help!!! how do I add a playlist from iTunes???

Posted by: Altug on 20 June 2015

I have a mac with iTunes on it and a synology diskstation network drive that has been added to the "network shares" in the n-serve app (also running on the mac). I would like the n-serve to be able to read a playlist I created on iTunes. I store my music on the diskstation. How do I proceed to have the n-serve read a playlist that I created on iTunes?  Am I suppose to export the playlist into m3u format? Do I store the m3u file in the same folder that contains the music on the diskstation? When I try that and scan the network drive on n-serve, I dont see the playlist I created in the "imported playlists" section? Please help, this is driving me nuts!!!

 

Posted on: 21 June 2015 by Altug

Anyone???

Posted on: 22 June 2015 by Gummibando

iTunes stores all information related to it's music library (sort structure, play count, playlists etc.) inside a - proprietary - database file (iTunes Library.itl) in your iTunes folder. Additionally this DB file is mirrored into an XML file so that 3rd party applications can access the data.

What your network share basically does is only sharing the raw file/folder structure of the iTunes folder but not the meta-information (like playlists).

 

You would need an application that can read and interpret the iTunes library XML file.

Like the brilliant "Playback" media server app for OS X. Which unfortunately is discontinued. This application can provide the iTunes data including playlists via UPNP.

 

I'm pretty sure there are other media server applications that can read the iTunes database XML file.

A quick Google search for "itunes xml upnp" brings up an app called "Allegro Media Server" (https://www.allegrosoft.com/allegro-media-server).

 

The Google search also brings up a tutorial where an application is used to extract the playlists from iTunes XML file and convert them into m3u files for use with the Asset media server (http://www.paraesthesia.com/ar...-in-asset-upnp.aspx/). While the application mentioned on the page is Windows only, there is a link provided to a Mac version available in the Mac App Store.

Posted on: 22 June 2015 by Altug

Thanks a lot for that! I will try out your suggestions and share my results. 

Posted on: 22 June 2015 by ChrisSU
If you're using NServe, you presumably have a Naim server (HDX?) I'm not sure why you would need this when you could play from iTunes straight into a DAC and control with the Apple Remote app. but maybe I'm missing something.
If you were using a Naim streamer you would be using the Naim app, which can copy playlists from attached servers.
Posted on: 22 June 2015 by Altug
Ok, here is the deal. I have someone who is a heavy user of iTunes. Purchases tons of songs on it and creates many playlists with it. Ideally what that person wants is to see the playlists created on iTunes to appear on the naim system.
At this stage if I could get naim to simply read the m3u playlists, that would already be a major progress for me.
 
Originally Posted by ChrisSU:
If you're using NServe, you presumably have a Naim server (HDX?) I'm not sure why you would need this when you could play from iTunes straight into a DAC and control with the Apple Remote app. but maybe I'm missing something.
If you were using a Naim streamer you would be using the Naim app, which can copy playlists from attached servers.

 

Posted on: 22 June 2015 by ChrisSU
OK, what Naim hardware are you using?
Posted on: 22 June 2015 by Altug

NS03

Posted on: 23 June 2015 by Altug

What if we just skip the playlists have get NAIM to read stuff purchased on iTunes? Do I just have to redirect the iTunes media folder location to the NAS drive (that n-serve sees) ? Is there anything else I'm missing?

Posted on: 23 June 2015 by Altug

Anybody?

Posted on: 24 June 2015 by Richard Choong
Originally Posted by Altug:

What if we just skip the playlists have get NAIM to read stuff purchased on iTunes? Do I just have to redirect the iTunes media folder location to the NAS drive (that n-serve sees) ? Is there anything else I'm missing?

The short answer is yes. In order for N-serve to read the music from Itunes, those files need to be part of a network share that is added to N-serve. So your music needs to be on the NAS. Then add as a network share the folder that contains the Itunes music.

 

Turning to your playlist, using Playback (or other similar uPNP application) will not allow N-serve to read your playlist. It will however allow a streamer (like a superuniti or NAC-272) to read the playlist as well as your music. Even though Playback is no longer actively supported you can still get the late version (just google uPNP Playback - http://playback.en.softonic.com/mac). Alternatively, you can use Minim server which also works well.

Posted on: 24 June 2015 by Richard Choong
Originally Posted by Gummibando:

Yep, I assumed that the use-case was streaming to a Naim streamer.

 

If the device is a NS03 you should give the n-Serve application (available from the Mac App Store at https://itunes.apple.com/de/ap...49138?l=en&mt=12) a try. From what I see in the screenshots the app allows creation of playlists etc.

Also the app sports an UI element named "Imported Playlists", so I assume there is some way to import a playlist

As I have "only" a Naim streamer, it's hard to say what kind of format the imported playlist has to be in or what the functionality does exactly.

 

Also, to supplement my earlier post: iTunes has the capability to export playlists "out-of-the-box".

http://www.wikihow.com/Export-an-iTunes-Playlist

The mentioned 3rd party app supports more playlist formats and command line use, though.

 

So, probably a solution would be to export the playlist(s) from iTunes, then import the playlists into n-Serve, assuming that the n-Serve app can read one of the playlist formats the iTunes export supports.

No automated, but a manual process – but anyway.

If I am not wrong, the N-serve app will not import Itunes playlists. It's not the same format. Guys correct me if I am wrong.

 

Thanks.

Posted on: 24 June 2015 by Gummibando

Sorry, I accidentally removed my earlier post.

 

iTunes supports a few playlist formats out-of-the-box (XML, M3U, M3U8, Plaintext, Unicode text) and the 3rd party tool I mentioned earlier supports even more formats (.wpl (Windows Media), .zpl (Zune), or .mpl (Centrafuse)).

As there seems no be documention available for n-Serve one could only try every format and see if it can be imported into the n-Serve app.

Posted on: 24 June 2015 by Altug
Thanks Richard, if the itunes music is stored into a subfolder instead of the main folder to which the n-serve points, will it still be able to read the content or do I have to specify the subfolder itself?
 
 
Originally Posted by Richard Choong:
Originally Posted by Altug:

What if we just skip the playlists have get NAIM to read stuff purchased on iTunes? Do I just have to redirect the iTunes media folder location to the NAS drive (that n-serve sees) ? Is there anything else I'm missing?

The short answer is yes. In order for N-serve to read the music from Itunes, those files need to be part of a network share that is added to N-serve. So your music needs to be on the NAS. Then add as a network share the folder that contains the Itunes music.

 

Turning to your playlist, using Playback (or other similar uPNP application) will not allow N-serve to read your playlist. It will however allow a streamer (like a superuniti or NAC-272) to read the playlist as well as your music. Even though Playback is no longer actively supported you can still get the late version (just google uPNP Playback - http://playback.en.softonic.com/mac). Alternatively, you can use Minim server which also works well.

 

Posted on: 24 June 2015 by Richard Choong
Originally Posted by Altug:
Thanks Richard, if the itunes music is stored into a subfolder instead of the main folder to which the n-serve points, will it still be able to read the content or do I have to specify the subfolder itself?
 
 
 

 

If you are referring to n-serve, you need to specify the actual sub-folder but I believe if you are using a NAS then you need to ensure that through the NAS software, you share the folder with your device first. 

 

Phil Harris is the guru on using synology. I merely do trial and error till I get it right. LOL.

Posted on: 24 June 2015 by Altug

Ok, so does that mean that if I am using a NAS and the n-serve actually sees it, it doesn't matter if the iTunes music in in a subfolder of the folder to which n-serve points to?

Posted on: 24 June 2015 by Richard Choong
Originally Posted by Altug:

Ok, so does that mean that if I am using a NAS and the n-serve actually sees it, it doesn't matter if the iTunes music in in a subfolder of the folder to which n-serve points to?

I believe so. Give it a try....If it doesn't work then point to the actual folder.

Posted on: 24 June 2015 by Altug

Seems to be working