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[tombert]

A boolean value would be fine. In the view there could be a checkbox only.

[Alex B]

I have used "y" in the field value box when I have defined this kind of fields. When the field is empty its value is "zero".

However, this means you have to click the column field (or the AW > Tag field) to open it for editing and type this "yes character". A checkbox or other one-click system would be better.

A possibility to add user defined additional rating fields could be a solution to this. These have been requested several times.

User defined custom rating fields would be useful for e.g. album ratings or personal ratings (so each user could keep personal ratings in the same media library).

A "rating type" custom field could be used for a boolean value when only the value 1 is defined in the field options. It would then show only one star (or other graphic symbol) and the "clear rating" area.

If more values are defined the field would show as many stars as it has values. This would also make possible to define value series like: "10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100" (=> ten stars). This might be useful if library data is exported in XML format for other applications.

[Alex B]

Actually, only a new display option would be needed: "Display type: Star Ratings". It would available whenever one or more predefined values exist (semicolon delimited if more than one).

You could define what ever values you like. The first value would be "one star", the second value "two stars" and so on.

The value strings could be used in searches and in Find and Replace. By changing the field display option you could make the value strings visible.

[Alex B]

Here's a mockup:



This field would have four possible star rating values: no stars, one star, two stars and three stars.

The Display Type option would be grayed out when the Values box is empty.

[Alex B]

The field would show up like this in a details view:

 

[Raphoune]

  I like the new rating field idea really much, but I don't think it really solves the boolean problem. What I  will propose has nothing to do with the stars rating system. It's an improvement of the list data type, and it could be used to implement boolean values.
 
  I would like a more restricted List type field, like the one that exists, but where a default user-defined value is used when the field is empty (replaces the undefined or empty value), and where you cannot specify values that are not predefined when you edit an item. In the checkboxes view schemes, all the predefined values should be displayed all the time, whatever the values found in the items listed below.
 
  For example, I use an "iPod" field that I set to "y" or leave empy. When I use a search restriction which gives me only songs where this field is empy, I would like to be able to check the "y" box (which is not displayed). And I would also like the "New iPod value" option not to be displayed.
 
  You could easily build a boolean that way, using "false" (or anything else) as default, and one only other predefined value. You would have 2 checkboxes displayed, though one would be enough. So that's not a exactly what tombert wanted, but it could be a good compromise...

  I don't have the time nor the skill to make a mockup like Alex B nice ones... But in the "Configure library field" window, when the List data type is selected, you could just add these items :
- a kind of "No new value" checkbox (prevents the user from creating new ones)
- a "Default value" text field (used when empty)
- a "Display all possible values" checkbox, used in the checkboxes view schemes.

I hope I have been clear enough, quite hard to explain... ^^

[Alex B]

With my system you would be able to use any data type. The only restriction is that at least one value must be defined. When a value or a semicolon-delimited list of values is present no other values are possible (this would not change).

So it is quite possible to use the "List" data type with only one value, e.g. with a textual value like "ipod". A single possible value would create only one selectable star (or some other graphical item like a checkbox).

When the value is empty (= boolean zero) this only star is not "selected". When you click the star MC fills the internal database field with the predefined value, which is e.g. "iPod". A filled field represents the boolean value "one", since only this "iPod" value is possible besides the empty field i.e. "zero". Naturally you can use "1" instead of "iPod" if preferred.

If you later buy another portable you can easily add another value for this new gadget (e.g. "Creative") and when the "Star Ratings" display mode is active you can use the "two stars" rating value for it. So when the "two stars" rating symbol is clicked MC fills the field with the "Creative" string. Also, you may want to add a third value, like "both portables".

After rating tracks with this "which tracks go to which portable" field you may want to switch off the "Star Ratings" display mode to see the actual value strings: empty field, "iPod", "Creative" and "both portables". The predefined value strings would be usable in search expressions all the time.

This "Star Ratings" mode would really be a display only feature with some code for filling the field with the predefined values. Similar code is already used in the standard Rating field. The displayed stars are linked with a semicolon-delimited list of integer values.

[Raphoune]

I'm OK with your system, I hope we will have something like that in next versions. (and it's probably better than mine to implement boolean values...)
But the lists improvements I request could be usefull too, they just don't have anything to do with ratings, can't compare at all... I've just read other topic about lists and checkboxes and stuff like that. Guess I should have posted in any of these threads ^^
Thanks for you answers anyway !

[Alex B]

Perhaps the name should not have anything to do with "ratings". Imagine the stars as radio buttons that can be linked with a list of values.

Probably most users would use the feature for things like personal ratings, but its usability would not be limited to that.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio_button

[glynor]

Perhaps the name should not have anything to do with "ratings". Imagine the stars as radio buttons that can be linked with a list of values.

Probably most users would use the feature for things like personal ratings, but its usability would not be limited to that.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio_button

Having the ability to assign List-Type fields to a radio button type control would be sweet, but I agree with the parent poster that a separate boolean field that automatically uses a checkbox control would be spiffy-keen.  I'm greedy, and I'd like them both, though to me personally, the boolean checkbox would be far more useful than the radio button type control.   

There are quite a few fields I use Integers for currently that would be perfect for a checkbox control.  For one example, I have a Field called "Burnable" which is an Integer field limited to 0 or 1.  If it's set to 1 then the files show up in a special View Scheme I've set up which easily allows me to queue them up to be burned/deleted from my RAID.

[Alex B]

Would a check box be different from a single radio button and a clear button besides it? (Except that it looks a bit different.)

Click the radio button on => the defined value is applied to the field
Click it off => the value is cleared

If only one value is defined it would be a boolean "check box". You would be able to define the data type and value that is used with this single radio button.

This approach would make possible to add new values (i.e. more radio buttons) later.

For example, you can already define only a single integer type value or more than one semicolon delimited integer type values. My suggestion would only add the radio button style display option.

EDIT

I am after for this radio button approach because MC already has the needed code. The Rating field works like I have described.

[glynor]

Would a check box be different from a single radio button and a clear button besides it? (Except that it looks a bit different.)

Different, bad, and unintuitive.  That's all.  The "standard" boolean control is a checkbox, and they're small and don't require labels (single column width).  The radio buttons would work, but it's certainly not ideal.  Perhaps, if they give us any of this, it could have logic that:

1. If it is a field that only has two possible values (on and off, yes or no, etc), it shows a checkbox.

2. If it is a field that has more than 2 possible values then it shows radio buttons for each choice.

[Alex B]

I just wanted to keep the idea as simple as possible and "use" the existing code. I am hoping that this would be easy to accomplish for JRiver. They would just need to clone the rating field code and modify it a bit (i.e. unlock the field options and add the display type selection option).

Though, I assume that coding a checkbox would be a routine task for the developers.

Without this checkbox option a one star boolean field would look like this:

[glynor]

Though, I assume that coding a checkbox would be a routine task for the developers.

One can only hope.   

[Alex B]

A hopeful yearly bump.

[benn600]

Nice job Alex.  That is a great way to explain exactly what I (and others) want.  I use Ben's Rating (and other user's ratings) and using stars would be great.

Although my current system has an advantage over this.  Rating is NOT stored in the files so I have a playlist that shows differences between Rating & Ben's Rating.  This way, if another user modifies the Ben's Rating field (with my permission or not), I can verify these changes as they show up in this playlist.

Using only Ben's Rating would remove this advantage.

[Alex B]

A hopeful bimonthly bump.   

[Alex B]

bump

[benn600]

Thanks for regular bumping.  Good feature request.  J-Loops with star ratings are all part of a balanced diet of.

[Slope]

Great request!

I have been seeking to do the exact same thing and would find this feature terribly useful.

[RedJ]

Bump and big-time "me too!"  Specifically looking for checkboxes (binary mostly, but multiple selection would be awesome).

I have drop downs for a number of different custom fields "Live", "Explicit", "Cover", "Defective" and it's too many clicks, too slow, and too awkward for a simple binary Is/Isn't selection.

[ProblemChild]

BUMP to all of the above...
This would save a lot of headaches!

[Alex B]

A yearly bump.

MC13 has a new option:

14. NEW: Added edit type "Five stars" that can be selected for user created database fields.

It makes possible to create additional star rating fields, but it is limited to exactly five values that are 1,2,3,4 and 5. Without the limitation it would be what I have requested here.

Here's a related thread on the MC13 board: http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=48761.0

[RedJ]

I'm glad the 5-Star functionality has been added, it will at least allow me to cludge around my problem, assuming I have a list with 5 items or less and I want to memorize what each value signifies.  However, I think the more universal solution still should be a multi-selector checklist dropdown of an arbitrary number of list items.  This would allow users to create any system they like for quick tagging of custom attributes.  It would also reduce selection of list items in a minimum of two quick clicks instead of 1) click field 2) chose items from field selector window that comes up 3) close field window (keep in mind that there are also significant interface inefficiencies that accompany this seemingly insignificant one extra click).

Here's an attempt at an ascii depiction of a dropdown custom field I would use:

_______________________

|       Explicit                       [V]

|[  ] Language - Extreme      |

|[X] Language - Moderate     |

|[  ] Language - Mild            |

|[  ] Sex                            |

|[X] Violence                      |

----------------------------

This would be used to filter for if there are children present or for certain situations/company where I may want to prevent tracks dropping the f-bomb and rapping about strippers from coming on all of a sudden.

[j.stream]

Can anybody give me an example to create a "album rating" field ?
I want a five star rating per album, that means if i give one track of an album e.g. five stars
all tracks of this album were automaticly rated with five stars.

[Alex B]

A biyearly bump.  (Triggered by this thread on the MC15 board.)

Would it be possible to further develop this feature in MC15?

A yearly bump.

MC13 has a new option:
It makes possible to create additional star rating fields, but it is limited to exactly five values that are 1,2,3,4 and 5. Without the limitation it would be what I have requested here.

Here's a related thread on the MC13 board: http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=48761.0