Suggested Tree menu button adjustments

[DaledeSilva]

I have some suggestions on how to better improve the functions of the buttons on the iPod when within the File Browser and setting tree.

I use an iPod Photo, therefore, I can only comment on the button mapping of this player, though I would imagine some others may be currently working similar to this (or not).

Below I have started by listing what certain buttons do in both the “File Browser” view and the “Main Menu” view. The “File Browser” view also includes the ID3 tag database tree view.

File Browser:
Menu:      goes to “Main Menu”
Prev:      goes back a level (on root level, does nothing)
Next:      moves forward a level (starts playback if on file)
Play:      goes back to WPS screen
Select:      moves forward a level (starts playback if on file)

Main Menu:
Menu:      goes back to WPS or “File Browser” (whichever was accessed last)
Prev:      goes back a level (on root level, goes to WPS or “File Browser” as above)
Next:      moves forward a level (or selects an option)
Play:      does nothing
Select:      selects an option

Based on what’s listed above, the following functionality is inconsistent and often confusing:

‘Play’ in “File Browser” allows you to quickly get back to the WPS screen, but ‘Play’ in the “Main Menu” doesn’t do anything. – Both should act like the “File Browser”. (this would also allow the “Main Menu” to remember it’s place instead of always starting in the root)

‘Prev’ in “File Browser”, when on the root level, does nothing, but ‘Prev’ in the “Main Menu”, when on the root level, goes back to WPS. – Both should act like the “File Browser” (see explanation below).
Explanation: If ‘Play’ in both trees takes you back to the WPS screen as suggested, then there is no need for another button that does it. If you are a few levels deep in a tree and want to get back quickly to the root, you click the back button constantly until you find yourself back in the root.. but at the moment, if you press it too many times, you end up back at the WPS screen instead.

The last suggestion, while coming from an efficiency and extra functionality point of view, is still partly a ‘personal preference’.
‘Next’ in the “File Browser” and the “Main Menu” will move forward into branches of the tree, but it will also select options and start songs. It would be better if selecting options and starting songs was limited to the ‘Select’ button. Therefore, it would not be possible to accidentally start a song (if you think it is another directory) by pressing next on it (as it won’t do anything unless it IS a directory).

Second to this, there are then two options. The ‘Select’ button could then remain multi-purpose (so those who wish to use this button can move forward in the tree AND select files with the one button), OR, the select button can be dedicated only to beginning playback or selecting options. While this second method doesn’t allow the two different methods of working, it does allow for another function. It means the while pressing ‘Next’ on a directory will open it, pressing ‘Play’ on the directory will start it playing without having to move into it.

To summarize this last section:

File Browser:
Next:      move forward a directory (do not start files playing)
Select:      start files (or directories) playing
Play:      return to WPS

Main Menu:
Next:      move forward a level (do not select options)
Select:      select options
Play:      return to WPS

Lastly, if all or some of this were implemented, since the ‘Play’ button would always take you back to the WPS screen, the ‘Menu’ (while on the File Browser or Main Menu), could always switch between the File Browser and the Main Menu.

If you have read this far.. please comment on whether you agree and please let me know where I should post this in order to put it into action.

Thanks,
Dale.

[Llorean]

A note: Prev doesn't always go back to the WPS from the menu. It goes back to where you called the menu from.

[Febs]

First, I think that your suggestion would be much easier to follow and better presented if you used the Rockbox terminology.  The "File Tree" is known in Rockbox as the "File Browser."  What you refer to as the "Settings Tree" is known as the Main Menu.

Second, I agree with you about functionality for the Play button within the Main Menu.  Take a look at the patchtracker at Patch 5294, an existing patch which implements several of the suggestions that you make.  You should also read through the "Press LEFT to get to the WPS thread," which contains discussion of many of the same ideas that you have presented.

[DaledeSilva]

Llorean, thanks for the note... I already commented on that for the Menu button but didn't think of it for the Prev...
Thanks Febs, I'll make your changes too... glad to hear it's already in discussion though.

Dale.