DonationCoder.com Software > Seedling's Software

Hi Everyone / Random MixTape Maker ideas

<< < (7/12) > >>

parpfish:
Yes, I'm using v1.8.28.77.

Just to let you know -- did another test with Use Keywords Exclusively and keyword was 'cowboy junkies' -- that worked fine but of course ignored the "Must Have" list and thus provided a playlist with only one entry namely "Sweet Jane" by the Cowboy Junkies. So clearly the keyword thing works but for some reason doesn't when combined with the other criteria.

With 180 mins predefined playlist time:
120 mins of Must Haves
leaves 60 mins for random / keyword influenced additions.
Is it possible this is causing a problem - logically it shouldn't the one song that fits the criteria is only 3 mins long.

Anyway, the reason for my interest and raising these issues/suggestions is because I think your Random MixTape Maker has the potential to be THE playlist program. I'm part of Giant Pygmy Audio (http://www.giantpygmy.net) - collectively we've researched god knows how many audio related applications - and in many fields (recording, mixing, editing etc...) there are superb applications -- however in the playlist (support) field there's a huge void - my feeling is this application will fill it and it won't take much to do so. Please take that as a big compliment.

Furthermore, I'm a big fan of standalone applications that do just one job well over those that attempt to do everything and often do many of them poorly.

I read a previous post about the excellent fooobar2000 which as you know has very many 3rd party add-ons and yet even they have not managed to extend the playlist functionality of foobar as much as your application does. I guess what I'm saying is keep up the development and improvements and keep being creative - enthusiasts like me will no doubt increase its exposure.

By the way it works really nicely with foobar2000 - I like the autolaunch element (with save options).

Another minor suggestion is this:

The option to autosave to (and thus overwrite) a default.m3u playlist (in the program's home directory) with the option to "save as ..." on closing the application.

Anyways -- keep up the excellent work.

P.

seedling:
thanks for the encouragement! :)

looking at how i coded the 'use keywords' options along with 'use ID limits' sub-option, it seems a poor choice really. this is how it all works together:


--- ---[x] Use Keywords
(x) Use ID Limits
This basically does nothing, what happens is this:

the song is really only added so long as it passes the ID check.  because, after all, we're not using keywords exclusively.

what would make more sense is that if the non-exclusive keyword option is checked, only allow it to be used with the 'Ignore ID Limits' sub-option. because what will  happen then will say: if the song meets keyword criteria, just add it and forego the ID check. otherwise, there's no real point in having it check a keyword if it's gonna be allowed by the ID check anyway. it's just logical. so i'll make this change.

in case i'm rambling a bit and this isn't making any sense, let me provide a little flow picture for you.

again, using these options:


--- ---[x] Use Keywords
(x) Use ID Limits
and the song 'cowboy junkies - sweet jane' is in your must have list.

as long as the song fits these criteria:
(min/max duration)[if used]
(year range)[if used]
(genre)[if used]
(redundancy)[if used AND happened to be picked in the artist limiting round]
(and of course the time limit for the list itself)[if used]

this song would be allowed without regard to any defined keyword.

using the same options above AND the song is NOT in the must have list BUT it was randomly picked by the process, the song would still be allowed without regard to any defined keyword. because, again, as long as it's meeting ID criteria (genre, year, etc) it'll be allowed.

to recap, i'm going to make the sub-options greyed and only select ignore ID limits when using non-exclusive keywords because there's no real point to using non-exclusive keywords with the 'use ID limits' option enabled.

now, if after i do this and items in your must have list are not being added, then there must be a further problem.  the only condition that must-have items are not included in the list are when using redundancy limits and using exclusive keywords.  the rest of the ID limits should be ignored.

seedling:
ok, just did another build (v1.8.29.80). you can grab it from the beta thread for now. i believe i fixed quite a few things. please give it a try and let me know if you're still having trouble.

thanks! :)

parpfish:
Hi Seedling

Just tested the new version. That was quick by the way!

I ran tests the same as before.

Keyword = 'cowboy junkies'
There's only one cowboy junkies' song in the collection.

In the Keywords section:

1) With only "Use Keywords" ticked:
Output = Playlist 180 mins, BUT no Sweet Jane by 'Cowboy Junkies'

2) With "Use Keywords Exclusively" + ID Limits ticked:
Output = Playlist 3.23 mins, BUT ONLY Sweet Jane by 'Cowboy Junkies' included

3) With "Use Keywords Exclusively" + Ignore ID Limits ticked:
Output = Playlist 3.23 mins, BUT ONLY Sweet Jane by 'Cowboy Junkies' included

4) With "Use Keywords" + "Exact Keyword Search" ticked (ID Limits greyed out):
Output = Playlist 180 mins, BUT no Sweet Jane by 'Cowboy Junkies'

I guess that's not what you wanted to hear.

FYI -- I'm using Win XP SP2, totally stable good system. Program runs fine, stable, no crashes.


thanks for the reply.

here's a little explanation of how the app works and using keywords.

a list is created

a song is randomly picked from the list

the song is then put through whatever filters the user defines

-seedling (December 10, 2007, 12:23 PM)
--- End quote ---

Later down the line I'm pretty certain I'll be recommending this program on GPA and Hydrogen Audio etc .. I want to be clear how it works:

From the quote above it seems as though I may have got how the program works a little backwards. I'll outline what seems to me to be the obvious way it "has to work" (if you know what I mean) - let me know if this makes sense:

Hypothetical:

All MP3s are stored in 1 directory, I'll call this the database or DB.

Program selects the "Must Have List" from the DB = MUST HAVE SELECTION (say 60 mins worth).

Then checks that this selection fulfils the "Total MB/Total Playing time" criteria (say 120 mins).

= Fine - it has 60 mins of space to fill.

Then it searches the DB on the Keyword criteria and puts these files aside as a KEYWORD SELECTION (say 120 mins worth).

Your program then applies "Time & Size", "Genre", "File Formats" and "Redundancy" filters to the DB (excluding KEYWORD & MUST HAVE SELECTIONS)

Files are then randomly pulled from the pool that fulfil this criteria and stored as a RANDOM SELECTION (120 mins of random stuff - i.e. Total Playing Time criteria).

It then randomly picks from the KEYWORD SELECTION until the remaining 60 mins are filled.

If there's any room it then goes to the RANDOM SELECTION and fills the remaining time from that pool.

Then shuffles the list.

a) Is that correct?
b) If not, does it at least make sense?

All the best - and thanks again for looking at this.

P.

parpfish:
By the way thanks for putting the save on exit option in -- that's very nice!

P.

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page

[*] Previous page