Friday 28 January 2011

What would you change about foobar2000 controller?

Although the app is still in its very early stage, it's pretty usable and maybe it's time to ask the users: "What would you change?" "What do you like?" "What do you hate?" "Which is the best thing about it?"


I want to be sure I'm working in the good way :)

21 comments:

  1. Hello, Sergi.
    First of all, thanks you for your effort and your work about this project.
    To answer to your "what would i change about foobar2000 controller?", i will first say what i wouldn't change ;)
    -your exigence about UI and design thing
    -your open-mindness and "calling into question" (sorry for the google translation)

    Now, what would i change...
    -first, volume control. Maybe you can take example from other foobar remote control that use device volume buttons to control foobar's volume, when the apk is on top. It is quite annoying to have to multipress before accessing the volume.
    -second thing, a better special character support but i supposed this is a limitation of http control 3rd part.
    -next, but very important, HTTP control's Media Library section support.
    -finally, an unlimited playlist item list instead of 250.

    I'm conscious that development takes time, sooo much time. So this is just an quick answer to your question, and not resquests.

    But one thing is floatting in my mind since i discovered your apk, meanwhile i was using another foobar remote solution, and testing 1 or 2 other:
    my question is : why there is not a real commun project from foobar's community to developp an apk taking all those good efforts from you and 2 or 3 other developper to make a perfect apk, instead of developping each one in its side, many foobar's remote apk?
    Your apk is good, and has some feature that other miss, but miss some feature that other have?

    I hope and don't knock your head with my bad english and my suggestion.
    Keep up good work, because real good work has been done already!

    CurtisHead, aka Kabuki in Hydrogen.

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  2. Thanks CurisHead for contributing.
    Don't worry about your english, I'm not english either :)

    I think I've got answers for all your questions.. (and I think I'm about to make you happy).

    Both voluem control and Media Library section features will be ready for the next release. I'm halfway of finish it. I hope I have it finished at the end of next week or so.

    About the special character support, I don't really understand what you mean. If you could give me an example.. Theoritically, it should now support all kind of characters.

    The limit of 250 items per page in the playlist cannot be set to unlimited because of limitations both in Android and httpcontrol. It can be set to higher values but not unlimited. I'll do some test with higher values and try to include it in the next release.

    About the one common app for foobar, I can only talk about me, I don't know the other programmers and I don't know either any "official" programmer of foobar2000.


    At first, I did this app for myself and for testing purposes but I decided to share it with everyone because I think that overall it has more features than the other available features.

    If there must be an official foobar2000 controller app for Android, it should be done by the fooba2000 team. And, as far as I know, they won't.

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  3. Hey Sergi,

    I join CurtisHead's statements and suggestions and I like your answer. I will wait for the new version.

    An additional wish, but I don't know, if it is possible:

    - When you change the volume control, it would be awesome, if you can control the volume even, when the display is locked. Maybe it can work like in standard music player app. And it would be great, if the shaking gestures would work too, when the display is locked. But if its possible, it should be an option.

    I hope you understand, what I mean. And even when it is not possible, I like your app and your kind of working. Your app is in my opinion the best looking and has the nicest control. Also it has the most features - so I'm happy, that you share it with us.

    Kepp Going that way - Thank you!!

    Nice Weekend,
    Martin

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  4. Thanks Martin.

    I'll definetely look into those features with the screen locked!

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  5. Sergi,
    For community plan's comment, it's ok, i am agree with you.
    I understand the "making for my self, but next sharing". I've done the same for other things, and for a foobar UI interface.

    For special character, as example in previous version, ">" was shown as "& g t ; " (without spaces :) )trough your apk. But don't bother with that, i can live with that ;)

    My problem is, i can't use your remote no longer since i've switch to android 2.3.2 (or maybe i'm doing something wrong?)

    I have other floatting idea, more relative to queue and creation of a playlist trough your remote solution "picking" item from here to there, but i don't want to make those though as requests ; you have already many things on fire.

    When your apk will be on official market and you'll receive request of traduction, i could give you help for french traduction, with pleasure.

    Kinds Regards.

    CurtisHead (Kabuki)

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  6. Hi CurstisMead,
    I now know what you mean regarding special characters. I'll take a look at it.

    About creating playlists, what i've implemented now, is the capability of adding elements to the playlists by browsing the files in the computer.

    The issue with the 2.3.x Android version is present since firt release and I'm struggling with it because it's nonsense.. The same function works fine among all Android versions but 2.3.x..
    Knowing that there are users out there using 2.3, I'll have to spend more time trying to fix it.

    Thanks for the help with the translation to French. I definetely wouldn't be able to do that :D

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  7. This app just gets better , love landscape view added in 0.3, could it be possible to add the album title so when viewing in playlist view you know which album it is?

    Sonvolt

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  8. Hi Sonvolt,
    It would be easy. I'll see what I can do for the next version.

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  9. Hi, I like your app.
    Maybe if it is technically possible it will be nice to have possibility to connect with foobar via mobile internet, or some kind of autodetection of new IP adress (because I using my laptop on various wifi networks).
    Thx a Lot

    Lieti

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  10. I second the motion for album title in playlist view. Other than that. Great app! Might have to upgrade to the add free version.

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  11. I'm being a bit busy lately but the album title in the playlist will be available for the next version along with some improvements UI-speedwise.

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  12. Hi there, I don't know where I should post this, so I figured here should be good to go. Anyway, I don't know if this is a bug or not but when I play some song on your remote, the total time for that song is shown as 30+ minutes when the song is only a few minutes.

    http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c212/Ffenixz/Mobile%20Upload/snap20110219_095925.png

    As you can see from the screenshot i took from my phone, the length of that song is supposed to be 1:59 but it is shown as 31:59 at both the progress bar and the blue bar at the top. I hope you can understand my English as English is not my mother tongue.

    Lastly, thank you for developing this application, I use it almost all the time.

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  13. Hi Ffenixz,

    Could you please tell me which phone model, android version and language you are using?

    Thank you.

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  14. I'm using HTC Desire (GSM), Android 2.2 and using English(UK) on the phone.

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  15. What a beautiful app! Thank you for your hard work!

    Please consider:
    1. adding a volume bar to the main page
    2. when a button is being pressed, change the button's color

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  16. Very nice app indeed! 2 wishes:

    - Please, add Media Library browse (by Artist, Album, folder structure).

    - Ability to control the (Master) media volume on the PC. My foobar volume is always on 100%, I feel it's more logical to adjust the master volume of the PC. Could this be an option?

    Thanks for it all :)
    mattias

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  17. Hi Mattias, sorry for the delay.

    The next version (hopefully coming during this week) will add the ability to browse by Artist/Album.

    Using only foobar2000 it's not possible to modify the master volume of the PC. I know how to do it using EventGhost and I may add support to EventGhost actions in a (not near) future.
    Anyway, I think it's more logical to adjust the foobar2000's volume so you can set the music's volume at one level and that doesn't affect to the rest of the applications running in the PC. It's matter of taste, though.

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  18. Cool, didn't know EventGhost. I understand it's a matter of preference and habit.. I might change my habits.. :)

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  19. Great app, thanks!!!
    Please, add Media Library browse (by folder structure).

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    Replies
    1. Hi NEuZ,
      The media library is configurable from HTTP Control preferences, but I haven't figured it a way yet to mimic folder structure in media library.

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  20. I would like to browse "by folder structure" as well...

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