Re: [emms-help] [patch, *WIP*] add as next track to play

[Rasmus]

Hi Yoni,

Thanks for the feedback.

Yoni Rabkin <address@hidden> writes:

> Rasmus <address@hidden> writes:
>
>> Hi,
>>
>> [I wanted to sent this message to the .patch ML, but I got a message
>>  from gmane about needing to sign-up for the list above-and-beyond the
>>  "normal" gmane requirement (proving one have access to the email one
>>  is sending from). . .  I'll thus stick with this list].
>>
>> Often I get the urge to hear a certain track as next track (cause I
>> never want to interrupt the current song).  EMMS-browser currently
>> does not support this and I think it's an important function.
>>
>> However, the patch is pretty naïve about how it inserts stuff in terms
>> of the looks.  Basically it does not care about its surroundings.  I
>> have attached a screenshot of the patch in action.  Maggie Björklund
>> and Pink Floyd have been inserted using
>> `emms-browser-add-track-as-next-track' in the patch.
>>
>> I think maybe the naïve way is OK for single tracks, since indention
>> is different, but it's a bit confusing when Led Zep starts playing
>> again towards the end of the screenshot.  Perhaps the led Zep header
>> should be inserted again?
>>
>> WDYT?
>
> (I don't use emms-browser at all, so I'm probably not the best person to
> ask.)

How come?  It's great!  (Except for the lack of album-artist, but this
is partly a taglib issue).

> There is a fundamental tension here: On one hand you want to preserve
> the album format which the Browser added to the playlist, with its
> headers and whatnot; this is a visual thing. But on the other hand, you
> want to change the order in which the songs are played, either a bit, or
> a lot; this is a logical thing. The problem being that the logical
> change will break the visual because it is done in the playlist, and the
> playlist is logical by nature.

Indeed that is the fundamental issue.

> The playlist is meant to be mailable; it doesn't make any sense to play
> the tracks in the playlist in any other order than the one they are
> displayed.

Why would that be a criterion?  AFAIK, a mailed playlist will do me no
good other than suggesting what you are listening to.  I won't even be
able to yank it even if we share a library.

> Therefore I think that you should work on getting the visuals not to
> break. Add the headers, indent or do whatever makes sense to you so that
> the playlist can keep working as designed and not look broken.

But here is the issue.  There is not a uniquly defined way to make
visuals "work again".  Hence the request for feedback.  Indendtion,
cover art and header is a function of where I click RET in the
browser.  For instance, it will look different depending on whether I
RET a single-album artist or the album.

Here's how it looks if add single track after an album (not an artist):

[cover]
   ...
  11. Maggie Björklund - Teach Me How to Say Goodbye
06. Nephew - Gå Med Dig

If I add in the middle of an album:

[cover]
   ...
   07. Maggie Björklund - Name in the Sand
06. Nephew - Gå Med Dig
   08. Maggie Björklund - Missing at Sea

What *is* the correct visual style?  Indention would suggest it's part
of the album, which is not true.  The best I can think of is

[cover]
   ...
   07. Maggie Björklund - Name in the Sand
06. Nephew - Gå Med Dig
[cover]
   08. Maggie Björklund - Missing at Sea

But there is nothing logical or visual the suggests this is /the/ or
even /a/ solution.

More fundamentally, and for another day: The style of *EMMS Playlist*,
while being very appealing and arty for album playback, is
fundamentally fishy to say the least.  Why is the style a function of
where I click RET in the browser?  Why is the cover art sometimes
there sometimes not?  Why is the Artist header there at all?

Textshots.  RET on artist:

Maggie Björklund
   [cover]
   01. Maggie Björklund - Dark Side of the Heart

RET on cover, different indention:

[cover]
  01. Maggie Björklund - Dark Side of the Heart


Anyway, this got a bit off topic.  The question is really,

        What is the right style for a yanked track?

—Rasmus

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