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More => Old Versions => Media Center 12 (Development Ended) => Topic started by: ThoBar on April 19, 2008, 06:24:16 am

Title: Feature Request: Library Manager option for Read Only
Post by: ThoBar on April 19, 2008, 06:24:16 am
Hi,
Pretty much what the topic says, when I connect to my central library (via share), I'd like to see an option in the Library Manager.

While we're at it, the ability to define in the library what machines are allowed write access to the library... I know it's not theoretically necessary, but still ;)
Title: Re: Feature Request: Library Manager option for Read Only
Post by: cncb on May 12, 2008, 10:37:14 am
I really want this too.  Every time I restart my server I need to remember to run the MC read only load command manually on my shared library.  Otherwise, the office PC where I make all changes will not be able to apply changes (and other users might not notice the warning on startup).
Title: Re: Feature Request: Library Manager option for Read Only
Post by: MusicHawk on May 12, 2008, 11:30:10 am
Yep, in my system too, only one MC PC is ever used as the "write" client. So it's a pain to have to manage which computer loads first. The read-only command-line option is helpful, but more straightforward would be to control this in the UI.

How about a "Open Library as Read-Only" checkbox/mark in the File > Library menu, so it's obvious and easily changed, with this setting "locking" an MC client to only opening libraries in read-only mode.
Title: Re: Feature Request: Library Manager option for Read Only
Post by: fitbrit on May 12, 2008, 11:51:59 am
Seconded
Thirded

Fourthed
Title: Re: Feature Request: Library Manager option for Read Only
Post by: Alex B on May 12, 2008, 12:11:47 pm
From the change log archive:

Quote
12.0.206 (04/04/07)

4. NEW: Added command line switch /LibraryReadOnly that can be used when starting MC to

It is not a Library Manager option but should work a treat.

Just create an shortcut that includes the switch. For instance:
Target: "C:\Program Files\J River\Media Center 12\Media Center 12.exe" /LibraryReadOnly

EDIT: fixed the command line.
Title: Re: Feature Request: Library Manager option for Read Only
Post by: ThoBar on May 12, 2008, 08:01:42 pm
From the change log archive:

It is not a Library Manager option but should work a treat.

Just create an shortcut that includes the switch. For instance:
Target: "C:\Program Files\J River\Media Center 12\" /LibraryReadOnly
It does, but it would be nice to be able to define it on a per-library basis, rather than as a startup switch. It's not a must-have request, but an enhancement request
Title: Re: Feature Request: Library Manager option for Read Only
Post by: cncb on May 13, 2008, 05:06:44 pm
Just create an shortcut that includes the switch. For instance:
Target: "C:\Program Files\J River\Media Center 12\" /LibraryReadOnly

Unfortunately this wouldn't work for me since I don't manually start MC on my server (it is invoked via automation from an external application).  It would be nice to be able to force it to always open read only by default.
Title: Re: Feature Request: Library Manager option for Read Only
Post by: Alex B on May 14, 2008, 12:29:36 am
Oops, the actual exe file was mising from my example (fixed now).

cncb, isn't it possible to replace "Media Center 12.exe" with "Media Center 12.exe" /LibraryReadOnly in your external application?
Title: Re: Feature Request: Library Manager option for Read Only
Post by: cncb on May 14, 2008, 07:50:30 am
cncb, isn't it possible to replace "Media Center 12.exe" with "Media Center 12.exe" /LibraryReadOnly in your external application?

It uses the SDK (COM object is created) so never explicitly calls the exe.  I do use the "20028" MC command to load the library read only but I have to remember to do this manually after MC is loaded.  I suppose I could try to make this automatic from my external app but it makes sense to me to have a setting in MC itself if you never plan to make any modifications to the library.
Title: Re: Feature Request: Library Manager option for Read Only
Post by: Alex B on May 14, 2008, 10:21:44 am
(Unrelated to the COM object problem)

It appears that it is not possible to combine the startup command line parameters. I tried to load a certain library in the read only mode by using the /Library [library Name] and /LibraryReadOnly parameters. Is there a way to do that?

IMHO, it would be a no brainer to add a general startup option like "open in read-only mode" and an option for the default startup library. I requested the latter about a year ago and Gateley liked the idea. My problem was (is) that I often forget to change back to the regular library after using a special library. When other users start MC they may not understand why the library is different. Also, when Library Server is running and used only occasionally it would be nice if MC could always directly open a defined library instead of trying to connect the possibly nonexistent Library Server that was used the last time.