Design Ideas

[ksiazkowicz]

First, I'd like to say that this project looks really promising. I'd love to see a good Spotify client on SFOS (especially when that damn Android app takes like 4 minutes to load, WHY).

As I understand, interface design is not something you focused on and, to be honest, it's not that good. The most confusing bit is that menu that appears after tapping on an icon next to "Playing", that took me some time to find.

Anyway, I'd love to help. Right now I have some issues with setting up your app under my SDK, so I focused on making mockups in QML and discussion.

Cover Page:

This one is pretty straight-forward, I'm not 100% sure on that "Spotify" row, but I want something that clearly indicates that this is a Spotify client, not some other app.

"Now Playing" Page

Clearly inspired by Spotify's "Now Playing" page, with a Sailfish twist. (Only) on this page, cover art will replace your current ambiance background. I suppose this is a bit against guidelines, but it just feels so cool IMHO. I don't know where to place them yet. Also, this won't be the main view anymore, it'll be attached to the browse view (which I haven't designed yet) so it's always accessible with a swipe. Tapping on "Listening to Jolla C" will bring up device selection. I couldn't find any speaker-like small icon in Sailfish Icon Reference so I put a play triangle there (this will be changed obviously).

If you're interested, I can work further on that and integrate it into your current code (since I already use QML for these mockups, this shouldn't be too hard).

[wdehoog]

Hi,
Thanks for your suggestions. The coming weeks I do not have time to look or work on it. I am definately interested in your work so I really plan to take a look at it.

Could you describe the issues you have with the SDK? Maybe we can find a solution.

[ksiazkowicz]

When I build it and deploy it to my phone using SDK, I have issues with auth. It literally works long enough for the cover page to update, but nothing else. It's fine if I run my build of the app manually later. Do I need to set something in project settings?

[wdehoog]

That is weird. What could change with auth when running using gdb? I do not have any special project settings. I run sailfish 2.2.0.29 on a oneplus.

Settings are saved in .local/share/wdehoog/hutspot/ and .cache/wdehoog/hutspot. Maybe delete them and see if it helps?

[wdehoog]

Another thought. We should create a github organisation for a sailfish spotify client. There we can all contribute and if one (me?) is fed up with it the projec can continue without any problem.

And I can continue to play without interfering with the app itself (I hate branches). Maybe even someone, as a side project, can glue the cutespot UI on top of it.

We have to come up with a name for the organisation and a name for the app.

What do you think of such an organisation?

[ksiazkowicz]

I disabled QmlLive and it works now (?), weird.

[wdehoog]

Again I ask you shall we start an organisation? I propose to start one named sailfish-spotify and clone the hutspot repo. We both will be owner.

[ksiazkowicz]

Sure, why not?

[wdehoog]

Ok, seems to work. Maybe you are used to this but for me this is all new. I could not find how to clone as an organisation so I transfered the repo to the organisation and cloned it myself. You should be owner now as well so I guess we are good to go.

[ksiazkowicz]

Great, I pushed my "redesign" branch and I'll continue my work there.

[ksiazkowicz]

Most elements are there on "Now Playing" view, not sure where to put playlist queue though, official app has a button for that, that opens a new view. I'm considering attaching it to this page though (so if you swiped from left to right, you'd get: Browse -> Now Playing -> Playlist). I also moved&refactored all the code for playbackState, which was duplicated in hutspot.qml and Playing.qml to separate component. seems to work more reliably now IMHO, not making weird amount of requests when pressing pause button anymore.

[wdehoog]

Looks very good. The UI as well as the code changes. I guess you mean the queue and not a spotify playlist (Browse -> Now Playing -> Playlist). Cutspot has it on the same page but not at the same time (queue and 'what is playing' in some flickable thing).

Can you send me an email wdehoog at exalondelft.nl?

[BonoNL]

Is it an idea to put the menu(which is now top right corner) on the leftswipe page?
Swipe left = menu
Swipe right = player

[wdehoog]

Currently the player appears from the right when flicking a page to the left. Flicking the page to the right moves back to the previous page (which appears from the left. If the menu would appear from the left how could we move back to the previous page? Flicking up and down is already taken for scrolling the lists and the push/pull menu.

Personally I like the idea of a stack of pages/items when one moves from album to artist to album to 'on-and-on' and be able to go back.

[wdehoog]

Two other ideas:

• show the menu on a pinch event
• show the menu when flicking the player to the left (the menu as an attached page of the player)

[rgrnetalk]

I have cloned and adapted the software a little bit. The base is beautiful . if i can be of any help....

[wdehoog]

@rgrnetalk please feel free to help in any way you like.

[ksiazkowicz]

My idea was to drop the menu completely. If you look at what is currently in the menu, I think all the options could be rearranged in such a way, user wouldn't have to deal with things like that. My idea was to have a main "browser" view, which would showcase all the categories like "New Releases", "Genre & Mood", with "My Stuff" being broken down by Playlists/Songs/Albums/Artists just like in Spotify App (I personally only browse my music by artists, since it's too hard for me to find anything in Songs/Albums, too crowded). I also wanted Player view to be always attached on the right, because this way you can quickly play/pause/skip song, while also being able to pick up where you left off with just a swipe to the left. This way we're left with just Devices, Settings and About options which could be moved to a pulley menu, avoiding faux hamburger all together.

[BonoNL]

@ksiazkowicz I think I like the idea.

[wdehoog]

Some questions to help me understand your view.

1. You mean a list of either Playlists/Songs/Albums/Artists? How to switch between them?
2. What happens in the UI when you view a Playlist/Song/Album/Artist?
3. Can you go from for example an Artist straight to one of its Albums? What would happen in the UI?
4. Where would Recommended and Search go?
5. Would all Genres & Moods be in the Browse list as well?

[ksiazkowicz]

I'll try to make a mockup in my free time.

[ksiazkowicz]

I think this roughly demonstrates my idea. Code is available in attached_playlist branch, but it's way too messy.

Basically:
1st view - Browse view
2nd view (attached) - Now playing view
3rd view (attached) - Details about current playback context (album?) and list of tracks

[wdehoog]

Great idea. Looks nice. Using the art as background as well isn't it?
(btw how do you get other players appear in the devices list?)

[ksiazkowicz]

Yes, there is also a transition effect when entering/leaving playing view.

What do you mean? I usually have no issues with device I'm listening on appearing on that list. In other cases, well, it depends. To be fair, it's wonky even in the official app.