Thread: sort options

btt

The directory browsing doesn't read the tags. I considered making it read the tags. I assumed Directory browsing was mainly used by people who don't have their tags populated. I currently don't read in track information, mainly because I don't have it populated. I will look into adding track information and having it sort properly...

david

directory browsing is also used by people who use file formats that can be played, but the tags aren't read (i.e. currently OGG) ... but then some of my files are mp3 and the tags ARE read and would be nice to have them for those files.

Also, some people (like me) just like browsing a clean file structure ... i'm the type of person that doesn't always like a db layer between me and my files.

I wouldn't have a problem using the artist/album modes if the tracks showed up in order ... but if the only way I can get things to play in order is to use directory mode then I'm kinda forced to use directory mode, and have the display not be as pretty due to lack of tags.

I guess the trend of a lot of people, including developers, is to listen to random songs by many different artists in a given sitting as opposed to listening to a CD all the way through like we used to with CDs. But a lot of people (myself included) still enjoy listening to albums as they were created by the artists.

so IMO it would be in the best interest of CF to both read tags in directory mode and allow the user to select the sort order of files in other modes (like how frodo player allows you to sort by artist/track, artist/album/track, or filename).

Anyway ... thanks for your efforts so far. I know there's so much to work into a front end when it comes to tag support and other options, and it all can't come at once. It's starting to look to me like CF is the app gaining the most ground to get there though.

shakes: One thing you will like in 1.3 is I now read OGG tags

I have to think about this for a little bit... I think I will definetly add track and sort by artist/album/track... My big question now is whether or not to have Directory mode load the tag information... If I do make Directory browsing load the tag information, then for users that don't have tag information they have no way to see just the filename in the title/list...

david

i don't mean any offence by comparing to frodoplayer ... but the way FP works is when it can't read tags for a file is it still makes a DB entry for the file, but in the Title field it inserts the entire file name minus any dashes and whatnot. It then pulls the directory listing from the file system but for displaying the files in the dir it uses the DB. So if you add a new dir of files, but don't sync the db, you can see the directory but no files.

I'm sure you could think of a better way to handle it.

And honestly if you could integrate tag support for all popular formats (MP3, OGG, M4A/AAC, APE, etc) then the tags in directory would probably be less of an issue.

glad to hear you'll look into the sort options. IMO, the more options you can give users in the config the better. That way your software can flex to fit the diverse preferences of carpc users. Going commercial I know you need to dumb it down a bit for your average joe, but an advanced settings menu in addition to the standard settings would be cool.

And yes I'm VERY excited about OGG support. FP does it now but it's not 100% accurate.

While you are re-thinking this thing a bit, I want to re-mention "axis-rotation". It is totally awesome to be listinging in random, hear a song you like, and easily change to Album or Artist mode so that the current song keeps playing and the next song queued up will be the next song by that Artist (alphebetically) or on that Album (track-order).

Basically all I am asking for is that when you switch browse modes, it auto-jumps to the current song in the new list instead of starting off on the top of the list.

shakes: I implement something very similiar when I read the tags also... The problem is that most of the time, for example, an mp3 has tag information but it's just not always right... Before I organized and fixed the tags in my mp3 collection most files had tag information, but 70% of it was garbage or wrong... That is one reason I originally made the Directory section for people who just wanted nothing to do with tags... But... Now my mentatility is that everyone should fix their tags, because it's stupid not too... I will figure something out... I think I am going to make it read the tags in Directory mode and make it sort with track numbers, if they are available...

note: I will also implement the directory mode where it reads the tag information on the file, so you won't have to have your DB in sync when looking through your Directories...

david

Originally Posted by veetid

But... Now my mentatility is that everyone should fix their tags, because it's stupid not too...

I'm with ya. I spent a good bit of time going through all mine and fixing them as well. Again once your app has strong support for a diverse set of audio types, all this is less of an issue.

Originally Posted by veetid

I think I am going to make it read the tags in Directory mode and make it sort with track numbers, if they are available...

Glad to hear it. Again allowing this option to be set by the user is ideal.

Originally Posted by RPM_VR4

While you are re-thinking this thing a bit, I want to re-mention "axis-rotation". It is totally awesome to be listinging in random, hear a song you like, and easily change to Album or Artist mode so that the current song keeps playing and the next song queued up will be the next song by that Artist (alphebetically) or on that Album (track-order).

That's a damn good idea. Probably a bit to code for though.