Windows application installation method

Contents

Requirements

  • Windows 10 or 11 on a 64-bit computer, with Microsoft Edge WebView2 (generally already included with Windows)
  • A music library (MP3, FLAC, WAV, M4A or OGG) in a folder on the PC

foobar2000 and Beefweb do not need to be installed separately. If foobar2000 is already installed on your PC, lastseen.tools can use it.

1. Installation

1. Download the installer

Download lastseen.tools-2.0-Setup.exe from the version 2.0 page on GitHub, then open it. The installer is shown in English or French, depending on the Windows language.

The installer is not signed: if Windows shows Windows protected your PC, choose More info, then Run anyway.

2. Accept the terms

The License Agreement page shows the lastseen.tools terms of use, then the foobar2000 license. Choose I accept the agreement, then Next.

License Agreement

3. Choose the installation folder

The installer suggests the %LOCALAPPDATA%\Programs\lastseen.tools folder, which you can change with Browse…. No administrator rights are required.

Your settings, profiles and history are stored in this folder.

Destination folder

4. Choose foobar2000

The Is foobar2000 already installed on this PC? page offers two choices:

  • No, install it: a foobar2000 dedicated to lastseen.tools is installed in the installation folder
  • Yes, use this one: your own foobar2000, standard or portable installation. A standard installation is detected automatically; otherwise, point to its folder with Browse…

Your foobar2000 must be version 2 (32-bit or 64-bit). Its settings are kept. In both cases, the Beefweb component, which lets lastseen.tools control foobar2000, is added if missing.

Choosing foobar2000

5. Start the installation

Check Create a desktop shortcut if you wish, then choose Next.

Desktop shortcut

The installation starts right away. lastseen.tools then opens on its welcome wizard.

lastseen.tools welcome wizard

The Start menu contains lastseen.tools and, if foobar2000 was installed with it, foobar2000.

2. First launch

On first launch, the Welcome to lastseen.tools wizard offers four steps. Skip closes the wizard: everything remains adjustable in the Settings tab.

1. Library

Click Choose music folder…, then select the folder that contains your music. This choice also configures foobar2000.

Choosing the music folder

The scan shows its progress and the estimated time remaining. The summary then shows the tracks found, unreadable files and missing tags. Complete tags (title, artist, genre) make the most of the generator.

Library summary

Missing tags can be completed later in the Library tab.

2. Generation profiles

A profile limits the genres the generator can use. The Normal profile allows all genres.

  • Create a profile…: choose a name and the allowed genres
  • Import an existing profile file…: reuse a profiles.json file
Profiles step

Each profile can filter tracks by their last play:

  • No cutoff date: all tracks from the allowed genres are available
  • Choose a cutoff date: only tracks last played before this date are available
  • Retry with the next date: if no track is available, the generator tries again with the next day
Creating a profile

The cutoff date relies on the listening history chosen in step 4.

3. Genre compatibility matrix

The matrix decides which genres can follow a track of a given genre. By default, all transitions are allowed.

  • Edit the matrix…: each row is the current genre, each column the next genre. Click a cell: green 1 allows the transition, red 0 blocks it. Finish with Save and finish
  • Import an existing matrix file…: reuse a .tsv file
Matrix stepMatrix with two blocked transitions

4. Listening history

The history keeps the date of your last plays:

  • No history
  • Listening history, with one source or both:
    • Last.fm: your Last.fm scrobbles. Set up Last.fm… asks for your username and your API key, created with the Get a Last.fm API key link
    • App: lastseen.tools records a play once half of the track has been played
History sourcesLast.fm setup

Choose Finish. lastseen.tools opens on the Player tab.

Player after the wizard

Daily use is described in the Windows user manual.

3. Uninstall lastseen.tools

Before uninstalling, Export my settings… in the Settings tab keeps a copy of them.

In Windows Settings, under Apps, choose lastseen.tools, then Uninstall. The uninstaller asks:

  • Do you also want to delete your personal data? (settings, history, profiles, matrix): choose No to find them again after reinstalling in the same folder
  • Do you want to delete the dedicated foobar2000 player?: only if foobar2000 was installed with lastseen.tools

Your own foobar2000 is never deleted.