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[rjm]

I use search lists in almost all of my views to apply various filters such as items queued for viewing, favorite titles, unrated titles, audio only, video only, HiDef only, recently imported, untagged, etc. etc..

Search lists as implemented today are additive. In other words, a search list acts upon whatever items remain from previously applied filters.

I think a new type of search list, a "subtractive" search list, would be useful. A subtractive search list would override any previously applied filters.

Here is an example application. Music albums consist of audio files, artwork images, and info documents. Most of the time you are interested in seeing only the audio files in your music view so you set "Rules for file display" to be audio only. From time to time you would like to view artwork or read info documents associated with the album so you have a pane in the view with a subtractive search list "all media types". This filter would override the "Rules for file display".

The workaround today is either to have 2 views (1 for audio only and 1 for all media types) or to have 1 view with all media types and a filter to select audio only. Adding a subtractive filter feature would reduce the number required views and/or the number of clicks required to see your most commonly desired view.

Another perhaps simpler way to achieve the same objective would be a global persistent media type filter that would apply to all views and that could be set with toolbar buttons. We could then design all views to show all media types but use the global media type filter to select audio and/or video only for common day to day usage.

[MrC]

This could be very useful.  I could envision some syntax such as:

  +[Media Type]=[Image]

entered into the Search box, which would effectively widen the existing view's filters.

[rjm]

Sorry, I'm dyslexic today. Probably clearer to call today's filters "subtractive" and the new filter I am proposing "additive".

[rick.ca]

My preference is to try to use the primary view only for each media type, so I understand the issue—but I don't see the point of the suggestion. If using search lists or some similar technique for filtering files, it doesn't make any difference. Set Rules for file display to include all files that might be needed in the view, then filter the view to include whatever subset is desired. A search list pane, for example, can include 'Audio only', 'Audio with Images' and 'Images only'—along with the rest.

I draw the line at mixing media types, but the same issue applies within a media type. For example, I don't want to use a different view for my audio media which is not music, so I filter them out in the view rather than excluding them from the view. On the other hand, I have no interest at all in Christmas music out of season, so I exclude it from my primary view until the holiday season. If there's any difficulty in this, it's in making up my mind which way I'd rather do it. Once I've done that, having a second technique for doing the same thing is only going to invite confusion (e.g., by excluding something from the view when I've already got a filter that does so).

[rjm]

Set Rules for file display to include all files that might be needed in the view, then filter the view to include whatever subset is desired. A search list pane, for example, can include 'Audio only', 'Audio with Images' and 'Images only'—along with the rest.

This is exactly what I do now in over 60 different views.

Almost all of my classes of media (music, movie, TV, docudrama, documentary, course, podcast, radioplay, speech, comedy, magic, book, magazine, paper, sheetmusic, art, map, stock media, and family photos/video) have more than one media type (audio, video, image, data), yet most views have a preferred single media type for normal use. For example, I usually do not want to see images and documents associated with my video documentaries.

My suggestion is a small step towards greater perfection where we could retain one view for each class of media, yet avoid having to click a pane filter to select the preferred media type for that class. I think fewer views and fewer clicks is a good thing.

[rick.ca]

My suggestion is a small step towards greater perfection where we could retain one view for each class of media, yet avoid having to click a pane filter to select the preferred media type for that class. I think fewer views and fewer clicks is a good thing.

Okay, I think I understand now. So what this is about is establishing a view "default" using Rules for file display, and then having the ability to modify that in any way by filtering. (The preferred default, BTW, is not necessarily one based on [Media Type] or solely [Media Type].) I suppose I've grown accustomed to making a default selection in a playlist group pane, and it would be nice to avoid that.

I see some ambiguity in the implementation, however. When using +[Media Type]=[Image] in an Audio view, for example, does that add all images, or only those that also satisfy all other rules? I think it would have to be the latter, and yet that might produce unexpected results if other rules were specified with only Audio files in mind.

If this is the only application for the function, perhaps a better solution would be the simple ability to save the current pane selections (or selected categories in a Categories view) as the default selection (i.e., the view always starts with those items selected). Then filters could be created in the manner I suggested, and yet still start with whatever default is desired. I would prefer that, as I would be able to specify defaults in multiple panes (including those not based on expressions)—and thereby define a more useful default. I suspect others would find it more intuitive and easier to use as well. Just make your selection (those clicks you find yourself making before doing anything else—every time you use the view), and select Save selection as default from the tab drop-down menu.

[rjm]

If this is the only application for the function, perhaps a better solution would be the simple ability to save the current pane selections (or selected categories in a Categories view) as the default selection (i.e., the view always starts with those items selected). Then filters could be created in the manner I suggested, and yet still start with whatever default is desired. I would prefer that, as I would be able to specify defaults in multiple panes (including those not based on expressions)—and thereby define a more useful default. I suspect others would find it more intuitive and easier to use as well. Just make your selection (those clicks you find yourself making before doing anything else—every time you use the view), and select Save selection as default from the tab drop-down menu.

Being able to set default pane selections for a view is a great idea and probably would be less confusing for most people.

Besides my application, there are other good uses of this approach. For example, in your view for Movies you could select by default the filter that shows only the movies you have not yet watched.

[rick.ca]

For example, in your view for Movies you could select by default the filter that shows only the movies you have not yet watched.

You said it! It so draining having to make these selections every time I start using my video view...