Local files in subfolders

Feature request
1

App version: 2.1.2 (a87cec5d2) Google Play

Android version: 8.1.0

Device model: BQ Aquaris X

Expected behaviour: local folder show files in this folder and also in subfolder

Current behaviour: only show files in the selected folder

First occurred: since the feature was shown up

Steps to reproduce:

  1. Create a folder with following structure
    Test: a.mp3
    Test/subfolder1: a.mp3, b.mp3, c.mp3
    Test/subfolder2: a.mp3, b.mp3, c.mp3
  2. Add the test folder as a local feed
  3. Refresh the feed
  4. Only a.mp3 from the test folder shows up

Better would be that all local files show up. Maybe like:
a.mp3
subfolder1/a.mp3
subfolder1/b.mp3
subfolder1/c.mp3
subfolder2/a.mp3
subfolder2/b.mp3
subfolder2/c.mp3

1 Like
2

Hi @MaDill
Welcome on the AntennaPod forum. Could you explain a bit about your use-case? Why would you want files in sub-folders to be recognised?

Thanks!

1 Like
3

I noticed this also when I moved my folders over from another podcast app. In support of @MaDill and in answer to @Keunes, with my old app it was not as simple to attach a folder so it made sense for one to have sub-folders, eg Folder “Audiobooks” with sub-folders for the individual books. However with the much simpler interface and ease-of-use of AntennaPod, I may be wrong and @MaDill may correct me, but I see no need for showing the files within the sub-folders - just have each individual sub-folder set as its own local feed.

4

This is my workaround at the moment to create for each book a separate local feed. But I feel this is not really a good workflow. I have books with files for each chapter and the files are named the same (01.mp3, 02.mp3, …). I have them as a zip file on my PC. I extract the files to a folder.

My expected usecase is like this. I create a local folder on my phone and add this to AntennaPod. Then I copy my books to this folder and thats it. AntennaPod check the folder and the subfolder and add the files.

At the moment I have already this folder on my phone and also the copy of my book in the subfolder. I need the create for each book a local feed and delete this local feed again after listen to the book. Too much manuel work in my opinion.

Maybe this helps to understand this.

1 Like
5

For your use-case it would need a bit more than just including subfolders. Sorting by file name would then display everything mixed up: the first episodes of all audio books, then the second episodes, and so on

6

Maybe having an option to remove local feed once all files are marked played could help with “temporary local feed”.
This way user would still have to add new local feed but there would be no need to remove manually old one.

What do you think ?

1 Like
7

I see @MaDill’s point and how this would further AntennaPod’s evolution towards being both a podcast-catcher and an audiobook player (assuming that is its strategy).

However I also see that the programming required to create the schema as described in the first note may not be trivial (as shown by @ByteHamster’s note), the processing required when in operation could be convoluted and the chance of requiring maintenance, such as with new versions of Android, as being potentially high. Also the workaround of creating a subscription for each sub-folder takes less than a minute, and later removing it even less, for which @Matth78’s suggestion has merit. Nevertheless, I take more time than the workaround to pick a dead-tree book off my stack of new ones and after reading it putting it away on my permanent shelves.

I therefore feel that this feature, like the 6 (so far) I have added myself is a low priority “nice to have”. I also feel and encourage that instead the efforts of the volunteer developers be concentrated on issues of much higher priority (I am not qualified myself to add them as features), such as any that can further improve the usability of AntennaPod for blind and visually impaired users.

(Yes - in my former life I was once responsible for managing the development and maintenance of major software systems - such as government accounting and payroll - also explains why I write such long and wordy notes - Sorry!)

2 Likes
8

Thanks MaDill for that explanation.
So for this to work we would need to recognise not only sub-folders, but also create a new ‘feed’ for each sub-folder. Without the latter, all your books would be mixed in one feed. And as ByteHamster noted, it would require files to be sorted automatically based on filename. All in all quite some developments

That’s the thing. I would argue that this should not be AntennaPod’s strategy.
As is clear from this thread, a good audiobook-app requires (slightly) different things than a podcast app. We should focus on getting the best podcast experience. Any improvements towards that experience that also benefits audiobook-listening is welcome. But sparce development and review time shouldn’t go towards improvements that focus on audio-book listeners.

The local folders features I would say was implemented for two main (probably overlapping) reasons: huge popular request, and to support people switching podcast apps. I think the latter group could also benefit from recognising sub-folders (as I described above). But given the work involved and the fact that it’s possible to add folders one by one quite easily, I would agree with DavidDez about prioritising more pertinent features.

2 Likes
9

Thank you @keunes for the explanation. Then this feature is not what I want to use. Then I use AntennaPod just for my podcasts and use the default audio player for the other thing. I was just try to use the new feature and found, it doesn’t fit what I expect.

1 Like