"Unknown" track ratings shouldn't be < 0 stars

[greggw]

If you configure a filter (File --> Manage Filters) or an advanced Autoplaylist in MediaMonkey 3, tracks with an "unknown" or null rating are considered less than a track with a rating of zero. This can cause undesirable results when using filters or advanced Autoplaylists. For example, if I configure a filter or advanced Autoplaylist for songs with ratings => 2 stars, there is no way to explicitly include (or exclude) songs with rating = unknown.

I suggest that when configuring a filter or an advanced autoplaylist that includes song ratings, that there be a checkbox to include (or exclude) tracks that have an unknown rating.

[Dreifach]

In Alpha 6, set two search criteria: ratings >= 2 and ratings <= .5 (or 'bomb'). Make sure the set the dropdown box at the top to ALL (Match ALL of the following criteria:).

This works for me, and was a much anticipated feature on my part.

[greggw]

Thanks for the suggestion. I tried it using a filter, but it didn't work for me.

Here's a screen shot from my filter creation:



When I activated the filter, only songs with 2 or more stars were shown. Songs with zero stars became visible only when I selected no filter (show all tracks).

Any idea why it didn't work for me?

[greggw]

Version 3 of MediaMonkey is a big improvement over version 2 and each alpha of version 3 gets better and better. But, I ask the developers of MM to reconsider the way that tracks with unknown ratings are treated.

Currently, tracks without a rating are treated as if they're mathematically less than a zero (or "bomb") rating. Because of the way that AutoPlaylists and filters are constructed, there are certain combinations of ratings that are not possible to achieve.

Specifically, I would like to create an AutoPlaylist with the following criteria:

(Genre = Classic rock or Genre = Rock/pop or Genre = Top 40) and (Rating > 2 or Rating = unknown)

Or, maybe I want to define a filter to exclude songs with a rating of 1 star:

Rating <> 1

Right now, it's not possible to create either criteria.

[Danzig]

i agree... sometimes you just havent gotten around to rating a great song yet... i used to rate all songs a 3 by default and then adjust them later on...

[Mizery_Made]

If they shouldn't be below 0, what do you suggest? Sure, an unknown rating could be treated as a 0, but then it would be grouped with the "Bomb" ratings, is that an improvement? It can be ABOVE 0, because that would imply it's been rated, which it has not.

I say, leave the rating system alone, just find better ways to work with it with Filters & Auto-Playlists.

[Teknojnky]

If they shouldn't be below 0, what do you suggest? Sure, an unknown rating could be treated as a 0, but then it would be grouped with the "Bomb" ratings, is that an improvement? It can be ABOVE 0, because that would imply it's been rated, which it has not.

I say, leave the rating system alone, just find better ways to work with it with Filters & Auto-Playlists.

This is what I was thinking.

[PetrCBR]

You just can use filter like :
Rating >= 2 stars
Rating = 0 stars
Rating = Unknown

and set "Any" as match criteria.

[greggw]

If they shouldn't be below 0, what do you suggest? Sure, an unknown rating could be treated as a 0, but then it would be grouped with the "Bomb" ratings, is that an improvement? It can be ABOVE 0, because that would imply it's been rated, which it has not.

An "unknown" rating is a null value. A null value is not the same as zero (or less than zero). The developers should provide a method to explicitly include or exclude tracks rated as "unknown".

You just can use filter like :
Rating >= 2 stars
Rating = 0 stars
Rating = Unknown

and set "Any" as match criteria.

This works for a filter, but it won't work for an AutoPlaylist if you want to use any criteria other than rating. It is possible to combine a filter as you describe for ratings along with an AutoPlaylist (for genre, for example). But, an AutoPlaylist would be a lot more automatic if it didn't require a filter to make it work.

[daelin73]

If they shouldn't be below 0, what do you suggest? Sure, an unknown rating could be treated as a 0, but then it would be grouped with the "Bomb" ratings, is that an improvement? It can be ABOVE 0, because that would imply it's been rated, which it has not.

An "unknown" rating is a null value. A null value is not the same as zero (or less than zero). The developers should provide a method to explicitly include or exclude tracks rated as "unknown".

You just can use filter like :
Rating >= 2 stars
Rating = 0 stars
Rating = Unknown

and set "Any" as match criteria.

This works for a filter, but it won't work for an AutoPlaylist if you want to use any criteria other than rating. It is possible to combine a filter as you describe for ratings along with an AutoPlaylist (for genre, for example). But, an AutoPlaylist would be a lot more automatic if it didn't require a filter to make it work.

Keep in mind that filters don't seem to work in A7 (at least not for me). You can filter out items for the display, that works fine. But when I set the filter option under my Zen's config options, it just loaded everything anyway.

Lauren

[greggw]

The resolution of issue ID 5793 in version 3.1.1 provides a checklist of star ratings and the option of selecting "unknown" for searches, filters, and advanced autoplaylists. This is great solution to my initial posting. Thanks!