| ID | Project | Category | View Status | Date Submitted | Last Update |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0013971 | MMW 5 | Main Panel | public | 2017-02-01 08:33 | 2023-12-09 07:23 |
| Reporter | peke | Assigned To | |||
| Priority | high | Severity | feature | Reproducibility | N/A |
| Status | feedback | Resolution | reopened | ||
| Product Version | 5.0 | ||||
| Target Version | 5.2 | ||||
| Summary | 0013971: Improve tree structure for Network / Cloud Services | ||||
| Description | I've reviewed UI a bit and have found that that keeping Cloud Services within portable devices is not as intuitive as designed currently. Based on how Windows, Linux, Mac OSX implement that it is more likely under "Network and Services" than "Devices and services". Looking at Forum and eSupport majority of issues risen are regarding NAS browsing and Network environments. | ||||
| Additional Information | 3) https://www.mediamonkey.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=92868 https://www.mediamonkey.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=105424 | ||||
| Tags | No tags attached. | ||||
| Fixed in build | 2106 | ||||
|
|
By approach from #13743 which would adopt to current Devices and Services UI it would be mot user friendly than currently inside Devices and services. |
|
|
I'm pretty happy with the Devices & Services node design. That said, Peke has a good point that network locations are split to two places - UPnP servers are in Devices & Services while generic Network locations are under Folders. Possible changes: a. Move Network from Folders to Devices & Services under Media Servers (and rename to Network Media Servers?). b. Merge Folders and Devices & Services nodes? Maybe it's too much, but would make it clear where to go to browse for any content that isn't listed directly in other Library nodes. |
|
|
c. as seen in attached mockup I would suggest to move Network from folders rename to "Network and Homegroup" or if joining with "Cloud services" they will together made "Network and Cloud Services" which is clear by name. |
|
|
re a. b.: I would rather leave Media Servers where they are as they also in many cases can also be used as Renderer Also I agree that keeping Devices separate to have more space as their list can be very very long. |
|
|
BTW with the current design (as suggested #13697 ) I have just found that the "Custom" media sync handlers (added by customMediaSync script) are no longer accessible via MM5 UI, because they aren't either 'usb' or 'cloud' type. This makes me think whether we shouldn't have a type dropdown switcher on the top? Something like: [device, cloud storage, media server, custom1, SambaCIFS1] ?? That said Samba/CIFS could be made as an addon (or iTunes Library sync could be made as addon too) |
|
|
Or probably concatenate the headers for 'Devices' and 'Cloud Storage' to 'Devices & Storages' and list all the profiles there with possible dropdown like in the Extensions dialog Show: [all^, device, cloud storage, ...] The concatenation would make sense as they are "syncable" (while media servers aren't) |
|
|
In build 2061: I added 'syncToFolder' script (pre-installed by default) and renamed 'Cloud Storage' heading to 'Storage' heading where via the (+) button user can add custom storage added by scripts. I left the 'Devices' above separately, it probably still makes sense to keep them separately because of the number of profile left-overs from MM4. Only connected devices + all devices synced within the last 7 days are shown (per 0013697:0046512), but at least two profiles are always shown for Devices to resolve 0013923 Screengrab 'Storages.png' attached. |
|
|
0013971 Current approach: Folders - Local folders - Network locations - Any other storage services that have been added Devices & Storage - Devices (syncable devices) - Storage & Services (syncable storage: Cloud services, music services, local folders) - Media Servers The logic here is that Folders contains browsable content (once credential have been added, if necessary) if the user wants to browse by the Folder attribute; all syncable locations were contained within the Devices & Storage. Plus Media Servers. Peke's suggestion was to modify the config to address a lack of clarity re. how to configure a NAS device: - Devices - Network and Storage - Network locations - Cloud storage I agree that this could be a problem, but will propose an alternate solution. Jiri's suggestion to merge functionality: - Devices & Storage (possibly replacing 'Folders') - Devices - Cloud storage - Network locations - Media Servers (possibly combined with Network locations) deals nicely with the spread of functionality into separate locations, but it could be complicated for users to just browse by Folder. Taking both suggestions, the issues can be summarized as: 1) Users may want to add storage/network locations, but there's no obvious way to do so from 'Folders'. A simple solution would be to add an 'Add' context button (this would open the Scan Folders dialog which includes functionality to add either Network Locations or Cloud storage as suggested by Peke). 2) Given that Folders displays browseable (not necessarily library content), Folders should allow for browsing of any Media Servers (similar to what Jiri proposed). 3) If we implement 1 & 2 then we have a situation where all content can be browsed by Folder via the Folders tree. Which makes sense. But then the 'Devices & Storage' node only adds: - A means of configuring Devices or browsing Connected devices - A means of configuring storage service sync, local folder sync, and Media Servers So the question becomes: There is a need to display connected devices in the tree (as they are content), but is there really a need to include this node in the tree (considering that it is primarily configuration-related)? I'm not sure of the answer to item 3) but I think that items 1 and 2 can be easily implemented and would make things more consistent and easier to understand. |
|
|
1) Since 'Folders' don't show Library content, I suppose that the idea to link it to the Scan Folders dialog is only to use part of its functionality and not really to use the dialog as is, right? Shouldn't it rather be 'Add network folder' dialog? Or even implemented separately as discussed in #13743? 2) OK, we probably can show anything browseable in Folders. 3) Probably worth more thinking, probably as a part of minor changes for MM 5.0.1, as we'll know more based on feedback. |
|
|
1) I agree with Jiri that it is not much related to library content, i.e. it makes sense to add "Add location" context menu item for [Folders > Network] node, clicking the menu item would open just "Add network location" dialog like: [//127.0.0.1/MP3]....[Add] 2) OK, makes sense to add 'Media Servers' sub to 'Folders', I guess you want to list them similarly like devices, i.e. individual servers/devices directly sub to 'Folders' node, right? Or group them under 'Folders > Media Servers' node? 3) I agree with waiting for more feedback/thinking and revise this later for 5.0.1 If you agree with 1&2 let's assign to me for implementation |
|
|
1) Yes you're both correct--the 'Add location' functionality is what I meant (see below). In this context it could refer to Network, Media Server, or Cloud Storage. And yes, network locations could appear below the network node.etc. 2) I guess that there are probably going to be a limited number of media servers, so maybe they can appear directly below folders. 3) deferred... add_storage.jpg (14,719 bytes) |
|
|
1&2) Fixed in 2106 |
|
|
Verified 2106 |
|
|
3) If MM is run as service under different credentials/user then MM should be able to auto authorize itself due the lack of Front End? NOTE: Same thing Applies for MMS as MMS would not be able to access shares and media on them. |
|
|
I possibly don't understand the context here, but how do you envision the 'auto authorization'? |
|
|
You can easily switch credentials for accessing network Shares as each credential can show same path but different content. net use \\server\share /user:test testpassword will work just fine. This will allow access to that UNC path under the specified credentials. Once you have the UNC path available under alternate credentials, you can launch an explorer session to the UNC path manually or by using start.exe as in start \\server\share. example ---- net use \\server\share /user:test testpassword start \\server\share ---- For me each USER have access \\MYQNAP\home but content is dependent on user credentials (bug13743.png shows dialog that can be used to enter credentials) |
|
|
@Rusty: 2) I guess that there are probably going to be a limited number of media servers, so maybe they can appear directly below folders. I think that we should group them under "Media Servers (UPnP/DLNA)" subnode and the browseable cloud profiles under another (say "Remote Storages") subnode? The point of this is that having it all on the same level like this: https://www.dropbox.com/s/tpewx1ufu713p4q/Screenshot%202019-02-06%2013.13.45.png?dl=0 is confusing especially with regard to NASes, e.g. on the screenhsot the entry NAS represents media server, but user will hardly realize that it is the DLNA media server called 'NAS' and not the network location of the NAS (Samba/CIFS) available via Network subnode. Another (probably more logical way) is to just remove the media servers and cloud profiles from the 'Folders' node and leave it only under the 'Devices & Services' node. So that 'Folders' is more like MM4's "My Computer" node to eliminate the confusion. Thoughts? EDIT: Another (longstanding issue) is that if user wants to access NAS via Network then he needs to go to into [MM5 > Folders > Network > Microsoft Windows Network > WORKGROUP > NAS] -- while accessing the NAS the same way via 'Windows Explorer' (or Total Commander) is just [Network > NAS]. So the question is, shouldn't we just skip the [Microsoft Windows Network > WORKGROUP] levels ? |
|
|
2) (and 3): Re. the fact that Media Servers are mixed in with Local and Network locations in Folders, perhaps the best approach would be to use one of the nodes for syncable storage, and the other for navigable items. e.g. Sync Locations - Devices (syncable devices) - Storage & Services (syncable storage: Cloud services, music services, local folders) Folders - Local folders - Network locations - Online/Cloud Storage . - Google Drive . - MM Server - DLNA Servers . - Server 1 . - Server 2 The only problem is that for users that rely on DLNA, then they'll have to regularly navigate a couple of levels into the hierarchy to get to their content. So it might be useful to allow them to Pin the server. |
|
|
Re the "Devices & Services" node/view: I would leave it as is, because there are the headings "Devices (+)", "Storage & Services (+)", "Media Servers (+)" making it clear enough. Re the "Folders" node and the additional level of categorization: Why not just use the same categories as we already have in the Add/Rescan -> [Add location....] ? See this screenshot: https://www.dropbox.com/s/1jeap53biglvvfq/D%26S.png?dl=0 As for the problem of additional level for users relying on DLNA: They can still access the server via [Devices & Services] > Plex .... (see the screenshot above) Another alternative is to just remove the media servers and cloud services/storages from the Folders node entirely (like in MM4) as they already are under the Devices & Services node. Anyhow this issue probably isn't so urgent and can be postponed to 5.1 |
|
|
We can defer this for 5.1, but I just wanted to note another thought: maybe the distinction between the different types of content in the different nodes is mostly artificial. Perhaps the only distinction is that the focus on one is navigation of the Devices/Services/Settins whereas in the other, it's navigation of Content. i.e. in all cases, navigate directly to the content without going 'through' the Device configuration screen (providing access to the device config via a shortcut/context menu only). This is pretty much consistent with how a regular drive works: it appears as a folder, and if the user wants to configure it, they can right-click to configure scan settings. As far as the need to categorize Folders, we can, but I'm not sure if it's necessary or if it just adds an unnecessary level of hierarchy (e.g. 10 nodes doesn't seem like too many). |
|
|
My Sample app where you can supply credentials for UNC path or for example change credentials for specific path. This is Especially valuable when accessing linux systems (NAS) where "\\[YOURNAS]\Home" if accessed with different credentials have different content. |
|
|
Update this bug contain and supersede #13743 0010726 |
|
|
Based on offline discussion I removed cloud services that are not folder based from the Folders node (like Spotify) in build 2274 |
