Using the plug-in
The plug-in provides a user interface that sits within the Winamp Media Library, and consists of three items; a navigation pane (left), a track list (right), and a toolbar/search area (top). Click on each of these areas in the image below, or follow the links above, for further information.
Navigation pane
The navigation pane sits to the left of the plug-in window. It allows you to access particular tracks/albums by navigating according to artist, artist/album, playlist, genre, date added, composer (if option selected in Configuration), and compilation albums (if server is so configured). You may also play or enqueue albums or playlists directly from the navigation pane (see right-click menu options, below, or drag-and-drop album items to the Winamp playlist window).
Selecting an item in the navigation pane will, if appropriate, cause the track list to the right of the plug-in window to update. For example, selecting an artist will cause all tracks by that artist to be displayed. Selecting a playlist will display all tracks in that playlist.
Each entry under artist, genre or date added, may contain a sub-list of albums. So, for example, one may display all tracks by an artist or in a genre, or navigate directly to a particular album under that artist or genre.
Double-click on a playlist item, or an album item, to perform the default Winamp media library action with the tracks associated with that item (i.e. Play or Enqueue those tracks).
Albums and playlists in the navigation pane have options associated with a right mouse-click. For playlist options see this page. For albums, a right click allows you to select Play or Enqueue for the album tracks, as shown:
Select the top-level item in the navigation pane ('All tracks') to display all of the server's tracks.
The navigation pane may be hidden or shown using the appropriate Toolbar button.
The navigation pane draws its information from the track meta data delivered by the DAAP server.
Track list
The track list, the pane to the right of the plug-in window, shows tracks according to your selections. From this pane you can send all or selected tracks to play in Winamp, or go in to the current Winamp playlist (enqueue). On start-up the track list will be showing all tracks in the server's library (you can always return to the 'all tracks' display either by selecting the top-level item in the navigation pane, or by clicking the appropriate icon on the toolbar).
You may sort the track list by clicking on the headings.
Double-click on a track to perform the default Winamp media library action with that track (i.e. either play or enqueue).
Multiple tracks can be selected by clicking on a track in combination with the Ctrl or Shift key.
Selected tracks may be dragged and dropped to the Winamp playlist.
When the Track List is the active window, the keyboard shortcut 'p' will immediately play all tracks in the list.
Right-click on a track to access the following menu. I hope the items are self-explanatory.
Also via this right-click menu, you may add a track to an existing static playlist or, when a playlist is being displayed, remove tracks from that playlist. Further details here.
More information on a selected track can be displayed either by selecting 'View file info...' in the track right-click menu (as above), or by clicking the appropriate button on the tool bar. This shows the 'Track Info' window, as shown below. Track info, as delivered by the DAAP server is shown.
Toolbar
Toolbar buttons, from left to right:
- Show/hide navigation tree
- Show all tracks
- Random album
- Information - selected track
- Configuration
- Play selected tracks
- Enqueue selected tracks
- Select/deselect all tracks
Search/filter
The search/filter controls sit to the right of the tool bar. Here you can search for tracks or albums. The search function operates across the entire music library as served by the DAAP server. Search results are displayed in the Track List. Search results are displayed 'live' once four or more characters are typed in to the search box.
- Type in the space, filtering operates when four or more characters typed.
- Click 'spyglass' icon to search on fewer than four characters
- Change the search type using the drop-down list; options are track name, album name or both
Local cache and options
The client will keep a persistent local cache of meta data from the server - for quicker start-up. The status of the cache against the server is checked on start-up and, depending on settings, will either update the cache silently, ask the user if the cache should be updated, or ignore that the cache is out of date. At any time it is possible to manually refresh the cache by right-clicking on the server listed under 'DAAP Servers' in the media Library pane, and clicking on 'Update cached info'.
A note about meta data.
The DAAP client plug-in makes use of the meta data delivered by the server - be it Firefly/mt-daapd or forked-daapd. The server in turn relies on the meta data in the music files. If the music file meta data is good, then expect to see a sensible, well sorted navigation pane. If the meta data is not so good, then ...