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"Recent" sorting
14-09-2014, 03:52
Post: #1
"Recent" sorting
This has been mentioned before, but perhaps not for a while....

It would be great if MinimServer would/could display recent additions to the library, either by sorting (optionally) in descending order by date added, or by displaying the last N items added, or something equivalent.

I'd be agreeable to requiring the user insert the date added in some specific tag as needed (though last time I tried that in J River MC, it was not nearly as simple as I'd hoped, and involved one set of actions for existing items, and another set for future items).

The need is evident to grayhairs, like me, who in one room, add material to the library, and by the time we get to the music room, can't remember the last six albums added, which nevertheless we'd like to hear.

At least, I'd appreciate knowing if you (Simon) are still thinking about adding this, or should I move ahead with some patchwork solution of my own, using special tags?

Thanks!
Mike

Mike
Portland, Oregon, USA
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14-09-2014, 09:42
Post: #2
RE: "Recent" sorting
(14-09-2014 03:52)Mike48 Wrote:  This has been mentioned before, but perhaps not for a while....

It would be great if MinimServer would/could display recent additions to the library, either by sorting (optionally) in descending order by date added, or by displaying the last N items added, or something equivalent.

I'd be agreeable to requiring the user insert the date added in some specific tag as needed (though last time I tried that in J River MC, it was not nearly as simple as I'd hoped, and involved one set of actions for existing items, and another set for future items).

The need is evident to grayhairs, like me, who in one room, add material to the library, and by the time we get to the music room, can't remember the last six albums added, which nevertheless we'd like to hear.

At least, I'd appreciate knowing if you (Simon) are still thinking about adding this, or should I move ahead with some patchwork solution of my own, using special tags?

Thanks!
Mike

I will start work on this when update 43 is released. This should be within the next few days.

My preferred solution is to add a Recently Added choice in the top-level menu to show a fixed number of the most recently added items and albums, sorted with the newest entries first. I am also hoping to do something similar for Recently Played.
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14-09-2014, 18:44
Post: #3
RE: "Recent" sorting
(14-09-2014 09:42)simoncn Wrote:  
(14-09-2014 03:52)Mike48 Wrote:  [...] It would be great if MinimServer would/could display recent additions to the library, either by sorting (optionally) in descending order by date added, or by displaying the last N items added, or something equivalent.
[...]
I will start work on this when update 43 is released. This should be within the next few days.

My preferred solution is to add a Recently Added choice in the top-level menu to show a fixed number of the most recently added items and albums, sorted with the newest entries first. I am also hoping to do something similar for Recently Played.

Thanks, Simon! If the user could set (and change) N, that would be great. Would you use the file date/time to determine most recently added, or tags, such as those added automatically by JRMC?

Mike
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14-09-2014, 19:24
Post: #4
RE: "Recent" sorting
(14-09-2014 18:44)Mike48 Wrote:  Thanks, Simon! If the user could set (and change) N, that would be great. Would you use the file date/time to determine most recently added, or tags, such as those added automatically by JRMC?

As long as N is sufficiently large, I don't see the need for it to be changeable by the user. The user can scroll down the list as far as he/she wants and shouldn't care if there are additional older entries out of sight.

Items would be added to the list when they are first detected by a MinimServer scan. Neither file dates nor tags would be used. The list would be stored as a file in the MinimServer configuration directory.
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14-09-2014, 20:08
Post: #5
RE: "Recent" sorting
Sounds nice. The method, then, means that only music added after the MinimServer revision can be classified as "new"?

Mike
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14-09-2014, 20:26
Post: #6
RE: "Recent" sorting
(14-09-2014 20:08)Mike48 Wrote:  Sounds nice. The method, then, means that only music added after the MinimServer revision can be classified as "new"?

Yes, that's right. I'm planning to use this method because of problems with both the other methods. Using the file date doesn't work if the file tags have been edited after the file was added. Using a special tag doesn't work if the file wasn't ripped by JRiver.
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15-09-2014, 11:51
Post: #7
RE: "Recent" sorting
This is an interesting new capability. If the file is edited such that an indexed tag changes, will MinimServer regard this as a new or existing file?

Also, presumably the list will only work at the file level, or will the new list recognise groups or albums? Of course, if we can get to the file we can go back to the album of which it is part.

David
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15-09-2014, 12:35
Post: #8
RE: "Recent" sorting
(15-09-2014 11:51)DavidHB Wrote:  This is an interesting new capability. If the file is edited such that an indexed tag changes, will MinimServer regard this as a new or existing file?

Also, presumably the list will only work at the file level, or will the new list recognise groups or albums? Of course, if we can get to the file we can go back to the album of which it is part.

David

The approach I am planning to use will not move a file up the Recently Added list if its tags are edited, as long as the filename or file location doesn't change.

The list will be a list of files internally but when presented to the user it will group files into complete albums or partial albums. I think the best way to handle files that belong to a Group is to always show the complete Group.

This is a preliminary design and all aspects of it are subject to change depending on what I discover when I start working on the implementation.
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15-09-2014, 15:05
Post: #9
RE: "Recent" sorting
Thank you, Simon. This planned new capability is getting ever more interesting.

(15-09-2014 12:35)simoncn Wrote:  The approach I am planning to use will not move a file up the Recently Added list if its tags are edited, as long as the filename or file location doesn't change.

This makes sense, although I shall need to bear its implications in mind. I try to keep my file names as near as possible to [disc number <if part of a multi-disc album>] - track number - track title, so if the track title changes, the file name will typically change also.

(15-09-2014 12:35)simoncn Wrote:  The list will be a list of files internally but when presented to the user it will group files into complete albums or partial albums. I think the best way to handle files that belong to a Group is to always show the complete Group.

This also makes sense, especially with the file naming convention I have described. It is a more 'intelligent' approach than I was expecting, and all the more welcome for that.

(15-09-2014 12:35)simoncn Wrote:  This is a preliminary design and all aspects of it are subject to change depending on what I discover when I start working on the implementation.

Fully understood.

Alongside Recently Added, have you considered adding a Recently Played list? I have seen this on other servers. In a multi-room setup, it provides a convenient means of transferring all or part of a current playlist from one 'room' to another. If you say "one thing at a time", I shall of course quite understand.

David
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15-09-2014, 22:29
Post: #10
RE: "Recent" sorting
(15-09-2014 15:05)DavidHB Wrote:  This makes sense, although I shall need to bear its implications in mind. I try to keep my file names as near as possible to [disc number <if part of a multi-disc album>] - track number - track title, so if the track title changes, the file name will typically change also.

In this case, the file would move to the top of the Recently Added list, as there is no reasonable way that MinimServer could detect that it isn't a newly added file.

Quote:Alongside Recently Added, have you considered adding a Recently Played list? I have seen this on other servers. In a multi-room setup, it provides a convenient means of transferring all or part of a current playlist from one 'room' to another. If you say "one thing at a time", I shall of course quite understand.

I mentioned Recently Played in this post.
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