One of the many nifty things about Max is it'll do so much in one fell swoop. However there are times I would only want it to do MP3, another time just FLAC, and another maybe APE. A Favorites list of frequent routines would be very helpful (and help with making things idiot proof). As is, Max is like iTunes in making the user drill down through prefs to set what you want. IIRC iTunes 2 had options in a drop down menu (granted, there wasn't much but I believe whether you wanted AIF or MP3 was right there - no drilling required).
What I am thinking is a menu bar item whose drop down items (and sub-menu items) are the preferred conversions.
Feature request
But you still have to drill down to get to the choice pane? (ApplicationName>Preferences>Formats?)
Better, but not what I'd love - a dropdown thingie from the MenuBar.
And frankly, even with truly secure ripping, until the choices are that user friendly, I'll stick to xACT and iTunes-LAME.
Once we have secure ripping, then yes, inserting a CD and hitting a few keys and having, say, a set of FLACs and MP3s and their tags waiting our return, well, that's pretty damn sweet. But wanting to do any number of something elses every other time I boot Max is a pain (relative to the desired outcome).
Still, I want to say that I am greatly pleased with the development and promise. I will gladly pay/contribute once I am a regular user.
Better, but not what I'd love - a dropdown thingie from the MenuBar.
And frankly, even with truly secure ripping, until the choices are that user friendly, I'll stick to xACT and iTunes-LAME.
Once we have secure ripping, then yes, inserting a CD and hitting a few keys and having, say, a set of FLACs and MP3s and their tags waiting our return, well, that's pretty damn sweet. But wanting to do any number of something elses every other time I boot Max is a pain (relative to the desired outcome).
Still, I want to say that I am greatly pleased with the development and promise. I will gladly pay/contribute once I am a regular user.
I hear what you are saying, and I plan to include something like this for 0.6.macfeller wrote:But you still have to drill down to get to the choice pane? (ApplicationName>Preferences>Formats?)
Better, but not what I'd love - a dropdown thingie from the MenuBar.
I see two ways to implement this:
- A "Quick Encode" menu item, with a submenu for each configured output type. Selecting that output type would (obviously) encode the selected tracks using that encoder.
- An "Encode Special..." menu item, that when selected would display a sheet allowing you to select which output formats to use for encoding the selected tracks.
I should be careful what I ask for. 
If I saw either of those by themselves I'd be pleased. Having to choose between these two solutions (both of which seem to suffice) makes me feel like Solomon.
I do vote for the QuickEncode menu item. I see myself using Max in many different ways at any given time, but each configuration will set once defined.
If I read your desciption correctly, the QuickEncode would be quickest for me - a dropdown menu/submenus to select my "For Paul" process, or another which is "For Rachel." Paul would be rip and encode to high quality MP3. Rachel would be for rip to low quality MP3.
Your Encode Special sounds like it would pretty much be just quick access to the relevant sections of the Preferences window.
If I saw either of those by themselves I'd be pleased. Having to choose between these two solutions (both of which seem to suffice) makes me feel like Solomon.
I do vote for the QuickEncode menu item. I see myself using Max in many different ways at any given time, but each configuration will set once defined.
If I read your desciption correctly, the QuickEncode would be quickest for me - a dropdown menu/submenus to select my "For Paul" process, or another which is "For Rachel." Paul would be rip and encode to high quality MP3. Rachel would be for rip to low quality MP3.
Your Encode Special sounds like it would pretty much be just quick access to the relevant sections of the Preferences window.
I've got this working, but I'm not happy with the user interface. I think it feels a bit clunky.
So far, when you select "Custom Encoding..." from the Compact Disc menu you get a sheet that looks like:
This part I'm OK with, but any ideas for improvement would be appreciated.
For file conversion it gets ugly. I could either pop up an alert with the same prompt as in the sheet above, followed by the standard open box, or I could do this:
This has the added (and unwanted) side effect of making every open box the same large size even when the custom view is missing.
Initially I didn't think it made sense to pester the user twice with two dialogs, but looking at the open box I think it might in this case.
Any opinions about this?
So far, when you select "Custom Encoding..." from the Compact Disc menu you get a sheet that looks like:
This part I'm OK with, but any ideas for improvement would be appreciated.
For file conversion it gets ugly. I could either pop up an alert with the same prompt as in the sheet above, followed by the standard open box, or I could do this:
This has the added (and unwanted) side effect of making every open box the same large size even when the custom view is missing.
Initially I didn't think it made sense to pester the user twice with two dialogs, but looking at the open box I think it might in this case.
Any opinions about this?
I like the Compact Disk menu.
As for the clunky effect of the Open dialog, coulld you have in effect 2 different "Opens" - standard Open (Command-O) and Open Special (or some such) (Option-Command-O)?
As for alternate menu terms ...
Special Encode
Special Conversion
Or a whole 'nother tack - something somehow "dialoged" directly from the Encoder/Converter/Ripper windows.
I especially appreciate your efforts to maintain a level of, for lack of a better term, "Mac-like elegance."
As for the clunky effect of the Open dialog, coulld you have in effect 2 different "Opens" - standard Open (Command-O) and Open Special (or some such) (Option-Command-O)?
As for alternate menu terms ...
Special Encode
Special Conversion
Or a whole 'nother tack - something somehow "dialoged" directly from the Encoder/Converter/Ripper windows.
I especially appreciate your efforts to maintain a level of, for lack of a better term, "Mac-like elegance."