Collapsed branches in Media Tree expand immediately?

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nanite2000
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Collapsed branches in Media Tree expand immediately?

Post by nanite2000 »

Hi!

I've noticed a frustrating usability issue when adding tracks to playlists.

I often drag tracks from the playlist/search/now playing panels on to a playlist in the Media Tree to add it to that playlist.

Typically, my mouse crosses over other Media Tree items as it is moving to the target playlist. When it passes over any collapsed branch in the Media Tree, it immediately expands the collapsed branch and completely changes the layout of the Media Tree. This means the target playlist is no longer in it's original location, and I frequently find myself having to cancel the drag & drop and start again at the new target location (assuming I can even react quick enough before I drop my tracks on to a random target).

Collapsed items in the Media Tree should only expand when the mouse has been active over the branch for 1 second or more - it should not react immediately as it makes dragging items around the Media Tree a nearly impossible task.

I don't know if this counts as a bug or a feature request, so would welcome your thoughts/suggestions.

I'm using MediaMonkey 5.0.2.2532 on Windows 11.

Thanks!
Rob_S
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Re: Collapsed branches in Media Tree expand immediately?

Post by Rob_S »

Works just like in windows explorer, and exlpains a lot of files dropped into folders where they are not wanted. :oops:

It would be great if this "works as intended" feature could be turned off somehow for those who hate it.

feature un-request here...
Using 5.1 LATEST alpha or beta build on Windows 10, HP laptop, managing 13k tracks
nanite2000
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Re: Collapsed branches in Media Tree expand immediately?

Post by nanite2000 »

Hi @Rob_S,

It looks like a bug, unfortunately.

If the item you are dragging into the Media Tree leaves the Media Tree panel even for a moment, then MediaMonkey will immediately expand the last item in the Media Tree that the item passed over, even though there is no longer any active item there to trigger it.

This is very different to how Windows Explorer (and MediaMonkey 4) behaves. In those cases, you must hover your mouse over the item you want to drag an item into for at least 1 second before it will expand.

In practice, it's very difficult to do this in MediaMonkey 5 as most people are simply not accurate enough with mouse movements to ensure the item being dragged never leaves the Media Tree panel.

You can see an example of this issue, with a comparison of how Windows Explorer behaves, in the video below:

https://youtu.be/U1b77N8lMU4

Please try it for yourself and let me know your thoughts.
Rob_S
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Re: Collapsed branches in Media Tree expand immediately?

Post by Rob_S »

That is not quite true.

Mediamonkey does work same for me as windows explorer. Hover over a foldername or head node for about one second, and it expands underneath you. No need to exit the tree.

However, continuing on up or down after sliding onto a node, or exiting the tree as you say after being over a node does ALSO expand the next level, so even worse!!!

So at very least those latter ways to expand nodes should not happen. After fixing that, I would still like a means to turn off expand on hover.

I hope this will be acknowledged as a bug now.
Using 5.1 LATEST alpha or beta build on Windows 10, HP laptop, managing 13k tracks
Barry4679
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Re: Collapsed branches in Media Tree expand immediately?

Post by Barry4679 »

nanite2000 wrote: Tue Mar 22, 2022 5:25 am I don't know if this counts as a bug or a feature request, so would welcome your thoughts/suggestions.

I'm using MediaMonkey 5.0.2.2532 on Windows 11.
I am using version 2611.

My thoughts are:
  • I don't see the "expand immediately" issue ... I see a 1 second delay before opening, which is workable ... My files are on a network drive, not a local drive, so that probably accounts for the difference
  • I don't find that the MM5 UI is stable enough to use drag and drop too much .. see other threads where there is discussion about background MM5 processes which make the MM5 UI jerk about, and generally interfere with mouse operations ... I gave drag and drop away because I was getting too many instances where things got dropped at the wrong location, leaving a mess to try and locate
  • I don't find that the Media Tree is fit for (much) use in MM5 either .. power scroll is broken, ie. type mi, and it auto-scrolls towards "Miles Davis" ... without this, the Media Tree is just a big endlessly scrolling annoyance IMO ... I mostly keep the panel shut, which has the benefit of giving more display to the centre panel
  • IMO the Media Tree is specifically not fit for use as a Drop Target, when you are hovering about, trying to find your drop location ... it is just an exercise in frustration IMO
  • if I was wanting to drag tracks into a playlist, I would put the playlist into Edit mode, which opens a narrow vertical panel for the playlist on the right side of the screen ... I would use this panel as the drop zone .. you can open multiple playlists into their own narrow vertical panels if you are working with multiple drop zones
  • drag and drop is close to OK (IMO) if you are dragging to a location where scrolling is not required too much
  • when I am copying or moving multiple tracks, I generally use cut and paste because I find it less error prone in MM5
So I am in general agreement with you in regard to the quality of D&D experience in MM5.

I would never want to go back to MM4 though ... I just needed to adapt to MM5's limitations.
Want a dark skin for MM5? This is the one that works best for me .. elegant, compact & clear.
Lowlander
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Re: Collapsed branches in Media Tree expand immediately?

Post by Lowlander »

Alternatives to D&D into the Media Tree are opening the Playlist in a tab or in the Playlist panel and D&D onto those.
Rob_S
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Re: Collapsed branches in Media Tree expand immediately?

Post by Rob_S »

Does anyone agree that an option to turn off automatic expand, would allow us to set the media tree so we can see the destination folder, and then we can drag to it easily without risk of the view changing just as it is about to drop??

Or an option to increase the delay?

Do you also agree that the current issue mentioned above that folders expand even when the cursor is moved OFF the target should not be happening? This I think is a bug.
Using 5.1 LATEST alpha or beta build on Windows 10, HP laptop, managing 13k tracks
Ludek
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Re: Collapsed branches in Media Tree expand immediately?

Post by Ludek »

Hi, this sounds like https://www.ventismedia.com/mantis/view.php?id=18667 that has been already fixed in 5.0.3.2603

IMO the current delay of 2 seconds is just fine, are you sure that you need it longer?

EDIT: OK, seeing that you were testing 5.0.2, so just upgrading to 5.0.3 will fix it for you.


@Barry:
Re power scroll in Media Tree: There is option for this, click the three dots menu > [x] Scroll to match when typing in tree
nanite2000
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Re: Collapsed branches in Media Tree expand immediately?

Post by nanite2000 »

Ah, yep - I just tried it in 5.0.3 and can confirm this issue has been fixed.

Awesome. 😎

Thanks Ludek!
Rob_S
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Joined: Wed Mar 10, 2021 1:53 pm

Re: Collapsed branches in Media Tree expand immediately?

Post by Rob_S »

No, it is definitely not (completely) fixed.

Grab a track from the main window, drag it onto a node, and without releasing the mouse, immediately return to the main window.

After 2 seconds, the node expands. So far i have not found any nodes where this does not happen.

This is worse, because it is unpredictable.

It seems the delay is restarted if you move to a different node, but if you hesitate, or move back to the main window, it expands.
Using 5.1 LATEST alpha or beta build on Windows 10, HP laptop, managing 13k tracks
nanite2000
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Re: Collapsed branches in Media Tree expand immediately?

Post by nanite2000 »

Rob_S wrote: Tue Mar 29, 2022 3:22 pm Grab a track from the main window, drag it onto a node, and without releasing the mouse, immediately return to the main window.

After 2 seconds, the node expands. So far i have not found any nodes where this does not happen.
You're right! I didn't notice that.

Yep - still not completely fixed then...

I'm using v5.0.3.2611 beta
Rob_S
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Re: Collapsed branches in Media Tree expand immediately?

Post by Rob_S »

I'd still like to see a way to turn this feature off, or a configurable delay I can set high enough so it never happens!

Much prefer to open the nodes I want to use, and then I can aim for those, with much less risk of missing.
Using 5.1 LATEST alpha or beta build on Windows 10, HP laptop, managing 13k tracks
nanite2000
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Re: Collapsed branches in Media Tree expand immediately?

Post by nanite2000 »

If the bug gets resolved fully, then it shouldn’t be a problem because it will behave the way you want it to.

Try it in Windows Explorer - it’s fine there.
Erwin Hanzl
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Location: Vienna

Re: Collapsed branches in Media Tree expand immediately?

Post by Erwin Hanzl »

Grundsätzlich verwende ich mittels Windows-Explorer auch kein D&D. Die Gefahr, dass Dateien "irgenwo" landen, ist sehr groß.
Alternative für MM5 wäre: "Send to ... Playlist xxx"... (FOLDER Copy/Move)
Basically, I don't use D&D with Windows Explorer either. The risk of files ending up "somewhere" is very high.
Alternative for MM5 would be: "Send to ... Playlist xxx... (FOLDER Copy/Move))"
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In diesem Zusammenhang möchte ich nochmals auf meine Idee hinweisen:
Jedoch sehen die MM5-Entwickler nur Bedarf für wenige User.
In this context I would like to point out my idea again:
However, the MM5 developers only see a need for a few users.


I have a suggestion for MM5.

Playlisten verwalten ganz leicht gemacht.
Bei jedem selektierten Song sollten die Playlisten, in denen der Song vorkommt, mit einem Hakerl gekennzeichnet werden.
Hakerl entfernen: aus bestimmter Playliste entfernen
Hakerl hinzufügen: in bestimmte Playliste einfügen
Weiters die Möglichkeit, die Sub-Playlisten automatisch zu erweitern.

Dies ist im Interesse sehr vieler Benutzer.

Google-Translator
Hello developers,
Managing playlists made easy.
For each selected song, the playlists in which the song appears should be marked with a check mark.
Remove check mark: remove from certain playlist
Add check mark: add to specific playlist
There is also the option of automatically expanding the sub-playlists.

Shouldn't you reach ALL users, regardless of whether they need it or not.
I think album collectors are happy with the album management.
And the playlist-enthusiasts should be made happy too.


Image
MMW 4.1.31.1919 Gold-Standardinstallation
Rob_S
Posts: 879
Joined: Wed Mar 10, 2021 1:53 pm

Re: Collapsed branches in Media Tree expand immediately?

Post by Rob_S »

Erwin, did you know we already have an addin that does the half of this called Highlight Mode?

It adds a list of all available playlists, and then if you select a playlist, it highlights the tracks in the current view that are already in the playlist.

To add a song not already highlighted, you drag it to the playlist, or send-to or whatever. You can also remove the highlighted song from the playlist by right-click, remove.

https://www.mediamonkey.com/forum/viewt ... 27#p495227

Now maybe it would not be too hard for the dev to add the feature you are requesting.
Using 5.1 LATEST alpha or beta build on Windows 10, HP laptop, managing 13k tracks
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