[1415] Empty and unreadable entries in Media Tree Options

[mcow]

I've seen this in earlier builds as well. See the items under "Web" in the list, starting with the selected one.


The "collections" in this area were originally filters in MM3. The empty items don't correspond to any of those filters; all the original filters are accounted for. If selected, the empty items are not deletable.

The selected item, which is barely readable, is not blank; the problem there is that the text color being used is the wrong text color. Presumably, this color is used because some items have a "disabled" color (meaning what? who knows?) and the owner-draw logic only supports the difference between enabled and disabled, with no attention given to the selected/unselected state.

It would be nice if the checkboxes were shown using the default, not-disabled color, but that's an issue with in-listbox controls all thru the options.

[nohitter151]

It would be nice if the checkboxes were shown using the default, not-disabled color, but that's an issue with in-listbox controls all thru the options.

You've obviously modified your Windows theme, I think that's the issue here.

[mcow]

You've obviously modified your Windows theme, I think that's the issue here.

You're half right. I have modified my Windows theme: I'm running XP, with some colors modified from the Desktop Properties "Appearance" tab. However, the issue is incorrect implementation of the ownerdrawn checkbox, which is not choosing the correct pen color from the settings of the theme.

There is no way to specify the default color of the checkmark; and with other apps, checkmarks on dialogs are drawn in black unless the checkbox is disabled.

For comparison, here is how Word 2000 renders owner-drawn checkboxes:

The border colors of the checkboxes are off (they're off with default theme colors as well). However, nobody would mistake those checkboxes as disabled, which is my complaint.

[nohitter151]

The border colors of the checkboxes are off (they're off with default theme colors as well). However, nobody would mistake those checkboxes as disabled, which is my complaint.

No issues when using skinned MM and even when using unskinned on Win 7, checkboxes appear normal:

[mcow]

I have more info about those empty entries that appear. I have a setting in my .INI file:

Code: Select all

[System]
IgnoreDriveLetters=ABEFG


There are F and G drives (thumb drives that have no music on them) plugged in. If I run MM as a different user, without that INI setting, those drives show up in the Edit Media Tree node list. So, those empty items are evidently for the ignored drives. They should just be hidden all the time.

Also: When I first start MM4 in my normal user account, and immediately open Options and look at the Media Tree setup, those nodes are hidden; but as soon as I change any option anywhere, and save, when I reopen the Options and look at Media Tree, those empty options are in place.


Relating to the coloring of the items in that list: The nodes that are drawn "greyed out" (text in light cyan, in the image I posted above) are those that cannot be deleted. However, the Entire Library node cannot be deleted, but it is drawn in black.

Suggestion: Rather than using an alternate text color, how about putting an icon (maybe a lock) next to the items that aren't deletable? Then just use the default text color for the items -- hopefully, that will use the correct text color when the item is selected, as well.

[nohitter151]

"Greyed out" nodes aren't deletable, but mainly it means you can't save settings for these nodes, like column appearance and order. My computer is not grey because you can edit the column appearance and order.

[mcow]

"My Computer" is greyed out in both my screenshot and yours.

[nohitter151]

"My Computer" is greyed out in both my screenshot and yours.

Sorry I said "My Computer" but meant "Entire library".

[mcow]

The problems I initially described—blank entries, poor choice of foreground color for selected item, poor choice of pen color for drawing checkboxes—persist in 4.0.3 [1476], unskinned Windows XP/64. The blank entries, which seem to correspond to thumb drives listed in the IgnoreDriveLetters setting, do not appear the first time the options dialog is opened.

[rusty]

Hi mcow,

Re. the blank entries, I can't replicate them in 1483 even after setting IgnoreDriveLetter settings. Are you able to do this on a clean (e.g. portable install)?

-Rusty

[mcow]

Re. the blank entries, I can't replicate them in 1483 even after setting IgnoreDriveLetter settings. Are you able to do this on a clean (e.g. portable install)?

No, they do not show up blank. However, the behavior is somewhat inconsistent.
I created a portable install of 1487 on a new thumb drive, F:. I edited F:\MediaMonkey\Portable\MediaMonkey.ini and changed:
IgnoreDriveLetters=ABFGIJKL

H: is my iPod Nano, F and G and I are specific drives I don't want, JKL are in there just in case more drives get plugged in.

With F and G drives and the iPod plugged in, I went to Options | Library | Media Tree and unchecked F & G from the list. I restarted MediaMonkey; the iPod showed in the tree immediately, and after a short time, the F & G drives also appeared in the tree. So, the options to suppress them in the tree are not working correctly.

Then I plugged in my Nokia tablet, which appears as I: and N:. (I want N: to show in the tree because that contains the music for my tablet.) Again, after a short while, both appear in the tree; and when I look at the Media Tree options, both are shown.

Then I exited and changed the ignore spec to remove G and I:
IgnoreDriveLetters=ABFJKL
Restarted and repeated the steps above, with the exact same results. It seem IgnoreDriveLetters no longer does anything; and it seems that the Media Tree checkboxes don't work, either.

[mcow]

With F and G drives and the iPod plugged in, I went to Options | Library | Media Tree and unchecked F & G from the list. I restarted MediaMonkey; the iPod showed in the tree immediately, and after a short time, the F & G drives also appeared in the tree. So, the options to suppress them in the tree are not working correctly.

Using 4.06 on a new installation, I think I understand what was going on here. The F and G drives showing up in the tree were showing up as devices. Going into Options | Devices, and unchecking the corresponding entries in the "Available Devices" list, causes them to no longer appear in the tree.