Resolved XML and Virtual Directory

[Molari51]

I've spent the last few years slowly building my own record database to hold my vinyl collection, recently I extended it to include lyrics and album photos, I've always been looking for a freeware mp3 player to build into it, before Christmas I found Wimpy 7.81. Part of the structure for my website is as follows - have used _ (Underscores for indentation)

AlbumCovers (folder)
MusicFolder (folder - mp3 is stored here)
Wimpy_7.81 (folder)
_____frmMyPlayLists.aspx
__________frmMyPlayLists.aspx.cs
_____MyPlayList.xml

The MyPlayList.xml Code is as follows

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<playlist>
  <item>
    <file>../MusicFolder/04 Waterfront.mp3</file>
    <title>Waterfront</title>
    <artist>Simple Minds</artist>
    <image>path/to/image.jpg</image>
  </item>
</playlist>

Currently the webform loads, the track can be played from the wimpy player, however, it's not the appropriate place to be storing my MP3 within the root folder due to the size

Looking online I created a virtual directory in IIS called MusicCollection and the folder on my D Drive is called MusicTest, the structure in IIS now looks like

AlbumCovers (folder)
MusicFolder (folder - mp3 is stored here)
Wimpy_7.81 (folder)
_____frmMyPlayLists.aspx
__________frmMyPlayLists.aspx.cs
_____MyPlayList.xml
MusicCollection (virtual folder - this does not show in the solution explorer in visual studio)

The XML Code is as follows

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<playlist>
  <item>
    <file>MusicCollection/04 Waterfront.mp3</file>
    <title>Waterfront</title>
    <artist>Simple Minds</artist>
    <image>path/to/image.jpg</image>
  </item>
</playlist>

I have assigned permissions using IUSR and IIS_IUSRS, I have tried numerous ways to get the mp3 track to work from the virtual directory

<file>MusicCollection/04 Waterfront.mp3</file>
<file>../MusicCollection/04 Waterfront.mp3</file>
<file>04 Waterfront.mp3</file>

I'm unable to understand why, any help appreciated

 

[Skydiver]

I don't use or know about Wimpy, but if I had to guess it actually uses file paths, not URLs.

That "MusicCollection" only exists as a URL that IIS can service. It's an IIS virtual directory. It's not an OS level virtual directory. From the point of view of Wimpy, it's going to need "D:\MusicTest\04 Waterfront.mp3".

 

[Molari51]

I don't use or know about Wimpy, but if I had to guess it actually uses file paths, not URLs.

That "MusicCollection" only exists as a URL that IIS can service. It's an IIS virtual directory. It's not an OS level virtual directory. From the point of view of Wimpy, it's going to need "D:\MusicTest\04 Waterfront.mp3".

Hi
Many thanks for coming back to me, unfortunately that didn't work

 

[Skydiver]

What error are you getting?

Well according to the documentation, Wimpy actually uses URLs, not folder paths. So my suggestion above regarding using "D:\MusicText\04 Waterfront.mp3" is definitely going to fail:

Playlist releated issues​

- Check that the URLs to files actually exist.

Follow the recommendation they gave of using a path "from the root". e.g. "/MusicCollection/04 Waterfront.mp3"

 

[Molari51]

Have tried the methods above, there is no error message, the tracks just don't play, I'm getting the impression that Wimpy cannot handle Virtual Directories.

 

[JohnH]

The starting / is important, "/MusicCollection/04 Waterfront.mp3" means url "http: //yoursite/MusicCollection/04 Waterfront.mp3" and you should be able to test that virtual directory is set up correctly by using that url in browser to download the mp3 file directly. If you can then Wimpy can also play from that url.

 

[Molari51]

The starting / is important, "/MusicCollection/04 Waterfront.mp3" means url "http: //yoursite/MusicCollection/04 Waterfront.mp3" and you should be able to test that virtual directory is set up correctly by using that url in browser to download the mp3 file directly. If you can then Wimpy can also play from that url.

Hi John
I added an ASP button to the page and added a response.redirect to http://localhost/MyPersCollection/MusicCollection/iisstart.htm, the code launched the iisstart from the virtual directory which proves that the VD is working
I've tried various ways with the XML as above, still can't play any mp3 track

 

[Skydiver]

That is not what we asked you to try. We asked you just go to your browser and enter

"http://localhost/MyPersCollection/MusicCollection/04%20Waterfront.mp3"

Note the %20 above to replace the space character.

 

[Molari51]

That is not what we asked you to try. We asked you just go to your browser and enter

"http://localhost/MyPersCollection/MusicCollection/04%20Waterfront.mp3"

Note the %20 above to replace the space character.

Morning
Firstly apologies, I didn't see the %20 on your original response, I tested to ensure that the URL was working, after adding your URL as above it all worked, can't believe and didn't even consider the %20. Many thanks for all your help

I'll be adding another field to my database now and will write some code to iterate all through the tracks to add the %20 wherever there is a space.

Much appreciated

 

[JohnH]

Browser should handle that (and testing the url should show it), but that control probably don't. If you're generating these xml playlists I think you can use Uri.EscapeUriString method.