Multiple Instances (Encouraging Feature Development:)

[Oliviander]

Hi Simon,
as promised my suggestion for multiple instances in detail.

1.) I already have multiple instances of minimserver running
in an VMware virtual Windows XP prof machine.
I do this by running them as different windows users.
(short instruction for the interested:
Login as User: USER
Setup minimserver
Login as User: OTHERUSER
Setup minimserver
You have to change the HTTP port to a different value
Login as User: USER
Start a cmd.exe as user OTHERUSER
change directory to c:\\programs\minimserver lib
Type: java -jar minimserver.jar
Do the same for USER (or start it from the desktop)
I did not do any crashtests on this setup
but I hear the music coming from it right now

2.) I don't think that it is a good idea to try to have
any properties that affect the audio and browse
behavior should be kept in sync between different servers,
as this would limit the application how
these multiple instances may be used.
( in another thread somone wanted different transcoding
for different renderers. As long as this feature doesn't exist
one could easily have it, setting up a duplicate server)

3.) only properties (as the http:port)
that may result in a conflict, should be dependent.

4.) I envision a Master Configuration Window for Minimserever
where you can start and stop,
create, delete and copy (duplicate) instances of
minimserver; Automaticaly choosing non conflicting ports and
maybe other properties that are dependent in this sense.
In this window you should see a list of your existing servers.
And you should be able to call the config window seperate for each
existing server from there.

5.) My personal use for multiple instances would be setting
up seven different servers for:

Classical Music
Jazz
Pop
Movies
Worldmusic
Word
Test

and one inculding All music (Masterserver)

I would restirct the special servers
to rather few index tags to keep it simple
and would make the All music server complex
with all tags indexed (for strange searches)

In the Moment I have a Tag: Album_Category
(with only the seven abovementioned entries)
I alomost always choose this as the first
distinction when selecting music.
So I could spare myself 2 clicks when
setting up these Category as seperate servers.

Maybe this becomes obsolete when other features
make a faster selection possible but by now this would
be an elegant solution.