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[lalittle]

I used the "custom" install choice when installing MC15, but I never saw an option to tell MC to NOT automatically scan my drives for media when it started, which it started doing immediately.  Did I just miss something?  If not, is there a way to get it do not automatically start scanning after the installation completes?  I want to be able to fully control the import AFTER making the appropriate options settings.  This is especially important when installing it on a system where I'm still running MC14, and where I don't want MC15 making ANY changes to my current library of files.  I use a "test" library of media files for new MC versions before letting it access my "real" media files.

At the moment, I have to scramble to uncheck the "Run auto import in background" option when MC starts for the first time, but the auto import is already running before I can get to this option to turn it off.

Thanks,

Larry

[Quixote]

I had this problem also.

[Matt]

It shows an Action Window stating it will import automatically in about 20 seconds.

You can click the configure / advanced button on the Action Window and choose to do no importing.  I don't remember the exact name, but it's the last choice on the dialog.

[AoXoMoXoA]

It shows an Action Window stating it will import automatically in about 20 seconds.

You can click the configure / advanced button on the Action Window and choose to do no importing.  I don't remember the exact name, but it's the last choice on the dialog.

Yes, I saw this on my second install. Works well if you are expecting it and watching, rather than trying to change the settings in the Options to turn off Auto-Import. How about a pop-up asking if you wish to turn on Auto-Import with the default being OFF?

[MusicHawk]

I also missed the auto-import question. That seems like a major action, too major to activate "automatically" without requiring user consent. It's always been an annoying "feature" of Windows MP and similar brain-dead apps.

[benn600]

Can you please give a quick option to not have MC auto select a list of folders?  I just installed MC15 and by the time I finished buying a license, found that MC had added about 20 folders on our server and was going crazy importing exactly what I do not want.

[Quixote]

Also be aware that even though you select "No Import", if you leave the database empty and close MC when you open it again, it will try importing again.

[Tolga]

I agree.

[lalittle]

It shows an Action Window stating it will import automatically in about 20 seconds.

You can click the configure / advanced button on the Action Window and choose to do no importing.  I don't remember the exact name, but it's the last choice on the dialog.

Thanks.  I never noticed this in the AW -- I guess it just never occurred to me to look there right off the bat.

I agree with the others here -- this is too important of a process to not give the user a very clear choice to not do it.  I think it's a very good idea to have MC ask with an actual pop-up window (right in the middle of the screen) rather than just using the AW.  Given my personal experience with this, along with the other comments here, it seems particularly unlikely that new users of MC will notice the AW message.

Thanks,

Larry

[MerlinWerks]

Double-dog agreed 

I always feel like I'm in a race to turn the dang thing off...

Granted it is not truly a big deal, can be a one time event and can be easily be undone, but for some reason it's just really annoying 

[marko]

Isn't this, the same as this: --> http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=56859.0

FWIW, I agree that it shouldn't be automatic, I mean, seriously, it even imports things such as the images from MC's own cd labeller themes. I'm 99.9% certain that no-one wants those files, or any other random applications' bmp or jpg files included in their libraries....

or do they?

-marko.

[kurushi]

I agree too.
But it's not so annoying i stop the auto import or delete files from libray in  MC if i have miss the message....

[JimH]

Import is a difficult decision for the program.  Experts can make it easily.  Novices can't.  They often don't know where their media is.  So we err on the side of getting media imported.

I think the compromise we've made is reasonable.  You may not agree.  You can turn auto-import off or set it the way you want it.

[marko]

Indeed. I think benn's subject choice is a little ambiguous.

I wholeheartedly embrace auto import. I think the control provided over it is excellent and utilise it fully...

The thing is, this initial import, when the library is empty....
You say yourself that novices often don't know where their media is, which is fair enough, but, I can't help think that perhaps MC shouldn't be trawling the 'program files' directories looking for media, potentially exposing files needed by other applications to the mercy of the aforementioned novices, who would have no idea what MC was actually presenting to them.

It's really not an issue for me at all, I have no complaint, only an observation.

Regards,
-marko

[rick.ca]

I think the compromise we've made is reasonable.  You may not agree.  You can turn auto-import off or set it the way you want it.

Like any program automatically doing something unexpected, it's bad behaviour if for no other reason it adversely affects the new user's trust of the program. Even those who recover quickly from having their heart in their throat are going to rightly ask, "Why didn't you ask me first?"

[JimH]

It does tell you, and you can cancel.

[BryanC]

I agree with the other sentiments. Sometimes I need an empty library to do specific tag editing and the auto auto-import feature simply sucks. I feel like I'm in a race.

[JimH]

I'm sorry, but this isn't going to be changed.

[rick.ca]

It does tell you, and you can cancel.

I know that, but it's on a count-down, and not likely to be noticed by a new user. What's wrong with a dialog (in the middle of the screen where it can't be missed) that has to be answered before proceeding? I think that's what most users (new and experienced) expect from such an action.

[MusicHawk]

On my first install of MC15, I missed the auto-import message. On my second install, even though I knew to watch for it, I almost missed it -- a small message on a busy screen.

Aside from the time-wasting aspect, I think the big risk during MC15's beta phase is that MC15 will end up loading the same media files already being managed by MC14. This can mess up the unwary user and data.

For instance, if both MCs are pointing at the same media files, a database or file change in one MC won't be seen by the other MC. Imagine a user getting to know MC15 by doing a bunch of tagging work, but while still using MC14 as the "real" media manager (this is my situation). Make changes in MC15, then go back to MC14 -- none of the changes are there, because MC14 and MC15 must use different library files. Even if MC15 is set to store tag changes in the media files, MC14 won't know they are changed.

MC15 and MC15 must be separate environments because (it's been stated) the library files of MC15 and MC14, while having identical names, are not compatible. (I assume this means the .jmd files; what about .jvi files?). Also stated, an MC14 backup can be restored in MC15, but not vice versa. But since the library files are not shareable, and since using different MCs to manage the same set of media files is unwise, and since backup-restore is not two-way, when MC14 is already installed, it seems wrong for MC15 to default to auto-import of media files, thereby leading the user to possibly work in MC15 before the user is ready to leave MC14.

So maybe existence of MC14 should be checked as a condition of launching auto-import, and if found, not do auto-import. And/or, present a message such as this, and force the user to answer it:

Media Center 14 is also installed. Caution: To maintain data integrity you should manage your media files with only one version of Media Center. If you import them into MC15 you should stop using MC14. Do you want to automatically import your media files into Media Center 15 right now? (You can also import them by making a library backup in MC14 and loading that backup into MC15.)

It actually can be more complex because the library might not be Default or not at the default location (mine is neither). Also, the MC14 user might have set up multiple libraries, perhaps organized media by type, but auto-import doesn't know this so will grab everything into one library. Just because MC15 thinks it finds an empty Default library doesn't necessarily mean anything.

Unless I'm drastically misstating the issues, it's difficult to see a reason to have MC15 auto-launch import when MC14 already exists.

Just a suggestion....

[rpalmer68]

I'm sorry, but this isn't going to be changed.

Well I think that's a mistake.

I agree that on a  fresh install MC/blank library should try to import media, but there should be a  popup prompt  "Do you want MC to import your existing media?"   To hide it away in the Action window is 99.9% guaranteed for new users to miss it, and let's face it, it looks like 90% of old users missed this too and we know what we're doing (in thoery).

Richard

[lalittle]

It does tell you, and you can cancel.

I'm sorry, but this isn't going to be changed.

Jim,

Nobody is suggesting that you should take away the auto-import process that starts up after first installing MC.  We're simply saying that it might work better for all users if it was made more obvious, and offered a much more clear abiltity to stop it -- like some sort of pop-up where you HAVE to make a selection in order to continue.  The current "countdown" is clearly being missed by a number of people, many of them long time MC users who are actually familiar with the AW concept.

Would you be open to moving this particular AW message to a pop-up message in the center of the screen -- something that could not be missed -- and/or to requiring the user to select whether or not they want the auto import to start?  It seems like this would fulfill the full intent of making the initial import easy for new users, but it would eliminate the "accidental" import issues that we're running into here.

Thanks,

Larry

[Magic_Randy]

I too missed the countdown. I had to go back and clean things up later. I recommend keeping the auto import but adding a confirmation pop-up.

[benn600]

Real simple: if the user is upgrading, be less aggressive.  Or I still think there should be some sort of advanced / easy mode.  A lot of programs use this (VLC).  It can be a huge pain but just a few points everyone feels so strongly about could be considered.  In the installer, add a [Enable Advanced User Mode] that will not auto import.  MC scanned my huge server and pulled a huge list of folders that I wouldn't dream of importing--folders for my domains.  So it must have found photos in my web folders and grabbed a lot of them.  Then, the user SHOULD delete the database and start over.  What advanced user wants to start a brand new MC database with a ton of imports & deletes that clutters it up -- the deleted items section anyway.

I truly appreciate the progress but also feel that some of the efforts are too greatly tailored toward general, casual users.  This will ultimately alienate the power users who like MC because of its power.  Instead of having an automatic countdown -- that I miss because I immediately get an IE popup to upgrade -- have a yes no popup that specifically asks the user, rather than hoping they happen to notice the integrated but tiny sidebar item with a countdown.  20 seconds to disaster.  The upgrade coinciding with my installation is what caused me to miss the countdown and when I got back to MC, it had imported tens of thousands of files--some right, some wrong.  I had to dig in the file system to delete and then, more importantly, point MC to my used db.

Why didn't MC15 seem to pick up my MC14 library db or all my settings?  I had to, again, go through all the settings and change the settings that if I don't change and import my files, cause major problems: such as:

1. writing 1MB cover art to 20K files (store cover art in files)
2. get cover art, which has in the past overwrote my own cover art
3. wrong encoder, which I could miss and erroneously rip dozens of CDs at the wrong settings
4. no more secure rip / generate log / 1, 1, 2 (rip settings)

I also would like to see a database creation option to not add any view schemes, playlists, etc.  I want exactly what I want here and nothing more.  I also would like a way to link columns across view schemes because I generally decide on one system for audio....so if I make a change, I have to update my 5+ view schemes each independently.