[VLC 3.3.4] Play next track works on phone not on Android Auto

[VLC_Bob]

For some reason when I browse my library by artist and drill down through artist->album->song and choose a song to play, I get two different behaviors depending on whether I'm using VLC on my phone's screen or if I'm using it through Android Auto on my car's screen.

On my phone's screen when the track is finished playing VLC starts playing the next track on the album. Also, while playing on my phone's screen, there are buttons to advance to the next track or go backwards to the prior track. When playing through Android Auto using the very same phone VLC just stops after the track is finished. There are no buttons to advance to the next track and the "back" button only starts playing the same track again.


How can I make VLC behave the same through Android Auto as it does on my phone's regular screen?

[Aza]

You're right, there is a difference in implementation here.
In the (mobile) version of the app, the album screen is the only one playing a list when you tap an item and this behavior has not been replicated in the auto version.

I am not sure what the correct fix should be in that case. It seems a bit off to start a whole list by taping an item. maybe we should add a context action "Play album from here" in the mobile app.

If you want to play the whole album on Auto, you should tap the "play all" item on top.

[VLC_Bob]

I am not sure what the correct fix should be in that case. It seems a bit off to start a whole list by taping an item

VLC's behavior on the phone's screen is perfect. It's perfect because it keeps the behavior users are familiar with from other ubiquitous playback devices (iPods, CD players, etc.) Familiarity and predictability are important when the goal is to minimize distraction. I don't understand the desire to change the app's behavior in the auto version. The app should behave the same across platforms. Sure, the visual interface is simplified, but the underlying behavior should be identical so that the user's understanding gained from prior experience using the app and years of using CD players and iPods seamlessly carries over - they know how to use the app without any learning curve. Forcing users to learn a new behavior increases distraction, first as the user attempts to figure out what is happening, then by attempting to explore settings and button presses to replicate the desired behavior, and finally by giving up on the auto version and switching to Bluetooth/aux cable and using their phone directly (the worst case scenario, distraction-wise).

If you want to play the whole album on Auto, you should tap the "play all" item on top.

My goal is to fiddle with things as little as possible while driving to minimize distraction. If I hit "Play All" I have to scroll through the tracks to the track I want to start with, which is more distracting than just tapping the the intended track, especially on multi-disc albums. I have some classical collections that are up to 9 discs. If I want to start with the 27th track that's a lot of taps (especially since you can't rapid tap on the car screen - it requires a 1 second pause between presses) to get to the right place, and a lot of not looking at the road.

[Aza]

I don't understand the desire to change the app's behavior in the auto version.

The aim is indeed to have the same behavior between the app and its auto counterpart.
I started a discussion about it here: https://code.videolan.org/videolan/vlc- ... ssues/2048

If I hit "Play All" I have to scroll through the tracks to the track I want to start with, which is more distracting than just tapping the the intended track, especially on multi-disc albums.

Isn't it the exact same thing here, but on the previous screen?

[VLC_Bob]

The aim is indeed to have the same behavior between the app and its auto counterpart.
I started a discussion about it here: https://code.videolan.org/videolan/vlc- ... ssues/2048

Thanks for the link. I don't like "Play from here" as discussed in that issue. It's inconsistent with decades of experience using other media players, where you select a track and the player continues to play from there - one track after another without further intervention. For me, the larger usability issue isn't listening to tracks serially, but rather being able to navigate in either direction from the current track. For example, if I am listening to track 5 I want to be able to press forward to advance to the next track and back to go to the previous track in the same way that you would an a hardware CD player. Many CD players and software players are programmed so that if a track is playing one press of the back button returns to the beginning of the track and two quick presses in succession go to the previous track.

Isn't it the exact same thing here, but on the previous screen?

No. If I want to listen to track 27 and the tracks that follow, my course of action differs between the two versions.

Android Auto
1. Browse by Artist.
2. Tap Album.
3. Tap Play All.
4. Press Next.
5. Press Next.
6. Press Next.
7. Press Next.
8. Press Next.
9. Press Next.
10. Press Next.
11. Press Next.
12. Press Next.
13. Press Next.
14. Press Next.
15. Press Next.
16. Press Next.
17. Press Next.
18. Press Next.
19. Press Next.
20. Press Next.
21. Press Next.
22. Press Next.
23. Press Next.
24. Press Next.
25. Press Next.
26. Press Next.
27. Press Next.
28. Press Next.
29. Press Next.

Phone
1. Browse by Artist
2. Tap Album
3. Tap track 27.

[Aza]

I added your comment to the issue.

About the workflow, you can do it faster (even if I get that it doesn't fix your issue totally)

Phone
1. Browse by Artist
2. Tap Album
3. Tap track 27.

Android Auto
1. Browse by Artist.
2. Tap Album.
3. Tap Play All.
4. Open play queue
5. Tap track 27.

[rstone]

Hi VLC_Bob,

Could you please install a copy of VLC 3.4.0 Beta 2 from https://artifacts.videolan.org/vlc-android/release/ and give this another try? (use arm64-v8a first. If that doesn't work, select armeabi-v7a).

I removed the "Play all" button and replaced it with play-from-here for most of the menus, including last added, history, albums, streams, and tracks. Tracks also has a new pagination system for large libraries, and the overall sort-order when played from Android Auto was adjusted to conform to the quasi-alphabetical ordering used by the on-screen keyboard available via the A to Z button in the scroll-bar.

Feedback is always appreciated!

[rstone]

VLC_Bob,

Try the July 10th nightly from https://artifacts.videolan.org/vlc-andr ... tly-arm64/ instead of the previous "release" link.

Thanks!