GNOME Bugzilla – Bug 592546
if the file/location is not already known, double-click opens Rhythmbox but does not select and play file
Last modified: 2011-01-28 13:52:50 UTC
when Rhythmbox is configured to open a filetype, such as mp3, if the file is not already known or previously opened by Rhythmbox, double-click will open Rhythmbox but does not select and play the file. Seems to be 100% reproducible. Can test by copying all or some of your music folder to another location. Double-clicking the files through nautilus in the original location will open Rhythmbox and play the file. Attempting to open a file the first time from the new location will just open Rhythmbox (without playing the song). If Rhythmbox is already opened and playing another song, the other song will just pause. A second attempt to double-click the song will play it, whether Rhythmbox is still open or not.
This bug was also reported downstream on Launchpad, Ubuntu's bug tracker at https://bugs.launchpad.net/rhythmbox/+bug/521199
I think it would be nice to have a "Fle system queue" a la Banshee to preview files without adding them to the libray. Actually it's the only reason why I keep using Banshee instead of Rhythmbox.
This was fixed in 0.13.1.
I don't think it's solved. I've 0.13.1 and it doesn't work, I can listen music by double click on files only if they're already in Library. Rhythmbox add Music folder on first start, so it's probable that you'll click on a file that's already in database. I've tried with files on Desktop, Rhythmbox starts but nothing more happens. Even it's not useful to have automatically added a folder on first start, I know that maybe it's easier for non expert users, but maybe it will be better a prompt that suggests to choose music files location.
0.13.1 this version fixed
That's what I have and it doesn't seem fixed.
Ok, we can say it's fixed even if it appears to me just a workaround. Plus, it doesn't work as I would expect. I explain why. - Yes, it's true, double click plays a song in Rhythmbox, how? Simply automagically adding it to my Library. That's not what I want, I browse my collection with Rhythmbox, if I double click maybe I just want to give a listen to a song, maybe later I will decide to put it in the library. A special playlist or queue would be more useful. - Ok, I'm fine with songs added to my Library. But what happens if I select more than one track? All the selected tracks are added to my Library, fine, but it plays only last one. It's not a problem, I can always skip to first one. Yeah, but what about various artists? Songs are just mixed up and I need to use search function to find them one by one. Or sort my whole Library by album name, hoping that a just downloaded album has album tag well defined. These are just my feelings, I appreciate Rhythmbox, its lightness and reliability, but improving user experience with these little details will prevent people looking for alternative like Banshee, Exaile or something else. A simple file system browser could help in this very case, that's just an idea, hope appreciated.
What you're talking about is beyond the scope of this bug.
Yes, it's true. I'll suggest this idea to a more proper place. For now, I keep using Totem (a movie player) to just listen a track. Thank you for your patience and attention.
The issue is solved for normal files. But for symbolic links it does not work. Normal files are added to the library and played directly. When double-clicking a symbolic link pointing to a song it is added to the library but not played. The status bar shows "Importing (0/1)" all the time. Rhythmbox however seems to recognize that it is dealing with a symlink: (14:30:14) [0x24b8f60] [rhythmdb_process_stat_event] rhythmdb.c:2165: queuing a RHYTHMDB_ACTION_LOAD: file:///home/obst/3.mp3 (14:30:14) [0x38059e0] [action_thread_main] rhythmdb.c:2868: executing RHYTHMDB_ACTION_LOAD for "file:///home/obst/3.mp3" (14:30:14) [0x38059e0] [rb_uri_resolve_symlink] rb-file-helpers.c:391: resolved symlinks: file:///home/obst/3.mp3 -> file:///home/obst/Musik/nach%20Datum/2010.09.10/3.mp3