a "default writes" for filter function in Music.app?

[Tim Lance]

iTunes had a filter field in the upper right. In Music you can make it appear
by hitting option-command-F or go to menubar>View>Show Filter Field. But once
you quit Music the next time you start it you must invoke the field again.

I am not referring to the visible “Search” on the left, at the top of the
sidebar. Using this search you also search all of Apple music. I only want my
own library. Even the iOS app lets you toggle with one click.

The only thing I can think to make it permanent, since there is not a
Preferences option, is a default writes command if such exists. Anyone knows
if there is one?

Thanks for any consideration.

[Jolly Roger]

You can do this by running an AppleScript application at login that
waits for the Music app to launch and then clicks the "Show Filter
Field" menu command.

Your AppleScript app would utilize the "on idle" handler to periodically
get a list of running apps, and then when "Music" appears in the list,
click the menu with: tell app "System Events" to tell application
process "Music" to click menu item "Show Filter Field" of menu "View" of
menu bar item "View" of menu bar 1

--
E-mail sent to this address may be devoured by my ravenous SPAM filter.
I often ignore posts from Google. Use a real news client instead.

JR

[Tim Lance]

On Sep 15, 2022, Jolly Roger wrote
(in article <joici5...@mid.individual.net>):

> On 2022-09-16, Tim Lance<n...@here.org> wrote:
> >
> > iTunes had a filter field in the upper right. In Music you can make it
> > appear by hitting option-command-F or go to menubar>View>Show Filter
> > Field. But once you quit Music the next time you start it you must
> > invoke the field again.
> >
> > I am not referring to the visible “Search” on the left, at the top of
> > the sidebar. Using this search you also search all of Apple music. I
> > only want my own library. Even the iOS app lets you toggle with one
> > click.
> >
> > The only thing I can think to make it permanent, since there is not a
> > Preferences option, is a default writes command if such exists. Anyone
> > knows if there is one?
> >
> > Thanks for any consideration.
>
> You can do this by running an AppleScript application at login that
> waits for the Music app to launch and then clicks the "Show Filter
> Field" menu command.
>
> Your AppleScript app would utilize the "on idle" handler to periodically
> get a list of running apps, and then when "Music" appears in the list,
> click the menu with: tell app "System Events" to tell application
> process "Music" to click menu item "Show Filter Field" of menu "View" of
> menu bar item "View" of menu bar 1

Aw, nuts! Thanks much, JR. But after 10 minutes of my feeble scripting skills
(i.e.none) I gave up. More, it dawned on me that even though having it always
be there would be optimal, and “right”, hitting a simple keystroke just
isn’t so hard.

Pisses me off at Apple and still *wish* it was like in the old days. So I’m
thinking my original post was whining/venting and I appreciate your not
giving me grief for it.

—

t

[Jolly Roger]

I could probably whip something up, but I too have to wonder if it's
worth the time.

For me, I typically go straight to the "Songs" view and drill down to
the artist and album I want from there in the column browser. I wouldn't
filter regularly enough for this to matter much to me.

> Pisses me off at Apple and still *wish* it was like in the old days.
> So I’m thinking my original post was whining/venting and I appreciate
> your not giving me grief for it.

To be fair, there are metric tons of legitimate complaints about various
features of iTunes & Music where the UI falls flat on its face and could
definitely be improved. : )

[Tim Lance]

On Sep 16, 2022, Jolly Roger wrote
(in article <jok3km...@mid.individual.net>):

Thanks, but not not worth it. It’s like when you say something out loud and
at some point realize it was stupid or ill advised.

>
> For me, I typically go straight to the "Songs" view and drill down to
> the artist and album I want from there in the column browser. I wouldn't
> filter regularly enough for this to matter much to me.

That’s often my method, too. But I have 1900+ artists so there’s quite a
bit of scrolling.

>
>
> > Pisses me off at Apple and still *wish* it was like in the old days.
> > So I’m thinking my original post was whining/venting and I appreciate
> > your not giving me grief for it.
>
> To be fair, there are metric tons of legitimate complaints about various
> features of iTunes & Music where the UI falls flat on its face and could
> definitely be improved. : )

Absolutely. FYI the beta version of Decibel v2 is getting extremely mature.

Again, thanks, JR.

—

t

[Tim Lance]

On Sep 16, 2022, Tim Lance wrote
(in article <0B6VK.432714$iiS8....@fx17.iad>):

Not that my ears are golden! (re: Decibel)

—

t

[Jolly Roger]

On 2022-09-16, Tim Lance <n...@here.org> wrote:
> On Sep 16, 2022, Jolly Roger wrote
> (in article <jok3km...@mid.individual.net>):
>> On 2022-09-16, Tim Lance<n...@here.org> wrote:
>> >
>> > Aw, nuts! Thanks much, JR. But after 10 minutes of my feeble
>> > scripting skills (i.e.none) I gave up. More, it dawned on me that
>> > even though having it always be there would be optimal, and
>> > “right”, hitting a simple keystroke just isn’t so hard.
>>
>> I could probably whip something up, but I too have to wonder if it's
>> worth the time.
>
> Thanks, but not not worth it. It’s like when you say something out
> loud and at some point realize it was stupid or ill advised.
>>
>> For me, I typically go straight to the "Songs" view and drill down to
>> the artist and album I want from there in the column browser. I
>> wouldn't filter regularly enough for this to matter much to me.
>
> That’s often my method, too. But I have 1900+ artists so there’s quite
> a bit of scrolling.

Wow, that dwarfs my 247 artists. : ) One thing that helps is selecting
the "All (247) Artists" item at the top of the artist list, then typing
a few letters of the artist I'm looking for to select it. Have you tried
that?

>> > Pisses me off at Apple and still *wish* it was like in the old
>> > days. So I’m thinking my original post was whining/venting and I
>> > appreciate your not giving me grief for it.
>>
>> To be fair, there are metric tons of legitimate complaints about
>> various features of iTunes & Music where the UI falls flat on its
>> face and could definitely be improved. : )
>
> Absolutely. FYI the beta version of Decibel v2 is getting extremely
> mature.

This is the first I've heard of it, so I'll check it out. Thanks!

[Tim Lance]

On Sep 17, 2022, Jolly Roger wrote
(in article <jom3t0...@mid.individual.net>):

> On 2022-09-16, Tim Lance<n...@here.org> wrote:
> > On Sep 16, 2022, Jolly Roger wrote
> > (in article <jok3km...@mid.individual.net>):
> > > On 2022-09-16, Tim Lance<n...@here.org> wrote:
> > > >
> > > > Aw, nuts! Thanks much, JR. But after 10 minutes of my feeble
> > > > scripting skills (i.e.none) I gave up. More, it dawned on me that
> > > > even though having it always be there would be optimal, and
> > > > “right”, hitting a simple keystroke just isn’t so hard.
> > >
> > > I could probably whip something up, but I too have to wonder if it's
> > > worth the time.
> >
> > Thanks, but not not worth it. It’s like when you say something out
> > loud and at some point realize it was stupid or ill advised.
> > >
> > > For me, I typically go straight to the "Songs" view and drill down to
> > > the artist and album I want from there in the column browser. I
> > > wouldn't filter regularly enough for this to matter much to me.
> >
> > That’s often my method, too. But I have 1900+ artists so there’s quite
> > a bit of scrolling.
>
> Wow, that dwarfs my 247 artists. : ) One thing that helps is selecting
> the "All (247) Artists" item at the top of the artist list, then typing
> a few letters of the artist I'm looking for to select it. Have you tried
> that?

Daaammnnnn. Never thought of that and I use hitting a first letter all the
time in Finder.
Been using Macs since day one. ShakingMyDamnHead.

>
> > > > Pisses me off at Apple and still *wish* it was like in the old
> > > > days. So I’m thinking my original post was whining/venting and I
> > > > appreciate your not giving me grief for it.
> > >
> > > To be fair, there are metric tons of legitimate complaints about
> > > various features of iTunes & Music where the UI falls flat on its
> > > face and could definitely be improved. : )
> >
> > Absolutely. FYI the beta version of Decibel v2 is getting extremely
> > mature.
>
> This is the first I've heard of it, so I'll check it out. Thanks!

Its raison d’etre is “audiophile” folks. I just like it better than
Music and other free players. Not sure if it’s worth the $$. I seem to
recall that beta testers get it freebie. The current v1 is $30.

for v2 beta signup:

https://discourse.feisty-dog.com

—

t

[Jolly Roger]

On 2022-09-17, Tim Lance <n...@here.org> wrote:
> On Sep 17, 2022, Jolly Roger wrote
> (in article <jom3t0...@mid.individual.net>):
>> On 2022-09-16, Tim Lance<n...@here.org> wrote:
>>
>> Wow, that dwarfs my 247 artists. : ) One thing that helps is
>> selecting the "All (247) Artists" item at the top of the artist list,
>> then typing a few letters of the artist I'm looking for to select it.
>> Have you tried that?
>
> Daaammnnnn. Never thought of that and I use hitting a first letter all
> the time in Finder. Been using Macs since day one. ShakingMyDamnHead.

I hate when that happens! : ) At least you know now. Better than
nothing.

>>> Absolutely. FYI the beta version of Decibel v2 is getting extremely
>>> mature.
>>
>> This is the first I've heard of it, so I'll check it out. Thanks!
>
> Its raison d’etre is “audiophile” folks. I just like it better than
> Music and other free players. Not sure if it’s worth the $$. I seem to
> recall that beta testers get it freebie. The current v1 is $30.
>
> for v2 beta signup:
>
> https://discourse.feisty-dog.com

I couldn't tell from a quick glance, but maybe you know: is it able to
use your Apple library, or do you basically need to copy your music into
its own library. In other words, if I wanted to try it out, would I
essentially double the size of my music storage while using both Music
and Decibel?

[Tim Lance]

On Sep 17, 2022, Jolly Roger wrote

(in article <jomtrd...@mid.individual.net>):

Library is a sqlite database. You add files to Decibel and their location and
metadata is collected - no actual files.

I am in the process of ripping my CD collection and some LPs. My files are on
an external drive, organized how I want it, not how Music wants
(Preferences>Files - nothing checked, just the location noted). When I add
files to Music I eventually add to Decibel.

Decibel has a watch (termed “sync”) folder function. I tried using it but
with the size I have it was not workable. Developer is working on improving
it. As is, when I added to my music folder, it would take hours for the
process to register the addition. So I’ve reverted to “manually” adding
to Decibel’s library. Developer said today he plans to have it improved in
the next update. No ETA but he’s been very active lately.

—

t

[Jolly Roger]

Cool, that should make trying it out painless. Thanks!

[Tim Lance]

On Sep 18, 2022, Jolly Roger wrote
(in article <jooqdv...@mid.individual.net>):

HAha. You, who have done so much (This was not the first time you’ve helped
me over the years.) and have been such a voice of reason, are very welcome.

—

t