DJ VinylTouch
I currently use the Comment field for my hashtags, for cross software compatility/persistence reasons.
I've noticed, using v2023 b7921 (or any version for which multi-track hashtag modification was introduced), that the User 1 and User 2 fields are very nicely done, allowing selection/deselection from a Drop down menu. The comment field however, only shows/allows for direct editng of one track's hashtags, and doesn't give the impression of multi-track selection.
Shouldn't the feature work for the Comment field too?
At the very least, shouldn't the info window give the impression of multi-track selection in all of the fields it is showing (similar to the Tag editor)?
I've noticed, using v2023 b7921 (or any version for which multi-track hashtag modification was introduced), that the User 1 and User 2 fields are very nicely done, allowing selection/deselection from a Drop down menu. The comment field however, only shows/allows for direct editng of one track's hashtags, and doesn't give the impression of multi-track selection.
Shouldn't the feature work for the Comment field too?
At the very least, shouldn't the info window give the impression of multi-track selection in all of the fields it is showing (similar to the Tag editor)?
Posted Wed 28 Feb 24 @ 5:01 pm
PhantomDeejay
I don't understand what you're asking.
The "Comments" field is not really meant to be used for VirtualDJ's hashtag functionality.
User1 and User2 fields are.
"Comments" field is a far too generic text field that each user can use to store literally any information they desire.
I know that if you click the "Comment" text on the INFO panel to set a comment the window gives "tags" examples, but that's quite more broad and generic than the dedicated fields, and it's just that: example of what you can put on the comments field and a way to advertise hashtags.
The idea is that if you use a few hashtags on comments and you like their functionality then you migrate to use the full hashtag functionality from user1/user2 fields.
That was done because most users by default would not bother to explore the various tag fields and the options they offer. So it's an indermediate way to get their interest and possibly discover the hashtag functionality.
Other than that, multi edit of almost any field besides user1/user2 and genre doesn't make sense to have on the "INFO" side panel (if that's what you're asking)
For 99,9% of users and 99.9% of cases, you will not need to mass edit any other fields besides the 3 mentioned above.
Finally, you should consider the ability to edit some fileds of a track from the INFO panel as a bonus.
The INFO panel was not designed as an inline Tag Editor.
Some Editing functionality has been added over the years, but still the best way to edit tags (and especially in mass) is the Tag Editor.
Of course you can ask for the INFO panel to get converted to a full blown inline Tag Editor of sorts. But that's irrelevant of how hashtags work in VirtualDJ
The "Comments" field is not really meant to be used for VirtualDJ's hashtag functionality.
User1 and User2 fields are.
"Comments" field is a far too generic text field that each user can use to store literally any information they desire.
I know that if you click the "Comment" text on the INFO panel to set a comment the window gives "tags" examples, but that's quite more broad and generic than the dedicated fields, and it's just that: example of what you can put on the comments field and a way to advertise hashtags.
The idea is that if you use a few hashtags on comments and you like their functionality then you migrate to use the full hashtag functionality from user1/user2 fields.
That was done because most users by default would not bother to explore the various tag fields and the options they offer. So it's an indermediate way to get their interest and possibly discover the hashtag functionality.
Other than that, multi edit of almost any field besides user1/user2 and genre doesn't make sense to have on the "INFO" side panel (if that's what you're asking)
For 99,9% of users and 99.9% of cases, you will not need to mass edit any other fields besides the 3 mentioned above.
Finally, you should consider the ability to edit some fileds of a track from the INFO panel as a bonus.
The INFO panel was not designed as an inline Tag Editor.
Some Editing functionality has been added over the years, but still the best way to edit tags (and especially in mass) is the Tag Editor.
Of course you can ask for the INFO panel to get converted to a full blown inline Tag Editor of sorts. But that's irrelevant of how hashtags work in VirtualDJ
Posted Wed 28 Feb 24 @ 10:29 pm
DJ VinylTouch
So @PhantomDeejay I'm,sorry but I thought my question was pretty clear cut the way it was put.
Since the introduction of hashtags in VirtualDJ, it was possible to use the comment field with it (quick filter button + regular filter folders). The initial summer 2021 report of the functionally even referred to the "Comment fields" as the place to use them.
The current documention for the file info panel only describes the user 1 and user 2 fields for the functionality (it doesn't even currently describe the comment field even though it's there), but to this date the comment field can still be used for it, including conversion to a quick filter button. Users can choose to repurpose User 1 and User 2 for something else (there is at least one
forum post from a user describing just this)...they are general purpose fields too. I use the comment field as, being a standard field, it is readily accessible to tools outside of VirtualDJ.
So when you say that the Comment field wasn't meant for hashtags I'm confused...VirtualDJ currently presents functionality to appear like it can be used there (quick filter button), but we aren't supposed to use it?
With respect to the other comments on the file info browser, I guess you guys have overloaded it's functionality, because now you have a mix of fields that are aware of multi track selection and some that aren't.
To me that is a little confusing if it was meant to be a one track preview type browser (or maybe I'm misunderstanding it's purpose...I honestly don't use it very much). I don't really have a feeling for or against it becoming closer to what the Tag editor is, the curiosity was an extension from the original question.
In summary, all I'm asking is, in the file info browser, why is the Comment field treated differently in this case (multi track hashtag editing), while it's allowed to benefit from hashtag processing otherwise (a quickfilter button). I don't think I'm the only person using hashtags in this way (from the comments field), given the initial feature report and the quickfilter functionality still being available.
Is there any other obvious gain to using the VirtualDJ specific user fields (compared to the loss of file persistence/outside tool processing use)?
Have I been using the feature wrong all of this time?
Since the introduction of hashtags in VirtualDJ, it was possible to use the comment field with it (quick filter button + regular filter folders). The initial summer 2021 report of the functionally even referred to the "Comment fields" as the place to use them.
The current documention for the file info panel only describes the user 1 and user 2 fields for the functionality (it doesn't even currently describe the comment field even though it's there), but to this date the comment field can still be used for it, including conversion to a quick filter button. Users can choose to repurpose User 1 and User 2 for something else (there is at least one
forum post from a user describing just this)...they are general purpose fields too. I use the comment field as, being a standard field, it is readily accessible to tools outside of VirtualDJ.
So when you say that the Comment field wasn't meant for hashtags I'm confused...VirtualDJ currently presents functionality to appear like it can be used there (quick filter button), but we aren't supposed to use it?
With respect to the other comments on the file info browser, I guess you guys have overloaded it's functionality, because now you have a mix of fields that are aware of multi track selection and some that aren't.
To me that is a little confusing if it was meant to be a one track preview type browser (or maybe I'm misunderstanding it's purpose...I honestly don't use it very much). I don't really have a feeling for or against it becoming closer to what the Tag editor is, the curiosity was an extension from the original question.
In summary, all I'm asking is, in the file info browser, why is the Comment field treated differently in this case (multi track hashtag editing), while it's allowed to benefit from hashtag processing otherwise (a quickfilter button). I don't think I'm the only person using hashtags in this way (from the comments field), given the initial feature report and the quickfilter functionality still being available.
Is there any other obvious gain to using the VirtualDJ specific user fields (compared to the loss of file persistence/outside tool processing use)?
Have I been using the feature wrong all of this time?
Posted Thu 29 Feb 24 @ 1:31 am
PhantomDeejay
User1/User2 fields have received special treatment for hashtags.
You can:
1) Rename them, and the new name will appear everywhere in VirtualDJ
2) Specify lists for each one of them with popular hashtags so that you can quickly pick the ones you want
3) You can add/remove a hashtag by simply clicking on an item on the drop down menu
4) The drop down menu also auto populates items that are outside your favorites hashtags list, but exist on the list you're browsing.
5) You can use the INFO side panel to quickly set hashtags much more easily via drop down menus.
6) Use "LIST" as a quickfilter on them to quickly select between different hashtags.
Now:
Yes, users can repurpose their user1/user2 fields to hold any information they want. After all, that's why these fields exist. To store whatever the user wants!
However, keep in mind that "Comment" field is magnitude of times more common to be used for hundreds of different purposes than a specially designed / assigned field.
I'm not saying that you cannot or that you should not use comment field for hashtags.
I'm saying that if you're heavy into hashtags then you should be using user1/user2 fields instead.
Consider them to be hashtag on steroids in terms of functionality.
Finally, sometimes I will ask what a user wants/needs because English is not my mother language, and I may have not understood correctly. Most of the times, while I'm asking for more info, I try to provide as much info (or answers) as well on whatever I think I understood, in case that helps the user to get the answer he wants/needs.
Sometimes this may come out as a negative process, but it's not that. For example in my previous post, I didn't question what you said and what you do, nor I'm trying to tell you to change ways.
I genuinely didn't understand your "request" so that I could see if I could help to provide a temporary/alternative solution, or advocate for a software change somewhere.
Just keep that in mind..
PS2:
.png)
This is a screen capture of the INFO panel clicking the User1 field which is dedicated to hashtags in my case. Also it has been renamed. Don't mind the Greek text. It's just to demonstrate what I meant that User1/User2 fields are what you should want to use if you are heavy into tags.
You can:
1) Rename them, and the new name will appear everywhere in VirtualDJ
2) Specify lists for each one of them with popular hashtags so that you can quickly pick the ones you want
3) You can add/remove a hashtag by simply clicking on an item on the drop down menu
4) The drop down menu also auto populates items that are outside your favorites hashtags list, but exist on the list you're browsing.
5) You can use the INFO side panel to quickly set hashtags much more easily via drop down menus.
6) Use "LIST" as a quickfilter on them to quickly select between different hashtags.
Now:
Yes, users can repurpose their user1/user2 fields to hold any information they want. After all, that's why these fields exist. To store whatever the user wants!
However, keep in mind that "Comment" field is magnitude of times more common to be used for hundreds of different purposes than a specially designed / assigned field.
I'm not saying that you cannot or that you should not use comment field for hashtags.
I'm saying that if you're heavy into hashtags then you should be using user1/user2 fields instead.
Consider them to be hashtag on steroids in terms of functionality.
Finally, sometimes I will ask what a user wants/needs because English is not my mother language, and I may have not understood correctly. Most of the times, while I'm asking for more info, I try to provide as much info (or answers) as well on whatever I think I understood, in case that helps the user to get the answer he wants/needs.
Sometimes this may come out as a negative process, but it's not that. For example in my previous post, I didn't question what you said and what you do, nor I'm trying to tell you to change ways.
I genuinely didn't understand your "request" so that I could see if I could help to provide a temporary/alternative solution, or advocate for a software change somewhere.
Just keep that in mind..
PS2:
This is a screen capture of the INFO panel clicking the User1 field which is dedicated to hashtags in my case. Also it has been renamed. Don't mind the Greek text. It's just to demonstrate what I meant that User1/User2 fields are what you should want to use if you are heavy into tags.
Posted Thu 29 Feb 24 @ 8:24 am
DJ VinylTouch
@PhantomDeejay no worries, I honestly didn't take what you said negatively...I thought I wasn't clear enough so I expanded on it a bit more.
I was moreso concerned with the reason for the difference and if I was truly missing out by using it with the Comment field.
From what you have described I see the benefit from the VirtualDJ perspective but I do use other tools that directly benefit from it being in the Comment field, so I will probably continue using it there, at least for the short term, until I figure out the changes required to use the dedicated fields.
Thank you for the clarifications 🍺
I was moreso concerned with the reason for the difference and if I was truly missing out by using it with the Comment field.
From what you have described I see the benefit from the VirtualDJ perspective but I do use other tools that directly benefit from it being in the Comment field, so I will probably continue using it there, at least for the short term, until I figure out the changes required to use the dedicated fields.
Thank you for the clarifications 🍺
Posted Thu 29 Feb 24 @ 3:59 pm