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[6233638]

Adding files to a zone which shares the same output device as the currently playing zone stops playback.
 
E.g. watching a video in one zone, and queuing up music to play later in an audio zone.
This happens several times a week, and it's one of those things that seems like it should be a small tweak to fix some incredibly frustrating behavior.
 
Is there any chance of getting this fixed? It's been there since the early days of MC19.
 
 
"Start playing when files added to Playing Now" is disabled.

EDIT: Seems like I'm not the only person this happened to today:
 

When adding files to zones MC stops the currently playing zone.

I have 3 Zones set up, while playing an internet radio stream in "Zone 1" I used "Send To / Play (Zone 2) / Add"
upon which MC ceased playback on Zone 1.
I then re-started playback on Zone 1 and added additional tracks to Zone 2 using the same right-click menu commands, upon which MC ceased playback on Zone 1.
I have done no further testing. Need some done, just ask, same for additional info.

[Matt]

"Start playing when files added to Playing Now" is disabled.

If that's disabled, adding to Playing Now shouldn't touch playback in the other zone.  I'm confused.

[6233638]

If that's disabled, adding to Playing Now shouldn't touch playback in the other zone.  I'm confused.

In MC19 things were changed so that when you played a file in one zone, it should stop playback in any other zones which use the same audio device.
 
In my case I have separate audio and video zones that play to the same device, because I want to keep separate playlists for each.
 
This behavior on its own can be quite glitchy—it often gets into a loop where it is just constantly switching back/forth between two zones rather than stopping one and letting the other take over—but I think whatever controls this behavior is treating the addition of files to one of the zones as being equal to starting playback.
 
It should be relatively easy to test:

• Set up two zones configured to the same audio device.
• Play a video in one of these zones.
• Add files to the other zone.

You should see that video playback stops when files are added to the other zone.
If you tried playing music in one zone while video is playing in the other, you might also see the behavior where playback constantly switches back-and-forth between the two, rather than playback stopping in one and starting in the other.

[Matt]

In MC19 things were changed so that when you played a file in one zone, it should stop playback in any other zones which use the same audio device.

I don't think so.

It should be relatively easy to test:

• Set up two zones configured to the same audio device.
• Play a video in one of these zones.
• Add files to the other zone.

I add files to the other zone and it adds them no drama.  Playback continues in the first zone.

[glynor]

I add files to the other zone and it adds them no drama.  Playback continues in the first zone.

I just tested it as well, and got the same results.  I have two zones I used to test (Standard and Night).  They're identical except that in one, I have the Night Adaptive Volume DSP enabled, and in the other I have Peak Level Normalize enabled.  Both are using WASAPI Exclusive and point to the same audio device (Night was created by duplicating Standard and then tweaking it).

So, I did as you suggested and played a video in my Standard Zone, and then switched to my Night Zone and added a few music files one by one.

With Start playing when files added to Playing Now disabled it works fine.  Playback continues in the Standard Zone (I used a H.264 encoded MKV to test) and the audio files I added to the Night Zone queued up nicely.

With Start playing when files added to Playing Now enabled it works as I'd hoped, and expected.  When I add the files to the Night Zone's Playing Now, it tries to play them, and errors.  Playback in the Standard Zone continues uninterrupted.

So, if that's not how it is working for you, something else is involved.  What is different about your setup that could be causing it?  Do you have complicated Zone Switching coming into play?  Is your audio mode different between the two, or between you and me?

[6233638]

Since you were unable to reproduce this, I did a little more testing and it seems that it is actually being caused by ZoneSwitch:
 

 
This configuration is necessary for MC to properly route files to the correct zone, but it seems that the stop command is part of ZoneSwitch taking any action, instead of only when ZoneSwitch is used to start playback.
 
 
Still, it seems like it should not stop playback unless you are starting playback in the other zone, rather than just adding files, though I at least understand why it's happening now.

[glynor]

In that case, it seems like a ZoneSwitching bug.  I agree, it shouldn't trigger the stop of the current zone until Playback starts, not upon adding the files to another zone's Playing Now.

[6233638]

It would be nice if this could be fixed.

It's significantly more frustrating than before now that I'm using ZoneSwitch to send stereo audio to one zone, stereo video to another, multichannel audio to a third zone, and multichannel video to a fourth.

[glynor]

+1 and thanks for the bump.

But I thought I vaguely remember some effort to fix it.  I take it you know it has not been?

[kstuart]

I find that using the "Stop Playback.... " feature causes problems (such as the Active Zone not changing to the file being played).

[6233638]

I find that using the "Stop Playback.... " feature causes problems (such as the Active Zone not changing to the file being played).

If you don't use "stop playback" rules, then files are not routed to the correct zones.
Which is kind-of annoying, and why I'd like to see sub-zones, since I have to stop playback in all my video zones for videos to be routed to the correct ones, even though there would be no overlap with the output devices.

[Matt]

Zone Switch rules will run anytime the switch is engaged.  That includes stopping the specified zone.  I don't really think this is a bug.

[6233638]

It may not be a bug, but ZoneSwitch should treat adding files differently from playing files.
Adding files to a zone should not interrupt playback.

[glynor]

It may not be a bug, but ZoneSwitch should treat adding files differently from playing files.
Adding files to a zone should not interrupt playback.

I don't think Matt quite gets why this is an issue.  I'm pretty sure I do, but I admit, I haven't encountered it myself in "production".

Can you write up a step-by-step (including how to configure two simple zones and switching rules) to reproduce?

[6233638]

Zone 1: Audio
Zone 2: Video

Both play to the same sound device, so each has to stop playback in the other Zone.
One example would be watching a TV show in a split view while trying to queue up music for later.
 
Another might be watching a video which gets sent to my stereo video zone, and queuing up a video which gets sent to the multichannel video zone. (there are other issues with this setup, but this is one of them)
 
Things like these are why I normally use a split view all the time, with one pane dedicated to zone management, and another dedicated to libraries.

[Matt]

I'm struggling trying to reproduce this.

I have a zone switch rule for audio and video.  It stops the other zone and starts in that zone.

I play audio and it works.  I play a video and it stops the audio and switches.

How do I reproduce a problem when adding files?

[6233638]

The issue is that if I'm watching a video and add (not play) tracks to the audio zone while watching this video, playback is stopped in the video zone. (or vice-versa)
 
Playing files should stop one zone and switch to the other. (and does)
Adding files to another zone should not interrupt playback.

[Matt]

The issue is that if I'm watching a video and add (not play) tracks to the audio zone while watching this video, playback is stopped in the video zone. (or vice-versa)
 
Playing files should stop one zone and switch to the other. (and does)
Adding files to another zone should not interrupt playback.

Right.  But how do I even get both playing at once to begin with?  ZoneSwitch is making it impossible.

[6233638]

Right.  But how do I even get both playing at once to begin with?  ZoneSwitch is making it impossible.

Only one is playing.
 
I'm queuing up files to watch/listen to after the current album/video is finished, but adding them stops playback.

[Matt]

Only one is playing.
 
I'm adding files to watch/listen to after the current album/video is finished, but adding them stops playback.

Can you walk me through step-by-step?  Thanks.

[6233638]

1.  Be watching a TV show in a split view.
2.  Add music to another zone.
3.  Zone Switch stops playback in the currently playing zone.
 
This is an example of how things are often set up:

 
The left split is locked, so playback shouldn't be affected.
But the Zone Switch rule to stop playback in the video zone (in this case "Multichannel") takes effect when I add tracks to the audio zone.
It should only stop the video zone if I play an album, not if I add it.

[Matt]

Next build:
Changed: Adding files to Playing Now won't trigger a ZoneSwitch rule to stop playback in the other zones.

[glynor]

Next build:
Changed: Adding files to Playing Now won't trigger a ZoneSwitch rule to stop playback in the other zones.

Yay!

I hadn't hit this, but it was "by dumb luck".  I would have eventually.  Thanks, 6233638, for sticking with it.

[6233638]

If I hadn't already bought it, this is one of those things which would get me to upgrade. Thanks!
 
More than any new features, eliminating small but frequent annoyances like this are what greatly improves the overall MC experience.
I understand that in this instance, I'm certainly in the minority of users though.