Legacy iTunes Integration (XML)

[Uwe Klotz]

Apple is gradually dropping support for exporting the iTunes database as an XML file. In newer versions exporting the XML file is no longer enabled by default ("Share iTunes Library XML with other applications"), and this option won't be available in the new Apple Music app.

See also: https://djtechtools.com/2019/04/14/an-itunes-breakup-is-probably-coming-will-this-impact-djs/

The number of bug reports from users that are not able to import their iTunes library is already increasing.

As a replacement Apple offers the database with the iTunesLibrary framework: https://developer.apple.com/documentation/ituneslibrary. Development of a new iTunes integration is limited to macOS due to Apples restrictive practices.

[jus (jus)]

Upgrading to macOS 10.15 Catalina (due in 2019-10) will break Mixxx´ iTunes integration.
https://developer.apple.com/documentation/ituneslibrary?language=objc
https://djtechtools.com/2019/09/15/will-the-end-of-itunes-break-dj-software-in-macos-10-15-catalina/

[Uwe Klotz (uklotzde-deactivatedaccount)]

https://djtechtools.com/2019/09/15/will-the-end-of-itunes-break-dj-software-in-macos-10-15-catalina/

[Owen Williams (ywwg)]

Similarly, a lot of DJs use the XML export function from iTunes to get their tracks into other DJ programs. Maybe we should add support for that? We currently only export M3U/CSV/Text. (Should that be a separate feature request?)

[Uwe Klotz (uklotzde-deactivatedaccount)]

The XML export is history with the introduction of Apple Music and this is what this bug report is all about.

[Owen Williams (ywwg)]

Right. I'm proposing we add xml export so that people who used to organize their libraries with itunes could now organize their libraries with mixxx instead.

[Owen Williams (ywwg)]

(that seems obviously off topic now, sorry, disregard)

[Ferran Pujol (ferranpujol)]

So if we want to use this new apple api we must write a client in swift or objc. We could write this client and integrate it into mixxx somehow. But I think this will cause headaches.

What about writing a simple standalone swift client that talks to aoide?

[Uwe Klotz (uklotzde-deactivatedaccount)]

All tracks could be imported and added to a separate aoide collection, i.e. "iTunesLibrary @timestamp" in a first step.

As a workaround for the missing playlist feature all tracks of a playlist could be tagged with facet = "crate". Conceptually those tags identify unordered crates and not ordered playlists. The hierarchical structure needs to be encoded in the tags' labels somehow, i.e. label = "...<playlist path separator><parent playlist name><playlist path separator><playlist name>" with a configurable playlist path separator.

I'm already thinking about how to add support for playlists as one of the last missing features that is required to allow lossless import of external libraries.

[Uwe Klotz (uklotzde-deactivatedaccount)]

You can provide a hierarchical structure for those imported queries by generating a JSON file with prepared queries that could be loaded into Mixxx:

https://github.com/uklotzde/mixxx/blob/dev_aoide/res/aoide/example_prepared_queries.json

Each leaf node is a query for a playlist tag:

{
    "@type": "query",
    "name": "<visible playlist name>",
    "filter": {
        "tag": {
            "facets": [
                "crate"
            ],
            "label": {
                "equals": "<internal playlist name>"
            }
        }
    }
}

You need to ensure that the playlist names are unique. The internal playlist names in the tag could differ from the visible names in this file.

[Foss-4 (foss-4)]

Cross-linking Discourse thread: https://mixxx.discourse.group/t/itunes-integration/19871

[Uwe Klotz (uklotzde-deactivatedaccount)]

Any progress? Otherwise let's reset the status and assignment.

[Ferran Pujol (ferranpujol)]

No. I won't work on it anymore since I don't own a mac. It's everything on
my repo in case anybody is interested to take over.

El dv., 13 d’ag. 2021, 20:20, Uwe Klotz <email address hidden> va
escriure:

> Any progress? Otherwise let's reset the status and assignment.
>
> --
> You received this bug notification because you are a bug assignee.
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1835876
>
> Title:
> Legacy iTunes Integration (XML)
>
> Status in Mixxx:
> In Progress
>
> Bug description:
> Apple is gradually dropping support for exporting the iTunes database
> as an XML file. In newer versions exporting the XML file is no longer
> enabled by default ("Share iTunes Library XML with other
> applications"), and this option won't be available in the new Apple
> Music app.
>
> See also: https://djtechtools.com/2019/04/14/an-itunes-breakup-is-
> probably-coming-will-this-impact-djs/
>
> The number of bug reports from users that are not able to import their
> iTunes library is already increasing.
>
> As a replacement Apple offers the database with the iTunesLibrary
> framework: https://developer.apple.com/documentation/ituneslibrary.
> Development of a new iTunes integration is limited to macOS due to
> Apples restrictive practices.
>
> To manage notifications about this bug go to:
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/mixxx/+bug/1835876/+subscriptions
>
>

[Swiftb0y (swiftb0y)]

Mixxx now uses GitHub for bug tracking. This bug has been migrated to:
https://github.com/mixxxdj/mixxx/issues/9688