Legacy iTunes Integration (XML)

[mixxxbot]

Reported by: uklotzde
Date: 2019-07-09T06:58:50Z
Status: Confirmed
Importance: High
Launchpad Issue: lp1835876
Tags: library

---

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.

[mixxxbot]

Commented by: esbrandt
Date: 2019-09-16T10:17:46Z

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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/

[mixxxbot]

Commented by: uklotzde
Date: 2019-09-19T19:31:30Z

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

[mixxxbot]

Commented by: ywwg
Date: 2019-10-07T20:53:34Z

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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?)

[mixxxbot]

Commented by: uklotzde
Date: 2019-10-08T06:41:39Z

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

[mixxxbot]

Commented by: ywwg
Date: 2019-10-08T14:36:46Z

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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.

[mixxxbot]

Commented by: ywwg
Date: 2019-10-08T14:38:05Z

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

[mixxxbot]

Commented by: ferranpujolcamins
Date: 2019-11-01T09:39:31Z

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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?

[mixxxbot]

Commented by: uklotzde
Date: 2019-11-01T10:33:18Z

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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.

[mixxxbot]

Commented by: uklotzde
Date: 2019-11-01T10:43:32Z

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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.

[mixxxbot]

Commented by: foss-4
Date: 2020-09-02T07:58:54Z

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

[mixxxbot]

Commented by: uklotzde
Date: 2021-08-13T18:12:55Z

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

[mixxxbot]

Commented by: ferranpujolcamins
Date: 2021-08-13T18:28:55Z

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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

[fwcd]

macOS integration via the iTunesLibrary framework is now implemented with #11353, some notes on Windows and other platforms can be found in #11256

[Swiftb0y]

So assume you're in favor of marking this issue as fixed?

[uklotzde]

@Swiftb0y Sure. Mark issues as fixed eagerly. Assigning a release milestone for documentation purposes is helpful to identify the (upcoming) release. Remaining bugs or open issues could then be tracked by new issues.

[fwcd]

Closing since the iTunesLibrary integration on macOS is implemented as of #11353. Other ideas from this thread (XML export) are better placed in a separate feature request and finding a solution for Windows users can be revisited if/when Apple stops supporting iTunes on Windows (which is presumably when other DJ programs will break too, see #11256).