In the menus? MP3 sort by track

[Daddy-O]

Long time vinyl listener here, albums just don't quite sound right out of order!

For a couple of hours I've been through my Rockbox 3.13 Sansa Clip 2GB menus, and searched the Audio Playback, Database and Playlists Forum and I can't find a way to:

Display songs by track number order
Play songs in track number

I've found and tested sorting options in the menu but none of them worked.  After reading forum threads here it looks like people use track # sorting but they've run into issues like triple digits and handling leading zeros. 

My music is custom tagged by me using Mp3tag and the tags are reliable on other devices and software. 

Will I need to resort to playlists?

[saratoga]

First, you're running a 3 year old build.  Update.

Second, if you go to the file browser, files are sorted alphabetically.  If you go to the database, they're sorted by tag.  It sounds like you want to use the database.

[Daddy-O]

You beat me to it, thanks!  I was hoping to write a "thanks but never mind" post.

Notice I didn't mention reading the manual.  So I cracked the manual as soon as I found it.  YES, I was in file browser.  Database view is perfect.

As for my build, when I am at the root of this website and click "release" under downloads in the top left corner it links to a page that starts with "Rockbox 3.13 Rockbox 3.13 was released on 05 March 2013."  ---I thought that was the latest build.   ---Suggestions?

[saratoga]

We haven't gotten around to doing a new release in years, so you should grab the current build instead, which is updated constantly.

[Daddy-O]

As well as everything is maintained around here I'll take it for granted it's stable.  Already downloaded it. --Thanks

[Daddy-O]

Is there a "best practices" or SOP list documented anywhere?

In my brief exposure to this excellent software a page of one-liners would have saved me several hours of initiation.  Some things I've done right long before coming into the affair, like 1 album : 1 directory.  Some things my experience led me to the general area.  But some things are going to be SOP from here on out, like Rockbox>Settings>General Settings>Database>Update Now.  I get how some frequent tasks need to be buried deep, it is logical, but a hint would take a few degrees off the learning slope.

Another thing is to recommend people find a good tagging utility and take up the hobby of tagging their own collection even if they use a service to start the process.  Heaven forbid if they don't turn off "retrieve data from the internet" in most players.  I've been tagging music for years and I'm certain bringing that intimacy into this process was critical.

After I update to Rockbox v.2 I'll check in, probably with nothing but praise.

[saratoga]

There is a user manual.

Also the database updates automatically.

[Daddy-O]

It may well be the ancient version I'm running too.  So I'll update.

Originally I had about 20 lines of anomalous behavior that disappeared when I ran Update Now.  Then I edited those out because the problem was fixed.

The brief document I describe is a tip sheet, an informal checklist.  I'd be glad to submit one for approval if you think it stands a chance of being published.

[[Saint]]

It isn't clear to me if you've understood that you shouldn't be using the release build. You should be using the development build.

We would prefer to address user issues on a case by case basis as opposed to providing a blanket checklist which by its very nature would contain many superfluous actions for any given case.

If you like, you may think of our "SOP" as being a checklist containing precisely one item:

"If you have read the manual and failed to rectify your issue(s), contact support staff via IRC or the forums".


[Saint]

[Daddy-O]

Yes, I understood that the dev build was the way to go, but thanks for the clarification.

It's difficult for me to express the degree to which I appreciate this software.  To appreciate like one appreciates a work, not a gift.

That includes the manual.  You may notice that an hour and three minutes after my initial post I reported I had found the manual and solved the issue.  I appreciate a good manual.  I don't like to ask a question that's been answered.  There is nothing like a well maintained manual. 

My hat's off to you.

[chrisjj]

There is nothing like a well maintained manual. 

Agreed. And Rockbox has nothing like a well-maintained manual.

For the current release build, many of the target versions listed as "having a complete manual" have no manual at all.

And for development builds, the manuals have been somewhat left behind, due to years of the project admitting code updates that are missing a corresponding manual update.

You can sort of see why there's been no stable release for three years, and no sign of intent for one in the future, and why here you got some people directing you away from the official release and towards daily development builds which "at times .... may be buggy or even unusable".

I think Rockbox is great, but it would be much better if it had a policy of keeping a current manual.

The brief document I describe is a tip sheet, an informal checklist.  I'd be glad to submit one for approval if you think it stands a chance of being published.

Sounds like a great idea to me. You can publish it yourself at https://www.rockbox.org/wiki/ .