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[debacle]

I like to have Split View enabled with 2 views, with View #2 being locked to Playing Now.

I would like entries in the Search box to always only affect View #1, even if View #2 (Playing Now) is the active view.  Is there a way to achieve this?

[StFeder]

This would be EXTREMELY handy! I have the same setup (with playing now in View #1). I so often end in searching playing now even though I rarely want to.

It's even a bigger thing for people who use MC less frequently. They so often end up searching in playing now and wondering why search is not working. And when they once get the trick, they forget to delete the search string in playing now when switching to the other view and wonder why they cannot drag something to playing now.

It's hard notice that a view is actively being in a searched state, because there is no indicator for that when the view isn't active.

[6233638]

I do this all the time as well. I'm not sure that there's really a great solution for it though.
It's rare that I want to search Playing Now, but I wouldn't say that I've never used it.
 
I think the issue is that the search field is in the upper-right above the right pane, but it can affect either.
Moving the search inside the split pane would guarantee that you don't accidentally search in the wrong pane, but that adds clutter (two search fields) and I'm not sure where it would fit.
 
Perhaps if the search field said "Search <View Name>" rather than simply "Search" this would be less of an issue.
 
An option in the Split View menu which let you select which pane is searched might also be nice.
E.g. All (current behavior) or Pane 1/2/3 if you only ever want it to search one of the panes.

[StFeder]

I do this all the time as well. I'm not sure that there's really a great solution for it though.
It's rare that I want to search Playing Now, but I wouldn't say that I've never used it.

I also DO use the search in Playing Now sometimes. But it would be way easier to duplicate the Playing Now view to the other unlocked split view # the rare times I need the search in Playing Now. I WAAAY more often executed a search in Playing Now by mistake than actually really wanted to search. And I guess for beginners it happens much more often.

sidenote: One thing that prevents MC-beginners from running in this problem more often may be that if they find how to use split view and locked split view, they are no beginners any more

An option in the Split View menu which let you select which pane is searched might also be nice.
E.g. All (current behavior) or Pane 1/2/3 if you only ever want it to search one of the panes.

I suggested exactly this in JimH's "Too Easy"-Thread Should be easy to implement, doesn't clutter the interface, leaves all existing functions. Probably useful to many users.

[debacle]

Thanks StFeder!  I wasn't sure if it would meet the "Generally useful to most users" requirement but it sounds like many people would love to have it.

Newbie users is exactly my use case: friends who want to queue up a few tracks when I host parties.

[StFeder]

friends who want to queue up a few tracks when I host parties.

This is one of the frustrating things: I tell everybody out there about the best media solution out there and there are always the small things which make them say "Are you kidding?". The search thing is one of that (to be honest: the only one I actually can think of). I could change to only one split view but then nobody understands why the playlist is not visible and where to drag files. Editing Playing Now in Action Window was a workaround before MC allowed the locking of views (or before I knew about that locking feature) but none of the first time user got it. They didn't see that the small part of the screen down left was hosting such a "important" element like the current playing list. Now, with locking views, its WAAAY better and I even could convince my girlfriend to use MC for her ballroom and Zumba classes. But the search thing keeps users (especially on parties) away from MC because "Searching doesn't work" or "Dragging to Playing Now doesn't work".

[6233638]

I agree, I think the changes brought up here would be relatively easy to implement, and would make the program a lot easier to use.
 

• Allow split views to lock the search field to one of the panes.
• Additionally, list the view name in the search field so that it indicates "Search <zone name>" or "Search <artists>"

Honestly, I'm surprised that split views don't seem to be used very often.
I actually find that it makes Media Center easier to use, since you can view a list of files and the current playlist at the same time.
 
There are a number of changes I'd like to see to make working with split views even easier, but I think they're low priority since it's considered to be a feature for "advanced users".

[StFeder]

Honestly, I'm surprised that split views don't seem to be used very often.

Why do you think so?

If you're right maybe it is because the feature is a bit hidden in the menu. Users running in a problem that could be solved via Split View (eg. "I cannot see the current list of playing files") won't search for something like "Split View". And for many users I'd guess Split View because usable only after enabling the Split View Lock *and* the option to start MC at last location. If the second isn't enable you'll probably end up with a locked view you never wanted to have.

Perhaps some more tuning is needed to make this feature as useful as it could (should) be. Especially from UI perspective to make the feature more visible (isn't that what Robert was hired for  ). But I think (as you do) to lock searching to one view would be a good thing to start with

[6233638]

I think as you say, it's not very discoverable, and it's not very easy to set up.
 
With a number of changes and possibly a "simple split view" option that automatically set things up a certain way I do think it could be made more accessible.
 
But for those of us that are already using it, those changes to search would certainly make things easier - especially when someone that's not familiar with MC wants to use the program.

[magnust]

Just want to chime in on this topic me too.

I also have since ages a split view with one pane locked to play view.

It's almost comical when I do searches and none of the expected results appear ( which is one of the reasons I've been begging for a "recent searches drop down list" explorer like )

[Frobozz]

I'll add a me too.  This would be useful.

A scenario for me where this would be helpful is when setting up the computer for a headphone meet.  I've tried doing the split view thing with one view locked to playing now.  Inevitably that ends up being confusing for someone when the search ends up searching the playing now tab rather than the tab with all of the music.

My goal when setting up the computer for a meet situation like that is to make it reasonably idiot proof and easy and obvious.  A difficult thing to accomplish in MC.

[StFeder]

As they always do, the JRiver Team proves to be awesome JimH stated at the "Too easy"-Thread, that they

Do this or similar

The mentioned thread is worth a view BTW. There are so many ideas which are marked as "To be done". Looking forward to the new releases with so many easy things to come

[debacle]

Hi, has this been placed in some planned work timeline somewhere? As it's been a couple months since it was marked "Do this or similar" in the "Too easy" thread. I understand there's lots of other work going on, just curious when I might hope to see this in an update! Thanks!

[StFeder]

Is this one still on the list?

[debacle]

Bump! Curious if this is still in the backlog somewhere.

[debacle]

Is this still captured in the "easy things to do" list?

[StFeder]

You could start a thread with details.  Some weren't possible to do.

So another bump for this one It's one of the undone "Too Easy" suggestions which got marked as "do this or similar" but didn't make it into MC till now.

[debacle]

Yes! If this is one of those that's not possible to do, then I'd like to know so I can stop hoping for it.

[6233638]

Is this still captured in the "easy things to do" list?

I hope so. It does not seem like it would be that complex to implement the changes outlined here. (lock search to a split view, and have a blank search field include the view name that it is going to search in)

[debacle]

Bumping this one - is this still on the "too easy" todo list, and is that list still being chipped away at?

[blgentry]

I'm coming to this VERY late.  I just found the thread today because of the bump.  But I think I have a working solution for power users.  Not for novices or party use.  But for the knowledgeable.

1.  Go to playing now.
2.  Split view to 2 views.
3.  Lock view #1 (the playing now view).
4.  To search, press control-f.  It takes you to the search box and will NOT search Playing Now.

If you click on Playing Now and then click in the search box, it will search Playing Now.  But the hot key takes you to the search box in the other view.  Tested on a Mac, but I'd bet it works on Windows too.

Brian.

[glynor]

Just throwing it out there... What if, instead of adding an option (always a balancing act), it worked like this:

* If more than one view is visible.
* And one of the views is locked
* Search will never search the locked view unless a file in the file listing is explicitly selected (highlighted) and foreground.

So, you couldn't just have the wrong "view" selected, you'd have to actually click on a file in the locked view to get it to search the view. Would that solve it?

Maybe not, but it would be "simpler" logic and not require toggling an option on and off.

[6233638]

Just throwing it out there... What if, instead of adding an option (always a balancing act), it worked like this:

• If more than one view is visible.
• And one of the views is locked
• Search will never search the locked view unless a file in the file listing is explicitly selected (highlighted) and foreground.

So, you couldn't just have the wrong "view" selected, you'd have to actually click on a file in the locked view to get it to search the view. Would that solve it?
Maybe not, but it would be "simpler" logic and not require toggling an option on and off.

I have no way of knowing what "state" MC was previously in when I switch to it and the first thing I do is search.
More often than not, the last thing I probably did was modify Playing Now, so it would end up searching that, as an item in there would be selected.
When switching to MC, it is often not very good at preserving the highlighted state of items too. I have often gone to delete and item which appeared to be selected, only to be prompted to delete an item from the other seemingly inactive pane.

Having the search box display the name of the view it is about to search in would greatly improve the chances of me not searching in the wrong view.
However being able to either lock it to a specific split, or disable it for a specific split (quite different behavior if you use 3 split views) would actually solve this for me.
 
I can't think of when I have ever wanted to search Playing Now.
Of course some people might, which is why I think both those changes are what is required to actually solve this.

I'm coming to this VERY late.  I just found the thread today because of the bump.  But I think I have a working solution for power users.  Not for novices or party use.  But for the knowledgeable.

• Go to playing now.
• Split view to 2 views.
• Lock view #1 (the playing now view).
• To search, press control-f.  It takes you to the search box and will NOT search Playing Now.

If you click on Playing Now and then click in the search box, it will search Playing Now.  But the hot key takes you to the search box in the other view.  Tested on a Mac, but I'd bet it works on Windows too.

Actually this is neither searching in Playing Now, or the other pane for me. (currently on "Web Videos")
It changes the active view to my "New Albums" view for and gives search results for that, for some reason.
 
So it looks like you have found another way that search is misbehaving.

[StFeder]

I have no way of knowing what "state" MC was previously in when I switch to it and the first thing I do is search.
More often than not, the last thing I probably did was modify Playing Now, so it would end up searching that, as an item in there would be selected.

Totally agree!

Having the search box display the name of the view it is about to search in would greatly improve the chances of me not searching in the wrong view.

Would be a nice first step

However being able to either lock it to a specific split, or disable it for a specific split (quite different behavior if you use 3 split views) would actually solve this for me.

Totally agree!

[glynor]

So it looks like you have found another way that search is misbehaving.

Yep.  It is acting very oddly...  This is exactly what happens:

* Normally, if you lock a split view on any regular Media View, you can still search it using Control-F.  That's regular behavior, and I do use it sometimes.

But, if you lock a view to Playing Now, that isn't what happens.

1. Split your view into two views.
2. Lock one of them to Playing Now.
3. Navigate to some Media View in your Tree other than those under Audio.  Say Video, Images, or Playlists.
4. Highlight the Playing Now split view.
5. Control-F to jump up to the search bar.
6. The unlocked view will change to whatever your last-most-recently used Media View under Audio, and it will search there.

It doesn't search Playing Now, but it also doesn't search the current view on the unlocked split. In fact, it changes the view in the unlocked split and makes it an Audio view, and then searches that.

That might be accidentally beneficial behavior for some, but it sure feels broken to me.

[glynor]

I have no way of knowing what "state" MC was previously in when I switch to it and the first thing I do is search.

Your needs are demanding.  

Dunno. I do search Playing Now, often when doing DJing and stuff.  I don't even know if my suggestion would drive me crazy, actually, because I often lock two Playing Now splits, and then sometimes search one of them.

Split 1: Media Views and stuff
Split 2 (locked): My Headphone "upcoming and testing out" zone.
Split 3 (locked): The audience zone

I'm kind of surprised I hadn't noticed this peculiar behavior of Control-F before (unless it is a new thing, of course), because I do this sometimes, and it would have driven me crazy. Of course, when I'm doing this, I'm usually using an Audio view on the unlocked pane, and so maybe I wouldn't have noticed (or used the trackpad to select the search bar, which is equally likely).

So... Meh.

* I do search Playing Now sometimes on purpose.
* It is essential to me that Search searches the current view, in most cases.
* I'm okay with it if it is a little more difficult to search Playing Now when in a locked split view, if that makes people happy.
* I'm not okay with it (without it being optional) if it is impossible to search Playing Now in a locked split view.
* I'm okay with it being optional, but it seems like a pretty niche request (considering that it violates the general rule that search searches the current view). But, whatever, I can kind of see it.

[6233638]

Well that's why I would like to ideally be able to "switch off" search for a specific split view rather than just prevent playing now from searching.
That way MC would only ever search in Panes 2 & 3 if I switched it off from Pane 1.
 
Or a simpler, but more restrictive approach, would be to lock search to a single split view, so that Pane 2 is the only one which can search.
 
The first thing before any of that, would be to have the search field say: Search in <view name> or perhaps even just list the view name.
That doesn't solve the problem, but at least you're more likely to notice that it's going to search in "Zone 2" in pane 1 rather than the "All Artists" view in pane 2.