Custom View Question (1 Viewer)

[Two_toNe]

I searched & did not see anything related to my issue. I have my start view as Genre. When in this screen, if I press Esc it goes to All Files view instead of going back to my MediaPortal home page. Is there a way to fix this or am I SOL?

 

[Dadeo]

I can confirm @Two_toNe and I would agree it is a bug -

1. If you do not select "Always use start settings' when you press Esc it returns to Views Menu even if you never viewed it
2. If you select "Always use start settings' and press Esc it goes to Films list

If @Guzzi concurs, please add an issue to the tracker. Thanks for reporting!

 

[Guzzi]

Actually, it is not really a bug, it is intended behaviour/feature (at least partially...):

I can confirm @Two_toNe and I would agree it is a bug -

1. If you do not select "Always use start settings' when you press Esc it returns to Views Menu even if you never viewed it
2. If you select "Always use start settings' and press Esc it goes to Films list
   

If @Guzzi concurs, please add an issue to the tracker. Thanks for reporting!

When you start MyFilms with a start setting, that is "deeper" in the hierarchy, like a category or a filtered film list in a category and then use the backnavigation, it uses the default backnavigation, resulting in "going up" the hierarchy.
That is intended behaviour, as this is the only way to get to the rest of your movies without switching via options (just imagine you use a start view that results in a filtered list with only one movie).
What is imho inconsistant is that it once returns to menu, but the other time to film list.
But all that doesn't help for initial report.
So we need a decision, if the behaviour should be changed, so it does always return from where it came and NOT do any "back navigation rules".
iirc. Dadeo did also not want that and requested to return to film list in such cases... ?
That would result in:
- A lot of simplification, as all backnavigation rules could be removed from code
- Users would have to use the hidden menu to access their catalog - there is no other way left (as it is today using the "baclnavigation")
- We might get user reports about difficulties to access the movies

I am personally open to any direction, as I use the menu as start view - so I am not affected ;-)

So before filing an issue, I need to know where to go..

 

[TLD]

I think it's right as it is, but i normally use the files view. When i use another view like length or category, after i'm done with that view i want to be able to back nav with the back button on the remote to get back to films view.

Is there a way to put an exit button in the menu so you can just exit MF from where ever you are.

 

[Guzzi]

I think it's right as it is, but i normally use the files view. When i use another view like length or category, after i'm done with that view i want to be able to back nav with the back button on the remote to get back to films view.

Is there a way to put an exit button in the menu so you can just exit MF from where ever you are.

I think we don't need a "MyFilms" button for that - it is the "Home" from MePo - that'll bring you "home" from whereever you are - and when you enter myfilms, you'll be back where you left (or if you selected "altways use default view" start in default view again).
The "home" is launched by the green button on remote.
@Dadeo: I think it is skinners decision to add that as a button, right?

 

[TLD]

Thanks Guzzi I didn't know that.

 

[Two_toNe]

Would it be possible to have it both ways? Maybe like an option to return to the home menu or move back up the hierarchy. Maybe a check to see if the current menu is the start-up menu & return it to the home screen, otherwise move up the menu hierarchy.

This the only thing that is keeping me from using this plugin. I personally feel this is a far better plugin than MovingPictures, but it is a media center that is used by my family & needs to idiot proof.

 

[Dadeo]

So we need a decision, if the behaviour should be changed, so it does always return from where it came and NOT do any "back navigation rules".
iirc. Dadeo did also not want that and requested to return to film list in such cases... ?

I only wanted to return to Film list when Films list is the start view NOT to the Views menu if I have never viewed it.
Like TLD I am also fine with current behaviour because I use Films as start view. However I agree with you Guzzi that the behaviour when using a View other than Views Menu or Films View, is not intuitive or consistent.

What do you mean Guzzi by 'always return from where it came and NOT do any "back navigation rules"'?

Examples:

• Set start view to Views Menu > Open MF to Views menu, select a view, select a film list > back goes from film list to view, back again goes to Views Menu, back again goes to MP Home (or previous window if you jumped from TV Series like I often do) - open MF again and it goes to Views menu
• Set start view to Films List (maybe even unwatched filter) > Open MF to [filtered] film list > back exits MF to MP home or previous window
• Set start view to Category View (filtered or not) > open MF to Category View > open a category like Action movies film list > press back goes to Category View > press back again > exits MP

Is that what you meant? And would there be any difference if you select 'Always use Start settings' or not?

Re the Home button - skins have already added it to topbar. MP standard navigation is: if you use a remote, press Green key to go home, if you use keyboard "h", if you use mouse or touch screen - move to top of screen to access topbar and press the home button.

@Two_toNe - I'm not sure why the home button is not 'idiot proof' - isn't that what you use almost everywhere in MP? So I'm not 100% clear what you mean by have it 'both ways' since it seems to me you already do. However, I do agree the back button should not go to a view you have never viewed.

 

[Guzzi]

So we need a decision, if the behaviour should be changed, so it does always return from where it came and NOT do any "back navigation rules".
iirc. Dadeo did also not want that and requested to return to film list in such cases... ?

I only wanted to return to Film list when Films list is the start view NOT to the Views menu if I have never viewed it.
Like TLD I am also fine with current behaviour because I use Films as start view. However I agree with you Guzzi that the behaviour when using a View other than Views Menu or Films View, is not intuitive or consistent.

What do you mean Guzzi by 'always return from where it came and NOT do any "back navigation rules"'?

In the past, we did the backnavigation only by back navigation rules - so same as forward navigation - telling MyFilms what to do, when "back" is selected.
We now replaced that mostly with the backnavigation queue, so in most cases, the last state from the navigation queue is used - except in the few rare cases, were that queue is empty and we do NOT want to quit immideately - as those cases we discuss here.

Examples:

• Set start view to Views Menu > Open MF to Views menu, select a view, select a film list > back goes from film list to view, back again goes to Views Menu, back again goes to MP Home (or previous window if you jumped from TV Series like I often do) - open MF again and it goes to Views menu

• 
  All handled by back navigation queue, no rules involved.
  

  [*]Set start view to Films List (maybe even unwatched filter) > Open MF to [filtered] film list > back exits MF to MP home or previous window

  Setting the filter resets the navigation queue - but as you were at "top level", also no back navigation rules were used.
  We handle both "menu" and "film list" as possible "root nodes"...
  

  [*]Set start view to Category View (filtered or not) > open MF to Category View > open a category like Action movies film list > press back goes to Category View > press back again > exits MP

  This is, when back navigation rule today would apply - it would return to root node (film list or menu).

Is that what you meant? And would there be any difference if you select 'Always use Start settings' or not?

Yes, that's what I meant. No difference about always settings.

Actually, the reason, we left the backnavigation rules in there for start levels deeper than root nodes is to give the user the possibility to use such start view, but still being able to browse anything from there. If we drop that, user would have to manually choose another view from hidden menu and continue browsing from there.

Re the Home button - skins have already added it to topbar. MP standard navigation is: if you use a remote, press Green key to go home, if you use keyboard "h", if you use mouse or touch screen - move to top of screen to access topbar and press the home button.

@Two_toNe - I'm not sure why the home button is not 'idiot proof' - isn't that what you use almost everywhere in MP? So I'm not 100% clear what you mean by have it 'both ways' since it seems to me you already do. However, I do agree the back button should not go to a view you have never viewed.

See my comments above. As I said before, I personally have no problem changing it to that - it makes internal handling easier and we can get rid of the backnavigation rules - and thus probably more, that we had to use in the past for all those complicated relations.
And users CAN always use menu as start node, if they want easy access to all views etc. - with next feature release the start view can even be set in GUI, so it can be changed "on the fly"

 

[Dadeo]

If we drop that, user would have to manually choose another view from hidden menu and continue browsing from there.

Why? If you select Views Menu as start view, then go to a view, then film list the back navigation queue would return up the hierarchy right?
If you select Category View as start view, then yes, you don't get to Views Menu unless you select it - imo that is 'expected'.
So IIUC I vote yes! but I reserve the right to change my mind if I test it and it does not work the way I expect, as outlined above