Thank you for your answer Arindelle.
Let's forget about Scenario #2 and the matter of replicated files and focus on Scenario #1.
[By the way, I don't understand the implementation of such distractions like the Sync tool, given that there is absolutely no documentation explaining what this tool does and that it does not help to synchronize libraries...]
Concerning the remote use of RMCF and cover editing, I know that there are workarounds (I'm using MS Remote Desktop). But the point of a software like MC is to manage a media library. The fact that it's not capable to do that is not really satisfactory. At the very least the remote editing of covers should work. Are there any efforts to implement these features?
the Sync Tool? Did I miss something?
I only know of two syncing ops -- one that forces changes made form clients to the PC server's library. The other that syncs separate libraries .. the former I use daily; the later I use maybe once a year taking a portable install on vacation ... I don't work for JRiver, so I'm not commenting on the documentation .. personally I prefer resources going into development than instructions -- it would be a full time job.
The RMCF issues are debatable, see link, but there are users that want to prevent family members messing with their libraries from clients; and there are others that want total control from clients. People that freak out because JRiver just changed 3000 tracks because they messed up (and didn't do their backups) and want more protection, and experienced users that are upset that they now have to manually select files (well at least CTRL+A) and think that its up to them to be disciplined and not the program's business to protect their stuff. The devs have to choose I suppose - who do you make happy?
Short of that it would be a major change to the architecture I think ... but again I don't work for JRiver. Using Team Viewer, it doesn't bother me frankly, its fast and I can make it look just as good on my client monitor ... I just got used to it.
Lately, I've started to customize Library Views and Theater Views. And again, things got bad. Even worse than with the playlists!
Can anybody explain how they work? Are they attached to the library on the server? Because whenever I'm doing modifications (on UserPC's MC21, connected to HTPC's library), creating news library views, categories or Theater Views, half of what I'm doing is lost when l disconnect and subsequently reconnect to the server! I'm even taking the precautions of 1) having one single client at the time of the modifications and 2) manually sync the changes to the library. These problems are extremely frustrating!
Is there something I missed about the Library views and the Theater Views?
I think you did ... Views are library based ... you have to modify all views , in Standard, Theater, and Remote modes, from the server machine, not from the client. You can modify playlists though. Views modified on a client will work until you reload the library .. they will not be written to the "server", and cannot be synced like metadata.
Frankly I think this make sense.
What makes much less sense, that I'd been waiting to see to be implemented for quite some time, is not having to basically make repetitive views for each mode. Having similar views having to do this three times is a real drag and although you can import standard views to the other "modes", I hope they concentrate on finding a better solution for that. I tweak a view and forget to modify it for JRemote sort of blows
You should be able to modify playlists from clients though?! not sure about what you mean there.