[REQ] Ignore Shuffle for tracks

[AudioBabble]

I hate to bring up something which has obviously been asked a zillion times but...

Is there really no way of achieving this? I know there are work-arounds involving playlists, etc -- but fundamentally, I just want to be able to hit shuffle for my entire library WHILE excluding certain tracks/albums (mainly because -- while I love them, I'm a bit tired of hearing them!). I also don't want to resort to classifying them as something like "audiobook" or "podcast" just to avail of the ability to exclude them from shuffling.

So -- assuming that there is still no option for this (I don't see it, and I have the latest release) - the only other question would be, is there a way to do it through scripting? I'm not entirely sure what level of control is available through JS scripting over the fundamental functions of the program. I would have guessed that if the shuffle function was exposed, then presumably somebody would have written a script by now.

Any feedback on this?

[AudioBabble]

Would like to see an "Ignore Shuffle" check-box as can be found in Tools > options > playback rules (allows specific classifications to be excluded)

This could appear at the bottom of the Properties > Basic tab of any given track, group of tracks or album, so that they can be excluded when shuffling.

[AudioBabble]

Was surprised not to see this in Feature Requests, so have added it: viewtopic.php?t=104342

[AudioBabble]

Just to mention, I've found a work-around:

Key point is to use Auto DJ for shuffling, not just shuffle mode play of the entire library.

1. select all tracks in Library > right click > properties > custom tab: set a custom field as "good for shuffling" > OK to apply this tag to whole library
2. Options > Library > Collections & Views == add a new collection called "for Shuffle Play". Set criteria for inclusion as custom
"good for shuffling"
3. Options > AutoDJ > Add files from Collection > "for Shuffle Play"

Now... if I want anything to be excluded, I need only remove the "good for shuffling" custom tag.

However, I need to remember to add "good for shuffling" custom tag to any new stuff I add to my library, otherwise it won't appear in my "for Shuffle Play" collection.

Does the job, but still needlessly convoluted.

[AudioBabble]

In the light of all this, I would suggest:

Two checkboxes to be added to Properties > Basic for:

1. Ignore shuffle
2. Ignore AutoDJ

[Rob_S]

I wonder if you threw out the concept of using playlists too quickly for this purpose.

For example it would be easy to create an autoplaylist to include all tracks with ratings greater than 1 star, and then you can temporarily reduce the ratings of tracks you want excluded to zero. Right-click the autoplaylist - play shuffled - and away you go.

Any updates you make to ratings will be automatically included the next time you play the list. Newly added tracks would have to be rated to be included, but that is way easier than modifying a custom property.

To exclude additional tracks from the currently playing list you would have to remove them.

Another way would be you could exclude playcounts above a certain number from this same autoplaylist, or another one so you only hear the tracks you are not tired of hearing. You can manually increase or decrease the playcounter to override such exclusion.

Using the playcounter method would automatically include any new tracks you add without having to do anything at all, after they are scanned in, and automatically exclude tracks after they have been played that number of times.

[AudioBabble]

Totally appreciate where you're coming from... and the suggestions. I know there are work-arounds, but nothing as direct and hassle-free as simply an exclude from shuffling option -- which as we all know many other players are equipped with.

I can't claim to know the inner workings of the code behind MM, but I can't imagine it would be a difficult thing to implement with sufficient motivation via user request -- which is why it would be great to see some support for this idea here.

[Peke]

Hi,
Solving Auto-DJ and Shuffle is talked about in https://www.ventismedia.com/mantis/view.php?id=18988

[Rob_S]

OK, so how exactly would you want this to work?

Would you first display all tracks in the main window, and then somehow mark or tag the ones you want skipped, and then "shuffle all"? This could be emulated by sorting on whatever tag you have modified, and select the remainder to be played.

Would you have certain tracks semi-permanently marked for skipping, so that each time you play any group of tracks containing one of these, it would be skipped? Workaround as above.

Or would you mark them for skipping in the "now playing" window itself? In lieu of this it would be just as easy to simply remove these tracks from "now playing".

Given that there are so many ways to accomplish what I think you might do already may explain why there is no push for the idea. Maybe if you can explain how your way would work better or faster or easier, we might be more inclined to support it.