New Column to Show the Playlist of a Song

[GeraldB]

I've searched diligently, but admit that the many threads concerning the wishlist have me confused. For instance why is the last post on the compiled wishlist from 2005 - is nothing ever added or resolved?? I'm apologizing in advance if my wish is already covered -- though I would be happy to find it is already taken care of somehow.

I've been unable to find a name for my middle pane that is populated when I click on an item in the tree such as My Computer, Library, etc. Among the many columns that may be shown, I use Artist, Title, Bitrate, Path, and Length. There is a long list of optional columns, but my wish is to add one showing the Playlist(s) I have assigned to the song file.

When browsing a list of country songs, for example, I often wonder if I have added a particular one to a playlist, such as Duets, or Favorites. The only way I have found to check this is to open the Properties window, then the Classification window. Having a column in the same window would be very helpful to me.

[nynaevelan]

While you are waiting for something like this to be implemented, MoDementia's Custom Properties Panel script has this ability along with some other panels.



Nyn

[GeraldB]

Thanks for understanding my post and for the suggestion. It will be my first script and I have wanted to try one. (I am not withdrawing my wish, though; I believe an optional column would be a more elegant way to provide the information.)

[nynaevelan]

I agree I too would like to see this in MM natively but this script will hold me over until it is available.

Nyn

[GeraldB]

I found out how easy it is to install and use a script. However, I'm unable to make this one work for my purpose. In the picture below I have in the left pane selected the Folk folder from My Computer, which provides the list in the center pane, where I have highlighted a Dolly Parton song file. The Custom Properties script pane shows no playlists for this song, but it is actually on two playlists. (If a playlist is in the center pane the script does work so I could use it to make changes, but that is not my purpose -- which is to learn in some simple way whether the highlighted file is on any playlists.) If I'm not using the script right, I'd appreciate suggestions. As mentioned in previous posts, I think my original wish deserves consideration.


[url=http://g.imageshack.us/img401/89856551is6.jpg/1/][img]

[nynaevelan]

The two playlists which the song belongs to, they are manual playlists right, not autoplaylists? It will not work on autoplaylists.

Nyn

[Bex]

I don't think it's doable to have a playlist column since a song can exist in multiple playlists (several hundreds) however you can already now see which playlists a song exists in by right clicking it and select "Find more from same - Playlist".

[Dreadlau]

I don't think it's doable to have a playlist column since a song can exist in multiple playlists

Why not use separators?
This way it would become possible. (even in the case, you've put it in several hundreds different playlists )

[MM3 monkey]

Could you use a Classification field?

There is an extra step which might make it unfeasible but how about using the (very convenient) Tempo field as your Playlist field. You can assign a (Tempo)/'Playlist' from the drop-down from the icon in the toolbar. Then you have a column showing you which 'playlists' your track is in.

The problem is you can assign multiple Classifications but not through the drop-down list. Oh gosh darn it!

Well, that aside (!) you CAN assign multiple Classifications I guess through drag and drop onto the tree or in the Properties (separated by a semi-colon/pipe).

Assuming this hurdle (easily assigning the same track to multiple Classifications) could be overcome, you could then either

a) treat your Tempo node as your Playlist node (but I haven't thought through what functionality you will lose by not having 'real' playlists ), or ...
b) set up Auto-Playlists for each of 'playlist' like Tempo=Playlistname. Then every time you added a Tempo (i.e. a Playlist name) to a track it would be automatically added to the real playlist - which you could give the same name.

And your Tempo column will show all your playlists.

You'd only have to make the Auto-Playlist once and it's very simple so I think the only real drawback is that you can't more easily assign multiple Classifications to the same track. Or can you?

Or, indeed, is everything I've just wittered on about preposterous twaddle?

Anyone?

[GeraldB]

@Nyn - They are manual playlists. I've done multiple tests and always get "0"

@Bex - "Find More From Same" doesn't work for me. It works fine when I highlight a selection from a playlist, but does not work when I highlight a selection from a folder under My Computer. (This is the same behavior as with the script - works from a playlist but not from a My Computer list.)

Both the above, especially the Custom Properties Panel, would be an improvement if they worked for this purpose.

The other suggestions are interesting, but I believe would be too complex or labor-intensive. I can check the playlist status of a song with four clicks - Right Click>Properties>Classification>Cancel.

I only have a few playlists, but I see that the potential for multiple lists complicates showing them natively in a column. If it can't be done, my idea can't go anywhere. I'm beginning to feel like a whiner anyway.

[nynaevelan]

GeraldB:

Are the playlists from the My Computer node actually in your db? If not, then the script will not work for you since it is generated from the playlist id from within the db. I'm sorry I do not use the My Computer node so I am not familiar with its functionality.

Nyn

[nynaevelan]

I only have a few playlists, but I see that the potential for multiple lists complicates showing them natively in a column. If it can't be done, my idea can't go anywhere. I'm beginning to feel like a whiner anyway.

Personally I do not want a column which would list all the playlists the song belongs to unless something like the Playlist Sandbox and Custom Properties Panel scripts could be combined to offer more functionality in another panel which could be turned on or off like the now playing panel. I would settle for a yes/no column, at least that way it would trigger me to take further action before doing anything with the track. But if the devs do not implement something like this, both the Playlist Sandbox and Custom Properties Panel scripts meets my needs and I am content to stick with them.

Nyn

[GeraldB]

1. I'm struggling to answer whether the playlists are in my db as you ask. They are wherever playlists are created when I click on Edit>New Playlist. I don't know how to open MM.DB to see if they are in there. However, if the question is "Are the playlists in the same file as the mp3's," the answer is no. (MM is installed in my Applications partition (G), MM.DB is in the Operating System [>Local Settings>Application Data] partition (C), and the mp3's are in my Data partition (H).) However, your question makes me understand that the Custom Properties Panel script will work as I want for files located in the MM folder, so I experimented with the "Now Playing" window and, sure enough, that works, so TA-DA! I am now 89% satisfied. Thank you VERY much for your patient help.

2. Having only a few playlists, I, too, would be happy with a column headed Playlists with only a yes or no entry.

[wutzin]

I was about to post the same feature request. I have the same problem of often wondering whether a particular song is on a playlist - and having that information displayed in a column would save me quite a few clicks! (right now, I have to pull up the track properties for every individual song and select the playlists tab to get that information)

I would be happy with either a column that lists playlists the track is on with some sort of separator, OR with a "on a playlist" column that only lists yes/no.
The problem with both these is that it would be a column that cannot be edited, which might confuse some users (but then again, the columns Played/Last Played/Type etc cannot be edited either).

Please consider adding this feature to the next release - it would increase usability enormously!

[vanmeterannie]

Couldn't agree more that this would be a useful feature; I'd love to eventually see it as a regular column in the standard views somehow.