User Interface Discussion...
// $Id: user-interface-discussion.txt,v 1.1 2007/03/23 14:16:41 nicov1 Exp $ //
Here we should list all the features we like in the different software tha exists, and especially
how they implemented the gui...

(WA)
Having examined several audio file tagging programs, my feeling is that
these programs generally have very cluttered, unintuitive user interfaces.
About the best UI I have seen thus far from tagging software is that of
'Abander TagControl' ((c) SoftArtStudio 1998 - 2002 All Right Reserved).

(RS)
Global remarks: - Color coding the displayed files is important, as well as a nice set of icons..

Well I compared tag&rename, abander tagcontrol, k-mp3, and the godfather.
	-K-MP3 is freeware under windows only, I do not like the interface at all and all their feature we have.
	The only thing i like, is the idea of processing queue, to tag the files (You create a queue
	of files, and the program shows you the files one by one, until the queue is empty..)
	but I think this is not very used...
	The interface don't use a filesystem tree, instead lists are present everywhere, to tag from freedb,
	you have first to create a list, by selecting manuallythe folder, etc.. This is long and fastidious if
	you have more than 1 or two album to tag. 
	The names of the functions, aren't very explicit, or goodly classified, I feel myself a bit lost...
		*Good points: The list queuing to tag files manually
					  The "all works with list" concept, could be used for long and repetitive tasks,
					  such as renaming a whole directory of files, including it's subdirectories.
					  
		*Bad points: Too unclear, names are not very significant.
					  No filesystem tree view, and all list concept.
					  Minimalistic functions...
					  
		*Feature we don't have: Supports : MP3, OGG, MPC, APE, AAC, FLAC and WavPack files.
			   					Burning of audio files
								Duplicate Files Finder
								Files Lister (Supported Formats : Raw listing, Coma Separated Values, SQL, XML)
								Incomplete Tags Finder.
	
	-The godfather is freeware under windows only. It has a more classic look, a tree on the left, a table to 
	show the results, and a "control panel" above the table. The different main function are accessed from a toolbar.
	Rename, tag, manual edit, and organize. Then the control panel shows all the options for that mode. This is a bit cluttered, 
	sometimes the control panel can have three defferent subpanels, and everything is so close and not clearly grouped.
	Double clicking in a file in the table, open a tag and file encoding info VIEWER, not editor..
	A lot of features, but the interface a bit confused...
		*Good points: the tree view, with filter capabilities
					  Features..
					  The idea of selecting a folder in the tree, then show each file that it contains in the table,
					  and is selected, also scans recursively. 
					  
		*Bad points: Too many options, for the first time user and badly presented.
		
		*Feature we don't have: (MP3, OGG, MPC, APE)too long.
		
	-Tag&Rename is shareware (30days) this is I think what most people know and use. It has the same layout as godfather
	Only three tabs, The names aren't very clear again..The interface is however more useable than godfather.
	The files are presented in a "treetable" way, if a folder contains subfolders, then the table can expand and collapse this folder.
	This is the best solution I think... When you dbl click on a file, a manual tag editor appears.
		*Good points: Treetable view type
					  Right click on a file allows simple operation(freedb)
					  Color code
					  
		*Bad points: Every time you have to select the desired files, make sure you didn't forget to remove the one that
					 aren't needed.
					 Interface could be clearer...
					 You have to select wich file type to show (ogg or mp3 or etc..)
					 
	-Abander Tagcontrol is shareware (30days) for windows only. It is in my opinion the best software of this selection.
	Therer is a tree on the left, and a treetable on the right, and the control panel on the bottom. It is a tabbed panel
	with clear Labels: tag editor, rename files, tag from filename. It also has color codes and an icon set to indicate the tag type.
	The tag editor allows to modify the seven most used fields, wich is good. Double clicking afile open the same tag editor in a
	new window, they should have shown advanced tag features, like in tag & rename. There is a feature to filter out the desired 
	file types, or to show them all. The UI is based around toolbars, cutomizable. Each toolbar controls a specific feature. 
	Files shown in the table cn be selected, then the modification apply only to the selected files.
	Another problem is like tag&rename, if you select multiple file and you want to modify a field, you have to check wich fields you
	want to update, then modify it. I find my actual system more useful (<var> text).
	They have a high degree of customization via html like tags for the renaming and tagging from filename. (<artist>, etc)
	There is also a way to store all the patterns you like, then have access to it, through a combobox ! this is great!
	This software should be a source of inspiration !
		*Good points: treetable and tree view, but without having to check a box to select the file
				  	  Simple tag editor, renamer etc, but also has "advanced features"
					  Customizable treetable structure, I think this is really interesting!
		
		*Bad points: too short delay after selecting a folder in the tree. If you select a folder witha lot of files in it
					 it takes ages, and maybe this wasn't the folder you really wanted.
					 Poor freedb support, i didn't understand how it works...
					 
	Here it is. All the soft I tested run under windows only, so we should always have in mind that we write in java, so this should
	work on virtually every platform, wich could make us a important actor on the linux platform, for that kind of soft. (though i don't know
	if there are already this ind of software for linux/mac).
	The music library discussion has also to be done, but let's focus first on the tag editor !
