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Author Topic: Play Advances Track but Leaves Focus / Selection  (Read 2225 times)

dreandre

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Play Advances Track but Leaves Focus / Selection
« on: February 22, 2014, 01:35:28 am »

Hello Team!  

Sorry to post but didn't know how to search for this.  When I'm playing, the track advances but the selection remains on the original track.  Is there a way to make the selection follow the current playing track!  

I've attached a screenshot.  I started listening to the first track and it has now played through to the third track, yet the first track is still selected.

Thanks in advance!

Andre
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MrC

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Re: Play Advances Track but Leaves Focus / Selection
« Reply #1 on: February 22, 2014, 02:06:14 am »

The selected track, and the highlighted (bold) track are independent.  It wouldn't makes sense to have the selection change from under you if you were doing some operation, like tagging or deleting.
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dreandre

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Re: Play Advances Track but Leaves Focus / Selection
« Reply #2 on: February 22, 2014, 02:46:02 am »

I'm doing exactly what you are suggesting doesn't make sense.  I'm play files that need to be previewed and tagged.  As the files play from track to track, I am using pane tagging to determine if the file is properly tagged. I have a view configured to display the tagging fields that I want to check.  If the file is not tagged properly, I check the check boxes on the fly.  If the file is fine, I just let it play through to the next one. 

The problem is that when the file advances, the selection does not, which means I can't let the files play through and visually watch to see if the tags are proper.  I have to physically click on each file to do a visual check.  I would rather have the view reflect the tag data of the file playing so that I can do a visual scan of the details while listening to my files, and I only have to interact when a file plays that needs tagging.

Just to confirm, I'm deducting from your response that there is no setting or technique to relate the two independent features together? I would like the pane tagging feature to always display the file that is playing, not the file that is selected so that I can visually check, instead of manually clicking each file.

Andre
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6233638

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Re: Play Advances Track but Leaves Focus / Selection
« Reply #3 on: February 22, 2014, 03:11:56 am »

I have to say that I use it the way MrC does - tagging other files, queuing up new tracks, or making other changes to my library during playback.
It would be a massive pain if your selection changed along with playback.
 
There are track info "visualizations" you could try, and I think you would be able to create a custom one to display more information if you need to see more than the presets display.
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dreandre

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Re: Play Advances Track but Leaves Focus / Selection
« Reply #4 on: February 22, 2014, 03:25:58 am »

I"m not looking to change the way to process works, I'm looking for an OPTION to change the way it works.  I use it the same way as you also... I use MC in all kinds of ways since it has so many features.  Yet, I don't know all the features, and I don't know how to configure everything that I need in every instance. 

If there is an option for me to accomplish what I'm trying to do, that's all I'm looking for.  No one else has to use it, but it would be a great option for me if it exists.

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MrC

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Re: Play Advances Track but Leaves Focus / Selection
« Reply #5 on: February 22, 2014, 03:35:21 am »

Simple answer is that there is no ability to do that.
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dreandre

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Re: Play Advances Track but Leaves Focus / Selection
« Reply #6 on: February 22, 2014, 04:02:21 am »

I don't mean any disrespect MrC, but I think I would like to hear other opinions on the topic.  Expressing that it doesn't make sense to you, and also that you have a simple answer doesn't leave me resolved on the topic. 

I have also had the experience of having selection follow the play list in the past so I don't think what I'm asking is impossible.  I just don't know how it happens, and why most of the time it doesn't happen.

If there is anyone who fully understands how I'm using the custom view, paine tagging and selection, and can speak to how this functionality works, please chime in.  Thanks!

Andre
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connersw

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Re: Play Advances Track but Leaves Focus / Selection
« Reply #7 on: February 22, 2014, 07:30:48 am »

You are confusing Selection with Current Track (I think the Skins call it "Selected").  In Playing Now, these will be the same thing, and they will move together.  Maybe that is where you've seen it before?  However, in a Standard View they must be independent.  See Split View screen shot below where the left side shows a Standard View and the right side is Playing Now.  In Standard View you will see some sort of change (usually text color/boldness), but it will not give you Selection.

As 6233638 and MrC tried to explain, you cannot have Selection move with the track advance in Standard View.  You may not even be in the same Library View as the current track as you queue something up.  Would you really want MC to take away focus from your current view, and change it to another view just so it can show current track Selection?  That would certainly be a bug, and I know of no other music player that does that. 

PS:  MrC has probably forgotten more about MC than the collective Interact forum has ever known.  When he provides an answer, you can pretty much take it to the bank.  In this case, the answer really is simple:  MC does not do that nor should it.
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MrC

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Re: Play Advances Track but Leaves Focus / Selection
« Reply #8 on: February 22, 2014, 12:50:38 pm »

Sorry, I didn't mean to offend.  You asked if MC had a particular feature, and my intention was to indicate that it did not have that feature.
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dreandre

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Re: Play Advances Track but Leaves Focus / Selection
« Reply #9 on: February 24, 2014, 04:12:55 am »

No, there is no offense MrC, none what so ever.  However, I am having an experience with the program, and I'm trying to communicate, and I haven't yet got the impression that my communication has landed clearly.  For example, no one has referenced the fact that I'm using the pane tagging feature, which I think is critical to what I'm trying to do.  Responses have referred to the "Playing Now" view which is not at all related to what I'm using.  And message boards are the worst at trying to articulate problems, especially from someone who is learning.

I wouldn't belabor the issue with anyone who definitively says that it can't be done, so I was looking for someone who could work with me and look a little deeper at what I'm trying to do.  So far the responses just shut down the issue, and as a result I haven't yet learned anything in this process. 

I'm still not ready to throw in the towel because I have experienced the selection following the playing file before when I was tagging video, but I can't replicate that consistently, so I'm trying to learn how it works and how to command that behavior, instead of it happening intermittently.
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MrC

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Re: Play Advances Track but Leaves Focus / Selection
« Reply #10 on: February 24, 2014, 11:46:12 am »

Your screenshot in your first post made it clear you are trying to tag in a view, more specifically, in the file list.

I thought my original reply made it clear that what you have selected is *independent* of the representation MC uses to show what track is playing.  In other words, MC never moves the selection on or for you - you own it.  MC will mark with bold the track currently playing, but that's all it will do.

I don't think the conversation was being shut down.  Rather, you asked a Yes / No question, and didn't like your No reply.
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connersw

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Re: Play Advances Track but Leaves Focus / Selection
« Reply #11 on: February 24, 2014, 02:55:06 pm »

As MrC wrote, I wasn't trying to shut you down.  I was trying to explain why it would not be possible.  Perhaps I should have been more clear and used a different screen shot.  Pane Tagging is done in Standard View.  The reason I brought up Playing Now is because that is the only place where Selection stays with Track Advance.  See updated screen shot below.

Maybe if you tried this for yourself, and watched what MC was doing as a song played, it would explain it better.

Start in your Pane Tagging view.
Go to View -> Spit View -> Show 2 Views
Then View -> Spit View -> Lock View 2
In Pane Tagging, right click on any album and select Play.
You will see the entire albums track populate Playing Now and start to play.
You should now have a screen similar to what I have in my screen shot with Pane Tagging on the left and Playing Now on the right.

Notice that Selection in Pane Tagging on the left isn't even with any of the tracks below.  It stays with the Album.  It is independent.  You can watch the tracks advance on the right in Playing Now and Selection moves with track advance.  However, on the left, in Pane Tagging, it is not Selection that is moving with track advance, but rather what is "selected" (ie the current track, usually shown by a text color change or boldness).

Now, in Pane Tagging, click on the currently playing track.  It should now have Selection (ie be highlighted).  But when the track advances, even though Selection stays with track advance Playing Now, in the Pane Tagging window your Selection will stay on the track where you just clicked.

Here is why:
In Pane Tagging, click on any other Artist or Album.   Now, your original track list is gone.  The current track that is Playing Now on the right side, isn't even shown on the left side.  If the track advances, how could it give you Selection on the left side when the track isn't available (see 2nd screen shot)?  It would have to completely change your view. 

I'm still not ready to throw in the towel because I have experienced the selection following the playing file before when I was tagging video, but I can't replicate that consistently, so I'm trying to learn how it works and how to command that behavior, instead of it happening intermittently.

In Video, it is slightly different because of the way Play initiates on grouping.  So if you select Play from hover Play, it sends the whole group to Playing Now.  You cannot initiate playback that way with Audio.  In this case, since you have Selection now on the first file in Pane Tagging, it will advance with file advance.  However, once you click off it, it will no longer be in sync, for the same reasons explained in Audio.  Try doing the same experiment with Split View with Video.  Maybe it will explain it better when you can see it working. 
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dreandre

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Re: Play Advances Track but Leaves Focus / Selection
« Reply #12 on: February 25, 2014, 10:56:34 pm »

Ahh Thank you!  I couldn't figure out how to ask the right questions here, but you have now identified and explained exactly what I was struggling with.

I have never has a real use for "Playing Now" but now with the split screen I can see how things are interrelated. Breaking it down step by step helps me see whats happening.

The video functions differently and I never thought to differentiate between video and audio.  I know my screen shot was of audio and didn't even include the pane tagging view which was not enough information delivered in my questioning.

Realizing now that the playing track and the selection are independent, I can see now that what gets loaded in the playing now area would get out of sync when I click somewhere else.... That explains the intermittent behavior... I was actually causing it by moving around in the program.

Thanks, Now I feel like I've learned....
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