muTunes ReadMe

by Ken Smith

http://www.thesmithsplace.com/mutunes

About

muTunes (multi user iTunes Plugin) is a replacement for Audioscrobbler that works with both WinAmp, iTunes, and many others. I've created plugins for both PostNuke and Joomla, but I'm fairly new to WordPress. I always likes the "NowPlaying" modules for PN and Joomla, so I was really happy when I found AudiScrobbler. AudioScrobbler's website (http://www.last.fm) says "Hey, it's your data. No musical profile is an island." Well, then why will they only serve you up the last 10 songs you've played? Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed their service for a while, but it is very restrictive. So I decided to create a new WP plugin that saves your song info to your database.

Features

• Multi-User Capable!
• Saves your listening prefs to your DB!
• Works with iTunes, Winamp, Foobar2000, QCD, and others.
• Flood Protection
• Password Protection
• Make $$$! Assign your Amazon AssociateID to links.

Installation

Installation is not as simple as most plugins, because not only do you have to set up the WordPress Plugin, but you have to set up a plugin for your music program. Hopefully this guide will make it fairly painless.

WordPress Plugin Installation

Setup for the WordPress Plugin goes as follows:

1. FTP the "mutunes" folder to your "wp-content/plugins" directory.
2. Activate the plugin
3. Insert the following in your Sidebar template:

   <?php if(function_exists('mutunes_sidebar')) mutunes_sidebar( X ); ?>

   where X is the user_id for the songlist you want displayed.
4. Customize the options page
5. Test install with the Test Input Form on the options page.
6. NOTE: If you have the Now Reading plugin by Rob Miller installed, you must put this around the entire bottom section of now-reading.php, like this:

   if ( ! function_exists('XML_unserialize') ) {
   
   	#######################################################
   	# XML Library, by Keith Devens, version 1.2b
   	# ...
   	# ...
   	
   	All the way to the bottom of the page
   
   }
   					

Music Player Plugin Installation

iTunes

1. Close iTunes
2. Download and install the latest version of AMIP.
3. Download and install the AMIP Configurator.
4. Download and install the latest version of CURL.
5. Run the AMIP Configurator, entering the following in "Callbacks/Web":

   /exec:(c:\**YOUR_PATH_TO_CURL**\curl.exe) -d "uid=USER_ID" -d "pw=PASSWORD_HASH_FROM_SETUP" -d "artist=&func_ue(%1)" -d "title=&func_ue(%2)" -d "album=&func_ue(%4)" -d "rating=&func_ue(%itrt)" http://**YOUR_WEBSITE_URL**/wp-content/plugins/mutunes/mutunes_insert.php

6. Test it and away you go!

WinAmp

There are two programs for WinAmp: AMIP and DoSomething.

AMIP

Use the instructions above for iTunes, but download the plugin for WinAmp.

DoSomething

1. Download and install the latest version of DoSomething for WinAmp.
2. Go to Winamp Preferences > Plugins > General Purpose
3. Click on Dosomething Plugin and click Configure selected plugin
4. Add an Action of "Submit A URL"
5. Fill in the following:
   URL:

   http://**YOUR_WEBSITE_URL**/wp-content/plugins/mutunes/mutunes_insert.php

   URL Result File:

   uid=USER_ID&pw=PASSWORD_HASH_FROM_SETUPtitle=%%CURRENTSONGTITLE%%&artist=%%CURRENTARTIST%%&album=%%CURRENTALBUM%%

6. Test it and away you go!

Others

I'm sure there are many other players/plugins out there that can post music info to a URL. Please let me know about them! (kennethwsmith@yahoo.com) Especially if there is an iTunes plugin that doesnt require the subsequent download of curl in order to work.

I know that AMIP works for Foobar2000, Apollo, and QCD, so the install should be fairly similar to the iTunes install.

Configuration

Configuration should be sufficiently explained on the Options page.

Contact Info

Please use the comments section on this page (http://www.thesmithsplace.com/mutunes) to report bugs or ask questions.