Any support for Quintessential players? (QCD / QMP)

[coyotewrw]

Hi,

Imho, the beta Quintessential Media Player (http://www.quinnware.com/development.php) is shaping up to be one of the best players out there, plus it's still totally freeware and not corporate owned.

I know it can use a lot of Winamp plugins - in fact, it's one of the very few officially supported by iZotope Ozone (http://www.izotope.com/products/audio/media/ozone.html) - so are there any plans to support this awesome, INDEPENDENT player?

Lol, sorry to sound so militant, but I have major issues with AOL and other corporate sleazebags having access to my listening/viewing preferences (legitimate or otherwise :P ).

Thanks!

[Carlos]

I'll have to find a way to get the current song path played by QCD. If I find it I'll add support for QCD.

[coyotewrw]

Cool! But you might want to concentrate on the QMP beta, since it will eventually be their main player. It's already pretty stable.

It'll be worth your time, I think. Their forum support is outstanding, too, so you should find plenty of help there if needed.

Thanks again!

[Tokelil]

The current IPC calls in QCD/QMP aren't working correctly (Paul the developer has said it will be fixed in an upcomming release) so I think it is only possible to get the information through injecting memory into the QMP process. (Shaohao, a qmp plug-in developer has made two classes to make this quite easy though... http://www.quinnware.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4550 )


Another option would be to make a qcd/qmp plug-in to send the info to CAD, if there is an API for this?

[Tokelil]

I just tried build 507 and have it set to Winamp (qcd/qmp supports mosts of the Winamp IPCs and creates a Winamp 1.x window to receive them) and it works quite well for me. I haven't tested it throughouly, but it finds my cover, changes on song change etc.
One thing is that it doesn't change to nocover or something similar when qmp is closed... Don't know if this works with Winamp?

I saw that there is a file called CADStarter.dll in the plug-ins folder. I was wondering why there is two files for winamp? Does CADStarter.dll provide an interface to make an autostarter program easier to do?
(I already did an EvilLyrics launcher plug-in, so shouldn't take many minutes to change that to launch CAD)

[Carlos]

Tokelil,

CAD and qmp

You're right! CAD works with qmp (QCD)!

The only thing that isn't working is rating.

MediaMonkey was the same but the developer added the proper Winamp messages/command in order to change and pass the rating from MediaMonkey library.

CAD has an own database for that but it'll be great if qmp developers could add this Winamp feature. Do you have contact with them?

I'll add the player in CAD list.

Winamp plugin

"CADStarter.dll" is not a real Winamp plugin (it's written in VB6). It's just an interface between the real Winamp plugin named "gen_CADStarter.Plugin.dll" and CAD.

This plugin can be used with MediaMonkey but qmp does not recognize it.

So if you could write one it'll be great. I can even include it in CAD installer so the qmp support will be great.

By the way, can you write something similar for Winamp too?

You can email me for details: support@closetosoftware.com

nocover and close player

In fact I'm doing this right now, but I have some users that'd like to keep the last cover in that case. So it'll be an option.

Thank you for all your feedback! :)

[Tokelil]

The only thing that isn't working is rating.

MediaMonkey was the same but the developer added the proper Winamp messages/command in order to change and pass the rating from MediaMonkey library.

CAD has an own database for that but it'll be great if qmp developers could add this Winamp feature. Do you have contact with them?The rating (and medialibrary) is quite new in qmp... At the moment we (the plug-in developers) are waiting for the new PDK which should include all the new medialibrary things. Until that happens (which should within weeks if all goes well to my knowledge) I think we'll have to wait.

"CADStarter.dll" is not a real Winamp plugin (it's written in VB6). It's just an interface between the real Winamp plugin named "gen_CADStarter.Plugin.dll" and CAD.

This plugin can be used with MediaMonkey but qmp does not recognize it.

So if you could write one it'll be great. I can even include it in CAD installer so the qmp support will be great.

By the way, can you write something similar for Winamp too?qmp only support Winamp DSP plug-ins unfortunally. I'll write a starter plug-in for qmp though one of the next few days. (I'll get back to you when it's done...)

I haven't written any plug-ins for Winamp though, so I'll have to pass on that one.

[coyotewrw]

Hey guys, glad to see this happening :)

Unfortunately, I can't get covers or song title/artist to display. The CAD prev/pause/next are working and it displays song time and progress bar.

When I try to apply the cover.jpg or browse the album's folder, I get various errors saying txtSongPath doesn't exist.

The songs I'm currently playing in QMP are in:
"D:\MUSIC\PUNK and POST-PUNK\Alice In Chains\1994 - Jar of Flies"

In Read Covers option I set Any Image and Alternative Cover (cover*.jpg).

Any ideas?

[Carlos]

coyotewrw,

The song path is from a local disk? Or a CD/DVD-ROM?

Are you playing mp3?

What CAD version are you using?

Anyway, install RC4 (which I think you already did) but use the last CAD build that you can find here then make some more tests!

If qmp+CAD is working here it should work for you too. I think it's just a matter of proper configuration.

[Carlos]

Well... Here's the first build with qmp integrated:

http://www.closetosoftware.com/temp/cadrc4b537.zip

:)

[coyotewrw]

Got it working, Carlos. I just uninstalled/reinstalled to clear the settings, then copied the QMP-enabled CAD.exe. Covers and song info work great, as well as the auto-download.

Thanks Carlos! :D :D :D

...and thanks Tokelil for volunteering to help out! :D :D :D

I have auto-notify enabled for this thread, so let me know when you update the official download and I'll announce it on the Quinnware forums and MSFN.

[Tokelil]

With build 547 I have to check the option "Check song title and path too" under troubleshooting to get it to work with QMP. If not and I tell it to open the song's folder I get a Windows message:
"The path "txtSongPath" does not exist or is not a directory."

I have "finished" my cad launcher plug-in for qmp. I'll wait a few days before uploading it to the qmp plug-ins page though and hope someone will give it a spin.

The source is release on sourceforge:
http://svn.sourceforge.net/viewvc/qplugins/CAD_Launcher/trunk/

[Carlos]

Tokelil,

I'll check the issue.

Can you send me a compiled version please?

[Tokelil]

Can you send me a compiled version please?I have posted the dll in the qmp forum:
http://www.quinnware.com/forum/showpost.php?p=68781&postcount=12

[Carlos]

I've tested the plugin and it worked!

However some users like to have CAD even when the player is ended.

Can you make the plugin just start CAD or have an option to disable the auto close feature?

Thank you! :)

[coyotewrw]

@ other QMP users: I've set CAD to autostart with Windows. It's been running 24/7 for over a week with no noticable performance hit on my system. I made my own skin for it, so when QMP isn't running it just sits on my desktop looking cool. :P

The plugin is a great idea, but if you want to just "set and forget" CAD, leave it running 24/7.

(click image for larger view)
http://www.coyotelogic.com/pics/cad_w_qmp_off_thumb.png (http://www.coyotelogic.com/pics/cad_w_qmp_off.png)

[Carlos]

Wow! Nice screenshot! :)

[coyotewrw]

Thanks! :)

BTW, that's jetAudio (http://closetosoftware.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=98), my other favorite media player, on the the bottom (toolbar mode) and upper left (external spectrum).

(ya know what's missing in that screenie? No CAD display while jA's playing! :P :P :P )

[Carlos]

coyotewrw,

It seems that I forgot to reply the JetAudio topic. :oops:

Have you tried CAD+Winamp as player? Some players uses the Winamp API like MediaMokey and QCD (QMP).

[coyotewrw]

That's okay, I know you're hard at work making cool software :)

Just tried your suggestion - no go.

If you want to add jA to your list of supported players, your best bet would be to contact Sveny on the Media-Play (http://www.media-play.org/forum/board.php?boardid=114) forums. He's a very friendly, helpful jA guru who seems to know quite a lot about jA. Tell him I suggested you talk to him. There's other links in my jA thread, as well.

BTW, jA has an included lyrics/cover viewer, but the cover part sucks bigtime. The lyric part works great, tho.

QMP+jA = the perfect combo for audio and video, imho.

[Tokelil]

I've tested the plugin and it worked!

However some users like to have CAD even when the player is ended.

Can you make the plugin just start CAD or have an option to disable the auto close feature?

Thank you! :)Sorry, for some reason I didn't get notified when you replied...

Anyway, the option to shut down CAD when QMP is closed is already present.

[Carlos]

Tokelil,

Is there an updated link to the new compiled version? I've used the one you provided but it seems to be the same file.

By the way, I've sent an email to the QMP asking for support to the Winamp rating interface but I didn't get any reply.

[Tokelil]

Is there an updated link to the new compiled version? I've used the one you provided but it seems to be the same file.The "old" one had the option as well. (Under configuration for the plug-in)

Anyway, updated the plug-in which can be found at the same place. (Will release to the QMP plug-ins listing tomorrow)

http://www.quinnware.com/forum/showpost.php?p=68781&postcount=12

By the way, I've sent an email to the QMP asking for support to the Winamp rating interface but I didn't get any reply.I don't know how good Paul is at answering mail... I normally use the forum to post requests or PM Paul directly. It's a good time to ask for features though, since Paul is active in the forums these days again and the new plugin development kit was just released a few days ago. (He was absent most of july and august)