Skip to next category via Google Maps (new "Android Auto for phone screens") or Google Assistant

[Hilikus]

I'm running PA in mode "Advance Category" and "Shuffle Categories" to be able to randomly jump from one folder to another after playing a folder in order, each folder being an album. This works perfectly in regular PA where in the controls UI I have two separate skip buttons: >> (skip song) and >>> (skip category). My problem is with using PA in Android Auto for Phone Screens (now merged into google maps). I haven't found a way to skip to the next album anywhere, only to skip songs. Here are the two main UIs available via Android Auto. Ideally, it would be great to have the "skip category" in the first UI (in google maps) but maybe there's no space (i would be ok with just remapping the skip song button since i only skip categories, not songs). Is there at least a way to have that button in the second UI? there's plenty of space there.

Another alternative that would be awesome would be if I could use google assistant to skip the category, that way I wouldn't even need to press anything. Is there maybe a magic phrase for this? I tried "play next album" but it just skips the song. I tried "play next category" and it says "sure, asking Poweramp to play next category... sorry, something went wrong. please open the app to continue"

Am I missing a setting somewhere? What are others doing to skip categories while driving? This is using Android 12 on a Pixel 3 in case it matters

 

Thank you

[sorosch]

Has anything changed here? I tried this today - unfortunately only the next song is jumped - and not the next album - a shame.

Even if you click on "Browse Poweramp" - should Poweramp open and not the view with "random selection" - to open Poweramp, several clicks are necessary.

[andrewilley]

While the proper Android Auto interface is getting lots of love from the Google developers, and it works really nicely now - you can even edit the choice of extra buttons via PA Settings>Misc - I don't think the same can be said of their on-phone integration into Google Maps.

Andre

[sorosch]

In the settings (Pa Settings> Misc), I find nothing about how to jump to the next album. Or I overlook something here. There are only a few assignments on the buttons - or can more assignments be selected/added here?

[andrewilley]

@sorosch No, there is no option for Next/Prev Category in the Android Auto extra buttons at the moment, but more assignments could be programmed in future and I can see that Category changing would definitely be a useful one.

Personally, in Android Auto, I just use the facility to double-tap on the steering wheel's track-control buttons, which triggers Next/Prev Category. 

Andre

[sorosch]

@andrewilley Thanks for your help.

I also tried this through Google Assistant - regardless of Android Auto - Poweramp just plays a song - an album cannot be changed about Google Assistant- hopefully something will happen here

[andrewilley]

@sorosch I'm not sure Google Assistant recognises the concept of Categories as far as commands go.

https://www.smartenlight.com/google-music-voice-commands/#h-how-to-control-google-s-music-playback

Andre

[sorosch]

Too bad - then I will have to contact Google I'll write them - will bring nothing - but it is worth a try ....

Thank you very much for your help

George