foo_random_pools, Select random groups from the media library Options

[Fractal_Mortalit...]

So does this mean we can now perform filters like ADDED within LAST SIX WEEKS etc?

If so, what is the exact format?

[fbuser]

just FYI, it appears loading the new version blows away previous settings.

Aargh, I think I noticed it, but later I forgot it, as it only happens by updating from version 0.0.1 to 0.0.2.

Edit: Fixed now ith version 0.0.2.1

This post has been edited by fbuser: Apr 5 2010, 09:12

[fbuser]

So does this mean we can now perform filters like ADDED within LAST SIX WEEKS etc?

If so, what is the exact format?

Standard query syntax

[Fractal_Mortalit...]

Ahhh, it appears this isn't working for me because my %added% format is

20100403

(YearMonthDay with no spaces or dashes)

I totally understand that this is simply a convention I've held onto, but would it be hard to edit the plugin to also support this date format?

This post has been edited by Fractal_Mortality: Apr 5 2010, 09:04

[fbuser]

Ahhh, it appears this isn't working for me because my %added% format is

20100403

(YearMonthDay with no spaces or dashes)

I totally understand that this is simply a convention I've held onto, but would it be hard to edit the plugin to also support this date format?

Sorry, but that is not possible. As the query syntax for dates doesn't seem to support something like $left(%added%,4)-$substr(%added%,5,2)-$right(%added%,2), the only thing you can do is to use masstager and convert your added field in that way.

[Fractal_Mortalit...]

Hmm, ok... Any idea how I'd go about that in masstagger?

edit: Nevermind, figured it out

This post has been edited by Fractal_Mortality: Apr 5 2010, 09:34

[fbuser]

"Format from other field" with the destination field ADDED and the pattern mentioned above should do it.

[mrinferno]

Edit: Fixed now ith version 0.0.2.1

confirmed, tested the new version on my other install of foobar, settings are now preserved.

[q-stankovic]

Since the component offers the limitation by time, size and number of tracks i tried to replicate simple playlist generating functionality - means: no random picked and then limited group is added but the limitation is applied on whole library. That is a a standard feature of playlist tree. I found out that title formatting expressions are possible that gives back the whole library as one group.

I would like to ask for a simple feature: before we have to type in weird expressions to create a group that consists of all media library items wouldn't it be more intuitive to do the same by leaving the group textbox just empty?

[fbuser]

You don't need weird expressions to achieve this. Just use a field you don't have in your library, something like %all%. This should be simple enough. On the contrary, I found it a little bit confusing to get the whole library back, when no group was entered. That's why I restricted the group field to be non-empty.

[q-stankovic]

You don't need weird expressions to achieve this. Just use a field you don't have in your library, something like %all%.

Or for example %library%? Good to know!
Maybe you can do anything that is more obvious than using empty box or non-existing fields?

[fbuser]

I don't see a need to do anything here. To get the whole library as one group you just need field with the same value for all tracks in the library. So, you could define a field and tag it for all tracks with an arbitrary value (obviously not the best solution) or you even use a field which has the value "undefined", which is the case, if a field doesn't exist.

[q-stankovic]

I don't see a need to do anything here.

Well, now i know how to do it but what about other users? There is a useful feature that is hidden and could only be used by secret knowledge. A simple checkbox would do the job IMO.

I have a question: If we have a one added random pool that consists of more than one group, is each group of the pool random or is a random repetition avoided?

[fbuser]

Well, now i know how to do it but what about other users? There is a useful feature that is hidden and could only be used by secret knowledge. A simple checkbox would do the job IMO.

There is nothing hidden and there is no secret knowledge, it's just logic. A checkbox would only be redundant, without any further benefit.

I have a question: If we have a one added random pool that consists of more than one group, is each group of the pool random or is a random repetition avoided?

From the help file:

Number of groups to add: Defines how many groups should be determined for adding tracks to a playlist. If "Determine probability for picking groups based on group size" is not selected, it is guaranteed, that no duplicates will be selected. In this case, if the number of distinct groups is less than the number of groups to add, the lesser number will be used.

[carpman]

Hi all,

Great component fbuser. Looking forward to seeing how it develops.

I'm trying to understand the "All Pools" selection. Am I right in thinking for example that if you choose All Pools it will, based on the weighting, give you a selection of each Pool mixed together?

So for example, if one pool is limited to 1 hour and has a priority of 10 and another is limited to 2 hours with a priority of 20 you are likely to get a playlist of approx. 1 hour 30 mins?

The reason I ask is because I've been getting strange results from a test:

I've 2 pools. Both apply filters:

1) %path% HAS "chamber"

2) %title% HAS "adagio" OR %title% HAS "andante" OR %title% HAS "cantabile"

They have equal priority. Yet when I select "All Pools", ALL the results contain tracks with either adagio, andante or cantabile in the title.

Any idea why? I expected about 50% of tracks to be chamber music since "chamber" will appear in the directory name (%path%) and 50% of tracks with either adagio, andante or cantabile in the title.

Finally, each Pool works fine when selected independently, it's only a problem when All Pools is chosen.

All help much appreciated.
Thanks,

C.

[carpman]

Forget it. Seems like a freak occurence of randomness.
Basically I ran it many times and each time every track had adagio etc ...
Have run it many many more times and I'm getting a mix.
Sorry for the false alarm.

C.

[carpman]

Okay, after some more testing of this component I'm beginning to feel stupid.
Can someone explain to me what All Pools is supposed to do?

My expectation was that it would give you a mix of the various pools based on weighting. I've applied equal weighting to each of three pools, and I seem to be getting the results of one pool OR another, but never a combination.

Is that what's supposed to happen?

Again any help greatly appreciated. Or if someone can point me to the appropriate place in foo_random_pools_help.html that would be good.

Many thanks,

C.

[Wooops]

There´s no option to run "all pools" simultaneously or one after one, but you can try this (hopefully it will do what you want), instead of using 2 pools merge them into one, such that it contains your both criteria’s (for your pool 1 and 2) specified in the group field and set in "number of groups to add: 2" It should add tracks from those 2 groups into a single playlist mix, you can use in the sort field "rand()" to get it really mixed
Now looking more closely to your pools it doesn´t seem possible to get both filters into one pool, but you can try using the same criteria as in your Pools 1 (%path%) for your Pool 2. Hopefully you have your adagio, andante or cantabile songs stored in a folder of the same name. Create a new pool and configure it as this:

CODE

Group field:%directoryname%
Number of Groups to add: 2
Filter : (%path% HAS "\Music\chamber") AND ((%path% HAS "\Music\adagio") OR (%path% HAS "\Music\andante") OR (%path% HAS "\Music\cantabile"))

Note: if you need to exclude a directory use (NOT (%path% HAS "\directory\"))

Hope it helps.

[fbuser]

Again any help greatly appreciated. Or if someone can point me to the appropriate place in foo_random_pools_help.html that would be good.

An explicit explanation of "All pools" is missing indeed. It's only implicitly explained for the priority field. With "All pools" one pool is picked from all pools with a priority unequal to zero.

If you really need more than one pool to be added to a playlist, you have two options:

• bind a keyboard shortcut to the "All pools" menu entry and hit this key as often as needed
• define an autoadd playlist with a high value for "Add, when the playlist has X items or less", clear the playlist, add one pool and start playback on this playlist afterwards

[carpman]

Thanks for the reply. I got it now.
So basically All Pools is a lucky dip where you pick one pool from all the pools - which matches with the results I've been getting.

In which case I have a feature request.
Can you have a Run All Pools (except for those with a priority of 0) feature. This would be the equivalent of manually selecting each of the pools in the list.

Because so far what foo_random_pools can't do is provide a selection of tracks from a number of varied criteria, and this would allow for that, because you've made is easy to set the limits on each pool quite small (i.e. just a few tracks). So you can have a little of this, a little of that and a little of the other.

Cheers,

C.

[NullString]

In which case I have a feature request.
Can you have a Run All Pools (except for those with a priority of 0) feature. This would be the equivalent of manually selecting each of the pools in the list.

that sounds promising, like some sort of "alias" for groups of pools

[Fractal_Mortalit...]

Because so far what foo_random_pools can't do is provide a selection of tracks from a number of varied criteria, and this would allow for that, because you've made is easy to set the limits on each pool quite small (i.e. just a few tracks). So you can have a little of this, a little of that and a little of the other.

Aye, this sounds like a great feature. The new "all pools" could also have a group amount, just like individual pools (i.e. if I wanted 20 random albums chosen from all of my pools, and selected according to their ranking, I could do it).

[laite]

Hi, it seems that if same album is on random playlist twice, automatic add doesn't work. In other words, I have set this to add new album when there is 5 or less songs left, and it works correctly if album at the end of the list has only one instance on playlist, but doesn't work if same album is twice (or more) on playlist.

[fbuser]

Thanks for reporting. Fixed with version 0.0.2.2.

[hesher]

Could someone give an example for usage of the plugin?
I'm not sure I completely understand how it works and an example a little more practical than the one in the help file could really help.

Thankx