UMC Music Extension en

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UMCMusic is an (current) unofficial extension for UMC to browse your music library and play them through UMC. This is not an official extension, so please don't ask the UMC developer for support. UMCMusic integates itself into UMC, so a working UMC installation is required.

Main features:

• Browse your collection(s) of music - files. Collects Music-File Information either, by Media-Infos (e.g. MP3 ID Tags) or by directory structure
• Support for artists, albums, and songs
• Support for album cover, album backdrops and artist backdrops, embedded MP3 Cover
• Stores all inforation in the UMC database.
• Support for multiple file sources
• Wide configurable (music File extensions / picture file extensions / picture fie discovery / sort orders / ....)

• Display your albums on your TV
• Play complete albums or single songs
• Filter your albums by alphabet char
• Filter your albums by genres
• Filter your albums by artists
• Browse your complete songlist
  • Filter songs by Name, genres or Artists
• Fulltext search (planned)

Screenshots will folllow...

Introduction

Thica is the developer of UMCMusic, an independent extension to UMC. Please conside and understand that the project may not be bug-free. The purpose of the UMCMusic Extension is to scan an archive of music-files and gather all relevant information, pictures, etc … With it, it is possible to display the information in a comfortable, clear and above all, beautiful design on the NMT!

UMC Music integrates in an existing UMC environment, it is not an replacement for any UMC parts. It neither works standalone without UMC. UMC Music Extension has 2 different parts.

1. UMCMusic (Scanner/Backend)
2. UltimateMediaCenter (Frontend-Extension)

The concept of UMC Music follows the concept of UMC, which means, that information are stored in a single database (same as UMC), and the GUI is created by PHP. For further details, please visit UMC Inroduction (english) In this documentation, you will find descriptions, examples and requirements as well as installation procedures to get started with UMCMusic. You should be fimilar with UMC first, before you start UMCMusic. UMCMusic currently uses no online sources.

Terminalogy

Please read to UMC Terminology (english) first. Here are some further technical terms:

Prerequirements

The following prerequirements are necessary to run UMCMusic

• A working UMC installation
• One or more music libraries, which can be accessed from your popcorn hour
• A client PC with Microsoft Windows (TM) to run UMCMusic. Note: UMCMusic was develeped to be portable to LINUX and maybe MAC. As the developer is not using those OS, he will not port the app by himself.

Installation

UMCMusic download:

Download UMCMusic at my-nmt application portal
Unpack afterwards the downloaded „umc-music.zip into your existing UMC directory eg.: "D:\UMC" (Care with Vista: under „C:\Program files“ do not unpack, select another partition than the systempartition, because it can come, otherwise, to authorisation problems!) Make sure, that the included subfolders will be extracted in the subfolders too!.

There are no further installation steps like registry entries, binds, active x controls, so for deinstallation, just delete the files.

Configuration

Please read the guidelines for UMC configuration first, as UMCMusic follows similar rules. UMCMusic uses a independed, single configuration file "umcmusic-config.xml". This file is located in the settings directory of you UMC insallation. Please note: UMCMusic will use both configuration files "umcmusic-config.xml" AND "umc-config.xml".

Configuration parameter

The configuration file is designed as an xml file which contains sections and tags. Followed all sections and tags are described. Please note UMC is not consistent to use 0/1 or true/false to enable options. UMCMusic accepts both writings.

Section <music>

This sections contains all parameter to configure the UMCMusic specific behavior.

Tag: <musicfiles>

This tag defines all file extensions of the music files to look for. The file extensions must not contain the leading dot and must be separated by the "|" sign. This tag has a default value: mp3|wav|wma|snd

Tag: <coverpattern>

This tag defines, how to search for cover picture files. Cover search order is described in section pictures. You can use leading and trailing wildcards like "*" and "?". You can use multiple pattern, <artistnamecollectpattern> This tag has a default value:[Cover]|*cover*|*front*|*folder*|*album*|*. File extension for the picture files are defined in the umcconfig.xml file. The [Cover] tag has an hardcoded function, which will be extended to Albumname[Cover] AND Artistname_Albumname[cover]. Theses tags will be searched in the Album Folder (if Librarytype=0) and in the other given search folder for cover picture. All other tags will only be searched in the album folder! The "*" at the end of the list, defines, that any picture file in the album folderis taken, if no other tag matches to a cover picture. Remember: All special characters will be replaced againt a space character eg: "/" "\" """ ,...

Tag: <albumbackdroppattern>

This tag defines, how to search for album backdrop picture files. Backdrop search order is described in section pictures. This a single tag, and not a list of pattern like for cover. No wildcards are supported. This tag has a default value:[Album_Backdrop]. File extension for the picture files are defined in the umcconfig.xml file. The albumbackdroppattern will be extended to Albumname"TAG" AND Artistname_Albumname"TAG". Theses tags will be searched in all given search folder for backdrop pictures. This tag has a default value:[Album_Backdrop] Remember: All special characters will be replaced againt a space character eg: "/" "\" """ ,...

Tag: <artistbackdroppattern>

This tag defines, how to search for artist backdrop picture files. Backdrop search order is described in section pictures. This a single tag, and not a list of pattern like for cover. No wildcards are supported. This tag has a default value:[Artist_Backdrop]. File extension for the picture files are defined in the umcconfig.xml file. The artistbackdroppattern will be extended to Artistname"TAG". This tag will be searched in all given search folder for backdrop pictures. This tag has a default value:[Album_Backdrop] Remember: All special characters will be replaced againt a space character eg: "/" "\" """ ,...

Tag: <artistpicturepattern>

This tag is reserved for later extensions.

Tag: <albumsortorder>

This tag defines the sort order for the Albums in the Album Index page. valid values are:

• artist : Sort order for Albums is Artist , relesase date, Album Title
• album : Sort order for Albums is Album Title

Tag: <filesongplaylisthandling>

This tag defines, how you like to treat playlists. valid values are:

• RemoveAllwaysPlayListFile : If a song is part of a playlist, it will not be shown in any other Album
• LeavePlayListFiles : Songs in playlists will still be part of their Albums (results in duplicate songs)

Please refer to section playlists

Tag: <umcconfigfile>

This tag defines the Path/Name to umc config file (if blank then /settings/umc-config.xml is used). Starting version 1.8 of UMC several config files could be used for UMC. Here you can define, which of them to use for UMCMusic.

Tag: <cleanupalbumsorttitle>

This tag defines, if you like the remove prefixes like "The, A, La, le, Les, Der, Die, Das,..." from the sortorder for albums (and artists). This does not remove those prefixes from the Title/Artist as shown the fronted, just from the sort order.

Valid values are:

• 0/false: Option not set
• 1/true: Option set

Example:

cleanupalbumsorttitle not set

Screen view:

Back in Black

Sex and Crime

The Master Plan

cleanupalbumsorttitle set

Screen view:

Back In Black

The Master Plan

Sex and Crime

Tag: <sortordercleanuppattern>

This defines the list of all prefixes to be removed from the sort order. This list will be used igf the option cleanupalbumsortoder is set. The prefixes will be only removed from start of the text.

Tag: <artistnamecollectpattern>

This tag adjusts all given artist names to the first Element of the list. The purpose of the tag is, to collect the different writings for artist in sampler in one name. The pattern must be separated by the "|" sign. The first element of the list defines to name, where the following pattern will be adjusted to. This tag has a default value: Various Artists|VARIOUS|NO ARTIST|VERSCHIEDENE|VARIOUS SINGERS AND MUSICGROUP|SAMPLER|MP3|ARTIST

Sub Section <debugoptions>

This section within the <music> section enables some options to show further information from the scan process

• <list_artists> Shows a list of all found artists after the scan process
• <list_albums> Shows a list of all found albums after the scan process. Also lists all albums with no cover files
• <list_genres> Shows a list of all found genres after the scan process
• <list_songs> Shows a list of all found songs after the scan process
• <list_results> Not Implemented

Section <libraries>

This Section defines all libraries fpr music files to search for. This is similar to the <libraries> section of UMC, so I advise to read the UMC documenation first UMCMusic supports several libraries, where you have your Music files stored. A library define the pathes, how the music files can be accessed by the scanner module (from the PC!) and the pathes, how the same music files can be accessed by the Popcorn Hour. There is no limitations for the number of libraries. If you store your music files and more than one external device, you need to search the forum how to enable the Popcorn Hour to mount them at the same time.

Sub Section <library>

This section defines a singe library.

Tag <ignore>

This tag enables or disables a single library

Valid values are:

• 0/false: Library is enabled
• 1/true: Library is disabled

Sub Section <music_scan_dir>

This section contais all all definitions for specific library.

Tag <pc_dir>

This tag describes, how the music files can be accessed from the UMCMusic Scanner application, so from your PC. You have to use your OS rules for pathes, so for Windows, you need backslashes and for LINUX you need slashes. No trailing slashes / backslashes are allowed.

Tag <pch_dir>

This tag describes, how the music files can be accessed from the popcorn hour. You have to use LINUX rules for pathes, so use slashes. No trailing slashes are allowed. I strongly advice to read the UMC Wicki, how to define the pch_dir pathes. UMCMusic follows the same rules.

Tag <scan_type>

The scantype defines, which content should be searched in the libray.

Valid values are:

• 0 : UMCMusic searches for everything, (Music Files, all picture files, playlists)
• 1 : UMCMusic searches for only for cover files
• 5 : UmcMusic searches only for Backdrops (Albums and Artists)
• 7 : UMCMusic searches everything but music files
• 8 : UMCMusic searches only for music files
• 9 : UMCMusic serrches only for playlists

Tag <subdirs>

This tag defines, if subdirs for the library will be included in the search

Valid values are:

• 0/false: Option is enabled
• 1/true: Option is disabled

Tag <ignoremediainfo>

If you set this value to true, UMCMusic ignores the mediaInfos for album name, artist name, song title. Normally mediainfos are stored within the ID Tag. If those are ignored UMCMusic tries to gather these information from the filename and the directory name.

Valid values are:

• 0/false: Option not set
• 1/true: Option set

Example Configuration File

Here you find an example of the umcmusic-config.xml:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
 
<umcmusic_config xmlns="http://www.umc-project.de/xmlbeans">
    <music>
        <musicfiles>mp3|wav|wma|snd</musicfiles>
        <coverpattern>[Cover]|*cover*|*front*|*folder*|*album*|*</coverpattern>    
        <albumbackdroppattern>[Album_Backdrop]</albumbackdroppattern>    
        <artistbackdroppattern>[Artist_Backdrop]</artistbackdroppattern>    
        <artistpicturepattern>[Artist_Picture]</artistpicturepattern>    
	<albumsortorder>artist</albumsortorder> 
	<filesongplaylisthandling>RemoveAllwaysPlayListFile</filesongplaylisthandling> 
	<umcconfigfile></umcconfigfile>
	<cleanupalbumsorttitle>1</cleanupalbumsorttitle>
	<sortordercleanuppattern>a|an|the|de|het|een||die|der|das|des|dem|der|ein|eines|einer|einen|la|le|l'|les|un|une|el|las|los|las|un|una|unos|unas|o|os|as|um|uma|uns|umas|en|et|il|lo|uno|gli</sortordercleanuppattern>
	<artistnamecollectpattern>Various Artists|VARIOUS|NO ARTIST|VERSCHIEDENE|VARIOUS SINGERS AND MUSICGROUP|SAMPLER|MP3|ARTIST</artistnamecollectpattern>
        <debugoptions>
            <list_artists>0</list_artists>
            <list_albums>0</list_albums>
            <list_genres>0</list_genres>
            <list_songs>0</list_songs>
            <list_results>0</list_results>
        </debugoptions>
    </music>
 
	<libraries>
		<library> 
            <ignore>false</ignore> 
		    <music_scan_dir>
		        <pc_dir>Z:\Musik</pc_dir>
		        <pch_dir>file:///opt/sybhttpd/localhost.drives/NETWORK_SHARE/BIGSTORAGE1/Musik</pch_dir>
		        <scan_type>0</scan_type>
		        <subdirs>true</subdirs>
                	<ignoremediainfo>0</ignoremediainfo>
		    </music_scan_dir>
		</library>
	</libraries>
 
</umcmusic_config>

Configuration GUI

There is no GUI to configure the umcmusic-config.xml file, and there are no plans to build it. Starting version 1.8 UMC will have a gui for configuration, we might be able to integrate UMCMuisc configuration later.

Preparing your music library

By default, UMCMusic does not require special preparation. To improve scan results you ight pay attention to the following guidelines:

• It's a good idea to have proper ID tags in your mp3 files (or equivalent information in other tagged music file types)
• To start, check if you have album covers within your album directories, if you have organized your files album based
• If you have unmaintained collection from different sources, you might place them in a/some single playlist(s). This will reduce the number of album detected and places the files within the playlist.
• if you have no or less quality ID Tags but a good folder structure, use the <ignoremediainfo> tag in your library definition

Scan Process

To start the scan process, just open a console window, change to your UMC application directory and start UMCMUSIC.exe. Depending of the size of your library it might need some time to finish. UMCMusic ist not using any online sources, so every music information must be available locally. UMCMusic does not place any files in your music library (like some other applications do). All files are kept within the UMC frontend directory structure. There is no GUI for the scan process (by purpose), the process details are displayed at the console window.

Pictures

UMCMusic supports album Cover, album backdrops and artist backdrops. The following rules how UMCMusic handles covers are based on the default configuration for picture pattern. Pattern / Cover search is case insensitve! Special characters in Artist / Album Names will be replaced by a blank: eg: "AC/DC" will be "AC DC"

Album Cover

Album cover are detected by the following rules in sequence order, and stops by success.

1. UMCMusic tries to find a picture called album name[cover].picture file extension in the directory, where the music files are located
2. UMCMusic tries to find a picture called artistname_album name[cover].picture file extension in any of the given library pathes
3. UMCMusic tries to find a picture called album name[cover].picture file extension in any of the given library pathes.
4. UMCMusic tries to find a cover, following the cover picture search pattern, in the in the directory, where the music files are located. The sequence of cover picture search pattern is followed. If the cover picture search pattern includes a *, then any picture will be taken.
5. UMCMusic takes the default cover.

Album Backdrops

Album Backdrops are detected by the following rules in sequence order, and stops by success.

1. UMCMusic tries to find a picture called artist name_album name[album backdrop].picture file extension in any of the given library pathes.
2. UMCMusic tries to find a picture called album name[album backdrop].picture file extension in any of the given library pathes.
3. If no album backdrop is given, the artist backdrop is used
4. if no artist backdrop is given, the default backdrop is used

Artist Backdrops

1. UMCMusic tries to find a picture called artist name[artist backdrop].picture file extension in any of the given library pathes.

Artist Pictures

Not supported by now

Genre support

UMCMusic supports one genre per music-file. Album genres are the summary of all album file genres. Artist genres are a summary of all song genres for an artist. Genres are displayed in the frontend und used for album filters and artist filters.

Playlists

UMCMusic is able to scan external playlists and to integrate them as albums into UMC Music Extension. Only M3u type playlists are supportet. Once a playlist has been detected, if will be handled like other albums for picture detection. The base-name of the playlist will be taken as the album name, so be careful to use the same playlist name for different playlists.

You can choose two diffent options

1. You like to add the music files from the playlist to the album with the playlist-filename. The music files will stay in their original album, so you have the music file in different albums. This option is , if you pick your existing musicfiles and compile playlists for them.
2. You can choose to music files in playlists will be removed from their their original albums and jsut will be part of the playlist - album. This is usefull, if you got a list of files for a playlist and you like to avoid to have albums with jsut one song in it.

Log Files

Log Files are located in the „/logs“ folder.

Currently UMCMusic creates just one log file called "umcmusic.log", where all messages from the scan are logged.

Frontend

The frontend follows similar rules as for UMC Movies.

Album Index

The album index page has the same functions as the mivie index page, with some changes

• Full navigation support (navigation keys left, right, up, down, pgup, pgdn)
• Play complete album (play)
• Switch to album details (enter)
• Quickfilter support (genres only)
• Full filter support for album genres , album and artist genres (red button)
• No cover flip
• Enter complete songlist by using the info button

You can configure the sort order for albums. Either they will be sorted strictly alhabetical. Or you can choose to have them sorted as Artist Name - Album Release date - Album Name . In addition, you can configure to hide prefixes like "the, a, ein, ..." from the sort order.

Keys:

• PGUP / PGDOWN: Go to the next / previous page in album list
• 1-9 : Use as in your mobile phone: Filter albums list to the first char (always album title) eg: 444 = "i"
• red button: shows filter menu
• green button: erase any filter
• yellow button: shows quickfilter (genres only)
• home: Back to Home Page
• info button: Switches to a screen , which shows a list of all songs (not just of an album)
• play button: plays the whole album
• enter button: switches to the album details page

Red button (filter) menu:

The red button menu shows three icons

• First button shows all genres and you can set the filter just to show albums according to the specific album genre
• Second button shows all artists and you can set the filter just to show albums according to the specific artists
• Third button shows all genres and you can set the filter just to show albums according to the specific artist genre

Picture follows...

Album details

The album details page will show the backdrop, album picture and songlist for a specific album. You can choose to play either a single song or a complete album. Play a File or an album using the play button.

Keys:

• PGUP / PGDOWN: Go to the next / previous page in song list (if album has more than 18 songs)
• home: Back to Home Page
• play button: plays the selected song
• enter button: plays the whole album (if play all selected)

Song List

From the album index page you can change to the songlist view by pressing the info button. This is a list of all songs, not just from the selected album. Here can can choose the standard features:

Keys:

• PGUP / PGDOWN: Go to the next / previous page in song list
• 1-9 : Use as in your mobile phone: Filter song list to the first char (always album title) eg: 444 = "i"
• red button: shows filter menu
• green button: erase any filter
• home: Back to Home Page
• play button: plays the selected song

Red button (filter) menu:

The red button menu shows two icons

• First button shows all genres and you can set the filter just to show songs according to the specific song genre
• Second button shows all artists and you can set the filter just to show songs according to the specific artists

Picture follows...

Knows limitations and bugs

• Just HD support
• Just Windows support (scanner)
• no cover flip
• all songfiles must be in a subdirectory starting from a library path (otherwise error during scan)
• you can pgdn over end of songlist (results in blank songlist)

FAQ

Please read the UMC FAQ first, a lot a questions are answered there!

Q: "The album cover does not match to the album, Are the albums detected wrong?"
A: In most case you forgot to clear the cache after a new scan. To clear the cache you need to choose at the PCH-Menue Maintenance/Wartung and press "FILE MODE" the key (remote control top left) Clear Cache.

Q: Why is UMCMusic not a part of UMC?
A: Maybe I was not passioned enough to wait for an official development path. Its my personal project.

Q: Will be UMCMusic integrated in UMC?
A. Maybe, who knows.

Q: Do I need UMC for Movies, I am using a different application for movies?
A: UMC must be up and running. If you do not want to use the movie part, just configure umc to scan for an "empty libray". But remember: UMCMusic is integrated in UMC funtionality. If UMC has an update, there is a chance that UMC Music is updated too

Q: Troughout the scan, I got messages, that picture files could not be opened. But I can see the pictures in other applications!
A: There is a high chance , that the file header is not OK for this picture files. Try to reopen and save it with a picture edit application.

Q: Are skins supported?
A: No. If there will be support for skins for UMC, there is a chance to integrate skin support in UMCMusic elsewell.

Q: Can I modify UMCMusic by myself.
A: UMC Music follows the GNU public license. Contact the author to get access to the sources

Q: After a movie scan, all my music entries are lost!?
A: UMC copies and fills and empty database (except of rescan). So, after a movie scan you need to perform a music scan.

Q: Why cant I see the album cover when I start playing a song or an album?
A: Currently UMCMusic starts the default media player of UMC, which has limited capabilities. I am evaluating a better solution.... (risk to fail)

History

0.183 First Release

0.184 (13 July 2009)

Fixed: Artist filter now succesful , even when the choosen Artist does not have a complete Album and is just a part of a sampler.
Fixed: ShowAll works, even if "share" not configured in umcconfig.xml
Added: Production year of Album will now be shown in the album index
Added: In AlbumIndex, the number of albums will be shown in bottom left corner
Added: Detection and usage of embedded MP3ID Cover
Added: Songlist at info button at albumindex
Added: - In Songlist page, you can choose play, pgup,pgdn, red button for filter menue, a-z for alphabetic picture
Added: Artist genrefilter at red button in albumIndex