Stations V3-2

[raybeau528]

Check out V2-4, you can now "ReSet" a Station. Right Click anywhere in the Tree and select "ReSet Station" follow the link, as you do with "Set Station" to the Station you wish to ReSet.

Let me know how that works. I really didn't want to add more to the Options panel.


Technojnky, sorry you had issues getting this working. I added the following to the beginning of Stations.vbs:

' Stations.vbs is located in MediaMonkey\Scripts\Auto
' Go to Tools/Options/Stations to set options
' Enable/disable Stations by checking Play/Stations
' Right Click on a Node or PlayList in the Tree then select "Set Station" to associate a Station
' with a Node or PlayList
' Right Click anywhere in the Tree and select ReSet Station to clear a previously set Station
' Click on a Station to play the tracks from the associated PlayList or Node
'
Hope that helps future new users.

Regarding the location of Play/Stations...it seemed to be the logical place since the main purpose is to PLAY a playlist or node.

[nynaevelan]

Check out V2-4, you can now "ReSet" a Station. Right Click anywhere in the Tree and select "ReSet Station" follow the link, as you do with "Set Station" to the Station you wish to ReSet.

Fantastic, I think I am finally content. Thank you for your patience, time and great script.

Nyn

[raybeau528]

I'm glad you like it!

Now I'm interested in how others are using Stations. Maybe it will lead to ideas for other features/enhancements or something completely different. I'll start.

I use Stations in the Vertical layout, with auto-start enabled and clear & add tracks set. I have it docked to the left of the Now Playing window. I'm not using all 10 Station sets (yet - I've been spending more time developing it than using it). I am using the Station Titles and have them assigned like this:

** Blues **
** Jazz **
** Rock **
** Country **
** Artists **
** Albums **
** MegaDJ **
** Magic Nodes ""

I labeled them like that, with the '**", to distinguish the title from the station itself. Otherwise it tended to blend in with the station list. I don't know of a way to bold or underline the button text but if there is a way it might help. Within each Station Set, I also assigned my Favorites playlist to the bottom most Station. That way no matter which Station Set I'm in I can quickly play it.

For future consideration, I'd like to work on a mini-player skin that resembles a car radio (either an older one with the mechanical push-button presets or a current digital radio). The presets would play an assigned playlist or node like Stations does. I haven't done any skin or graphics like that but it should be fun.

In addition, I'd be open to developing some other small, niche filling, scripts,similar to the two I did for Nyn in this forum. There are some great scripts out there like Monkey Rok, Magic Nodes, MegaDJ, etc. so nothing that elaborate (quite beyond my skill set).

One last question : Should I just retire mmStations ? I think Stations offers a much better method to Set/ReSet the Stations as well as the node support.

Ray

[nynaevelan]

Now I'm interested in how others are using Stations.

I use Stations in the Vertical layout, with auto-start enabled and add tracks set. I have it docked to the right of the Now Playing window. I'm using all 10 Station sets but all are not filled to capacity. I am using the Station Titles and have them assigned like this:

**Faves** - my group of various favorite playlists
**Luv Grooves** - my group of love playlists
**Breakin' Up** - my group of non-love playlists
**Occasions** - my group of playlists for specific situations
**Artists Faves** - my group of playlists of specific artists
**Artists Faves2** - my group of playlists of specific artists
**Inspirational** - my group of gospel playlists
**Soulful Singing** - my group of playlists that make you want to sing along
**Misc.** - my group of playlists that don't belong anywhere else
**Archives** - my group of playlists which I do not actively listen to but still contain some favorites

I labeled them like that, with the '**", to distinguish the title from the station itself.

I like this idea I will update mine to reflect it.

For future consideration, I'd like to work on a mini-player skin that resembles a car radio (either an older one with the mechanical push-button presets or a current digital radio). The presets would play an assigned playlist or node like Stations does. I haven't done any skin or graphics like that but it should be fun.

I'm content with the simple layout, I would want something that does not take up any more real estate and would easily integrate with the preferred skin that I am using.

One last question : Should I just retire mmStations ? I think Stations offers a much better method to Set/ReSet the Stations as well as the node support.

Ray

I think you can retire it.

Nyn

[nynaevelan]

Ray:

I know it's only been a few days but I am sure your programming brain cells are itching to add another project to your plate so..... When you are sitting in front of your tv with nothing on to watch, can you think about a way to add forward/backward options to get through the stations?

Nyn

[raybeau528]

Nyn,

I think you have way too many stations and I should take some away from you!!!

Here's a thought....just suppose.... you were able to right click in now playing, or tracks window, or the tree, or from a toolbar, and it brought up the same list of stations and playlists like the set/reset stations does now and when you clicked on one it would have the same behavior as clicking on the station button does today (play the selected playlist/node). Sort of like Favorite Nodes with an added level and the end result is that it played the node/playlist, not just select it ? That would eliminate the buttons completely.

I'm tinkering with a version of my eCustom script to do just that... a two-level right-click or toolbar menu to make the updates rather than a set of pulldowns in a dockable panel. They'll both take up less real estate on the screen.

Back to your question...it might be possible with a hotkey shortcut .

Ray

[nynaevelan]

Nyn,

I think you have way too many stations and I should take some away from you!!!

Here's a thought....just suppose.... you were able to right click in now playing, or tracks window, or the tree, or from a toolbar, and it brought up the same list of stations and playlists like the set/reset stations does now and when you clicked on one it would have the same behavior as clicking on the station button does today (play the selected playlist/node). Sort of like Favorite Nodes with an added level and the end result is that it played the node/playlist, not just select it ? That would eliminate the buttons completely.

I'm tinkering with a version of my eCustom script to do just that... a two-level right-click or toolbar menu to make the updates rather than a set of pulldowns in a dockable panel. They'll both take up less real estate on the screen.

As a heavy user of Onenonymous' RightClick4Scripts script, I am all for a right-click menu option BUT not in place of Stations. It doesn't take up that much real estate and I have grown to love it, so don't want to give it up. Now a toolbar menu would be great, especially since RightClick4Scripts has me addicted to them, all my favorite scripts are on the Now Playing toolbar. But as you stated I have too many stations, how cumbersome would it be to have to scroll through 87 playlists rather than use the stations?

Back to your question...it might be possible with a hotkey shortcut .

Ray

Would this shortcut allow you to scroll back and forth?

[raybeau528]

Would this shortcut allow you to scroll back and forth?

how cumbersome would it be to have to scroll through 87 playlists rather than use the stations?

It would look and work exactly like the Set Station/Reset Station, ie you select one of the [up to] 10 Stations and then click on the playlist/node to play it. Getting to any playlist/node should then be much quicker than cycling through the Stations, even if you could go forward or backward. If it was an icon on a toolbar, you would just click on the icon which would give you a menu listing your Station Titles, select a title and it would give you another menu of all the stations (playlists).

I suppose I could implement it and under options you could select either or both interfaces.

Ray

[nynaevelan]

That would be good, that way the user can decide which way he/she prefers to use it. Although the toolbar/menu might be a quick way to get back and forth when you are looking for a specific playlist and it is on the station set preceding the one you are on.

Nyn

[raybeau528]

A new verstion (2-5) is now available. It adds a toolbar Icon on the main toolbar. This version has MM v3.1 code so will only work with v3.1. User for testing purposes and let me know what you think.

Ray

[MM3 monkey]

... and let me know what you think.

Ray

I'll tell you exactly what I think, Raybeau528. Do you really want to know?

It's freakin' awesome, that's what I think!

Bye bye Stations panel.... Hello wonderful toolbar icon.

The panel just stuck out like a sore thumb on my pretty-as-I-can-get-it (Noir) MM interface. I'm sure it's less of a problem to others who have one of the sandbox things installed; I have to accept that sometimes functionality comes at a small price of sexy good looks. But now it's irrelevant in Stations; I don't need the panel anymore***.

I haven't actually used anything yet, just installed it and got the idea. It's really great, thank you very much.

---
*** EDIT: I spoke too soon. Please can you make it so that we can just use the icon, without having the panel displayed. Sort of 'run Stations in the background', I guess. Sorry!

[raybeau528]

Thanks MM3, I'm happy to hear you like it.

As I mentioned in an earlier posting, the intention is to add an option in the options panel to hide/show either or both of the icon and button panel. Just wanted to get this out for testing/evaluation.

In the meantime, you can easily hide the buttons panel... edit stations.vbs and look for

SDB.Objects("StationsPanel").common.Visible = blahblahblah

and change all ocurrences to

SDB.Objects("StationsPanel").common.Visible = False

The next update will have the options panel change to hide/show the buttons/icon.

Ray

[MM3 monkey]

Sorry I missed that before. I found a bit of your talk with Nyn going over my head so I sort of glossed over it. Apologies.

Thanks as usual for the quick answer; I'll edit my vbs now. Very cool, thank you.

[MM3 monkey]

I can't find "blahblahblah" anywhere in Stations.vbs.

[MM3 monkey]

Just kidding!

Works a treat. Thank you.