Facets (foo_facets), Media library viewer Options

[wdekler]

Is there any news about the bugs I mentioned in my previous posts ?
I didn't see anything with a similar description in the open bug list.
I'm available to provide more details or to do some additional testing.

This also happens in my setup. I've already tried this with a clean config and components folder and the problem is still there.

Resizing the window to fix it's contents reminds me of the problem I previously posted about columns missing in the playlist window.

Running on Windows 7 x64, 8GB, AMD 6950, 2560*1600

[dalgard]

It had pained me for years that this project seemed to have been abandoned so the update to 1.0 was this week's best surprise However, the way of thinking that went into the component makes large parts of it unuseful with particular scenarios - something that could be helped with a little consideration ¹


As much as I appreciate your work with SimPlaylist, I still consider EsPlaylist to be by far the best playlist for foobar's default UI. EsPlaylist gives me everything I could wish for in terms of filter search, cover art browsing, grouping (with view layers) and group info - and I find that its state-of-the-art Windows 7 chrome serves its purpose beautifully!

The only thing missing with EsPlaylist is the basic facets themselves - that is, browsing by cascading lists! I don't use the filters in Facets, since I find this functionality is more conveniently represented by custom sorted autoplaylists, and I also don't use the search, since I find it more useful filtering the results from facets using the EsPlaylist search method.

Thus, I choose to hide the Facets toolbar. However, hiding the Facets toolbar also hides the one advanced feature that is actually very useful to me, namely playlist content browsing! Such a shame

How could this feature become available without the entire toolbar being present? I have two suggestions:

• Making this particular feature available as a special item on foobar's regular toolbar (of which I use two in my layout) - this would be ideal
• Making a menu item (under Library -> Facets) for swithing between the two browsing modes, which could be referenced with a regular toolbar button. This would require some sort of indication of which mode is in use...

Another thing I have been sorely missing in Facets - which still hasn't been remedied - is the ability to completely reset the selection, in each individual pane as well as in all panes! I feel so silly each time I am doing strange maneuvers in order to totally clear all selected items ²

The best way to clear all selections would be the same as with the library/playlist browsing switcher: Having a special toolbar item or by using a menu shortcut. The best way to clear the selection in individual panes would be adding a small X somewhere on the column header. This would be a huge improvement in Facets, but I realize this may be difficult when using the standard SDK list widget... :/


Regarding the ui-theme for Facets it is very nice to see that it is now on par with the rest of foobar. However, I do wish both would be updated to the newer style used in EsPlaylist. This would entail slightly more rounded corners and a blue border (instead of black) on the selection marker, as well as not leaving a (useless) black border upon frame blur

I guess I should make a request for this on the main foobar dev board.


By the way, I also second the motion for making smooth scrolling optional; that is, please keep scrolling by 1px increments, but please remove the easing function at the top and bottom of the scroll - that gimmick serves no real purpose.

Last but not least, regarding the looks of Facets - please make the bottom edge of the Facets frame more distinct (like the old version), and also please make the alternating grey background color optional, if you can! Although... you probably can't since it is also used in other lists in foobar. Another request for main dev, then


THANKS!


¹ I think it is important to remember in the development of Facets that it doesn't have any viable alternative in foobar; thus, making sure the component's core functionality is as generally useful as possible is necessary to - in some lofty words - secure its democratic value

² These maneuvers include:

• selecting the item in the first facet with the least subitems (hoping the selected items will disappear) and then reselecting All
• clicking on All in every single pane (which still shows a grey shadow on the item)
• locating each selected item and deselecting it by holding down ctrl and clicking on it...

This post has been edited by dalgard: May 13 2011, 17:19

[dalgard]

Also a little bug report

I use the character > (i.e. a single greater-than) as a separator in one of my facets, but it doesn't print. (I can make it print by writing $char(62), but I know some of my friends won't be able to figure that out.)

This post has been edited by dalgard: May 13 2011, 17:06

[klonuo]

I can make it print by writing $char(62), but I know some of my friends won't be able to figure that out.

maybe your friends already know that > is a special character for foobar

[dalgard]

I can make it print by writing $char(62), but I know some of my friends won't be able to figure that out.

maybe your friends already know that > is a special character for foobar

I'm quite sure they don't and it was working fine with the old version of Facets. I should mention that the character is, of course, written inside apostrophes (like this: ' > '), but it still won't print.

[q-stankovic]

Here some comments on the toolbar:

• I created a toolbar of two lines (first is just filter and the second one is search and reset button). Always after restarting foobar2000 i get back just one line: facets doesn't seem to remember the layout of the toolbar.
• IMO the content of the toolbar could be designed a little bit more concise. The reset button could be integrated into the searchbar like in old facets. Also the layout editing mode button could be dropped to let the shift key do the job (like for setting the selection logic).
• The possibility to combine multiple filters is great. But it is very inconvenient to set another combination as all checked filters have to be unchecked firstly. Wouldn't it be a good idea to have also a "Reset" command in the filters menu if multiple filters are checked?
• Couldn't the "and" selection logic be indicated somehow in the display of the column?

This post has been edited by q-stankovic: May 14 2011, 17:32

[q-stankovic]

[*]IMO the content of the toolbar could be designed a little bit more concise. The reset button could be integrated into the searchbar like in old facets. Also the layout editing mode button could be dropped to let the shift key do the job (like for setting the selection logic).

I can't imagine that there are many people who would like to switch between different sources inside one facet. It is more probable that the majority will set one facet for browsing library and another one for browsing playlist. So the source selection could be placed in layout editing mode. I am aware that all this is not worldshaking but it would help for a cleaner and more concise look.

[elefanc]

No project to include this nice plugin into ColumnUI ?

E.

[q-stankovic]

A point to the hotkeys without modifier: in the preferences for shortcuts you are warned about loosing some functionality if setting some hotkeys without modifier. However, in album list, default playlist view and so on you can use these singlestroke shortcuts. So it is up to the user to decide what he likes. I think as long as this possibility is part of the main foobar installation also facets and simplaylist should allow that too. My decision was to use simple hotkeys instead of navigating inside library viewers by letters. I understand the arguments against hotkeys without any modifier but then it shouldn't be possible to set them.

[tg2k3]

A point to the hotkeys without modifier: in the preferences for shortcuts you are warned about loosing some functionality if setting some hotkeys without modifier. However, in album list, default playlist view and so on you can use these singlestroke shortcuts. So it is up to the user to decide what he likes. I think as long as this possibility is part of the main foobar installation also facets and simplaylist should allow that too. My decision was to use simple hotkeys instead of navigating inside library viewers by letters. I understand the arguments against hotkeys without any modifier but then it shouldn't be possible to set them.

+1! I want to pause with space, queue with q and so on. Being deprived of this for a search-as-you-type feature for track titles (which is just completely useless, seriously) feels wrong

/edit: sorry, i was rather referring to the same limitation in simplaylist. In facets type-as-you-search definitely makes more sense. I guess I would keep it there.

This post has been edited by tg2k3: May 16 2011, 17:07

[helstegt]

I am very happy about the new Album Art option. Here are some feature requests related to that option:

- Include options to choose size for album art. Right now it's one size only.
- Include a display option that will allow the full text (say %artist% - %album%) for the album art query to be shown. Right now it's shortened.
- Include an option to choose between horisontal and vertical scrollbars for album art panes. Right now the only option is vertical scroll.

[q-stankovic]

- Include options to choose size for album art. Right now it's one size only.

Hold down the ctrl-key and scroll with the mouse. Read the wiki documentation for discovering all features.

[Dan Popescu]

A little bug report: When Facets is displayed in window mode, right click on splitter does not work.
I found it out after hiding the toolbar , and now I can't get it to show again.

Thank you, PDan

This post has been edited by Dan Popescu: May 16 2011, 21:53

[dalgard]

I can't imagine that there are many people who would like to switch between different sources inside one facet. It is more probable that the majority will set one facet for browsing library and another one for browsing playlist.

If I understand you correctly, I really, *really* don't think this is the case...

[q-stankovic]

Maybe you are right: just because i ... - but maybe not. However, forget that point!

[TomBarlow]

I have a request: It would be really useful to have an option to send to a specific playlist on double click (e.g. library selection playlist, but without send on single click as well). I don't like sending things to a playlist on single click, but I want facets to send to the same playlist each time. Cheers!

[q-stankovic]

yeah, a default playlist! and middleclick to add to same playlist!

[TomBarlow]

I'm OK without middle click options, shift+double click works as a substitute. It's slightly awkward how it can also select items as well, maybe alt+double click would be better?

[q-stankovic]

Well, i think the old facets offered much more in regard to playlist interaction: it had a middleclick and you had the opportunity to use add/send to facets playlists (wich i then call default playlist). At some point Peter introduced the library viewer playlist as global option. Now we have the situation that these option is only used by Peters components (maybe quicksearch?) but not by facets. Furthermore the playlist interaction looks different. Also facets inroduced a facet selection playlist (playing) like in cui: that is a ugly solution in my eyes but at least it is one. In that context it is characteristic that development of foo_utils is interrupted - it is evn not placed on the official components site. Herewith i don't like to request nothing but just to point out that it is a shame that no agreement is found so far between Peter and other devs how a uniform concept for playlist interaction could look like. What always liked about Dui is that i have the feeling that it seems to have the claim to be consistent: does anybody remember the old days where each component showed its own philosophy? So why not in this point, too?

This post has been edited by q-stankovic: May 17 2011, 16:48

[exxecutor]

I have a request: It would be really useful to have an option to send to a specific playlist on double click (e.g. library selection playlist, but without send on single click as well). I don't like sending things to a playlist on single click, but I want facets to send to the same playlist each time. Cheers!

yeah, a default playlist! and middleclick to add to same playlist!

These would be the only things I'm currently missing!

[Dennis68]

Wonderful new features in this version,
However I do miss my previous settings which were:

Selection action: none
Double-click action: send to facet playlist
Middle-click action: add to current playlist

I used facets in this manner for years, and would love to have these original features
included with the new ones.

Dennis

[Takaji]

When I use the %performer% tag, sometimes I use multiple entries, using a semi-colon (example "Performer 1; Performer 2; Performer 3"). foobar2000 formats this as "Performer 1, Performer 2, Performer 3". When using a facets column to show %performer%, tracks with multiple entries in that tag still get shown on the same line. Shouldn't facets be giving a separate line for each entry in the %performer% tag?

Facets makes a single line that shows:
Performer 1, Performer 2, Performer 3

Can it instead show:
Performer 1
Performer 2
Performer 3

This post has been edited by Takaji: May 18 2011, 17:19

[MartDann]

Shouldn't facets be giving a separate line for each entry in the %performer% tag?

Try %<performer>%

[Takaji]

Try %<performer>%

Thank you, that worked. Can you explain why that worked?

[MartDann]

Thank you, that worked. Can you explain why that worked?

Sorry, i can't renember where i read that...maybe a old help file from Facet or foobar (now i've searched the foobar wiki but did not find anything)
but <> works with all multivalue field
Edit:
Found it:
http://wiki.hydrogenaudio.org/index.php?ti...28foo_facets%29


This post has been edited by MartDann: May 18 2011, 18:53