Streamlining the browsing tree & multiple configs

[haggis999]

(19-09-2013 12:11)DavidHB Wrote:  People who don't care where things are stored tend to lose them; that is as true of data as of anything else. If you are looking after your data in a properly organised file system, why not make full use of it? Of course the file system, being just another index, can co-exist with any other index you use. So, in MinimServer, I might use the folder view to get to Classical -> Bach, and then drop into a tag view (= an index) to find the artist whose Bach recording I wish to listen to. I find that very powerful.

I have attached a screen shot of the Foobar2000 UPnP Browser view of MinimServer's folder view, as provided via the default MinimServer settings listed on the right.

This shows the issues I have with a folder view. First of all, I can't see how to emulate your selection of Classical -> Bach. For me, 'Classical' is one of my Genre settings and if I start by making a Genre selection the folder view option disappears.

Secondly, if you focus on the composer John Adams you will see that he appears under 'Adams' in the main folder view tree. All my dedicated Adams albums will appear under that heading (so far, I've only ripped one of them). However, Adams also figures in at least two of my compilation albums as you can see further down the listing. By the time I have ripped my full collection, my Adams recordings are going to be all over the place in folder view.

In contrast, selecting Adams in J River Media Center (where metadata rules supreme) will show me all my Adams recordings in a single sorted list.

That is the key issue that puts me off browsing the file system and the reason why I sought out a metadata-based solution such as JRMC. Once you have a metadata-based solution I'm struggling to see why I would ever return to a folder view. Feel free to persuade me otherwise!

David