iTunes Update plugin v0.3

[Craig, James (IT)]

I should have said, shouldn't I?
No there isn't a home page as such - here's a snippet of the readme file
that comes in the .zip archive;

iTunes Update is a SlimServer plug-in to update your iTunes database
with Slimserver client listening data, user ratings and playlists.


Features:
=========

- When a track is determined to have been 'played', the iTunes playcount
and last played fields are updated.

This is decided by 3 variables - minimum listen time (default 5s),
percentage listen time (default 50%) and maximum listen time (default 15
minutes). These settings can be modified in the iTunesUpdate.pm code.
For some reason (buffering perhaps) it's very unlikely that a full 100%
of time is ever registered,
so don't set the % too high (This is particularly noticable on very
short tracks).

- iTunes rating from the client.

When on the 'now playing' screen the keys 1-5 and 0 can be used to
provide a rating for the track currently playing (0 being no stars in
iTunes). When the current track changes the rating will be written to
iTunes (even if it wasn't listened to long enough to qualify as a
'play'). Tracks can be re-rated as many times as you like before they're
written to iTunes.

- write SlimServer client playlists to iTunes

When on the 'now playing' screen holding down the play key will write
the current client playlist to iTunes.
It will be named the same as the client and appended with the current
date and time.
This can take a while so be careful not to activate this multiple times!



Notes
=====
- Windows is the only currently supported iTunes platform.
(appleScript commands for Mac are printed to the log but not
executed as they've never been tested)

- There are two modes of operation, which can be changed from SlimServer
(Server Settings - Plugins)
1. Direct update to iTunes (default configuration on Windows/Mac
Slimserver):
Slimserver must be running on the same host as iTunes is
run
(iTunes does not need to be running before SLimserver -
it will be started when necessary)
Updates are performed direct to iTunes in real-time.

2. Indirect update to iTunes (any Slimserver platform, default
on unix)
iTunesUpdate logs play history and ratings to a file in
the playlist directory (default: iTunesUpdate_hist).
The standalone program iTunesUpdateWin.pl can process
this file and apply the updates.
(iTunesUpdateWin.pl requires perl library Win32::OLE and
must be run on the Windows iTunes host)
Note: Saving of playlists is not available in this mode
of operation.

- The plugin will NOT work in 'direct update' mode if SlimServer is
running as a service.
(Even if it's running as the user with access to iTunes.)
You need to run SlimServer as the iTunes user by starting
slim.exe/slimserver.exe or the slimserver.pl script.

- You need to be running a version of iTunes which supports the OLE
interface - (4.5 or later.)

- It can take a while to start iTunes the first time it's accessed.
Saving long playlists to iTunes can take a while. These actions may
cause a pause in playback.

- Because SlimServer caches the MP3 tags, iTunes will not be updated if
key tags (artist,album, track name) have been changed in iTunes and the
SlimServer cache hasn't been updated.


James

-----Original Message-----
From: discuss-bounces (AT) lists (DOT) slimdevices.com
[mailto:discuss-bounces (AT) lists (DOT) slimdevices.com] On Behalf Of ron
Sent: 08 November 2004 21:47
To: Slim Devices Discussion
Subject: [slim] iTunes Update plugin v0.3

Hi,
is there a home page for this plugin, which details what it does aso ?
Greetings,
Ron


Craig, James (IT) wrote:

>
>I've just released a new version of my iTunesUpdate plugin, after
>finding a very stupid bug in it.
>There are a couple of other changes as well.
>
>v0.3 - Ignore 'empty client' commands
> - fix blank space regexp and code
> - Remove many log messages
> - Standardise remaining log messages
> - Only attempt to log play of files (not streams)
> - Fixed creation of settings on first run
> - Add 'show messages' to plugin settings
>
>You can download it at
>
>www.jamescraig.co.uk/SlimServer/iTunesUpdate.zip
>
>James
>--------------------------------------------------------
>
>NOTICE: If received in error, please destroy and notify sender. Sender
does not waive confidentiality or privilege, and use is prohibited.
>
>
>

[ron]

Thanx for your answer.
I am currently writing a Java Remote Control to better gather playlists
in SlimServer, and could not yet find a way to query SlimServer as of
its Database.
Could you give me a tip or a link?
Cheers,
Ron



Craig, James (IT) wrote:

>I should have said, shouldn't I?
>No there isn't a home page as such - here's a snippet of the readme file
>that comes in the .zip archive;
>
>iTunes Update is a SlimServer plug-in to update your iTunes database
>with Slimserver client listening data, user ratings and playlists.
>
>
>Features:
>=========
>
>- When a track is determined to have been 'played', the iTunes playcount
>and last played fields are updated.
>
>This is decided by 3 variables - minimum listen time (default 5s),
>percentage listen time (default 50%) and maximum listen time (default 15
>minutes). These settings can be modified in the iTunesUpdate.pm code.
>For some reason (buffering perhaps) it's very unlikely that a full 100%
>of time is ever registered,
>so don't set the % too high (This is particularly noticable on very
>short tracks).
>
>- iTunes rating from the client.
>
>When on the 'now playing' screen the keys 1-5 and 0 can be used to
>provide a rating for the track currently playing (0 being no stars in
>iTunes). When the current track changes the rating will be written to
>iTunes (even if it wasn't listened to long enough to qualify as a
>'play'). Tracks can be re-rated as many times as you like before they're
>written to iTunes.
>
>- write SlimServer client playlists to iTunes
>
>When on the 'now playing' screen holding down the play key will write
>the current client playlist to iTunes.
>It will be named the same as the client and appended with the current
>date and time.
>This can take a while so be careful not to activate this multiple times!
>
>
>
>Notes
>=====
>- Windows is the only currently supported iTunes platform.
> (appleScript commands for Mac are printed to the log but not
>executed as they've never been tested)
>
>- There are two modes of operation, which can be changed from SlimServer
>(Server Settings - Plugins)
> 1. Direct update to iTunes (default configuration on Windows/Mac
>Slimserver):
> Slimserver must be running on the same host as iTunes is
>run
> (iTunes does not need to be running before SLimserver -
>it will be started when necessary)
> Updates are performed direct to iTunes in real-time.
>
> 2. Indirect update to iTunes (any Slimserver platform, default
>on unix)
> iTunesUpdate logs play history and ratings to a file in
>the playlist directory (default: iTunesUpdate_hist).
> The standalone program iTunesUpdateWin.pl can process
>this file and apply the updates.
> (iTunesUpdateWin.pl requires perl library Win32::OLE and
>must be run on the Windows iTunes host)
> Note: Saving of playlists is not available in this mode
>of operation.
>
>- The plugin will NOT work in 'direct update' mode if SlimServer is
>running as a service.
> (Even if it's running as the user with access to iTunes.)
> You need to run SlimServer as the iTunes user by starting
>slim.exe/slimserver.exe or the slimserver.pl script.
>
>- You need to be running a version of iTunes which supports the OLE
>interface - (4.5 or later.)
>
>- It can take a while to start iTunes the first time it's accessed.
>Saving long playlists to iTunes can take a while. These actions may
>cause a pause in playback.
>
>- Because SlimServer caches the MP3 tags, iTunes will not be updated if
>key tags (artist,album, track name) have been changed in iTunes and the
>SlimServer cache hasn't been updated.
>
>
>James
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: discuss-bounces (AT) lists (DOT) slimdevices.com
>[mailto:discuss-bounces (AT) lists (DOT) slimdevices.com] On Behalf Of ron
>Sent: 08 November 2004 21:47
>To: Slim Devices Discussion
>Subject: [slim] iTunes Update plugin v0.3
>
>Hi,
>is there a home page for this plugin, which details what it does aso ?
>Greetings,
>Ron
>
>
>Craig, James (IT) wrote:
>
>
>
>>I've just released a new version of my iTunesUpdate plugin, after
>>finding a very stupid bug in it.
>>There are a couple of other changes as well.
>>
>>v0.3 - Ignore 'empty client' commands
>> - fix blank space regexp and code
>> - Remove many log messages
>> - Standardise remaining log messages
>> - Only attempt to log play of files (not streams)
>> - Fixed creation of settings on first run
>> - Add 'show messages' to plugin settings
>>
>>You can download it at
>>
>>www.jamescraig.co.uk/SlimServer/iTunesUpdate.zip
>>
>>James
>>--------------------------------------------------------
>>
>>NOTICE: If received in error, please destroy and notify sender. Sender
>>
>>
>does not waive confidentiality or privilege, and use is prohibited.
>
>
>>