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Use a OSX box as an iTunes music server
Authored by: JonnyG on Nov 20, '03 06:20:50PM

So can you do this running OSX 2 or 3? I'm running Jag server on an older box with tons of drive space. Right now, I have it set to automatically log in and launch iTunes so that the whole library is available. However, I can't add new music remotely with out VNC or something similar, and I don't want to do that. I would much rather have this running with no user logged into the GUI. More processor time for the server functions, instead of a GUI that no one is using.

If this is possible, how would new music be added to the lists? I know how to add it to the drive remotely, but would it have to be added to the broadcasted playlists manually through SSH? I'm ok with that. I have SSH running on the server anyway. I just don't want to run VNC or Timbuktu.

THoughts?



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Use a OSX box as an iTunes music server
Authored by: beepotato on Feb 01, '04 10:44:25AM

"However, I can't add new music remotely with out VNC or something similar, and I don't want to do that."

To add a music file to your playlist through SSH, you can do it with Applescript (after you put the file on the server disk):

  osascript -e 'tell application "iTunes" to
    add ("/UNIX/path/to/your/file.mp3" as POSIX file) to playlist "Playlist name"'

(all that in one line, which was broken here for readability)

Note that the "to playlist..." part is optional. Without it, the file just gets added to your library.



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Use a OSX box as an iTunes music server
Authored by: Velociped on Feb 28, '04 10:55:50PM

The previous respondent does not seem to have answered the question(s) which you have posed.

So can you do this running OSX 2 or 3?

Yes; the software compiles without issue under both of the mentioned releases of OS X. Provided you have installed the three required dependencies beforehand, everything will work quite well.

... how would new music be added to the lists?

The method I use is as follows:

My daapd daemon is running on an old, headless 8600 running 10.2.8. I rip my disks on my iBook and then transfer the directories containing the encoded MP3s (the daapd daemon is only able to serve MP3s — not AAC or other format files) into the desired position within the directory tree. Then, restart the daapd process; no need to kill the mDNSProxyResponder. (I have written a StartupItem for the daapd service which contains a restart branch. So, I simply issue the restart command through the SystemStarter. The same result can be obtained by killing the process and restarting the daemon.) Voila, the new tracks are now available throughout the subnet.

... would it have to be added to the broadcasted playlists manually through SSH?

Well, the current release of the daapd daemon does not support playlists — only the master "Library" is published. Thus you would still be required to make use of the GUI and iTunes if you wanted to create and publish specialized playlists.

The alternate mt-daapd project, mentioned in another thread, does support the creation and publication of playlists. However, I have not used this and cannot comment on the procedure.

I just don't want to run VNC or Timbuktu.

As I mentioned above, if you can live without playlists (or are willing to compile and install mt-daapd), then it is possible to maintain (add, subtract, etc.) tracks and albums within your music database remotely and entirely from the command line.



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Use a OSX box as an iTunes music server
Authored by: bluehz on Feb 29, '04 12:18:29AM

I second that vote for mt-daapd. Couple of pluses over daapd:

* multithreaded
* supports static and smart playlists
* self-contained - much fewer dependencies
* Supports most ID3v1 and v2 tags
* Runs as a daemon (no need to keep iTunes open as the server)



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