Friday, March 18. 2005
Smart playlists getting smarter
Experimenting with the smart-playlists
Inspired by mxcl's blog, I thought I might let you all know whats going on in +10 hours zone. Thats Sydney. Where I live.
For those of you who frequently update to cvs versions of amaroK, you may have noticed the addition of a 'dynamic playlist' mode previous to the release of version 1.2.2. This was my attempt to experiment with a different style of playlist usage, where a continuous playlist could be managed over a 'very' small area. How, I hear you ask. Well that isn't so difficult - simply remove the first track in the playlist and append another to the playlists. It may sound ridiculous, but it's clearer to understand once used. Turned out quite nifty as well. Read on for more...
Unfortunately problems arose which made the code complicated and windy, so I decided to revert for the 1.2.2 release. I think this was a good reason for a couple of reasons.
Previously, I was having problems telling the user what this 'dynamic mode' was, and how to use it. After all, you have to understand the concept to utilise it to its full potential. How should this be done? A pop-up message? A help window? Read the handbook? I didn't really like any of these solutions. What more, how could the user choose his/her preferences for such a feature. Seemed unlikely I could fit it in anywhere. For example, should a random or a suggested song be appended to the playlists. Random strayed too far from the initial genre, and suggested song severely restricted the music and artists.
Now, to link back to the title of this entry. I had the idea of integrating this feature into the smart playlist facility, which i feel could anyway use a bit of upheaval. I decided to change the name, from dynamic to party, in an attempt to provide a more understandable relationship between the thought and the function of the idea.
By creating 'advanced' smart playlists, which incorporate this super-cool party playlist function, we can hopefully have an interface where the user can be taught what is, and how to use party mode. Additionally, by using the existing smart playlist interface we can guide the appended songs to the matching criteria provided by the user. Such fun! I would like to, at some point in time, enhance the smart playlists functionality even more. One idea was auto updating smart playlists. For example, the 'Never played' would remove a song once it has been played -> after all, it has been played!
I think that just about sums up my present ideas, and I hope to keep on updating you on the progress of these features!
Please, do me a favour and provide feedback and let me know how you think i can make things better!
Seb
- Over that last couple of weeks I have had ideas brewing in my head, which I couldn't have done with the old implementation.
- I'll be able to use Max's uber cool playlist refactor when he is done with it.
- There is nothing worse in having a feature in one release, and having it totally different in the next, as would have been the case.
- I have been able to critically analyse how the system works on my local machine!
- Probably more, but I forget.
Previously, I was having problems telling the user what this 'dynamic mode' was, and how to use it. After all, you have to understand the concept to utilise it to its full potential. How should this be done? A pop-up message? A help window? Read the handbook? I didn't really like any of these solutions. What more, how could the user choose his/her preferences for such a feature. Seemed unlikely I could fit it in anywhere. For example, should a random or a suggested song be appended to the playlists. Random strayed too far from the initial genre, and suggested song severely restricted the music and artists.
Now, to link back to the title of this entry. I had the idea of integrating this feature into the smart playlist facility, which i feel could anyway use a bit of upheaval. I decided to change the name, from dynamic to party, in an attempt to provide a more understandable relationship between the thought and the function of the idea.
By creating 'advanced' smart playlists, which incorporate this super-cool party playlist function, we can hopefully have an interface where the user can be taught what is, and how to use party mode. Additionally, by using the existing smart playlist interface we can guide the appended songs to the matching criteria provided by the user. Such fun! I would like to, at some point in time, enhance the smart playlists functionality even more. One idea was auto updating smart playlists. For example, the 'Never played' would remove a song once it has been played -> after all, it has been played!
I think that just about sums up my present ideas, and I hope to keep on updating you on the progress of these features!
Please, do me a favour and provide feedback and let me know how you think i can make things better!
Seb
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That's pretty cool, but the best (by far!) playlist management I have ever seen is still in madman:
http://madman.sourceforge.net/
Maybe take a look at it?
That app has the most advanced playlist features, I would love to see something similar in amaroK!
http://madman.sourceforge.net/
Maybe take a look at it?
That app has the most advanced playlist features, I would love to see something similar in amaroK!
I don't see the point in forcing smart-playlists to be dynamic. It seems more useful to set the entire playlist to be static or dynamic. Afterall, it depends on whether or not you are having a party doesn't it?
I see it as, choose dynamic/static mode. Then in dynamic mode set a smart-playlist as a feed, if you like. Otherwise specify some criteria.
Well, we can figure this out when we implement it
I see it as, choose dynamic/static mode. Then in dynamic mode set a smart-playlist as a feed, if you like. Otherwise specify some criteria.
Well, we can figure this out when we implement it
There's a web jukebox called Otto that has a similar feature.
Basically it adds 5 random songs to the end of the playlist whenever there are less than 5 left so you never end up in silence...
There's a manual 'fiddle mode':
Randomly picked songs can be deleted (bzzt!)
A new batch can be requested (hit me!)
If a person adds a specific song it's inserted after any other user-requested songs and before any randomly picked songs (special request = queue jump)
I think there are 2 separate things happening:
1) random (maybe with tuneable weighting by genre etc) addition to the playlist so you're never silent
2) user override so you can easily hear a requested track
Basically it adds 5 random songs to the end of the playlist whenever there are less than 5 left so you never end up in silence...
There's a manual 'fiddle mode':
Randomly picked songs can be deleted (bzzt!)
A new batch can be requested (hit me!)
If a person adds a specific song it's inserted after any other user-requested songs and before any randomly picked songs (special request = queue jump)
I think there are 2 separate things happening:
1) random (maybe with tuneable weighting by genre etc) addition to the playlist so you're never silent
2) user override so you can easily hear a requested track
Isn't this the same as the "Party Shuffle" in iTunes?
"The new Party Shuffle feature creates a dynamic playlist, similar to shuffle play, from either your entire library or a designated playlist. ...
You can review upcoming songs to reorder or delete on the fly, taking charge like the DJ you always wanted to be."
"The new Party Shuffle feature creates a dynamic playlist, similar to shuffle play, from either your entire library or a designated playlist. ...
You can review upcoming songs to reorder or delete on the fly, taking charge like the DJ you always wanted to be."
yep - but Otto was written in 2001
Aren't Apple innovative
And what's the betting they've patented the idea...
Aren't Apple innovative
And what's the betting they've patented the idea...
oops - too quick.
Meant to add that Otto has been superceded by Calliope.
Meant to add that Otto has been superceded by Calliope.
pardon my ignorance, but does amarok or any other current media player have the capability of a party shuffle, where future songs are based on suggested songs rather than being completely random?
or is this the nature of party-shuffle anyway?
thanks
or is this the nature of party-shuffle anyway?
thanks
...because a party shuffle based on what the player 'thinks' you will like would be great - no need for the user to remove unwanted upcoming songs that the software has selected.
- no need for the user to remove unwanted upcoming songs that the software has selected.
Hmmm, using amarok 1.3, "append suggestions" is entirely gone. How do I use the new smart dynamic playlists to simulate it?
I want to be able to add 2 or 3 songs to the playlist window and have amarok add some audioscrobbler suggestions to list every once in a while, and play the playlist randomly. There doesn't seem to be a way to do this now.
Will the "append suggestions" mode ever come back, or does this replace it entirely?
I want to be able to add 2 or 3 songs to the playlist window and have amarok add some audioscrobbler suggestions to list every once in a while, and play the playlist randomly. There doesn't seem to be a way to do this now.
Will the "append suggestions" mode ever come back, or does this replace it entirely?
Ignore the previous comment. It's in the wrong place, and I found the "Options" button for the dynamic mode (the button's in an odd place for someone looking for "append suggestions").
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