INTERACT FORUM

More => Old Versions => JRiver Media Center 32 for Windows => Topic started by: JimH on November 20, 2023, 03:20:32 pm

Title: Theater View Changes Coming Soon
Post by: JimH on November 20, 2023, 03:20:32 pm
I've asked Craig (cncb) to head up work on this.  I hope that lepa will be willing to represent the users who found such creative solutions in the Custom Tooltips (https://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php/topic,135179.0.html) thread, as well as other users.

We'd like to incorporate as much of that work as possible, though it may not follow the same methods.

So lepa ... would you be kind enough to help?

Thanks.
Title: Re: Theater View Changes Coming Soon
Post by: lepa on November 21, 2023, 02:57:24 am
Sure, I can give my thoughts and opinions if needed
Title: Re: Theater View Changes Coming Soon
Post by: lello on November 21, 2023, 05:01:41 am
If I can help as a simple end user, I would be very happy :)
Title: Re: Theater View Changes Coming Soon
Post by: JimH on November 21, 2023, 06:16:49 am
If I can help as a simple end user, I would be very happy :)
Thanks.  More soon.
Title: Re: Theater View Changes Coming Soon
Post by: JimH on November 21, 2023, 06:25:55 am
Sure, I can give my thoughts and opinions if needed
Thank you!

I'd like to incorporate your work if you agree and make it easier for people to set up.
Title: Re: Theater View Changes Coming Soon
Post by: lepa on November 21, 2023, 06:45:59 am
Feel free to use/modify everything I have shared here regarding the topic. Looking forward to see where this is going  :)
Title: Re: Theater View Changes Coming Soon
Post by: EnglishTiger on November 22, 2023, 04:24:55 am
Since Theater View has never been Fully Implemented on the Mac Platform I would like to suggest that bob is involved in this project from the start in the hope that Theater View looks more like it does on the Win Platform, image 1, and a lot less like it currently does on the Mac Platform, images 2 and 3.

Title: Re: Theater View Changes Coming Soon
Post by: bogdanbz on December 01, 2023, 12:57:26 pm
Maybe the Explorer plugin will finally get the customization needed to be able to display file names instead of file metadata (and, in the process, make traversing a folder much easier by never having to wait for such metadata to be retrieved from the files in the folders).

And maybe it will finally be possible to view the folder content of BluRay and DVD discs, which is to say the m2ts and ifo/vob files themselves.
Title: Re: Theater View Changes Coming Soon
Post by: JimH on December 02, 2023, 05:37:24 pm
Split Exit from Theater View (https://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php/topic,137562.0.html)
Title: Re: Theater View Changes Coming Soon
Post by: JimH on December 04, 2023, 11:02:42 am
lepa,
Would you be kind enough to post a screenshot or two?

And the steps required to get them?  Just the steps, not details.

And anything else we could do to make that easier?

Thanks,

Jim
Title: Re: Theater View Changes Coming Soon
Post by: Moe on December 12, 2023, 03:33:35 pm
 I know I haven't been around much lately, but as Lepa's old partner in crime (although I have been looking at his tail lights for quite some time now) I am more than happy to help as well.
Title: Re: Theater View Changes Coming Soon
Post by: lepa on December 13, 2023, 06:38:19 am
This is my current screen setup. I've written quite comprehensive instruction how to get there. It looks much more work than it actually is. (I think that me writing those instructions was plenty of more work than setting it up) I don't know what other steps I could give to accomplish that. https://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php/topic,135179.msg946024.html#msg946024

Problem here is how to align all the parts when there are variables like Resolution, OS scaling and MC scaling which affects the positioning. That's why this kind of setup with current theaterview tools isn't practical to have as default. That said, it can offer some ideas to create view which can be more foolproof withing those variables eventhough they will always have some effect on location of the items.

Because of placement of the items, something like this (entry screen.jpg) would be more realistic for default view https://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php/topic,137456.msg954367.html#msg954367

I don't know what the plan is. Is it just to use current system to make default views look nicer or is there gonna be some real changes how one can build the views. One thing that could regardless be worked on is the metadata. MC does now really nice job to read media properties but it could be better at scraping the data from online sources like tmdb (not sure if omdb is possible for commercial products). I only use MCUtils to get the data as it scrapes more fields and does some things better like Ratings or Actors.

Navigation: to better navigate e.g. from movie to movie the linking would need some upgrades as discussed before. Other option would be more tighter integration of spotlight to actual views. e.g. in context of movies creating actor module or similar movies module which can be inserted to view and from where you could navigate to other places.



Title: Re: Theater View Changes Coming Soon
Post by: lepa on December 13, 2023, 06:45:08 am
one idea
Title: Re: Theater View Changes Coming Soon
Post by: JimH on December 13, 2023, 06:47:23 am
I don't know what the plan is. Is it just to use current system to make default views look nicer or is there gonna be some real changes how one can build the views.
Both.
Quote
One thing that could regardless be worked on is the metadata.
It would be nice to use our servers to store some of this.

Thanks again for your contributions.
Title: Re: Theater View Changes Coming Soon
Post by: cncb on December 13, 2023, 09:09:03 am
How were the icons (DTS, 5.1 Channels. etc.) obtained?  Would there be copyright issues if we included them with MC?
Title: Re: Theater View Changes Coming Soon
Post by: lepa on December 13, 2023, 10:09:57 am
I can't clear the copyrights for commercial use. Some have been created by me, some downloaded from various places and some hybrids of both. Don't know how e.g. dolby protects its icons for this kind of usage.
Title: Re: Theater View Changes Coming Soon
Post by: JimH on December 13, 2023, 04:18:33 pm
I think we're ok to use the graphics for displaying their content.  If they object, we can back track.  We're not selling their products.  We've never had a problem with similar uses.
Title: Re: Theater View Changes Coming Soon
Post by: leezer3 on December 14, 2023, 12:44:32 am
https://developer.dolby.com/dolby-games/logos-guidelines/logos/

I believe royalty free, but they want you to conform to their guidelines & review.
Title: Re: Theater View Changes Coming Soon
Post by: tij on December 15, 2023, 11:53:58 am
if any tags can have cover art ... and any nested tags can have cover art (as I mentioned in "Make a Wish")

and theatre view allows to display those covers (atm you can only display the values of those tags ... hence, reason ppl create custom fonts to do this) ... then possibilities are endless ... not just for movies and music ... but for anything you can imagine

imagine able to display CD Disc image ... that image being nested tag - [Album]/[Disc #]

even better ... each tag can have several custom  type of images defined in Tag properties ... "poster", "banner", "icon", "background"

then can look it in cover art folder (or folder where media is located):
C:\Users\[User Name]\AppData\Roaming\J River\Media Center 31\Cover Art\Book\Matter for Madness_frontCover.jpg
C:\Users\[User Name]\AppData\Roaming\J River\Media Center 31\Cover Art\Movies\Matter for Madness_backCover.jpg

EDIT: crap the title of the book supposed to be "Matter for Men" lol

EDIT 2: hell ... one can even create user contributed cover art database for JRiver (for most common tag types, like CD images, banners, backgrounds, front and back book covers) ... like what launchbox has (https://gamesdb.launchbox-app.com/)

I have something similar in mind ... but rather expand on what you currently have:

1. ability to have cover art for any tags - look for them in

C:\Users\[User Name]\AppData\Roaming\J River\Media Center 31\Cover Art\[Tag Name]\[Tag Value].jpg

if none found, just display stacked items as you do now

2. ability to have cover art for any nested tags - look of them in

C:\Users\[User Name]\AppData\Roaming\J River\Media Center 31\Cover Art\[Lv1 Tag Name] - [Lv2 Tag Name] - [Lv3 Tag Name]\[Lv1 Tag Value] - [Lv2 Tag Value] - [Lv3 Tag Value].jpg

if none found, just display stacked items as you do now

To speed up look-up, one can specify in tag management whether the tag has cover art (or if it is nested tag and then specify nest levels)

3. Ability to stack Albums - name the stack - and have cover art for stack ...  and have this in Theatre View ... seems like good idea to created CD sets that include albums (as oppose to CD compilation set where having tracks grouped by Disc is good enough)
Title: Re: Theater View Changes Coming Soon
Post by: tij on December 17, 2023, 08:44:16 pm
Here are some pictures to show what i mean:

1. You define cover art (and if it is nested type) in [Manage Library Field]

In attached picture ... I define cover art for tag [Disc #] ... it is nested Album/Disc# ... and it has two additional cover art type "InnerHub" and ""InnerHubBack" (for example ppl who wants to keep marking/barcode near disc hole)

So for example, album "Load" will have following cover art for its disc

C:\Users\[User Name]\AppData\Roaming\J River\Media Center 31\Cover Art\Album-Disc\Load-1.jpg
C:\Users\[User Name]\AppData\Roaming\J River\Media Center 31\Cover Art\Album-Disc\Load-1_InnerHub.jpg
C:\Users\[User Name]\AppData\Roaming\J River\Media Center 31\Cover Art\Album-Disc\Load-1_InnerHubBack.jpg

2. Use case for Thearte View ... in Template Information ... ability to choose which CoverArt to use

So for example I attached ... Series will use coverart "banner" (ofcourse this banner type must have been defined in Manage Library Field) ... then MC look for these "banners" in

C:\Users\[User Name]\AppData\Roaming\J River\Media Center 31\Cover Art\Series\Game of Throne_banner.jpg
C:\Users\[User Name]\AppData\Roaming\J River\Media Center 31\Cover Art\Series\BigBang_banner.jpg
etc

3. Use case for Theatre View ... in Info Panel ... incorporate cover arts in info display

So for example I attached - info panel for Big Bang will be

[clearArt logo for Big Bang .... clearArt is usually png with transparency showing show logo with some backround]
 
Big Bang

EDIT: added images to show what it supposed to look like in TheatreView for examples provided


[DVD logo ... assuming "Type" was difined as source of videos]  [DTS logo ... assuming "Sound" was defined as video's sound]

if any tags can have cover art ... and any nested tags can have cover art (as I mentioned in "Make a Wish")

and theatre view allows to display those covers (atm you can only display the values of those tags ... hence, reason ppl create custom fonts to do this) ... then possibilities are endless ... not just for movies and music ... but for anything you can imagine

imagine able to display CD Disc image ... that image being nested tag - [Album]/[Disc #]

even better ... each tag can have several custom  type of images defined in Tag properties ... "poster", "banner", "icon", "background"

then can look it in cover art folder (or folder where media is located):
C:\Users\[User Name]\AppData\Roaming\J River\Media Center 31\Cover Art\Book\Matter for Madness_frontCover.jpg
C:\Users\[User Name]\AppData\Roaming\J River\Media Center 31\Cover Art\Movies\Matter for Madness_backCover.jpg

EDIT: crap the title of the book supposed to be "Matter for Men" lol

EDIT 2: hell ... one can even create user contributed cover art database for JRiver (for most common tag types, like CD images, banners, backgrounds, front and back book covers) ... like what launchbox has (https://gamesdb.launchbox-app.com/)

Title: Re: Theater View Changes Coming Soon
Post by: arcspin on January 18, 2024, 10:15:14 am
Any ETA on when the Theater View changes are coming to JRiver MC 32?
Title: Re: Theater View Changes Coming Soon
Post by: marko on January 18, 2024, 10:58:34 am
Crossing my fingers here that any changes don't break existing skins/themes.

I've been using a modded copy of xplain's Rapier Fusion skin for twelve years now, and, you know, it's never annoyed us.
https://www.mpw.scot/galleries/rapier/
Title: Re: Theater View Changes Coming Soon
Post by: cncb on January 18, 2024, 11:12:23 am
This is not going to be a drastic change for now.  Just modifying the current File Info templates to allow Spotlight data use and adding some kind of horizontal image lists.  Should be ready in the next week or so.
Title: Re: Theater View Changes Coming Soon
Post by: Matt on January 18, 2024, 02:25:13 pm
We added the ability to pick sorting to v32 in Theater View.
Title: Re: Theater View Changes Coming Soon
Post by: cncb on January 26, 2024, 02:19:42 pm
This is still very much a work in progress, but here is a screenshot to show you where it is headed.  This is using the excellent work by lepa starting with his v1.3.4 movie template and adding the Cast and Recommended movies automatically obtained through MC's Spotlight.

 
Title: Re: Theater View Changes Coming Soon
Post by: TheShoe on January 27, 2024, 11:26:57 am
Hello Newman...

Hello Jerry... Ta Ta!

(I could never take Wayne Knight seriously in any role after Seinfeld.  He's the perfect "Newman")



Title: Re: Theater View Changes Coming Soon
Post by: arcspin on January 28, 2024, 02:49:53 am
This is still very much a work in progress, but here is a screenshot to show you where it is headed.  This is using the excellent work by lepa starting with his v1.3.4 movie template and adding the Cast and Recommended movies automatically obtained through MC's Spotlight.

Really interesting development with actors pictures/name.
-Does this mean that there´s no need to locally save and store actor/crew thumbnail with ZRatings.

Incorporating Spotlight is a very welcome feature!

Is it possible to keep my own designed Theater view and only cherry pick if I would like to add Cast and Recommended movie with the help of Spotlight with:
Tools/Options/Theater view and then add another filed in "customize file info panel" and show Cast and Recommended movie that way?
If so, how to do that?

And one last question, are the Cast and Recommended movies clickable, meaning that with the remote arrow my way to Wayne Knight and get movies that I have where Wayne Knight is starring?


This is going to be great!



Title: Re: Theater View Changes Coming Soon
Post by: cncb on January 29, 2024, 09:37:53 am
Really interesting development with actors pictures/name.
-Does this mean that there´s no need to locally save and store actor/crew thumbnail with ZRatings.

Correct

Quote
Is it possible to keep my own designed Theater view and only cherry pick if I would like to add Cast and Recommended movie with the help of Spotlight with:
Tools/Options/Theater view and then add another filed in "customize file info panel" and show Cast and Recommended movie that way?
If so, how to do that?

Yes, you will just have to copy those expression fields from the new provided template.

Quote
And one last question, are the Cast and Recommended movies clickable, meaning that with the remote arrow my way to Wayne Knight and get movies that I have where Wayne Knight is starring?

Sorry, not at this time.