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More => Old Versions => JRiver Media Center 30 for Mac => Topic started by: jlyness on November 27, 2022, 01:09:48 pm

Title: Expression language problem
Post by: jlyness on November 27, 2022, 01:09:48 pm
For several years I have used the following to search by artist name (example 'X') appearing in either the artist field or the album artist auto field: [album artist (auto)] or [artist]=X. Of late (perhaps since upgrading Mac OS to Monterey?), though, this is not working; the search is only seeing the 2nd part of the search expression (the part after the 'or'). Any ideas how I can fix this? Thank you.
Title: Re: Expression language problem
Post by: marko on November 27, 2022, 02:15:36 pm
Like that...
([album artist (auto)] or [artist])=X
Title: Re: Expression language problem
Post by: jlyness on November 27, 2022, 03:38:37 pm
I had tried that -- and just tried again, copy/pasting from your post -- but that returns nothing in the search.
Like that...
([album artist (auto)] or [artist])=X
Title: Re: Expression language problem
Post by: Matt on November 27, 2022, 04:20:19 pm
Or is for combining two searches.

So [Artist]=X or [Album]=X
Title: Re: Expression language problem
Post by: blgentry on November 27, 2022, 06:14:28 pm
I think [Album Artist (auto)] is a default search field.  So if you just type the artist name into the main search box, it will match on all of the default fields, including Artist, Album Artist (auto), etc.  It seems to work that way on my system.

Brian.
Title: Re: Expression language problem
Post by: jlyness on November 27, 2022, 09:21:59 pm
Understood about the just typing into the search field, but I want to limit the search to an artist's name that appears in either Artist or Album Artist fields. If 'or' is for combining two searches, is there no way to  have a single search term be applied to two searches with an 'or' without typing the search term twice?
Title: Re: Expression language problem
Post by: zybex on November 28, 2022, 03:02:50 am
There is indeed:
[=[album artist (auto)],[artist]]=X

But this also works if you want to be nice to MC ;D
[=please search field [album artist (auto)] and field [artist] for that thing there --> ]=X
Title: Re: Expression language problem
Post by: blgentry on November 28, 2022, 09:23:56 am
It seems like this is the kind of thing that could be put into a PANE in a panes view.  I was hoping I could make a SINGLE pane that contained all the values of Artist and [Album Artist (auto)].  Then you could just scroll and click on what you want. 

But I can't seem to come up with an expression that will combine multiple fields into a single selection list for the Pane.  It seems to make a bunch of combined entries like (Multiple Artists), Juice Newton .  As opposed to making those separate Pane items.

It's too bad some kind of saved search isn't available for this type of thing.

One more possibility for making this easier:

Make a Panes view with Artist in one pane.  Album Artist (auto) in the next pane over.  Now just search (raw) for an artist name.  The artist being matched should show up in either column.  Click on one or both.  Should find the matches you are after:  As a bonus you can then refine it even more using more panes (album, genre, year, etc).

I just tried this and it works well.  If you want to find all compilation albums with John Lee Hooker, just type "hooker" into search.  Then click on John Lee Hooker in the ARTIST pane.  Next click on the (multiple artists) in the Album Artist pane.  Boom!  You've got all compilation albums featuring John Lee.  See attached image.

Brian.
Title: Re: Expression language problem
Post by: jlyness on November 28, 2022, 02:53:16 pm
Both of these solutions work really well for me -- thanks so much.