Synchronisation between iTunes DB and MediaPortal music DB

JulianBuss · 2005-05-22, 15:23

Hi,

I just digged around a bit in iTunes SDK and MediaPortal sources... and I would like to try to implement the following as PlugIn:

I have iTunes (for synch my iPod and for buying music), and I have MediaPortal. I wish to hear music with MediaPortal.
Therefore I want to have all music, playlists and metadata from iTunes in MP, too.

There is a SDK for iTunes, which seems to be simple to understand. With this it is possible to access all playlist and music data stored in iTunes.

So the missing link is only a small PlugIn for MP which reads that data from iTunes and stores it in the MP music database.

I'm an experienced Java developer and have knowledge in several other languages, too, but not in C# - yet. But C# seems to be something like Java, so should not be a problem to learn.

I've already set a C# development environment based on Eclipse and got the MP sources via CVS... but now I'm lost a little bit... there is really much stuff, and it's not clear to me how to start with a plugin... but I will continue to dig around...

So this posting is mainly to inform you that I'm about to start such plugin :-)

MrMario64 · 2005-06-01, 11:00

cool stuff!

Frodo yesterday made an itunes plugin using the sdk to have itunes as external player.
This means you can play your bought songs now.

Extentions like you mentioned (ratings, playlists) r welcomed!

Brocklander · 2005-06-01, 14:36

May I suggest the following as a layout idea, navigating it the same way you navigate iTunes.

The top level of the main view would hold the same contents as the left column of iTunes - iTunes Library, Inserted Discs, Shared iTunes Libraries on your LAN, iTunes Playlists - in addition to the shares you can add in the configuration utility.

The left menu:
- View (Same as current)
- Sort By (Title, Artist, Album, Genre, Rating, Year, Time, Date Added, Last Played, Playcount, Disc Number)
- Switch View (Normal, Artist, Album, Genre, Rating, Year)
- Shuffle Off, Shuffle
- Repeat Off, Repeat All, Repeat Track
- Create Playlist (A normal iTunes playlist)
- Search

The F9 context menu on a file would let you:
- Delete the file (or remove from the Playlist, depending whether the selected file is in your Library or a Playlist)
- Add to a playlist
- Change the rating (Current dialouge for this is too complex, tapping one button should just cycle through 1 2 3 4 5 0 stars)
- Reset playcount
- Enable/disable track (like ticking the box next to a track in iTunes)
- Find coverart

The F9 menu on a playlist or folder would let you:
- Delete the playlist or eject the share or disc (depending on what you click on - can you do this?)
- Find coverart - but I guess this one will only work if you have the view set to Album

mzemina · 2005-06-18, 05:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrMario64

cool stuff!

Frodo yesterday made an itunes plugin using the sdk to have itunes as external player.
This means you can play your bought songs now.

Extentions like you mentioned (ratings, playlists) r welcomed!

Where is this plugin? I can't find it on the Download center page Did it not get published there? Will I need to wait for version 0.1.3?

Mike Zemina

nzmike · 2005-07-18, 15:32

I second that!! I'm trying to get this plugin but I can't find it anywhere... can someone help us?!?!

Mike

mPod · 2005-07-18, 16:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by nzmike

I second that!! I'm trying to get this plugin but I can't find it anywhere... can someone help us?!?!

Mike

Configuration.exe/Plugins/iTunes audio player

nzmike · 2005-07-19, 02:17

Thanks mPod, I thought it was a download... but it seems that it comes already in MP.

Mike

JulianBuss · 2006-07-25, 23:00

a late follow-up for this topic: after having a good time with Meedio I'm about to switch back to MediaPortal. And this time I'm starting to understand the MP source code :-)
I will code some small modifications to MP first and then I will try to implement that iTunes-Sync-Plugin I wrote about in the first post of this thread.

deppeler · 2006-07-26, 20:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by JulianBuss

a late follow-up for this topic: after having a good time with Meedio I'm about to switch back to MediaPortal. And this time I'm starting to understand the MP source code :-)
I will code some small modifications to MP first and then I will try to implement that iTunes-Sync-Plugin I wrote about in the first post of this thread.

Sounds great as I use iTunes exclusively for my music (mp4 files).
One question, iTunes at least on my system seems to take awhile to open & if there is an update pending it just sits there till you interact and in MP in full screen you don't know it's happening.
Is there a way to say choose QT player instead as the default player as this loads without the overheads of iTunes for playing mp4 audio files?

thanks

coopers · 2007-03-01, 01:58

If you are able to configure such a thing, I suggest taking a look at the way you can "stack" albums by the same artist/band in wmp10. This is a brilliant feature...

even if it is wmp10. It is painful that you can't sort itunes in an easy to view format like that.

2005-05-22, 15:23	#1 (permalink)
JulianBuss Portal Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Age: 34 Posts: 136 Thanks: 2 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post My System	Synchronisation between iTunes DB and MediaPortal music DB Hi, I just digged around a bit in iTunes SDK and MediaPortal sources... and I would like to try to implement the following as PlugIn: I have iTunes (for synch my iPod and for buying music), and I have MediaPortal. I wish to hear music with MediaPortal. Therefore I want to have all music, playlists and metadata from iTunes in MP, too. There is a SDK for iTunes, which seems to be simple to understand. With this it is possible to access all playlist and music data stored in iTunes. So the missing link is only a small PlugIn for MP which reads that data from iTunes and stores it in the MP music database. I'm an experienced Java developer and have knowledge in several other languages, too, but not in C# - yet. But C# seems to be something like Java, so should not be a problem to learn. I've already set a C# development environment based on Eclipse and got the MP sources via CVS... but now I'm lost a little bit... there is really much stuff, and it's not clear to me how to start with a plugin... but I will continue to dig around... So this posting is mainly to inform you that I'm about to start such plugin :-)

2005-06-01, 11:00	#2 (permalink)
MrMario64 Retired Team Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Age: 34 Posts: 822 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Country: My System	cool stuff! Frodo yesterday made an itunes plugin using the sdk to have itunes as external player. This means you can play your bought songs now. Extentions like you mentioned (ratings, playlists) r welcomed! __________________

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2005-06-01, 14:36	#3 (permalink)
Brocklander Retired Team Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Wellington Posts: 346 Thanks: 0 Thanked 2 Times in 1 Post Country: My System	May I suggest the following as a layout idea, navigating it the same way you navigate iTunes. The top level of the main view would hold the same contents as the left column of iTunes - iTunes Library, Inserted Discs, Shared iTunes Libraries on your LAN, iTunes Playlists - in addition to the shares you can add in the configuration utility. The left menu: - View (Same as current) - Sort By (Title, Artist, Album, Genre, Rating, Year, Time, Date Added, Last Played, Playcount, Disc Number) - Switch View (Normal, Artist, Album, Genre, Rating, Year) - Shuffle Off, Shuffle - Repeat Off, Repeat All, Repeat Track - Create Playlist (A normal iTunes playlist) - Search The F9 context menu on a file would let you: - Delete the file (or remove from the Playlist, depending whether the selected file is in your Library or a Playlist) - Add to a playlist - Change the rating (Current dialouge for this is too complex, tapping one button should just cycle through 1 2 3 4 5 0 stars) - Reset playcount - Enable/disable track (like ticking the box next to a track in iTunes) - Find coverart The F9 menu on a playlist or folder would let you: - Delete the playlist or eject the share or disc (depending on what you click on - can you do this?) - Find coverart - but I guess this one will only work if you have the view set to Album

2005-07-18, 15:32	#5 (permalink)
nzmike Portal Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 16 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	I second that!! I'm trying to get this plugin but I can't find it anywhere... can someone help us?!?! Mike

2005-07-19, 02:17	#7 (permalink)
nzmike Portal Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 16 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Thanks mPod, I thought it was a download... but it seems that it comes already in MP. Mike

2006-07-25, 23:00	#8 (permalink)
JulianBuss Portal Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Age: 34 Posts: 136 Thanks: 2 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post My System	a late follow-up for this topic: after having a good time with Meedio I'm about to switch back to MediaPortal. And this time I'm starting to understand the MP source code :-) I will code some small modifications to MP first and then I will try to implement that iTunes-Sync-Plugin I wrote about in the first post of this thread.

2007-03-01, 01:58	#10 (permalink)
coopers Portal Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Adelaide Posts: 150 Thanks: 3 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts Country: My System	If you are able to configure such a thing, I suggest taking a look at the way you can "stack" albums by the same artist/band in wmp10. This is a brilliant feature... even if it is wmp10. It is painful that you can't sort itunes in an easy to view format like that.