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[JimH]

PLEASE READ THE ENTIRE POST BEFORE POSTING
Long or complex posts will be removed.

In the Too Complex thread, we were frequently told how unintuitive MC could be.

So here's the challenge for those who think it's easy to make intuitive software.

Suggest a change that will make MC easier to use (but NOT a feature request).  

If you can meet the following guidelines, we'll try to make the change.

A change needs to be:

1.  Easy to implement (less than an hour)

2.  Generally useful to most users

3.  Something that doesn't remove existing functionality and that isn't controversial

In other words, it must be obviously better.

and

4.  Something that can be described in 10 lines or less (not complex)

PLEASE don't post anything else in this thread.  Start a new thread if it doesn't fit here.

[JimH]

It needs to be:

1.  Easy to implement (less than an hour)

Before anyone complains that this is too limiting, we're already engaged in some big efforts, so we don't have time for major diversions.  These include:

1.  Linux (because it opens up hardware opportunities like the Id)
2.  Video on Linux and Mac
3.  TV setup
4.  WDM driver
5.  Pono

[astromo]

Before anyone complains that this is too limiting, we're already engaged in some big efforts, so we don't have time for major diversions.  These include:

1.  Linux (because it opens up hardware opportunities like the Id)
2.  Video on Linux and Mac
3.  TV setup
4.  WDM driver
5.  Pono

Jim, this is just what's required. You've succinctly set out JRiver's strategic direction going forward from here at a high level. Nice work.

[CountryBumkin]

Maybe you could just have the install download a "readme" file with basic setup instructions and/or limited step-by-step guidance to get a new user up and running. The readme file would need to be linked to a "Help" button or "Read this First" link on the JRiver startup/install screen, or it would go unnoticed.

[Edit]Red edits are by JimH or others at JRiver[/edit]
Do this or similar

[JimH]

I split a TV topic.

Please post simple improvements only. 

[JimH]

Overhauling auto import isn't a one hour project.

MC does set the media type when it imports.

[6233638]

Replace the 45s timer with a button?

[TCube]

@ InflatableMouse

I'm thinking that auto-import could be improved several ways, like detect whether something is music, a movie or a series and set the Media Type accordingly upon import.

@JimH

I split a TV topic.

My 2 cents : yes ! To make easy to install split the set up in two steps : Audio / Video. It's gratifying when one works perfectly ... then you go onto the next one.
That's from my experience never used MC for Vid since ... MediaJukebox ... 14.
Rgds
TC

Setup is covered in another topic

[ferday]

An option to move all files in a folder with rename,move,copy

Do this or similar

[glynor]

Replace the 45s timer with a button?

Works for you.  Doesn't work for me.  Been discussed a few times.

How about?

Implement:
Tools > Options > Library & Folders > Auto-Import > Run First Use Import on Empty Libraries

Defaults ON, but can be turned off globally.  When disabled, MC doesn't do the First Use scan.  I don't care what you call it.

Then everyone shuts up about it and we can stop hearing about the countdown all the time.

Do this or similar

[john_kane]

Some Device Love #1

1)Add a way to add a device from the left tool bar (Right Click option in Drives and Devices?, a permanent 'add new device' option underneath Drives and devices?)

My two cents, but going into 'options' to add a device is not real intuitive to me (or to anyone else in my household).

Everyone navigates over to Drives and Devices, "ohh, here I add a device?"

Please start a thread with more details.

[cncb]

My (old) ideas for making Images workflow more intuitive (each one should fit your criteria):

1) Double-click thumbnail takes you right to Preview mode
2) Add to image Preview mode (Panes, thumbnail text): http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=75647.msg512950#msg512950
3) Allow for custom text in tooltip: http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=77598.0
4) Set a default external editor that is easy to launch

Consider

[dean70]

Why not put some options in the inital installation process (not upgrade), such as:

*Scan for Media files (equiv to the current first-run auto-import timer)
*Import an existing library
*Have a subset of the Options->General->Features settings available to select what roles MC will be used for, eg: Video, Audio, TV, Images, which can always be changed later on through the Options settings.

[Bccc1]

A minor suggestion:
If you click on the arrow in the artist column in the detail list in the default Audio->Artists view, the result is grouped by artist even though there is only one group.
My suggestion: make an option to apply grouping only, if more than one group is found. So in this case, it would jump straight to the album listing as in the last screenshot.

[Vincent Kars]

A nasty one

In the tree view you can drag/drop.
A very nice feature as you have
Martha Argerich
Argerich, Martha
Martha Argerig

Drag/drop is a powerful method to get all your performers spelled uniform fast
Until you realize that drag/drop on artist is a SET  function.
It destroys all multiple values.
Drag/drop should honor multiple values hence a Replace.

Consider

[robgil]

A youtube video that gives instructions on basic set up that initiate's on new installs, that might give people a step in the right direction when they first install JRiver and prevent people from being scared away.
Good idea, but not quick to do.

[Moe]

(Re)Add "Clear Playing Now" back to the right click menu when clicking in the playing now section.  Why this was removed in the first place has always left me confused.  

Do this or similar

[spiggytopes]

OK,

in options - Theatre View,

Provide a number of ready written expressions to add to the "More Option" (I think) menu in Theatre View.

eg

Sort by not watched
Sort by partially watched (as in a season of TV)
Go to last watched episode in a season (just try finding where you were last night in Columbo!).
Alter album or DVD cover size

Better still, just add the selections directly to Theatre View menu.

Cheers.

Keep up the good work.

Do this or similar

[jmone]

Relative File Path --> UNC presentation.

When using Library Server Clients, the "Play local file if one that matches Library Server file is found" is a terrific option as it prevents any transcoding by the server (especially good as many servers don't have the power to do so for many video formats).

The issue:  Many will have setup their library using Relative File Paths (eg D:\Video etc) and then struggle to get their MC Clients to work well.

How about an option for MC to enable "UNC" presentation by
- Scanning the top level Relative File Paths used
- Presenting a list of these with a check box "[] Change path to UNC Share", and for each one checked
  - MC configures the Relative File Path as a UNC Share, and
  - MC changes the path used in the library to the UNC Share
  - MC changes the paths used in "File Location" as well to their new UNC Share

Do this or similar or send a box of chickens.

[StFeder]

Add an option to limit all searches entered in the search field to one specified view.

Discussion for this (started by debacle) can be found over here.

Do this or similar

[jmone]

Media Network - Customise Views (DLNA / MC Client / MCWS).

Issue:  When you first use a MCWS or DLNA client you get a view on the device that is different from what you have on MC Itself and even if you import the library views they get of of sync quickly.  This causes confusion, so I'd suggest adding the following:

"[X] Use same view as the current Library"

and if it unchecked that you can then customise views as you can now.

Do this or similar

[akira54]

Button to change watched status in TheaterView.

Easy switch between Seen and Unseen media files in TheaterView without having to set this up separately for each folder.

Do this or similar

[glynor]

Relative File Path --> UNC presentation.

Doesn't sound like an hour-long project.

How is MC supposed to figure out the share names?

[glynor]

Here's one I thought of while answering another request:

When you use drag-drop from MC to Windows Explorer or the Finder to copy files, the file-copy process shows the system copy progress dialog, but while the copy is in-progress the UI of MC remains frozen.

It would be nice if MC did these in a background thread instead so that the UI could remain responsive while the copy is in-progress.  I use drag-drop copying a lot to get files I need to edit from network volumes, but sometimes these copies take a long time.  It is frustrating that MC is locked up while it progresses (while doing Locate > On Disk (External) doesn't).

Consider if the OS will allow.

[6233638]

Allow import rules to use multiple directories.
 
Instead of six rules which are all identical, and have to be edited six times any time I make a change, being able to specify the location as:
 
"C:\My Videos\; D:\Movies\; E:\TV\; F:\Home Videos\; G:\Video\; H:\Video\" etc.
 
Would make things easier to manage.
 
A new mode for auto-import rules which is "Include this folder, but ignore sub-folders" would mean that I could eliminate a huge list of exclusion rules too.

Consider

[eapool]

Here is my request:

Add the ability to determine which channel each set top box tuner is tuned to through MCWS.  I don't mean the box itself, just let us know what channel MC thinks the box should be tuned to.

I would imagine that this meets 1, 2, and 4.  I don't know how generally useful this would be for most users.  However, I will build a plugin to allow serial and HTTP control of set top boxes if this information is made available.  I expect that would be useful to most set top box users.

Thanks,

Alex
Do this or similar

[JustinChase]

(optionally?) force a detached video window to honor the aspect ratio of the playing video.  i.e. automatically eliminate any/all black space around video.

Do this or similar

[Vocalpoint]

Make the Search field in the upper right - 2 inches wide instead of 1 inch. (Or make it size-able)

[locust]

1 hour improvements this one might be 2 hours   lol

A toolbar button that can switch between which monitor is used for video playback and theatre view with one alteration that makes it different from a regular toolbar toggle button. When show text labels is enabled, rather than it saying "toggle monitor", it should just display which monitor is being used.

Without that, the toggle button to me would pretty much be useless. A blind shot in the dark as to which monitor is currently enabled

Consider

[mulliganvi]

A simple option to access 'connected media' or internet favorites in Theater View.

Consider improving

[adlelare]

in the "options" actually put all file locations in the item entitled file locations.  i found out the very hard way when the PVR function failed and i got huge files in directories i couldn't find in the item "file location", they were actually in the Television item ( i believe).

Do this or similar

[jmone]

Doesn't sound like an hour-long project.

How is MC supposed to figure out the share names?

I guess the same way Windows does, the folder name = share name

[InflatableMouse]

Here are some usability suggestions I have made before, no new features but they address behavior. Maybe some of those can be looked at.

http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=82792.0

[raldo]

Initial set up for photos/home media:
(i) Prompt for location(s) of home media. This should allow for several folders. The purpose of this is to generate views which filter out, say, album art from photo collection.
(ii) Ask if the views should include home videos. Used for filtering home videos out of the above view schemes.
(iii) Prompt for location(s) of import folders. This should allow for several folders. The purpose would be to generate views for imported media.

[Eric05]

Make sound bar bigger at mouse over, same as scrollbars

[J-a-k-e]

This may take a bit more than an hour, I'm unsure.
How about an option to sort parametric eq filters under custom selectable & collapsible groups, a bit like presets but different.
This would provide easier control and a tidier work space for those of us who have more than a few filters configured within a zone, i.e. I could have groups for "Left speaker" "Right speaker" and "Bass Boost"

Do this or similar when time is available.

[6233638]

Make sound bar bigger at mouse over, same as scrollbars

Scrollbar size was a relatively easy thing to change, I'm not sure that the volume slider would be.
 
Are you aware that you just need to hover over the slider and use your mouse wheel to adjust the volume though? I find that is much easier.

[drmimosa]

I'll give this one a shot.

Search function on top right of the program window limits search results to files that are included in the last active view. Views are divided into Audio, Video, Image by default, so search results are by default set to give incomplete results from the library, based on the last active view window. Sometimes I just want to find a movie by typing Big Lewbowski, even if the last active view was Chamber Music. Actually, that's most of the time with a big library and for users who have Audio, Video, and Pictures.

Request: Set up an option to search entire library by default in the top right search window.
Do this or similar

Bonus request would be for this to be the default behavior for new installs. Consider that new users are going to gravitate to search functions immediately, and if you type something and don't get a result the resulting thought process goes something like "Where's Forest Gump, I put that in last week? What's a Library View? JRiver is too complex, I'm switching back to XMBCtunes."

Maybe this is possible now. Plus, I'm sure there's some controversy because this function must work like this (search => last active view) for a reason. Thanks!

[drmimosa]

Also, option to use spacebar for stop start. Most other players (itunes) use this by default, which makes it intuitive.

Thanks, this is a great topic!

[edit: http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=89857.0 Spacebar is already stop start, but only if playing now is in focus. Could this be more global?]

[edit: or more intuitive? For example, option to default to playing now focus if no activity for 5min? The goal would be to always be able to hit the big button on the keyboard to stop the music in most situations]

[Further edit] So it seems most of the time spacebar is reserved for other functions. In order to bring playing now into focus, it's usually a 3-4 click process. This is unintuitive, I've used the program for 5 years and didn't know spacebar was able to stop playback until I found the above thread today. In most instances, I would like to play and album from a view, then be able to mash space to stop, and I suspect many would like this to be the most common behavior of the spacebar. Thanks, feel free to clean this up, I'm way past the 10 line limit.

Do this or similar

[leezer3]

Allow a double-click on a HTML file to open it in a new tab in the internal browser.

Currently launches in the system default browser

-Leezer-

Do this or similar

[rlebrette]

The current rule which is selecting the main title on BRD is not always selecting the main title... especially with Z2 BRDs.

I suppose the current rule is to select the longest track, but I've several disks where it's not the case (Gravity, Green Lantern for examples).
I think that adding a rule on the number of available soundtracks would improve a lot the main title selection.

[marko]

For years, we've needed a toolbar button to toggle tooltips on and off.

When you're browsing, the tooltips are very useful, especially the video related variety, but when you're working, they are so very annoying, and the trip into options to toggle them off, then back on again get's quite old, quite quickly.
Do this or similar

And, if that takes less than an hour, use the time left to spruce up the audio tooltip. It hasn't changed in eleven years and could benefit from a video style upgrade. Show a larger album art along with some info such as Review, or Bios, if they exist, and some play stats possibly....

[Matt]

How about?

Implement:
Tools > Options > Library & Folders > Auto-Import > Run First Use Import on Empty Libraries

Defaults ON, but can be turned off globally.  When disabled, MC doesn't do the First Use scan.  I don't care what you call it.

Then everyone shuts up about it and we can stop hearing about the countdown all the time.

Next build:
NEW: Added Options > Libraries & Folders > Run first use import on empty libraries.

[Vincent Kars]

Easy and uncontroversial: make Composer, Conductor and Soloist linkable columns

[Arindelle]

Easy and uncontroversial: make Composer, Conductor and Soloist linkable columns

not so sure linkable columns are intuitive! But Name (for the same song different versions), composer, and soloist would be nice indeed

[Vincent Kars]

 
Use it often.

[AndyU]

Easy and uncontroversial: make Composer, Conductor and Soloist linkable columns

What are linkable columns?! I can't intuit the meaning!

[Matt]

no so sure linkable columns are intuitive! But Name (for the same song different versions), composer, and soloist would be nice indeed

Next build:
NEW: Composer is a linkable column.

[AndyU]

Next build:
NEW: Composer is a linkable column.

Could you tell me what that means? I can't find anything in the wiki when I type "linkable columns". I thought this thread was about making MC more intelligible and intuitive, not adding another undocumented feature?

[Matt]

Could you tell me what that means? I can't find anything in the wiki when I type "linkable columns". I thought this thread was about making MC more intelligible and intuitive, not adding another undocumented feature?

Look at Artist, Album, and Genre.  There are little arrows next to the name.  Clicking a little arrow is a link that shows a view of the matching files.