Explicitly hiding playlist when starting AIMP from the command line.

[ivanlc]

Hi.

Is it possible to explicitly hide the playlist when starting AIMP from the command line, regardless of whether or not it was last opened with playlists visible?

I can't see anything in the command line switches list...

[Artem]

Is it possible to explicitly hide the playlist when starting AIMP from the command line, regardless of whether or not it was last opened with playlists visible?

No. What is your scenario?

[ivanlc]

Hi Artem.

Thanks for getting back to me.

The scenario as you (quite perfectly!) term it, is that my PC is always on because I have multiple AIMP windows open simultaneously, each muted and streaming a different radio station that I like (see screenshot).

The playlists are switched off for every instance except one; this instance has the playlist visible as it contains new/favourite songs that I've recently downloaded and will listen to when none of the streamed stations is playing a song I like.

I have RF speakers all around my house and a transmitter connected to one of my PC's audio outputs. I use an RDP app on my phone to view my PC and can quickly mute/unmute any station that begins playing a song that I like, wherever I am in the house/garden.

I only very recently discovered that Microsoft PowerToys Workspaces could be used to save a desktop layout, letting you specify the exact coordinate positions of any opened apps when the PC boots up. (Another, only very recent discovery is that AIMP can be launched from command line with various arguments - including playlist item numbers - which I've now set up in Workspaces so that each AIMP window will stream one of the 10-12 radio stations in my Radio Stations playlist.) 

Prior to this, I'd have to manually drag each instance of AIMP to achieve the order shown in the screenshot each time the PC booted up, along with manually getting each instance to stream one of the 10/12 stations, which is quite a time consuming exercise.

Given how far I've now managed to come with the process of automating the startup and organisation of all my AIMP windows on boot, the *only* thing now missing is the ability to show or hide the playlist for each AIMP instance from the command line.

Given how powerful & flexible you've made this superb app Artem, I would not have thought that adding a command line switch to show or hide the playlist would have been at all difficult for you...(!) 🙏🤞

Warm & hopeful regards,

Ivan. 😊

[Artem]

You have a rather specific task. The layout of elements and the number of windows are set directly by the skin, so you cannot disable a particular window from the command line. In any case, the player restores the window state when it is launched, which was when it was closed. Alternatively, you can patch the configuration file of the used skin, where the window state is written when the program is closed.

[ivanlc]

Heh heh. Indeed, the task *is* "very specific"...! I *love* my music!! 🎧🎼

I figured out awhile ago that the app starts up in the state it was in when last closed, so for the moment, I just make sure that I close the instance that has the playlist visible first before closing the others.

Looking in the skin's .ini file and doing a bit of testing, I can see that the "Visible" parameter under the [PlaylistFrame] section of the file changes between 0 and 1 depending on whether or not the playlist was visible when an instance of the app is closed.

Can I ask why you just didn't include a switch to show/hide the playlist, given how comprehensive/flexible you've made the switch options list - and how much extra room on the desktop the playlist can take, depending on the number of entries and the skin you're using?

[Artem]

Can I ask why you just didn't include a switch to show/hide the playlist, given how comprehensive/flexible you've made the switch options list - and how much extra room on the desktop the playlist can take, depending on the number of entries and the skin you're using?

Because AIMP is not console app. Almost functions can be used only from GUI.

[ivanlc]

...👍


So can I also assume that there's no way to pin each AIMP window other than by doing so via the GUI?

[Artem]

Or via configuration file

[ivanlc]

Do I set the variable that pins a window in the AIMP.ini file or the skin's .ini file?

Also, what is the pin variable name and which section of the .ini file should it appear under?

I really have to congratulate you on the creation of AIMP, its associated ecosystem - and how comprehensive you've made both, Artem.

I was a developer myself (only for 4 years until I had a bad car accident 2000) and so know the amount of work it takes to just create a working app!

I can't believe how much you've been able to create - and that you've done it all yourself...

Maksimal'ny respekt, moy drug...!!!🙇‍♂️

[Artem]

AIMP.ini file or the skin's .ini file?

Skin's ini

Also, what is the pin variable name and which section of the .ini file should it appear under

Section name is depended from used skin. As I say before, each skin has its own set of windows and its own names.
For example, in default skin it named "PlaylistWindow". There are all possible variables:

Code: [Select]

[PlaylistWindow]
Locked=0
Docked=1
Position=966,252,1365,969
StayOnTop=0
DPI=144
ToolbarMode=0,0,0,399
WindowState=0
Visible=1
PositionMagnets=0,0,0,0
PositionMagnetOffsets=0,0,0,0
ScreenSize=0,0,2560,1380
ScreenIndex=0