Radio stations display list

[chubafelix]

Dirk,

I am a bit delayed to post a log for a couple of reasons. First, after I re-build the music database, the issue I was describing in NEXT Radio Station pretty much went away. You were right.

But now, i am trying to debug my programming of switches. This is just FYI but Insteon switches are not 100% reliable so pushing a button works most of the time. Also, I have what is called the "de-bounce" issue where my PLAY event is triggered by both me pushing a button and the button comming on by it self when Sonos starts playing and sets the same button on. Anyway, I will be back soon.

Thanks for your great support.

Felix

[chubafelix]

Dirk,

Acctually, there is a new problem. I updated Sonos yesterday with its new update. Something about Android Tablet support. But, as you probably know they change stuff in the player without notice (their policy). So, since then I have been getting UPNP errors from your plugin when ever it tries to build a database. See below.

12/4/2011 7:31:27 AM SONOSCONTROLLER CreateTrackDatabase called with D:\Program Files\HomeSeer HSPRO\html\SonosController\MusicDb\SonosDB.mdb and Provider=Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0;Data Source=D:\Program Files\HomeSeer HSPRO\html\SonosController\MusicDb\SonosDB.mdb for zoneplayer = Kitchen
12/4/2011 7:31:27 AM SONOSCONTROLLER CreateTrackDatabase file deleted for zoneplayer = Kitchen
12/4/2011 7:31:48 AM SONOSCONTROLLER ERROR in BuildTrackDB/Browse for zoneplayer = Kitchen with UPNP Error = UPNP_E_TRANSPORT_ERROR . Error = Exception from HRESULT: 0x80040211
12/4/2011 7:32:36 AM SONOSCONTROLLER ERROR in BuildArtistDB/Browse for zoneplayer = Kitchen with UPNP Error = UPNP_E_TRANSPORT_ERROR . Error = Exception from HRESULT: 0x80040211
12/4/2011 7:32:57 AM SONOSCONTROLLER ERROR in BuildAlbumDB/Browse for zoneplayer = Kitchen with UPNP Error = UPNP_E_TRANSPORT_ERROR . Error = Exception from HRESULT: 0x80040211
12/4/2011 7:33:18 AM SONOSCONTROLLER ERROR in BuildRadioStationDB/Browse for zoneplayer = Kitchen with UPNP Error = UPNP_E_TRANSPORT_ERROR . Error = Exception from HRESULT: 0x80040211
12/4/2011 7:33:39 AM SONOSCONTROLLER ERROR in BuildPlaylistDB/Browse for zoneplayer = Kitchen with UPNP Error = UPNP_E_TRANSPORT_ERROR . Error = Exception from HRESULT: 0x80040211
12/4/2011 7:34:00 AM SONOSCONTROLLER ERROR in BuildSonosPlaylistDB/Browse for zoneplayer = Kitchen with UPNP Error = UPNP_E_TRANSPORT_ERROR . Error = Exception from HRESULT: 0x80040211
12/4/2011 7:34:21 AM SONOSCONTROLLER ERROR in BuildGenreDB/Browse for zoneplayer = Kitchen with UPNP Error = UPNP_E_TRANSPORT_ERROR . Error = Exception from HRESULT: 0x80040211
12/4/2011 7:34:21 AM SONOSCONTROLLER BuildTrackDatabase Done for zoneplayer = Kitchen

[dcorsus]

Dirk,

Acctually, there is a new problem. I updated Sonos yesterday with its new update. Something about Android Tablet support. But, as you probably know they change stuff in the player without notice (their policy). So, since then I have been getting UPNP errors from your plugin when ever it tries to build a database.

I updated my players a few days ago as well, haven't tried to rerun my music database. I'm currently on the road until tonight so I'll try it first thing when I'm back home.

In the mean time, perhaps you can try it on another player (you can change that in the Sonos config page) or restart your HS computer. Which OS do you have on your HS PC?

Dirk

[chubafelix]

Dirk,

Acctually, after I restarted HS, everything was fine. So, my guess is that UPNP communication failed in the process of updating Sonos. HS was running with privious credentials of Sonos, then Sonos changed and HS UPNP needed to re-negotiate these credentials, just my guess.

THe bottom line is: I restarted HS (did not restart Windows XP) and everything was working.

Thanks
Felix

[chubafelix]

Dirk,

I am still working on this. All seems to work pretty good but some times i get un-expected results. Trying to narrow dow. For example, some times, after i do Next Playlist, I listen to the first song for say 2 minutes, then i call zoneplayer stop. Instead it performs Next Playlist again and starts playing it. I will try to capture.

Also, I got this error a few times. It does not seem to be happenning in responce to any specific action. Just during event creation which involved Playlist or control changes. The error repeats for about 20 or 30 times, then all ok.

12/6/2011 8:07:25 AM SONOSCONTROLLER Error in GetTracks extracting an item element with error Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
12/6/2011 8:07:25 AM SONOSCONTROLLER Error in GetTracks extracting an item element with error Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
12/6/2011 8:07:25 AM SONOSCONTROLLER Error in GetTracks extracting an item element with error Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
12/6/2011 8:07:25 AM SONOSCONTROLLER Error in GetTracks extracting an item element with error Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
12/6/2011 8:07:25 AM SONOSCONTROLLER [COLOR=#ff0000]Error in GetTracks extracting an item element with error Object reference not set to an instance of an object.

[dcorsus]

but some times i get un-expected results. Trying to narrow dow. For example, some times, after i do Next Playlist, I listen to the first song for say 2 minutes, then i call zoneplayer stop. Instead it performs Next Playlist again and starts playing it. I will try to capture.

Also, I got this error a few times. It does not seem to be happenning in responce to any specific action. Just during event creation which involved Playlist or control changes. The error repeats for about 20 or 30 times, then all ok.

12/6/2011 8:07:25 AM SONOSCONTROLLER Error in GetTracks extracting an item element with error Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
12/6/2011 8:07:25 AM SONOSCONTROLLER Error in GetTracks extracting an item element with error Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
12/6/2011 8:07:25 AM SONOSCONTROLLER Error in GetTracks extracting an item element with error Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
12/6/2011 8:07:25 AM SONOSCONTROLLER Error in GetTracks extracting an item element with error Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
12/6/2011 8:07:25 AM SONOSCONTROLLER [color=#ff0000]Error in GetTracks extracting an item element with error Object reference not set to an instance of an object.

Felix, turn debug flag on and email me log.
Thanks
Dirk

[Wingo]

I there is there a way we can preset slacker or spotify selections they do not come up under the radio list ..... thank you

Robert

[dcorsus]

I there is there a way we can preset slacker or spotify selections they do not come up under the radio list ..... thank you

Robert

Robert, what do you mean by "preset"? Do you mean, use them in action events? I assume you mean they don't show up in any radio list, correct?

I just signed up for Slacker, looks very similar to Napster/Rhapsody in the sense that you have an almost endless selection and nothing to hang your (the plugin's) hat on. I was briefly signed up to Spotify and remember the same (meaning a service ala Napster). The way Pandora/Lastfm etc are different in that you create your radiostation in your acount and Sonos provides just enough information for the plugin to store that and have the user use that to select that stations with a click of the button. Tracing Sonos when playing Slacker, there is really nothing to store.

Dirk

[Wingo]

As you are well aware I going to work on learning scripting can you select a station via a script and could be so kind to show a small complete example for slacker

many thanks

Robert

[chubafelix]

Felix, turn debug flag on and email me log.
Thanks
Dirk

Dirk,

I still plan to get a debug log for the above as well as finish my Next/Prev testing. Just got back from trip.

Felix

[dcorsus]

As you are well aware I going to work on learning scripting can you select a station via a script and could be so kind to show a small complete example for slacker

many thanks

Robert

Hi Robert, it would be impossible to script what the Sonos player is not providing. However on second look, the plug-in can in fact learn the radio stations from Slacker, it is somewhat different then Pandora/Sirius/Lastfm but doable. I'll post a beta soon. For Spotify on the other hand, I don't see a path. In fact it appears to me that Sonos only supports part of Spotify's functions. When I use the PC client, I can select radio stations but I can't see that on Sonos. The only thing I see on Sonos is a similar implementation ala Napster/Rapsody where you can search and select artists/albums etc. The good news however is that you can add these tracks to your queue, which means you can save the queue .... which means you can use the queue name (could be with one single track for that matter) to create events/actions. Same goes for Napster/Rapsody tracks or any music service that let's you add tracks to the Sonos queue.

Cheers,

Dirk

[chubafelix]

Hello Dirk,

I ran into some difficulties and wanted to ask a few questions.

I found that after some changes in Sonons setup your plugin was not able to play radio stations. I don't have a log captured but the behaviour started a few time, in each time i had to rebuild the radio station list and all functioned normally again. The changes in Sonos are of two types. Updates from Sonos (which are numerouis lately) and changes in IP assignment and/or reset of main router.

I am not sure if letting the plugin have some more time would have solved the problem (i noticed that database is rebuild periodically due to Auto Update Flag and Immidiate Update on). However even after 4 hours post the issue it was still not able to play radio stations.

The main questions i have are:
what is the quickest and most efficient way to completely rebuild music file; radion station and playlist database?

Does it better which ZonePlayer is used for Auto Update Zone Name, and DB Zone Name? In system of 7 zoneplayers?

Thx
f

[chubafelix]

Hi Dirk,

Another area that i don't understand is logic of how plugin cycles through radio stations. Here is what i am experiencing.

i have roughly 6 radion stations 10 pandora stations and 5 last.fm stations.

when i start by loading radion station 1, it plays.

i call for next radion station and i continue until i go through all 6 stations. Pandora and last.fm stations do not get called.

when i start by loading pandora station 1, it plays.

i call for next radion station and station 1 plays, i cycle through 6 staions, pandora and last.fm do not come in.


i tried previouos and i got some mixed results (but did not spend enough time).

Question: what is a way to specifically cycle just through radion stations, just through pandora station and just through laft.fm stations?

How does the cycleing currently work when i call for next radion station or previous radion stations?

Thx

[dcorsus]

The main questions i have are:
what is the quickest and most efficient way to completely rebuild music file; radion station and playlist database?

Does it better which ZonePlayer is used for Auto Update Zone Name, and DB Zone Name? In system of 7 zoneplayers?

Thx
f

Felix,

I would recommend you to turn the "Immediate flag" off and go for a nightly (2.05am ... note Sonos updates index typically at 2) update. I realized recently that the change in implementation I did a few months back is causing a lot more update events. I now save the queue on the player when there is an announcement versus the original implementation, which read the whole queue from the player into plug-in memory and restores it after the announcement. The latter is faster if there are just a few tracks in the queue but takes seconds when you have a lot of tracks in your queue. The former is now triggering updates to be sent between the Sonos players and these updates are now triggering the MusicDB to be rebuilt. So turn off the immediate update while for a next beta release, I'll try to filter out which updates are real music DB updates versus my queue saving updates.


Secondly, if you don't specify an Auto Update Zone, the plugin will take the first one that was on-line when the plugin came on line, if for whatever reason that player is not on-line, combined with the auto-update set to immediate, I can see some problems. Another reason I just thought off writing this response, is that you can have concurrent update triggers while the DB is being created not sure what affect that creates, need to do some testing but if you turn immediate updates off then that should go away.

I have seen different performance depending on whether you create the musicDB from a player that is wireless versus wired. So I would recommend you to pick the most reliable player and preferably one that is wired.

Dirk

[dcorsus]

Hi Dirk,

Another area that i don't understand is logic of how plugin cycles through radio stations. Here is what i am experiencing.

i have roughly 6 radion stations 10 pandora stations and 5 last.fm stations.

when i start by loading radion station 1, it plays.

i call for next radion station and i continue until i go through all 6 stations. Pandora and last.fm stations do not get called.

when i start by loading pandora station 1, it plays.

i call for next radion station and station 1 plays, i cycle through 6 staions, pandora and last.fm do not come in.


i tried previouos and i got some mixed results (but did not spend enough time).

Question: what is a way to specifically cycle just through radion stations, just through pandora station and just through laft.fm stations?

How does the cycleing currently work when i call for next radion station or previous radion stations?

Thx

Hi Felix, let's see if I get you correct. You never get learned stations like lastfm, Pandora in your next/previous work or you have it sometimes? If you never have it, did you put the "learn Radio stations" option in the sonso config page to on, if not, they won't show up. Alternatively, you did NOT add this line ("Include Learned Radiostations=False the ini file under the section [ListIndexes] "))to your .ini file did you? If you did, remove the line and restart HS.

Now if they do play when next/prev is issued but things are very intermittent, it could be that the "update immediate" business is causing problems, where the musicDB is being built while you try to issue next/prev.

As to how it is implemented, assuming you have the "learn radio stations" on and not added the "Include Learned Radiostations=False" in the .ini file, each time you either push next or prev, a snapshot of the radiostation list is made, I believe it is a sorted list (need to verify that tonight), the plugin keeps index of the last played station in the .ini file and increase or decreases the index, saves the index and plays whatever is associated with that index. If the radiostation associated with that index is unavailable (not on-line or has changed) you will not get anything. Once the index reaches zero or max list index, it wraps around. That's all there is to it, pretty straight forward. If you are thinking about subsets of radiostations, auto retries, you will have to go and implement the same logic I described in a script, so you can customize it to your hearts content

Cheers,

Dirk