Closing or Opening a Play List. A Bug?

[jdavia]

I answered your remark to let you know that I am advanced, I am not upset with you. I would very much like to express my heartfelt thanks to you or anyone for a positive answer though. I am explaining the problem the best as I can.
Do you or anyone else get a Playlist file created with the word "New" in it? Is the question I am now asking.
Def001.hst
Def001-new.hst
Def002.hst
Def002-new.hst
Def003.hst
Def003-new.hst

The manual says:
If you ever need a second Playlist, click the File menu New command. This immediately creates a new Playlist .hst file in memory and saves it to the hard drive when you add the first song. It stores in the \Playlist folder. The file is automatically named "def002.hst" for the second one created, which automatically increments to 003, 004, etc. for each new one created.

I understand what the manual says and it does works correctly. But that is for new files that you will create. Mine are already created.

Question #2 and #3
I have Def001’hst opened. How do I close it and open Def002.hst.
I've been using the New command, then the Open command. And I see the newly created file in the context window Def001-new.hst. Am I doing something wrong? Why is the file being named as such? The manual doesn't say that.
Save will not open the context window. I can use SaveAs then I have to name the file. I can only close the file by using New.

Here is the rest of the manual on the subject:
Clicking the File menu Save Command updates your Playlist file on the hard drive. However, Hoster automatically saves the Playlist with every change as part of its Crash Recovery protection.
Save As a New Project

The File menu Save As Command creates a copy of the open Playlist with a new filename in the same or a different folder. It always presents the default Hoster\Playlist folder, which we recommend using so you always know where they are. Choosing a different folder changes the default folder that appears the next time.

[nreel]

The NEW Command is for creating a NEW Playlist...this is the same in MSWord and any MS Product.

You want to CLOSE your current Playlist and OPEN another Playlist that has a different name.

To do this Click FILE, and Click OPEN, and choose one of the Playlist Files in the Box that opens.

Upon selecting a different Playlist File to OPEN, the CURRENT Playlist will, automatically, CLOSE.

In other words, you don't, and can't, CLOSE the Current Playlist before Opening a Different Playlist. Hoster is designed this way...so that one cannot open Hoster WITHOUT an ACTIVE Playlist. And, I'm sure, if one could CLOSE the Playlist, someone would, and then forget to open another Playlist, or, not know how to get a Playlist back Open and would lambaste Hoster because of that.

And, as stated earlier, if Hoster Closes, for whatever reason, as soon as one Opens Hoster up, the Playlist is there and ready to go.

Hope this helps,

Norm

[Beavis]

all is good

norm beat me to the answer. thanks norm

alot of programs are like that, you need to open a new file to close the old one.

[George]

I might also add that if a button were added to turn the automatic playlist save feature off, it would be self defeating to a failsafe feature.

With the save feature turned off, guess when Murphy's law would take hold

and a crash would occur.....yep.

George

[Beavis]

im just curious, whats the difference if you hit "new playlist" and it closes the old playlist which inturn opens a new playlist?

just a question.

[jdavia]

Thanks for all the responses.
Here is what I am getting when I follow the advice I get.

I might also add that if a button were added to turn the automatic playlist save feature off, it would be self defeating to a failsafe feature.

The button is there, it is alled "New" It closes the playlist.

im just curious, whats the difference if you hit "new playlist" and it closes the old playlist which inturn opens a new playlist?

Explain that please! The difference from what.

1 "New" will close the file and generate a new file (unseen for now) and the context box doesn't open when you click "New".
I must then click on "Open" after the file closes to open the context box, then I see the newly created file with the word NEW in it. That isn't what I expected. The instructions do not say that.

2 If I click "Open" at first, it will open the context box and not close the opened one. What happens is any playlist I select will be added to the opened playlist. That isn't what I expected.

3 If I click "Save" it just saves any changes I make to the playlist.

4 "SaveAs" will open the context box and I have to give it a name. I can't open a playlist from there.

So where do I click to open a different playlist without duplicating one that I already have but with a new name? NOTE I am using duplicate now instead of create.

I tried to rename a playlist to "my001.hst" thinking I can solve it. Uh Uh, It duplicates a new file called "my001-new.hst"

[George]

Quote George:
I might also add that if a button were added to turn the automatic playlist save feature off, it would be self defeating to a failsafe feature.

Quote jdavia:
The button is there, it is alled "New" It closes the play list"

No, it's not. What we were talking about is the feature you want that would disable saving the playlists. That's where this all started. That's what would be self defeating to the program.

NEW does not disable the automatic playlist save feature

[admin]

Let me try to answer your confusion.

1 "New" will close the file and generate a new file (unseen for now) and the context box doesn't open when you click "New". I must then click on "Open" after the file closes to open the context box, then I see the newly created file with the word NEW in it. That isn't what I expected. The instructions do not say that.

Yes it does generate a new file, but the New filename appears on Hoster's Title bar at the very top. It is auto-named. We evolved to this from too many early users not understanding how to create and name a new file. Yeah... it happens and we have to help them succeed without learning all about Windows filenaming, including all the symbol characters they want to try and use that Windows would not allow. Thus, we ALWAYS create a new named file when the NEW button is clicked.

2 If I click "Open" at first, it will open the context box and not close the opened one. What happens is any playlist I select will be added to the opened playlist. That isn't what I expected.

Mine doesn't work that way. When I click the Open button, the new selected .hst file is opened. Its contents are not appended to the prior open one.

If what you wrote here is what you see, please post this so we can diagnose why you see this when others don't.

3 If I click "Save" it just saves any changes I make to the playlist.

Correct. We added this for folks who need this old "comfort blanket". However, whenever any change is made in the open Playlist, Hoster automatically does a SAVE to insure ALL CHANGES are present if you experience a crash. This is also why we auto-open the last opened Playlist, so you don't even have to remember what "show .hst" file you are running following a crash. Just open Hoster, and it is there.

4 "SaveAs" will open the context box and I have to give it a name. I can't open a playlist from there.

Correct. Windows SaveAs always allows saving and renaming the CURRENT OPEN FILE with a new name. It is a COPY function. No problem here.

So where do I click to open a different playlist without duplicating one that I already have but with a new name? NOTE I am using duplicate now instead of create.

The OPEN command does this. Read my reply above, and if you click OPEN and it APPENDS the selected file contents to the currently open file, then post this as it is NOT WORKING NORMALLY.

I tried to rename a playlist to "my001.hst" thinking I can solve it. Uh Uh, It duplicates a new file called "my001-new.hst"

Here is where I failed to "integrate" a new function in V3.000 into the Playlist naming section of the manual. My mistake.

I quote from the V3.000 Upgrades section of the 3.006 manual (C:\Program Files\Micro Technology Unlimited\Hoster\Manual\hosterman.htm#V3000): "Updated Playlist File Format - Hoster 3.0 has new features that were not supported in version 2.219 and prior, which required a new playlist .hst file format. Opening an older format file in 3.0 creates a file name [same name]-new.hst, leaving the older format file untouched so it can still be used in 2.219 and prior versions."

As we add MAJOR new features to Hoster, sometimes the Playlist, or the Songs Database, or the KMA File Header contents must change. We go to EXTREME LENGTHS... to insure there is an upward compatible path.

In this case, the project .hst file format created in Hoster 2.219 and prior HAD TO CHANGE to allow new features in V3.000. That is why we take the same filename and add a "-new" before the .hst extension. Your older [priorfilename].hst file is still usable in V2.219 and prior. This is done as soon as you open a .hst file, or Hoster auto-opens the last opened .hst file; the new file is created and opened instead of the older ".hst" file.

I hope this clears up this confusion.

I've added a statement to this effect in the V3.100 manual I am now finishing up, as we move toward final release of 3.100 hopefully next Monday.

Good Lord! I just realized that the MASSIVE changes we have added in V3.100 to allow converting .CDG, .BIN, .MP3G and .ZIP files on the HDD to a new .KMA file format, will cause no end of grief if I don't explain these also. Problem is, these new files, and the new Songs Database that Hoster will AUTOMATICALLY build the first time you run V3.100, are NOT downward compatible with V3.006 or prior.

Such is the plight of developers when adding new features.

[jdavia]

The NEW Command is for creating a NEW Playlist...this is the same in MSWord and any MS Product.

No, in those products a context box opens and you can create your own files. In Hoster one is created for you automatically as the next in order. If you had 5 playlists and had #3 open, Clicking "New" will create a new (duplicate) playlist of #3 with the word new in it. Only the last file in the order will create a file without the word new it. The file will open but will be blank until you add a song.

You want to CLOSE your current Playlist and OPEN another Playlist that has a different name.
To do this Click FILE, and Click OPEN, and choose one of the Playlist Files in the Box that opens.
Upon selecting a different Playlist File to OPEN, the CURRENT Playlist will, automatically, CLOSE.

Not completely so in Hoster. The CURRENT Playlist remains opened and the different Playlist files are added to it.

I'm sorry disagree, none of this really helps in solving it.

Can't MTU step in so we can hear what they say! I did post this in the request forum with a link to this forum.

[jdavia]

OK I've done a little more work on this and came to this work around.

I have a Playlist named def003.hst and want to open another Playlist.
I click New the list closes and creates a Playlist called def003-new.hst.
I do not delete this file.
I now keep all my original Playlist together with the newly created list with "new" in them.
def001.hst
def001-new.hst
def002.hst
def002-new.hst
def003.hst
def003-new.hst

Now when I click "New" it will write over the same Playlist with the "new" in it. thus not add to the clutter of the context box.

Not really happy about it but it works for now.
Thanks to all that responded.

[admin]

The way your Open works is NOT the way anyone elses works.

Please do the following:

1. Re-download the Hoster 3.006 version.

2. Run the install program using REMOVE. It will not remove your KMA files or Songs Database.

3. Run the install program a second time and Install Hoster again.

4. Try the Open command again. It should work as I described above.

5. Please post back here what your results are.

[George]

There's another possibility if ADMIN's suggestion doesn't solve the problem.

During all the initial confusion, it would have been easy to lose track of which files are which, especially since they are saved numerically, and the duplication is sporadic. When a file is selected to open, it may be simply replacing the file that's already open, which would be normal operation.

That's the only way I can duplicate what's happening.

George

[jdavia]

Admin:

Please do the following:

1. Re-download the Hoster 3.006 version.

I still have the 3.006 download on hand. Can I use that?

When a file is selected to open, it may be simply replacing the file that's already open, which would be normal operation.

No George, the selected new file contents are added to the existing opened file. The file name remains the same.
.