Using Columns UI

At its stock settings, Columns UI will look similar to this:

The UI has several distinctive sections - the frame, including titlebar, the toolbars, the sidebar, the playlist view, the status bar, and the systray icon. You can navigate through the UI by using the TAB key, and the SHIFT-TAB keys.

The toolbar area is where frequently used actions are located. the standard toolbars are:

• Menubar
  The main menu items are located here. By default, these will include actions such as calling up preferences, maniulating the playlist, controlling playback, and component-related actions.
• Playback buttons
  For easy access, you can control playback from this toolbar. Hover the mouse over the button to display a tooltip indicating its action.
• Seekbar
  Allows you to seek through the track by dragging the “thumb”. The displayed tooltip indicated the seek position. Hold the SHIFT key whilst dragging to seek in real-time. You can also seek by turning the mouse wheel whilst hovering over the seekbar.
• Playback order dropdown
  Displays the current playback order, and allows you to change the playback order.
• Spectrum analyser
  A simple visualisation. Right click on it to change its colours.
• Volume control
  Allows you to change the volume by dragging the thumb. Turning the mouse wheel whilst hovering over the volume control will also change the volume.

Panels make up the main part of the interface.

Information about the built-in panels in provided below:

• Playlist Switcher
• Playlist view
• Filter
• Artwork view

The status bar displays various information in its three panels.

• The left panel displays information about the playing track during playback.
  Double clicking on it will perform an action, which by default is to select the playing item.
• The second panel displays the total length of the selected track.
  Double clicking on this section selects all tracs in the playlist.
• The last section displays the current volume.
  Left or right clicking on it displays a popup volume control.

• Right clicking on sections other than the volume one brings up the context menu for the playing track, if any.

You can hide any of these sections in the Status bar preferences page.

By default Columns UI will display an icon in the system notification area. Clicking on this icon will show or hide the main window. Right clicking it will bring up a shortcut menu for quick access to various commands.