File List

The File List is one of the main elements in the Resonic user interface. It looks like this:

This documentation is for Resonic up to 0.9.3.

Table of Contents

Contents

File List Behavior

The following general file list behavior applies to all versions of Resonic:

  • Left-Click a non-playing file to play it.
  • Ctrl+Left-Click a file to select it — it won't play; i.e. you can Ctrl+Drag the currently playing file without playing it.
  • Esc always clears the current selection.
  • When a playing file is not selected yet, it will never restart when clicked. i.e. press Esc to clear the selection, then drag the playing file out, and it won't restart.
  • When a playing file is already selected and is clicked again, it will restart.
  • Right-Click for Resonic context menu; ⇧ Shift+Right-Click for Explorer context menu.

File List Colors and Symbols

There's a concept behind the colors and symbols used in Resonic's file list, and for Explorer icons.

Colors and Content Kind

Blue Shades

Blue marks audio files that make use of a lossless compression algorithm (uncompressed or compressed audio, but without sound degradation.)

Blue shades are also used in other places of the user interface.

Orange Shades

Orange marks audio files that use a lossy compression algorithm that in some way degrades sound quality.

Orange shades are also used in the user interface whenever sound is being altered in some way, e.g., audio effects are active.

Green Shades

Green marks music files (e.g., module music files, MIDI files, etc.)

Green shades are also used for highlighting elements in the user interface, e.g., active file, or play status.

Purple Shades

Purple is mainly used to mark video files.

Symbols and Channel Count

Stereo Files

A big square marks stereo files.

A big square also marks music and video files with an uncertain channel count.

Mono Files

A little square marks mono files.

Multichannel Files

Four little squares mark multichannel files with more than two channels.

Stems Files

Four horizontal lines mark Native Instruments Stems music files.

As an open multi-track audio format, Stems enhances creative possibilities for DJs, producers, and live performers. A Stem file contains a track split into four musical elements.

File List Filter

The File List Filter lets you quickly filter the currently displayed list of files, leaving only what you want to see.

Note that the filter matches string portions in various ways, but is not a replacement for a keyword search (and/or).
On the other hand it can find exact matches, even spaces in filenames and available metadata.

Available from Resonic 0.8.5.

Using the File List Filter

You can toggle the filter bar using the button in the status bar, or by pressing Ctrl+F.

To start filtering simply type the text you are looking for. Resonic will then find files that contain the text you typed.

When done you can use Esc, Ctrl+F, or the × to quickly close the filter bar.

Advanced filtering options are available through the button on the filter bar.

How the Filter Works

Filtering is based on partial string matching (not token matching), i.e., your entered filter string is matched exactly as-is against filename, and metadata.

You can use spaces and other word separators to do exact matching, e.g., <space>C# will match Loop<space>C#.wav, but not Loop_C#.wav, _C# will match Loop_C#.wav, but not Loop<space>C#.wav.

Shortcuts

While the filter bar is open there are several shortcuts available, for example F3 to go to the next match, or Alt+C to toggle case-sensitive matching.

When you open the filter panel directly with F3 you can keep cycling through the results with subsequent presses of the same key.
When done press Esc to close the filter.

Learn more: File List Filter Shortcuts

Case Sensitive Filtering

By default filtering does not differentiate between lowercase and uppercase letters, e.g., piano would also find Piano.

To change this behavior to case-sensitive use the  cs  button on the filter bar, or press Alt+C while the filter bar is open.

Wildcard Filtering (* and ?)

A wildcard (or wildcard character) is a symbol used to replace or represent one or more characters.

These wildcards can be used in filter pattern:

  • An asterisk (*) matches any character zero or more times in succession
  • A question mark (?) matches a single character once

To toggle wildcards use the  *?  button on the filter bar, or press Alt+W while the filter bar is open.

Available from Resonic 0.9.

Wildcard Examples

To match anything that …
contains my text | *my text*
begins with my text | my text*
ends with my text | *my text
ends with my text | *my text
contains my text, my test, etc. | *my te?t*
contains my followed by text somewhere | *my*test*
begins with 123 and 1234, etc., followed by a space, but not 12345 | 123? *

Filtering by Metadata

By default all versions of Resonic will filter by filename only.

In Resonic Pro many metadata fields that have their own file list columns, i.e., metadata embedded in the actual files, can also be used for filtering.

A complete list of metadata supported for text filtering is accessible through the button.

To temporarily switch to Filter by filename only without losing the other filter settings, use the menu item, press the  fn  button on the filter bar, or press Alt+F.

Filter Modes

Show only matching

By default the File List Filter only shows files that contain the text you typed, hiding all the non-matching files.

Show all, but dim non-matching

This filter mode disables (and visually dims) non-matching files, and shows tick marks in the vertical scroll bar that indicate the approximate position of the matches in the file list.

Sticky Selections

Available from Resonic 0.9.2.

When the Sticky Selections feature is active, which is the default, list selections become sticky, i.e., they are preserved until you press Esc to clear them, or change the playlist (e.g., switch another folder).

Effectively it allows you to select items multiple times using keyboard or mouse without losing the previous selections when interacting with the file list in other ways, like you do in other applications like Windows Explorer.

Combined with double-click mode (DCM) this creates a powerful operating mode in which you can play, select, and navigate the file list independently. You could be selecting files while playback is progressing, and even right-click unrelated files to run commands on them, all without losing your current selections.

You can change this setting in the file list options, or in the file list's quick menu (arrow in the top-right corner.)

In single-click mode (SCM) focused item and active (playing) item are synchronized.

In double-click mode (DCM) focused item and active (playing) item are untied, which means that you can navigate the list independently from the active item, and select independently as well.

Press Esc at any time to clear the current list selection, regardless of operating mode and settings.

Length Indicators

Available from Resonic Pro 0.8.9.

Length Indicators are thin horizontal lines of varying width and opacity drawn directly under the file name.
They are enabled by default and visible in the File Name column only.

Toggling Length Lines

Use the File List settings menu, located in the top right corner of the file list, to disable or toggle this feature.

Understanding Length Lines

Length Indicator lines help to quickly distinguish between short audio files with varying durations of up to 30 seconds (e.g., one-shots, loops, sound effects) and long audio files (e.g., full songs, long loops, ambiences).

The longer the file's duration, the wider the line becomes.

No line is drawn when:

  • the file's audio duration is unknown
  • the file's audio duration is longer than 30 seconds

A line that roughly takes up half the width of the filename column would roughly be 15 seconds in length.

Lines utilize brightness variations to make them easier on the brain, and to make differences in file duration more visible even when quickly scrolling through the file list.
No other meaning is attached to these changes in color shade.

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