Why does playlist insert replace the current playlist when stopped?

[Llorean]

STOP allows you to open large image files, gameboy games, or use other plugins that require use of the audio buffer. PAUSE returns an error message when you attempt this.

And for those already in the know, PAUSE means that 'Insert' adds to the current playlist, STOP means that 'Insert' starts a new one. There are are lot of people used to this behaviour, partially based on the number of times I've had people ask how to clear the playlist just to reveal to them it already is as long as you've pressed stop.

[bascule]

Personally, I think the current behaviour is fine and quite understandable. The difference in the context menu also serves as a reminder (for me, at least) of which state the player is in and allows me to correct a potentially erroneous insert.

[Llorean]

What could be done is to have "Play" be at the top of the context menu, which plays JUST the highlighted song now. "Insert" inserts without starting playback.

Insert when music is stopped inserts into a blank playlist.

To "fill" a playlist before manipulating it (such as if I want to edit bob.m3u) I Insert bob.m3u, thus loading it, then manipulate it without playback starting.

Pressing stop again, while already stopped, once more "clears" the playlist making the next insert able to wipe it.

During all of this, "Play/Pause" will either resume the last playlist (if the current one is "empty" because of a press of stop) or begin playing the playlist that is being constructed.

[cc]

functionally speaking, I think there's no reason not to always preserve the audio buffer, but if Paused, allow a plugin to empty it if necessary.

This seems like the perfect solution to me - that way pause and stop can be merged, playlist editing will always be the same and the UI doesn't have any wrinkles caused by plugins sharing the audio buffer.

[DefineByte]

Rather then needing to use the context menu could you move some functionality onto single and double presses of the select button (or are double presses problematic on some players?)?

[bascule]

(or are double presses problematic on some players?)?

...most players, I would say (being the owner of four different ones).

The buttons are mostly just not made for it and it would be very unergonomic (IMHO)

[Llorean]

There are people who already have a problem with short and long presses, because they press the button too slowly to register as a short press.

Adding a third option into the mix, double press, will (in my opinion) be a step away from making things more usable, not toward.

[DefineByte]

You wouldn't be making anything less useable (unless you think accidental double presses are likely. Possible I guess) because you'd only be adding a feature, not taking anything away. It's up to the user whether they use it or not.

Fair enough if most players wouldn't work well with it though.

[Llorean]

You suggested "moving" the functionality, as an alternative to having it in the context menu. Your phrasing suggested that it would only be accessible via double click.

But yes, accidental double clicks are also a real possibility as well. So in both cases, I'm still against it.

[DefineByte]

I can see why you'd read it as such but it wasn't what I intended.

[cc]

Not starting playback on the first insert is fine, but Play and Pause will become the same button, functionally. The only difference will be whether the audio buffer is preserved or not, and functionally speaking, I think there's no reason not to always preserve the audio buffer, but if Paused, allow a plugin to empty it if necessary.

I looked at the code. Am I correct in thinking that the "plugin empties the buffer if necessary" functionality is already there? plugin_get_audio_buffer calls audio_stop before it returns the buffer.

[Llorean]

There are plugins that refuse to start if audio is playing, rather than forcing a stop though.

[fml2]

Hmm... while browsing through the forums, I've found the following quotes about the consistency:

I guess I just don't understand why people see "convenience" being so much more important than consistency.

And this:

so I still really don't see any benefit to your method other than what can be interpreted as "Consistency."

Is that the consistency? :-)

[Llorean]

Notice I said "What CAN be interpreted as consistency" making it somewhat clear that to me it's rather dubious whether this is consistency or not.

Read my words carefully, and you'll notice that often the choices I make are important.

I think it'd be consistent that the playlist isn't there when stopped, rather than it being consistent that Pause and Stop are actually the same state, just with different names (as the words do not actually mean the same thing).

[cc]

There are plugins that refuse to start if audio is playing, rather than forcing a stop though.

Could someone point me in the direction of a plugin that does this? I want to see what it does and I can't find one - the nearest is the jpeg viewer which gives you a choice before stopping the audio.

Also, is it platform specific?

(PS Llorean, any chance of unlocking that thread on the insert order? Or should I start another one?)