Live Metadata Output

Live metadata output

In this project I will write the code foundation that will broadcast the tracks currently being played in the Mixxx app to various services (online or not) dedicated to compile this information and display it for everyone. First I will implement a proof-of-concept text file displaying the current track. Then I will work on a Last.fm scrobbler. Afterwards, I will write a Listenbrainz listener. And lastly, if I have time, I will make a MPRIS broadcaster with QtDbus so that other apps can receive this info.

Proposed schedule

Modified as of 29/05/2018.

First week: May 14th to May 20th

During this week I added the necessary signals to track when a track is paused, resumed, loaded and unloaded. I also created some timers to count the played time, necessary to know when a track is scrobbable. I wrote some tests for the Track object, which was intended to hold this information.

Second week: May 21st to May 27th

During this week I moved all the metadata management to a separate class, instead of the Player Manager, moved the timers away from the Track object to this class, introduced the total volume as a factor to take into account besides whether if a track is being played or not and redid the implementation of the timer to use GuiTick50ms as I was told the waveforms conflict with the use of QTimer's timeout signal.

Third week: May 28th to June 3rd

During this week I will finish and make sure that the Listener class, which listens for paused and resumed events and polls the volume of the tracks, works.

Fourth week: June 4th to June 10th

During this week I will have finished with the Listener class, which will give me some time to write a proof of concept of the service interface with the writing of a file. This will leave the project ready for the evaluation. However, on Monday the 4th I have two exams and I will probably work less, since I have to stay at uni for 5 hours.

Fifth week: June 11th to June 17th

During this week I will start implementing the interface that interacts with Qt. I will start by writing a simple class that creates the request objects and will use an interface to interact with the QNetworkAccessManager. This way I can mock up the manager and write individual tests for the aforementioned interface.

Sixth week: June 18th to June 24th

During this week I will finish the interaction with the API itself and make sure it works as intended to move on to the menu.

Seventh week: June 25th to July 1st

During this week I will add options to the broadcasting menu to enable user authentication. Since the previous tests will be done with my own user, manual authentication will be used, up to this point. Here I will add a toggle that enables the interaction as well as a browser pop-up asking for authentication to the user.

Eighth week: July 2nd to July 8th

During this week I will wrap up the interaction, solving any bugs, errors or obstacles that will come up. If I have finished early I will start the MPRIS interaction by looking at this github branch for ideas.

Ninth week: July 9th to July 15th

During this week I will start implementing the MPRIS interface. If I haven't looked at the github branch for ideas I will in this week. I will also talk to the devs to see what ideas they have since I'm told this is a somewhat popular request. I will use QDBus for this.

Tenth week: July 16th to July 22nd

During this week I will continue implementing the MPRIS interface.

Eleventh week: July 23rd to July 29th

During this week I expect to have finished with the MPRIS interface as well as test how it interacts with other programs.

Twelfth week: July 30th to August 5th

This week will be dedicated to wrap up the MPRIS interface as well as solve any bugs or problems that come up.

Proposed deadline goals

First deadline: 11th June

For this deadline, I will have a solid code base and a proof of concept of a scrobbler in the form of a txt file.

Second deadline: 9th July

For this deadline, I will have the full interaction with Last.fm scrobbler. Including the option added to the broadcast, the authentication process and the uploading of the scrobbles. As well as solving any bugs that come up.

Third deadline: 6th August

For this date, I will have finished the interaction with the MPRIS interface, and if I have time I will implement a ListenBrainz interaction.

Project outline

Here's a rough outline of the intention of the project. This is far from complete.

A track counts as a new listen when:

• The track has a duration greater than 30 seconds and has been listened to (through master, see definition of audible below) for half of its duration or 4 minutes, whichever is shorter. This played time is paused while the song is not audible. And it gets reset if the track is unloaded.
• The time between the last unload and the current load of the track is greater than 5 minutes. Not counting application resets (it is assumed that the user will not keep restarting the app and playing the same track over and over again).

A track is audible if its final volume is above 20% (including pregain and faders).

For the "now listening" signal (i.e much less restrictive than the full listen), every second the track with the most overall volume is the one selected.

Weekly blog

1st week
2nd week