Global Random Mode and Last.fm API

[elangelo]

Hi,

Last.fm has an API which provides you with means of getting a similar track like the one that is already playing.
http://www.last.fm/api/show/track.getSimilar
I think it would be very neat to use this when global random is enabled...

Gr,S

[ACX]

Probably useful only inside Last.fm, as it suggests similiar tracks available in its database, and not in your music library... so how would you use that?

[elangelo]

I used to use an audio player on linux that did something like this. As far as i understood what track.getSimilar() does is give you a number (10 or limit) of tracks that are like the one you are running now. What that player did then was search your library for these songs. If it couldn't find any tracks it would either use the previous song in your queue or it would use last.fm api artist.getSimilar() and choose a random track from that artist. It worked amazingly well for quite a while and the moment you feel like the tracks are getting off track (pun intended) you would just queue a new song that you do think is similar and the player would start from there.
There must have been some logic to prevent it from queueing the same track twice but i never read the code so i'm not entirely sure.

I'm not sure how usefull this is for other ppl but it did work remarkably well for me, while i don't have that big library. I'm also not sure how far you are with Spotify integration but it might be usefull there too?

If you tell where you think it should fit into the code (the backend, not the preference setting or gui) i wouldn't mind trying to implement something myself and then you can see what you can do with the code.

[ACX]

That would be a bit complicated to integrate it, but not impossible... are you a coder?

[elangelo]

I am, but my experience with php is quite minimal.

[jason_a69]

This script here does what you need (I think!)

http://mpd.wikia.com/wiki/Hack:lastfmpdqc

[jason_a69]

This script here does what you need (I think!)

http://mpd.wikia.com/wiki/Hack:lastfmpdqc

Sorry, this one, not the one above

http://mpd.wikia.com/wiki/Client:Playlistbuilder

[ACX]

http://mpd.wikia.com/wiki/Client:Playlistbuilder

Sorry but adding a new dependency (Ruby) just for a feature isn't a great idea... unless somebody wants to try to convert it in PHP and see how it works.

[jason_a69]

http://mpd.wikia.com/wiki/Client:Playlistbuilder

Sorry but adding a new dependency (Ruby) just for a feature isn't a great idea... unless somebody wants to try to convert it in PHP and see how it works.

I will see if I can get it going, it's just another call to ws.audioscrobbler.com with method track.getsimilar and then some local checks to see if the track returned is in mpd, if it is then add it to the playlist.

I do not know much about git and php development, I will have to do some research.

[jason_a69]

http://mpd.wikia.com/wiki/Client:Playlistbuilder

Sorry but adding a new dependency (Ruby) just for a feature isn't a great idea... unless somebody wants to try to convert it in PHP and see how it works.

I will see if I can get it going, it's just another call to ws.audioscrobbler.com with method track.getsimilar and then some local checks to see if the track returned is in mpd, if it is then add it to the playlist.

I do not know much about git and php development, I will have to do some research.

I have now coded this in PHP.

I have sent a private message to you ACX to explain what I have changed.