View Full Version : Music Library and Video Libary consistancy needed
I guess this is for the most part directed at JM, but I guess any interested dev can chime in if they agree and/or would be able to get involved.
It looks like the Video and Music Libraries are growing apart when it comes to usability. There have been new and IMHO good changes regarding the Video Library that we should consider to move to the Music Library.
I am talking about things like (in order of importance);
Automatic scraping during library update.
Library update on startup.
Separate library settings tab
The aim should be a consistent user experience, or what do you guys think?
Currently in order to get information and thumbs for a video, all you need to do is update library (or have XBMC do it for you during startup).
If you want to scan in an album with album art, you have to update library, then fetch the album info/art separately.
jmarshall
2008-01-22, 10:22
The scraping stuff (using same system as videos so multiple sources are possible) is in a separate branch - it needs more work before it can be merged, but I've been way too busy of late I'm afraid.
Basically these changes should probably be done in that branch so that we can see how they all work before they hit trunk.
Cheers,
Jonathan
HarshReality
2008-01-25, 16:32
I might be a bit off here but automation for audio might not be a good thing. Update maybe butjust in volume, I mean on my network drive I have a 400 XVid. Scan of these is pretty quick but most folks have a rediculously large audio collection. A "quick scan" through 400 large files is far faster than the same scan on 8,000 small files.
Gamester17
2008-01-25, 16:43
This other issue for video auto-scanning have to be solved before the same feature can be implemented for audio/music in any case:
http://xbmc.org/forum/showthread.php?t=30638
right? ???
jmarshall
2008-01-25, 23:03
Harsh: Try "Update Library" from within My Music.
Even if you have 8000 files, I doubt it'll take much more time than a minute or two.
This other issue for video auto-scanning have to be solved before the same feature can be implemented for audio/music in any case:
http://xbmc.org/forum/showthread.php?t=30638
right? ???Well, having Update (Music) Library to get info on the audio files has little to do with that.
Which would in my opinion be the first step.
you guys seems confused.
the video library scans are modelled after jmarshall's excellent audio scan work - update library and the whole thing... it is however only used for reading tags atm.
in the branch is my initial work on scrapers for music - which fetches info for albums and artists from the net (allmusic.com or whatever you write a scraper for..) this is perpendicular to the tag reading stuff and personally i dont think it should do that per default
jmarshall
2008-01-26, 23:15
I'm in agreement with spiff on this one as well - there's two functions to consider:
1. Scanning from tags.
2. Scraping websites for additional information on album + artist.
Currently "Update Library" only handles number 1 - it's pretty efficient, as we don't have to read the file tags to know if the file has changed (we simply check date + size). Any "auto-rescanning" stuff would also only do number 1.
The idea is that the user would have an additional option to do number 2 at the same time.
Cheers,
Jonathan
Revisiting after all the great work that has gone into the two libraries recently... there is one option from the Video Library I would very much like to see for Music.
The ability to exclude (sub)folders.
JM I guess?
jmarshall
2008-05-27, 23:58
I don't like it one bit. Reason is that I hate that we have to assign content to paths - it's an unnatural restriction to tie stuff to paths when we can avoid doing so.
It's a necessary evil for the video library unfortunately due to no video tagging.
Perhaps you could describe a usage scenario :)
Cheers,
Jonathan
My scenario stems from scanning a massive cumulative co-owned media library at work.
I use it as a testbed for my Win32 XBMC installation, plus XBMC is an excellent tool for getting an overview of what is actually in there. (I gave up on MediaPortal many moons ago).
I admit XBMC is much better suited for the video part, since there are so many win32 music management apps out there. But still I would like to use it for the Music area and leave out certain parts of it, such as the unsorted pile and the stuff that might offend the religious types if I spoke my heart here. ;)