GNOME Bugzilla – Bug 539607
Shuffle the play queue
Last modified: 2010-08-14 22:12:17 UTC
I would like to be able to use the play queue as a fast-to-create temporary playlist but to use it as I want I need to be able to change the play order. Beside the fixes for bug #537506 and bug #537612 I would also like to be able to shuffle the play queue, so I propose to add a "Shuffle" menu item to the context menu displayed when the play queue is opened.
This sounds like a good idea to me as well.
(Note that Muine has this feature as well. And you know my opinion about Muine ;))
I would also really, really like this. This is how I generally play music now (in Amarok 1.4), and I'll really miss it when I give up on Amarok. I just dump a bunch of tracks or discs into the play queue and shuffle them, then manually reorder a few if I like, and press play.
Aside from being able to order the play queue, wouldn't it be sufficient to have the "Shuffle by song" play mode randomise Banshee's progression through the play queue? That would satisfy the requirement for shuffling and would also mean that users don't have to learn a new way to have their playlist randomised.
Graham, that is one option. I think I'd prefer having it modify the order of the play queue though, so that the play queue is always played from top to bottom, as a queue should. Might just be me being pedantic though. :)
(In reply to comment #5) > Might just be me being pedantic though. :) No, that's not "being pedantic", Gabriel, that is called "meeting users' expectations". In other words: I agree the queue should be a real queue.
I agree with Gabriel and Wouter, the queue should be linear. Also, shuffling it would conflict with changes in bug 565767 or at least will make both features highly confusing for the user. What you could do instead is creating a playlist and randomly populate the play queue from it (when bug 565767 is finalised)
I guess it's fine to have a feature to randomize the queue, but then you have a problem with users being able to turn shuffle on or off when playing a queue. Right now, turning it on when playing a queue does nothing. The randomize playlist technique also introduces more complexity to the player - e.g. shuffling does nothing, and users have to find the esoteric randomize playlist tool if they want the same effect. To me, a queue in a media player doesn't HAVE to be played linearly. If shuffle is on, it should shuffle. If not, then not. Looking at bug 565767, I don't think that would be too big of a problem. New songs could be added to the bottom of the queue, and would get played sooner or later just like the others. My 2 cents...
*** Bug 542215 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
+1 I'm having a party tonight and this would be so helpfull for throwing together a quick queue for the evening. Just a function (maybe on right click) "randomize play order" would do it for me.
This problem has been fixed in the development version. The fix will be available in the next major software release. Thank you for your bug report.