Two browsers connundrum

[carlca]

Historically, which came first?

[pdxindy]

a) there's huge overlap in functionality,
b) but some things are only available in one or the other
c) you all gotten used to it

Well, the thing is, your points a) and b), while accurate, aren't necessarily bad and mean that the views should be combined. The browsers are separate for a reason and combining them will only really weaken them for exactly the use cases they're best suited for. IMO.

It's a testament to the design sensibilities of the team that they recognised that transient actions warrant a separate, transient UI, and not trying to cram them into the existing browser because there's overlap.

That sums it up pretty well...

[antic604]

Well, the thing is, your points a) and b), while accurate, aren't necessarily bad and mean that the views should be combined. The browsers are separate for a reason and combining them will only really weaken them for exactly the use cases they're best suited for. IMO.

It's a testament to the design sensibilities of the team that they recognised that transient actions warrant a separate, transient UI, and not trying to cram them into the existing browser because there's overlap.

Really well put!

Perhaps if I worked with audio more I'd see this better (and sooner...) because then it makes a lot of sense to have the Browser Panel permanently open and focues on samples & loops ready to be auditioned & dragged in, whereas the Pop-up Browser is for inserting MIDI instruments, FX & utilities and their presets. This way they complement each other, indeed!

Once again, I need to start working with audio more

[antic604]

Historically, which came first?

Side panel. Pop-up one was introduced in v1.2 I believe.

[liquidsound]

That’s why I left Bitwig! I need 5 browsers!
Seriously I prefer the way it is now.

[machinesworking]

Well, the thing is, your points a) and b), while accurate, aren't necessarily bad and mean that the views should be combined. The browsers are separate for a reason and combining them will only really weaken them for exactly the use cases they're best suited for. IMO.

It's a testament to the design sensibilities of the team that they recognised that transient actions warrant a separate, transient UI, and not trying to cram them into the existing browser because there's overlap.

Really well put!

Perhaps if I worked with audio more I'd see this better (and sooner...) because then it makes a lot of sense to have the Browser Panel permanently open and focues on samples & loops ready to be auditioned & dragged in, whereas the Pop-up Browser is for inserting MIDI instruments, FX & utilities and their presets. This way they complement each other, indeed!

Once again, I need to start working with audio more

Yeah, the idea that somehow a pop up browser would not be a shit show when auditioning audio files at tempo, I could see a lot of ways that would be a mess. The bowser pops up over the part of the song you want to drop said auditioned audio file for starters.

[david.djx]

a) there's huge overlap in functionality,
b) but some things are only available in one or the other
c) you all gotten used to it

I think c) is not relevant for me and also I did not interpret the other responses as only saying they gotten used to it. It kind of looks like you tried to diminish our reasoning by trying to write it off like that. Maybe you should have started the discussion about how the pop-up browser might be improved, since that appears to be your main focus.

[_leras]

I think the super power of the pop up browser really comes from setting up all your own favourites properly and really customising it.

I think there's a Baphomatrix video about this on Youtube

I have never gotten round to properly setting this up for myself though...

[Karbon L. Forms]

More browsers. Less stupid polls with no fish option.

[backtomusic]

I think there's a Baphomatrix video about this on Youtube

Yes! though focus is on shortcuts there is good info beyond that.


Before I watched that I did not realize right clicking the area with "No Device selected" let you save currently selected filter.

And i definitely did not realise this saved filter is context sensitive and recalled in different contexts. You have one filter for adding a new track, one filter for inserting a instrument and a filter for note fx etc.

So if you just want to have a global search for everything as default filter, you have to save that filter for every context. Thats how I started before I started making some collections.

[antic604]

I think c) is not relevant for me and also I did not interpret the other responses as only saying they gotten used to it. It kind of looks like you tried to diminish our reasoning by trying to write it off like that. Maybe you should have started the discussion about how the pop-up browser might be improved, since that appears to be your main focus.

Thanks, that wasn't my intention although I can see how it might appear that way - sorry

By "getting used to" I simply meant that at the start there was only the side browser and I thought maybe that the pop-up one was meant to ultimately replace it, but they somehow got stuck with both and we - all - got used to it.

But it was explained to me that there are actual benefits to having both - ones that I wasn't aware of because my workflow is almost exclusively focused around MIDI. So you can imagine me being frustrated that I have to open and use the side-browser for the odd occasion of needing to drag an audio file in, which is perhaps 1% of my process

And I also said in the OP that what would "fix" the pop-up browser for me are two things:

• ability to grab & drag audio files onto tracks from it (without creating Sampler);
• ability to invoke it with a button or keyboard shortcut (without it expecting me to to insert a track, device, preset, etc.) to let me drag stuff - e.g. clips - into it;

[antic604]

More browsers. Less stupid polls with no fish option.

Here, I made another stupid poll but at least this time you can vote
viewtopic.php?f=7&t=562806

[PieBerger]

I like (and voted) for both. Pop up is great for adding devices, side is better for browsing samples.

[_leras]

Here, I made another stupid poll but at least this time you can vote
viewtopic.php?f=7&t=562806

Damn...! You rickrolled me out of the safety of the Bitwig Forum!

[antic604]

Here, I made another stupid poll but at least this time you can vote
viewtopic.php?f=7&t=562806

Damn...! You rickrolled me out of the safety of the Bitwig Forum!

Sorry