0.8.3 Preview r1596, r1613 - Song Groups

Archived development update discussion from past versions
Archived development updates.
Nicholas
Posts: 13135

Post by Nicholas »

PREVIEW r1596
Download from the pink box above.
groups.png
groups.png (23.18 KiB) Viewed 21592 times
The "song scores" displayed on the library screen right now are totally fake. They will be implemented in the next preview.

Changes in r1596 since r1556:
  • The song library has been updated to support hierarchical groups of songs. Navigate groups using the "breadcrumb" display at the top of the screen. Right-click to change sorting or which columns are visible.
  • Added 18 browser/media extended keys that will be recognized in the key binding screen (on Windows). These will no longer generate bad text input in text boxes, too.
  • Added secondary key binding defaults for "Menu Continue" and "Menu Back", set to Browser Forward/Back, should your keyboard have those keys.
  • The stats box is now shown during recital too (this was a bug in the last preview).
  • Rhythm/recital note window timings have been relaxed a little bit (from 0.16s to 0.22s on either side of a note).
  • You can adjust the time between checking for device unplugs with the Midi.DeviceCheckMilliseconds setting.
  • Buttons now display their highlight correctly instead of only their shadow.
  • Added Gameplay.PinMenuDrawerOpen setting to prevent the menu drawer animation on the play screen.
  • Synthesia will no longer attempt to migrate some settings from pre-0.7.x'ish registry/plist settings. It's been like two years.
  • Lots of behind-the-scenes iPad work that had zero impact on the Windows and Mac versions. ;)
Groups are really cool. Use the updated metadata editor to make your own.

Up Next are goals. Then the iPad.
Raymond
Posts: 528

Post by Raymond »

Got a few questions.
* Am I now suppose to assign groups to all my folders? Before I had everything arranged by folder, now it looks like its biased on the group. (it's not hard to change just wondering)
* Could the main 'Songs' only show groups and a group for non grouped. That way its a little cleaner on the main song selector.
* How can I sort by Last Played? Also would be nice if there was some text saying to right click for sorting options.
* Is there any way you could make it so I can show Play Count And Last Played? I use Both when looking at songs to play. It would be a PAIN to switch between them.
Last edited by Raymond on 02-01-12 2:07 am, edited 1 time in total.
aria1121
Posts: 1505

Post by aria1121 »

Awesome.

Edit: I just wanted to say what Raymond said, can we also please be able to sort by playcount?
Nicholas
Posts: 13135

Post by Nicholas »

Raymond wrote:Am I now suppose to assign groups to all my folders? Before I had everything arranged by folder, now it looks like its biased on the group.
I was a little sad to see folder-based viewing go-away. (I posted about it a few days ago, lamenting it.) Because I promised a preview yesterday, I didn't get a chance to make toggling watched folders easier. I'll include that in the next preview. It'll probably be a simple checkbox on the "Add Songs" screen so you don't actually have to remove an entry -- just temporary disable it. In the meantime, searching for "folder:folderName" works just as well.
Raymond wrote:Could the main 'Songs' only show groups and a group for non grouped. That way its a little cleaner on the main song selector.
I went back and forth. Though I'm not sure one method is better than the other. And it was a distinction my little database understood ("in a group" vs. "not in any groups") so I figured I'd include a way to tell the difference.
Raymond wrote:How can I sort by Last Played?
That last "Sort By" option is always whichever item you have selected for "Show". (I refer to it as the custom column.) So long as you are sorting by the custom column, if you set it to show last played, you'll be sorted by last played. (And if you don't like the sort direction, click that same item under Sort By again and it'll reverse, just like the old header row on the library.)
Raymond wrote:Also would be nice if there was some text saying to right click for sorting options.
I have been thinking how I might communicate this. Though really, I consider that menu to be a power-user feature. A new user doesn't need anything else on that screen to perform every task they're interested in. I am really happy with how simple I've been able to make it. It even took a lot to leave the "Page" text in the lower-left.
Raymond wrote:Is there any way you could make it so I can show Play Count And Last Played?
I'm not sure what your use-case is, but it sounds like using flags to mark particularly frequently/recently played songs is what you're looking for. ;)
Oldrich
Posts: 61

Post by Oldrich »

The new song library menu looks nice. I have just one comment. It is quite difficult to give precisely the exact number of stars you wish to give (I almost never give the exact number of stars on the first click). It got better as you increased the size of the stars. But still, don't you think that 4 stars without halves would not be enough? 8 options are from my perspective too many. What do you think?

EDIT: One more comment. Try to add new songs from the folder "System Volume Information" and then click on any drive letter. I get some crazy text.

EDIT: And one further comment. Please consider adding a broader way of choosing the Metronome volume. I know that it can be set up in the advanced setting window but it would be nicer to have a better option directly in the app.

EDIT: And yet another. When I just watch and listen to a song and click on add bookmark and hover to the left as advised, the program crashes. When I click on edit fingers, the program crashes as well.
Last edited by Oldrich on 02-01-12 2:03 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Nicholas
Posts: 13135

Post by Nicholas »

Oldrich wrote:I almost never give the exact number of stars on the first click...
If you click-and-hold on the rating slider, you can just release after you've found the number you're looking for. Still, maybe you're right. Four is already pretty granular. It's the difference between changing one number from 12.5 to 25 in my code, too. (Or I could let it be totally free-form by setting it down to 1. Then you'd get 100 levels of rating. :D )
Oldrich wrote:Try to add new songs from the folder "System Volume Information" and then click on any drive letter. I get some crazy text.
Do you mean this craziness?
SystemVolumeInformation.png
SystemVolumeInformation.png (11.92 KiB) Viewed 21499 times
Oldrich wrote:Please consider adding a broader way of choosing the Metronome volume.
So fewer rating delineations but more metronome settings? :lol:
Oldrich wrote:When I just watch and listen to a song and click on add bookmark and hover to the left as advised, the program crashes.
Strange, which song? I just tried it and it worked fine. Do you have a Learning Pack key?
Oldrich
Posts: 61

Post by Oldrich »

Yes. This is the crazyness that I meant ;)

I do not have learning pack on this pc. And yes I wish fewer stars and broader metronome volume :)
Nicholas
Posts: 13135

Post by Nicholas »

Oldrich wrote:I do not have learning pack on this pc.
You can use the same key on more than one computer, if you already have one.

(And yeah, I'll track down that text thing. That obviously shouldn't be happening. ;) )
Oldrich
Posts: 61

Post by Oldrich »

You are right. I just wanted to point out the app crash. It should not happen, right? :) Plus the app crashes also on edit finger hints
vicentefer31
Posts: 899

Post by vicentefer31 »

I have uninstalled r1596.
The new song library looks good for an Ipad but it's a pain for the no IPads users
Picasso: I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it.
Raymond
Posts: 528

Post by Raymond »

Nicholas wrote:
Raymond wrote:Could the main 'Songs' only show groups and a group for non grouped. That way its a little cleaner on the main song selector.
I went back and forth. Though I'm not sure one method is better than the other. And it was a distinction my little database understood ("in a group" vs. "not in any groups") so I figured I'd include a way to tell the difference.
It just seems messy to have nice neat groups, then a big list of unsorted songs.
I was thinking if you made it so you had to click on 'All Songs (without groups)' to see them.
May make more sense if it was called 'Other Songs', then have a tool tip say something like 'Songs without groups'
Nicholcholas wrote:
Raymond wrote:Is there any way you could make it so I can show Play Count And Last Played?
I'm not sure what your use-case is, but it sounds like using flags to mark particularly frequently/recently played songs is what you're looking for. ;)
Iv used them before. Maybe now ill use them more.


Navigating through the songs using the arrow keys no longer works as expected.
When the selecter gos over a group it gos in side that group.
So from 'Songs' if I select the top song. (single click with mouse) then hit the up arrow key. It gos in 'G Major...' Witch then any key i press (up or down) it goes to 'First Pieces'.
I think it should treat the groups like any other song and require you to press 'Menu Continue'(enter).

Btw, the way I have my keyboard setup, it's hard to use the mouse. So the more I can do with my keyboards(pc/piano) the better.
Although my keyboard(piano) is Very basic. So I mainly use my pc keyboard for navigating.
Nicholas
Posts: 13135

Post by Nicholas »

Oldrich wrote:It should not happen, right?
Correct. I need to get better about testing non-unlocked installations. This is two previews in a row now an issue like that has happened.
Raymond wrote:May make more sense if it was called 'Other Songs', then have a tool tip say something like 'Songs without groups'
"Other Songs" makes it sound like it would only be the top-level display and there would never be a way to see a flat list of every song in the library. (But the tooltip contradicts that.) I still feel like both views are helpful because you can use them differently: the top-level explicitly shows you songs you've downloaded on top of the built-in stuff or "sets" you've downloaded that are Synthesia-specific. And the "All songs" view lets you use the search box super quickly if you don't want to use groups (or can't remember which group a song is in).
Raymond wrote:Navigating through the songs using the arrow keys no longer works as expected.
Yeah, I noticed that just after the preview went out. It's on my list. I still want it to be a single-click, but it's unacceptable for keyboard arrows and page keys. I'll fix it.
Raymond wrote:So the more I can do with my keyboards(pc/piano) the better.
Also coming in the next preview will be key bindings to step backward through the group breadcrumb trail. It will work on both the library screen and the (upcoming) simple settings screen.
vicentefer31 wrote:The new song library looks good for an Ipad but it's a pain for the no IPads users
I hope you'll change your mind when the goal stuff is introduced. They were really designed to work together. Also, if you just leave your library on "All Songs" not much has changed. Tap in the first few letters of a song name and it'll be one of the first songs listed as per usual.

Anyway, I haven't been more excited for a feature since melody practice. Song goals are going to change Synthesia in a hugely positive way. Hopefully you'll reconsider.
Raymond
Posts: 528

Post by Raymond »

Nicholas wrote:I still feel like both views are helpful
I agree with that. I was just thinking of a way to clean up the main page. (and make it less confusing. At first I thought 'without groups' meant unsorted.)
I think it would make more sense if there was a group for 'All Songs' and a group for 'Unsorted Songs'.
aria1121
Posts: 1505

Post by aria1121 »

Image

I didn't get this error in a while.
Spoiler:
I used this MIDI. Just rightclick > save-as then drag it to Synthesia's shortcut. If you are interested below is the log.txt

[INFO ] 2012-Feb-02 19:31:57 Pre-log:
src\main.cpp:370: Starting main()
src\main.cpp:373: Initializing user settings system
src\main.cpp:376: Retrieving log filename
src\main.cpp:381: log filename: C:\Users\SLC\AppData\Roaming\Synthesia\log.txt
src\main.cpp:382: Constructing dynamic portion of popup error box message
src\main.cpp:386: Initializing logger

[INFO ] 2012-Feb-02 19:31:57 src\SimpleSettings.cpp:179: Loading settings list.
[INFO ] 2012-Feb-02 19:31:57 src\main.cpp:400: Starting Synthesia 0.8.3-preview - r1596
[INFO ] 2012-Feb-02 19:31:57 src\main.cpp:401: Built Jan 31 2012 17:17:30
[INFO ] 2012-Feb-02 19:31:57 src\main.cpp:405: Running in Windows Vista.
[INFO ] 2012-Feb-02 19:31:57 src\main.cpp:419: Command line: '"C:\Users\SLC\Desktop\Synthesia\Synthesia.exe" "D:\Downloads\Beatmania - Red Zone (Piano).MID"'
[INFO ] 2012-Feb-02 19:31:57 src\main.cpp:448: Attempting to process the command line.
[INFO ] 2012-Feb-02 19:31:57 src\main.cpp:476: Initializing HTTP services
[INFO ] 2012-Feb-02 19:31:57 src\main.cpp:487: Creating shared state.
[INFO ] 2012-Feb-02 19:31:57 src\SharedState.cpp:226: Loading track settings file.
[INFO ] 2012-Feb-02 19:31:57 src\SharedState.cpp:234: Loading bookmark settings file.
[INFO ] 2012-Feb-02 19:31:57 src\SharedState.cpp:242: Loading saved scores file.
[INFO ] 2012-Feb-02 19:31:57 src\SharedState.cpp:250: Loading users.
[INFO ] 2012-Feb-02 19:31:57 src\SharedState.cpp:259: Loading devices.
[INFO ] 2012-Feb-02 19:31:57 src\SharedState.cpp:268: Loading song info.
[INFO ] 2012-Feb-02 19:31:57 src\SharedState.cpp:277: Loading watched folder list.
[INFO ] 2012-Feb-02 19:31:57 src\SharedState.cpp:286: Loading local auto-saved finger list.
[INFO ] 2012-Feb-02 19:31:57 src\SharedState.cpp:295: Loading default input bindings.
[INFO ] 2012-Feb-02 19:31:57 src\SharedState.cpp:304: Loading current input bindings.
[INFO ] 2012-Feb-02 19:31:57 src\DeviceManager.cpp:222: Opening output MIDI device (id=0)
[INFO ] 2012-Feb-02 19:31:59 src\libmidi\MidiComm.cpp:207: Adding device: 'LoopBe Internal MIDI'
[INFO ] 2012-Feb-02 19:31:59 src\DeviceManager.cpp:168: Opening input MIDI device (id=1)
[INFO ] 2012-Feb-02 19:31:59 src\main.cpp:494: Checking if MIDI volume is muted or too quiet.
[INFO ] 2012-Feb-02 19:31:59 src\main.cpp:506: Trying to read MIDI file from command line.
[INFO ] 2012-Feb-02 19:31:59 src\main.cpp:508: Loaded.
[INFO ] 2012-Feb-02 19:31:59 src\main.cpp:550: Initializing FreeImage library
[INFO ] 2012-Feb-02 19:31:59 src\main.cpp:553: Using FreeImage version 3.11.0
[INFO ] 2012-Feb-02 19:31:59 src\main.cpp:607: Setting state size: 1024x600
[INFO ] 2012-Feb-02 19:31:59 src\main.cpp:612: Starting up GDI+
[INFO ] 2012-Feb-02 19:31:59 src\RendererBackendOpenGl.cpp:78: Creating OpenGL rendering backend.
[INFO ] 2012-Feb-02 19:31:59 src\RendererBackendOpenGl.cpp:110: Initializing window class
[INFO ] 2012-Feb-02 19:31:59 src\RendererBackendOpenGl.cpp:124: Registering window class
[INFO ] 2012-Feb-02 19:31:59 src\RendererBackendOpenGl.cpp:171: Creating main application window.
[INFO ] 2012-Feb-02 19:31:59 src\RendererBackendOpenGl.cpp:179: Grabbing graphics device context.
[INFO ] 2012-Feb-02 19:31:59 src\RendererBackendOpenGl.cpp:185: Retrieving current pixel format.
[WARN ] 2012-Feb-02 19:31:59 src\RendererBackendOpenGl.cpp:194: Invalid pixel format! (0)
[INFO ] 2012-Feb-02 19:31:59 src\RendererBackendOpenGl.cpp:201: Retrieving current pixel format description.
[INFO ] 2012-Feb-02 19:32:00 src\RendererBackendOpenGl.cpp:213: Requesting a new pixel format that is similar but meets our needs.
[INFO ] 2012-Feb-02 19:32:00 src\RendererBackendOpenGl.cpp:218: Attempting to set pixel format to the new one.
[INFO ] 2012-Feb-02 19:32:00 src\RendererBackendOpenGl.cpp:221: Creating OpenGL graphics context for window.
[INFO ] 2012-Feb-02 19:32:00 src\RendererBackendOpenGl.cpp:30: OpenGL info:
[INFO ] 2012-Feb-02 19:32:00 src\RendererBackendOpenGl.cpp:31: - Vendor: Intel
[INFO ] 2012-Feb-02 19:32:00 src\RendererBackendOpenGl.cpp:32: - Renderer: Mobile Intel(R) 4 Series Express Chipset Family
[INFO ] 2012-Feb-02 19:32:00 src\RendererBackendOpenGl.cpp:33: - Version: 2.1.0 - Build 8.15.10.2021
[INFO ] 2012-Feb-02 19:32:00 src\RendererBackendOpenGl.cpp:34: - Extensions: GL_EXT_blend_minmax GL_EXT_blend_subtract GL_EXT_blend_color GL_EXT_abgr GL_EXT_texture3D GL_EXT_clip_volume_hint GL_EXT_compiled_vertex_array GL_SGIS_texture_edge_clamp GL_SGIS_generate_mipmap GL_EXT_draw_range_elements GL_SGIS_texture_lod GL_EXT_rescale_normal GL_EXT_packed_pixels GL_EXT_separate_specular_color GL_ARB_multitexture GL_EXT_texture_env_combine GL_EXT_bgra GL_EXT_blend_func_separate GL_EXT_secondary_color GL_EXT_fog_coord GL_EXT_texture_env_add GL_ARB_texture_cube_map GL_ARB_transpose_matrix GL_ARB_texture_env_add GL_IBM_texture_mirrored_repeat GL_EXT_multi_draw_arrays GL_NV_blend_square GL_ARB_texture_compression GL_3DFX_texture_compression_FXT1 GL_EXT_texture_filter_anisotropic GL_ARB_texture_border_clamp GL_ARB_point_parameters GL_ARB_texture_env_combine GL_ARB_texture_env_dot3 GL_ARB_texture_env_crossbar GL_EXT_texture_compression_s3tc GL_ARB_shadow GL_ARB_window_pos GL_EXT_shadow_funcs GL_EXT_stencil_wrap GL_ARB_vertex_program GL_EXT_texture_rectangle GL_ARB_fragment_program GL_EXT_stencil_two_side GL_ATI_separate_stencil GL_ARB_vertex_buffer_object GL_EXT_texture_lod_bias GL_ARB_occlusion_query GL_ARB_fragment_shader GL_ARB_shader_objects GL_ARB_shading_language_100 GL_ARB_texture_non_power_of_two GL_ARB_vertex_shader GL_NV_texgen_reflection GL_ARB_point_sprite GL_EXT_blend_equation_separate GL_ARB_depth_texture GL_ARB_texture_rectangle GL_ARB_draw_buffers GL_ARB_pixel_buffer_object GL_WIN_swap_hint GL_EXT_framebuffer_object GL_EXT_texture_sRGB GL_ARB_color_buffer_float GL_ARB_half_float_pixel GL_ARB_texture_float GL_NV_conditional_render GL_EXT_texture_swizzle GL_ARB_draw_instanced
[INFO ] 2012-Feb-02 19:32:00 src\RendererBackendOpenGl.cpp:37: Initializing OpenGL state.
[INFO ] 2012-Feb-02 19:32:00 src\RendererBackendOpenGl.cpp:229: Showing application window.
[INFO ] 2012-Feb-02 19:32:00 src\RendererBackendOpenGl.cpp:232: Update window to force refresh.
[INFO ] 2012-Feb-02 19:32:00 src\main.cpp:669: Creating startup screen.
[INFO ] 2012-Feb-02 19:32:00 src\libmidi\MidiComm.cpp:207: Adding device: 'LoopBe Internal MIDI'
[ERROR] 2012-Feb-02 19:32:01 src\main.cpp:136: Synthesia detected a problem and must close:

Unexpected step status while retrieving group path. Code 101

If you don't think this should have happened, please
contact Nicholas (support@synthesiagame.com) and
describe what you were doing when the problem
occurred. Thanks for your help!

Please attach the following log file to the email:
C:\Users\SLC\AppData\Roaming\Synthesia\log.txt
Nicholas
Posts: 13135

Post by Nicholas »

You are super-good at finding crash bugs! :D

I'll have that fixed for next time.
vicentefer31
Posts: 899

Post by vicentefer31 »

Nicholas wrote:Also, if you just leave your library on "All Songs" not much has changed. Tap in the first few letters of a song name and it'll be one of the first songs listed as per usual.
Then, how can I sorted the songs by name, folder, by date, by rating, by difficult?
mjsimpson.png
mjsimpson.png (184.95 KiB) Viewed 21410 times
Picasso: I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it.
Nicholas
Posts: 13135

Post by Nicholas »

vicentefer31 wrote:Then, how can I sorted the songs by name, folder, by date, by rating, by difficult?
Right-click.
aria1121
Posts: 1505

Post by aria1121 »

Can you please reduce the size of those letters? I have like 300 songs, some maybe more and it is a bit of much scrolling.
Nicholas wrote:Right-click.
Is this actually the first control in Synthesia that does something with richt-clicks?
Nicholas
Posts: 13135

Post by Nicholas »

aria1121 wrote:I have like 300 songs, some maybe more and it is a bit of much scrolling.
Use the search box. :lol:
aria1121 wrote:Is this actually the first control in Synthesia that does something with right-clicks?
Right-clicking (and dragging) in the timeline is a shortcut for creating a loop. Otherwise though, yeah.
aria1121
Posts: 1505

Post by aria1121 »

Nicholas wrote:Use the search box.
I know but some part of my songs are numbered, I havent named them yet but maybe it'll get nicer if I use Synthesia on a larger screen with a higher res (didn't realise that lol)
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