Opening the Options Window

You do this using the Tools > Options menu.

First Tab

A familiar sight, the Options window is consistent with XP conventions.

It starts on the Player tab.

View the Library Tab

I clicked the Library tab. The Maintain my star ratings as global ratings in the media files checkbox is not ticked.

Turn it On

Clicking Maintain my star ratings as global ratings in the media files checkbox ticks it.

Applying the Change

Clicking the Apply button normally updates the application’s settings without closing the Options window.

Long Message Box

Apparently this feature might not do what you think it should do, so it asks you if you want to do it or not. Here’s exactly what it says:

If you added ratings to your files previously, click OK to import them into your library now. Keep in mind, however, that importing the ratings overwrites ratings currently in the library. If you click Cancel, the ratings in the files will be overwritten the next time any media attributes for the files are changed.

Since when did message boxes say things like “Keep in mind, however, that”?

From the way it is written, it sounds like my ratings won’t be saved to the files until I change the a “media attribute”. I guess this includes the author, album, genre and rating. But what if all the details for each file is already correct? I would need to change something to a wrong value, then change it back, for every file in my whole library. Is that what this is saying?

Clicking Cancel seems like the way which sends ratings from my library into the files. To get the effect I want, I cancel the feature I just enabled. Right...

Please Wait

I got a progress window. This is interesting in several ways:

• I wasn’t expecting it. The message box told me the rating for any file won’t be saved to that file until I change the rating or some other “media attribute”.
• Progress bar end is too close to the right window border.
• Label inside the window merely says Working...
• No Cancel button.
• window’s Close button is enabled. I didn’t try clicking it. If it works, there should be a Cancel button for consistency with other XP windows.
• Title says Please Wait ..., with an inexplicable space between the final word and the punctuation. Also, the title of a window is usually a title rather than a request.