Customizing Collections and Playback Rules

MediaMonkey helps organize your multimedia files into 'Collections' which can be customized to display large numbers of files in a manner most appropriate to the content. In addition, it allows you to define how individual files are handled based on the file 'Type'.

Collections

Collections allow you to segment your library based on specific criteria (e.g. Type=Classical Music, or Type=Music AND Genre=Comedy), and define how those files are displayed. e.g.:

• which columns are displayed
• which Tree Nodes are displayed in the tree
• how files are sorted
• what view is active (e.g. Show Details vs Show Art Browser)

For instance, you might want to create a Collection for 'Kid's Music' (based on Type=Music AND Genre=Children;Kids), where only the Artist and Album nodes are shown to make it easy for Children to browse.

Note:

• Playlists display files based on the Collection settings associated with their constituent files, though this can be changed via the Playlist Properties.
• The Entire Library Collection lists all your files in the Library and has it's own set of generic settings.
• 'Search' nodes display files using the settings of the last-visited Collection.
• If your missing Media Files in your Library you should verify in the Entire Library > Location node that the files are actually missing.

To create or edit a Collection, use File > Manage Collections or Tools > Options > Media Tree and then:

1. Use the Create button to create a new Collection or select a Collection and use the Edit button to edit a Collection
2. Set the Criteria associated with the Collection (just as you would define Search Criteria)
3. Set which Tree Nodes and Columns should be shown and in what order (you can also change which columns are displayed for the current Collection by right-clicking on the column headers and/or drag and dropping the columns to change their order in the Filelistings)

To enable or disable a Collection, use File > Manage Collections or Tools > Options > Media Tree and then:

1. Check the Collection to enable it in the MediaMonkey Media Tree
2. Use the half-check / filled in checkbox to have the Collection appear in the MediaMonkey Media Tree whenever it contains files
3. Uncheck it to hide the Collection in the MediaMonkey Media Tree
4. The Entire Library Collection can be enabled/disabled here as well

To change the Type of a file and thus in which Collection it is shown use Properties:

1. Right click on a file or files and select Properties
2. Modify the Type field
3. Click OK

Types

The 'Type' attribute determines how individual files are handled:

• How files are Played:

• Whether Bookmarking is enabled
• Whether Shuffle mode is ignored
• Whether Crossfading is disabled
• Whether Auto-DJ is active

• How files are displayed:

• The fields displayed in the Properties dialog
• The descriptive text for any track that appears in the Player and Now Playing (Summary) column
• The descriptive text for any track that appears in Art Views

• How files are synced:

• What categories they're browsable through on an iPod or other portable device

In MediaMonkey 4, there are 8 hardcoded Types: Music, Podcast, Audiobook, Classical Music, Music Video, Video, TV, and Video Podcast. During the first scan into the Library:

• Audio files are added as Type=Music except

• they're added as 'Audiobook' if Extension=M4B or Genre contains 'Audiobook' or 'Audio Book'
• they're added as 'Podcast' if Genre contains 'Podcast'
• they're added as 'Classical Music' if Genre contains 'Classical'

• Video files are added as Type=Video except

• they're added as 'Video Podcast' if Genre contains 'Podcast'
• they're added as 'TV' if Genre contains 'TV Show', 'TV Series' or 'Television'
• they're added as 'Music Video' if Genre contains 'Music Video'

The 'Type' associated with a file can be edited at any time via File > Properties > Type.

To edit the behaviors associated with each file 'Type' go to Tools > Options > Player > Playback rules.

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