart MC then I am using MC as 'Ross' but I didn't have to enter the password. This does not seem correct as I can now see the specific user=Ross files. I think if the user is password protected then MC should ask at startup for the password or enter as a default account (not administrator if this is password protected).

Rgds...Ross

[MrHaugen]

I agree that it would be nice with more control regarding passwords and security. However, I don't think it should be default to require password for all password protected users on startup. I think there should be some way to set a user as the default user as well.

Let's say you have 2 users. Administrator, Default User. Administrator account are password protected. The Default User account is not.

The administrator is you. You have some stuff that you don't want or need the Default User to see. You only use the Administrator account for editing and occasional viewing and listening. You use a password to switch to the account. When you restart MC you would not necessarily want to provide a password. But if you close MC on a shared computer you might not like others to access the Administrator account. So, an option to password protect on startup would be nice.

Let's say that this is a HTPC where you and the family use one windows account with MC, and have two user accounts in MC. When you restart the machine or MC, you would like it to always start with the Default User account that have no password. That's where the default user comes into mind. This should also apply for each time the machine is woken up from sleep or hibernation. Imagine parent control. You have 16 year+ rated movies with blood, horror, gore and sex scenes on the Administrator Account and forget to switch to the Default user account before putting the HTPC to sleep. The next morning your two kids wake up the HTPC from sleep and starts watching horror movies while you and the wife are still asleep, which results in nightmares for two weeks. This could easily be prevented if a default user were provided and you could detect wakeup.

This will be even more important for the day that you have user based statistics fields. So you can separate things like watched progress.

[zxsix]

Added a password for the Administrator user.
Added another user Nick with a password.

Connected via library client to main copy of MC.
Did View> User > Nick.
Items shown changed correctly.

Closed MC.
Relaunched MC.

View > User shows checkmark next to Administrator.
It didn't default back to last user Nick.
Also it didn't prompt for the Administrator password.

[rossp]

You are right, it seems to go into the administrator account by default. This needs to ask for a password if protected as it can see all media.

Ross

[pjchappy]

I'm not seeing this option:

User Field
The library has a 'User' field that allows you to set what users see each file.

Could you walk me through making it so I block all movies from a User?  I already have a new User account set up.

Thanks,


p

[fitbrit]

I agree that it would be nice with more control regarding passwords and security. However, I don't think it should be default to require password for all password protected users on startup. I think there should be some way to set a user as the default user as well.

Let's say you have 3 users. Administrator, Default User. Administrator account are password protected. The Default User account is not.

The administrator is you. You have some stuff that you don't want or need the Default User to see. You only use the Administrator account for editing and occasional viewing and listening. You use a password to switch to the account. When you restart MC you would not necessarily want to provide a password. But if you close MC on a shared computer you might not like others to access the Administrator account. So, an option to password protect on startup would be nice.

Let's say that this is a HTPC where you and the family use one windows account with MC, and have two user accounts in MC. When you restart the machine or MC, you would like it to always start with the Default User account that have no password. That's where the default user comes into mind. This should also apply for each time the machine is woken up from sleep or hibernation. Imagine parent control. You have 16 year+ rated movies with blood, horror, gore and sex scenes on the Administrator Account and forget to switch to the Default user account before putting the HTPC to sleep. The next morning your two kids wake up the HTPC from sleep and starts watching horror movies while you and the wife are still asleep, which results in nightmares for two weeks. This could easily be prevented if a default user were provided and you could detect wakeup.

This will be even more important for the day that you have user based statistics fields. So you can separate things like watched progress.

+1 I played around with Users for the first time, and my need for all of the above quickly became apparent.

[fitbrit]

Either I'm using this feature incorrectly, or there's something wrong. I've tagged all except n of my video files with the User tag 'Joe'. Currently, user Joe can see all the files, including those that are untagged in the [User] field. I don't understand why.
How would I define user Joe's properties so that the Media Sub type of 'trailer' doesn't show?
There's an empty box but I don't know what to put in it. It could do with a Wizard like the search box. Or perhaps the Search Wizard could optionally spit out the expression it is using when we define rules, so we can then use it in boxes that are wizardless, but can accept expressions?

I just re-read the first post.

[rossp]

Either I'm using this feature incorrectly, or there's something wrong. I've tagged all except n of my video files with the User tag 'Joe'. Currently, user Joe can see all the files, including those that are untagged in the [User] field. I don't understand why.
How would I define user Joe's properties so that the Media Sub type of 'trailer' doesn't show?
There's an empty box but I don't know what to put in it. It could do with a Wizard like the search box. Or perhaps the Search Wizard could optionally spit out the expression it is using when we define rules, so we can then use it in boxes that are wizardless, but can accept expressions?

If the files are untagged in the User field that means anyone can see them. If you tag them with a value other than Joe then Joe will not be able to see them.

Ross

[fitbrit]

If the files are untagged in the User field that means anyone can see them. If you tag them with a value other than Joe then Joe will not be able to see them.

Ross

 Thank, Ross. That is what I kind of feared. For me, this makes the idea of MrHaugen's 'default user' even more useful. I am going to have to create a third user, in addition to Joe and Administrator in order to do what I want.

[rdsu]

Can this be extended to Audio Options?

Then we can use JRemote to set JRiver for speakers or headphones...

[Matt]

Can this be extended to Audio Options?

Then we can use JRemote to set JRiver for speakers or headphones...

You can do that today with zones.

[rdsu]

You can do that today with zones.

Wow, I didn't know that!

[Ramona60]

I like this feature. I had a lot of trouble with multiple libraries and sync them. Can this be extended to other Options e. g. Skins? It would be useful if several user share one PC

[Matt]

I like this feature. I had a lot of trouble with multiple libraries and sync them. Can this be extended to other Options e. g. Skins? It would be useful if several user share one PC

Maybe someday, but not for v19.  Please see the 'Scope' section above for our intentions with v19.

[maid]

Is there an easy way to use the user feature.

I only want the Administrator but need to stop R rated things showing in the library.

Most of the time there is only myself and Hubby here but when the grandies visit I would like to be able to not have displaying sensitive material.

[fitbrit]

Is there an easy way to use the user feature.

I only want the Administrator but need to stop R rated things showing in the library.

Most of the time there is only myself and Hubby here but when the grandies visit I would like to be able to not have displaying sensitive material.

It is pretty easy already, once you get used to it. Make a password for the administrator. Create a second account that's for 'grandies'. Call it whatever you want, e.g. RegUser.
Then you need to find a way to tag stuff you don't want Grandies to see. You could use the rating field, or you could create a special genre (adult), or use the Adult [media sub type] field.
Switch to RegUser. Then edit the current user. Under Files to Show, add:
-[Genre]=[Adult]
OR
-[Media Sub type]=[Adult] 
Or whatever tag you chose in whichever field.
e.g.
-[MPAA Rating]=[R]

The - sign indicates that you don't want to show files with that value (i.e. R) in the field you selected i.e. [MPAA Rating]

Keep the admin as the current user, except when the grandies come over. (Not sure whether that's grandparents or grandkids).

[maid]

thank you so much fixed

[fitbrit]

thank you so much fixed

Good job. Glad to have helped.

[danrien]

Is the API going to be aware of User accounts changing and send out appropriate events to plug-ins?

[DoubtingThomas]

There really needs to be an easier way to switch users other than going to the menus.

Toolbar buttons would be good, but might be hard to implement (how would you associate a user with a button?)

At the very least.... how about MC19.exe commands to switch users.

[kensn]

Yes.. Could we have it added to the customize toolbar display?

Ken

[HTPC4ME]

if there were a vote/poll, id prefer theaterview user switching over standard view user switching.

[MrHaugen]

We need both. There's no way around it imo. I hope that functionality for Theater view are added to the skinning engine as well.

[DoubtingThomas]

A user account toolbar button could be a drop down like the existing "Zones" toolbar button is.

[Micromecca]

We need both.

Agreed, we definately need to be able to switch user from theater view, ideally we should be presented with a user list when launching theater view (if the feature is in use) and there should be a configurable 'time-out' setting where JRiver will fall back to the user list after a period of inactivity.

[HTPC4ME]

and there should be a configurable 'time-out' setting where JRiver will fall back to the user list after a period of inactivity.

+1

[rjm]

The User Account feature has much wider applicability than just supporting multiple users.

A "user" can be thought of as a virtual library. There are many useful applications of virtual libraries such as "hide junk", "show only unviewed", "family friendly only", "favorites only", etc.

The leading e-book manager Calibre has recently implemented the same feature. They took it a step further and made it easy to switch between virtual libraries via tabs and/or selections in the tree.

I encourage JRiver to consider adding friendly navigability to take User Accounts from good to great.

[georgem29]

The User Account feature has much wider applicability than just supporting multiple users.

Yes, I actually think of them as "filters" rather than "users", and I've been wanting filters in MC for a long time. For example, I have one set up to show me albums I've rated 4 or 5 stars (custom relational field) and I can choose that filter user and use all my existing views and lists, limited to just matching albums. Very cool indeed. I'll echo other's requests for an easier way to switch, such as a drop-down toolbar button.

Between this, the new silent backup command and the new analysis/leveling, I've already gotten more than my money's worth for the MC19 upgrade! And it's early.

[rjm]

Yes, I actually think of them as "filters" rather than "users", and I've been wanting filters in MC for a long time. For example, I have one set up to show me albums I've rated 4 or 5 stars (custom relational field) and I can choose that filter user and use all my existing views and lists, limited to just matching albums. Very cool indeed. I'll echo other's requests for an easier way to switch, such as a drop-down toolbar button.

Between this, the new silent backup command and the new analysis/leveling, I've already gotten more than my money's worth for the MC19 upgrade! And it's early.

I unsuccessfully tried to get JRiver to name it Filters when it was first proposed. I also like the Calibre name of Virtual Library.

[MrHaugen]

What it's called should be of little importance imo. The main thing here is that it needs to evolve to be something more to be really user friendly and work for more people. Unfortunately, there's been several very promising areas that's had to suffer lately. It seems like the finishing touch of some features have not gotten to much attention. Perhaps because of the MC ports to other platforms and the, in my opinion, never ending addition of audio features which I care less about? Let's hope the pace picks up again and such features as this are improved faster in the future.

[acwcanada]

My old man is a heavy user of JRiver since a long time ago. A few days ago, My wift and I visited him with my two kids - a fourteen and a sixteen boys. The grandpa shown me how this new feature "User Accounts" and told me that it is useless and he ever prefer the previous feature "Access Control". The old man has a system in the basement which set up as library server. He will do his file updating and tag editing etc a couple times every week, so the server always set "Administrator" as the user and able to see everything. He has two HTPC acting as cleints of the library server and connected to a 55" and 60" TV, one at the family room and the other in a big open area. He said that he created two additional users besides administrator, one is called "Family Members" and another just named "Guest". With his over 40 years of collection, I know he owned over 15k of albums in audio, 3K of videos and countness pictures. He started to convert them into digital format when the tecnology became available and popular since he retired 15 years ago. He told me that the HTPC at the the family roorm with his intend to be as user "Family Memebers", there he had filtered out a serval hundred of movies which he doesn't want his grandkids to watch them when they come to visit him, and the other HTPC with his intend to have account "Guest" to filter most of the family's personal pictures. Since the library server is running 7/24 and as administrator but the two HTPC clients are just on and off at a daily basic, so everytime, when the grandkids come to visit him or he has any guests come to spend a movie together, he would have to remember to switch user at those HTPC, otherwise, either the kids will watching movies he deemed inappropriate or some of the family's personal pcitures would be showing on the TV to the guests, those situations made him so annoying.

He said that this new user accounts feature should given an option to have a default user setting on the client side not just let it follow the server. He told me he is going to switch it back to version 18 as the old feature make his life even easier as with his fully tagged medias. I know he doesn't or rare visit this forum plus I am only a very moderate JR user, so I just know how true his comment is, or perhaps he has set it up in a wrong way. Can someone give a little idea? Thanks

[DoubtingThomas]

I like the new user accounts, it's just like the old Access Control, but with more than one possible setup.

I too think of them as filters... and like someone pointed out above, they do the filter, and all my views and playlists honor them.

[Micromecca]

I have configured this feature at the request of a client today but unfortunately I have been left scratching my head.
Setup was very easy as we chose to tag the user field during auto-import and exclude the restricted account 'Kids' so that they may manually approve access to individual files later on the library server.
The head scratching part came after we switched to the Kids account on the network client and then re-launched the program as it had automatically defaulted back to the password protected Administrator account. Is this intended behaviour or am I missing something here? is there perhaps a command line switch that I should use to launch MC with a specified user?

[MrHaugen]

The head scratching part came after we switched to the Kids account on the network client and then re-launched the program as it had automatically defaulted back to the password protected Administrator account. Is this intended behavior or am I missing something here? is there perhaps a command line switch that I should use to launch MC with a specified user?

That's the big problem. There is not way of doing this today as far as I know. This needs to be improved to be able to really use this as a reliable access control.
You need to set default login user. And if password is set for the account you should have to input it before you get access. The same behavior should work when waking up from sleep on a client. We also need the ability to switch users in theater view, with the addition of a touch friendly keyboard to input password/pin.

[Micromecca]

I have spotted the MCC_SET_USER Core Command (22028) but cannot get it to work other than switching back to Administrator when another account is active by using:

Code: [Select]

MC19.exe /MCC 22028,0
At least if we can get that working we can launch MC via a script followed by that command to set the user


EDIT: Eureka!

In "C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Roaming\J River\Media Center 19" on the library server is  file called "user.jmd" the user ID's are in there and can be used with Core Command 22028


EDIT: Also works in Theater View



So all we need is a time-out and a user list

[MrHaugen]

Nice detective work. So, we can switch users with commands. Good to know. But we still can't prevent people from launching MC without commands to get admin privileges, right? And that's not ideal.

[Micromecca]

For this particular application I can get away with it as they are pure Theater View MC's without a keyboard or mouse (using numerical pin via remote for the user passwords).
I am now looking for a solution to run a command on wake from sleep to auto set MC back to the restricted account, really just to keep my client happy for now, but I agree with you 100% this stuff really should be built in and more secure. Hopefully we will see a user list on startup and time-out option in a future version