[HOW-TO] Control iTunes via Web Browser (MAC ONLY)

slooksterpsv · #1 July 20th, 2005, 01:58 PM

HOW-TO:
NOTE: YOU CAN USE ANY BROWSER ON ANY OS TO CONTROL iTunes BUT YOU CAN ONLY SET IT UP ON MAC - THIS WILL NOT WORK ON WINDOWS CAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE THE UNIX COMMANDS TO CONTROL IT.
WARNING: THIS MAKES SECURITY RISKS ON YOUR COMPUTER!
Step 1 - Modify httpd.conf
1) Open Terminal and locate to the patch /etc/httpd type in sudo pico httpd.conf
A lot of these things you'll have to find within httpd.conf - but after you do one, it'll be next down the line:

Take the # off of LoadModule php4_module libexec/httpd/libphp4.so
Take the # off of AddModule mod_php4.c
Find:
#
User www
Group www

and change it to
#
User your_short_username #mine is sbarn
Group staff

Find:
<IfModule mod_dir.c>
DirectoryIndex index.html
</IfModule>

Add a space after index.html and add index.php
Hit Control O to bring up the save file at the bottom, hit enter then control X to exit.

Next type:
sudo apachectl graceful

Now for Step 2 - Creating the PHP File
2)I'm changing this site so you guys can make it just that awesome, here's the code that you place in the index.php - I cut the image from iTunes via Command + Shift + 4 - here's the entire code:

PHP Code:

 
<html>

<head>

<!-- < $url = "index.html";

<echo "<META HTTP-EQUIV=refresh content=0;URL=$url>" > //-->

<title>Remote Control iTunes</title>

</head>

<body>

<?

$q = $_GET['q'];

switch ($q)

{

case "";

//echo "You need to send me a command, then I shall execute it";

break;

case "play";

exec("osascript -e 'tell app \"iTunes\" to play'");

//echo "Playing";

break;

 
case "pause";

exec("osascript -e 'tell app \"iTunes\" to pause'");

//echo "Pausing";

break;

 
case "playpause";

exec("osascript -e 'tell app \"iTunes\" to playpause'");

//echo "Toggling Play";

break;

 
case "next";

exec("osascript -e 'tell app \"iTunes\" to next track'");

//echo "Next Track";

break;

 
case "prev";

exec("osascript -e 'tell app \"iTunes\" to previous track'");

//echo "Previous Track";

break;

 
case "louder";

exec("osascript -e 'tell app \"iTunes\" to set sound volume to sound volume + 5'");

//echo "Turning Up the Volume";

break;

 
case "quieter";

exec("osascript -e 'tell app \"iTunes\" to set sound volume to sound volume - 5'");

//echo "Turning Down the Volume";

break;

case "open";

exec("osascript -e 'tell app \"iTunes\" to open'");

break;

case "mute";

mutev();

//echo "Muting the Volume";

break;

}

 
 
function mutev()

{

//echo "start mute function<br>";

 
$data = file_get_contents("/Library/WebServer/Documents/volume.txt");

 
$logfile = fopen("/Library/WebServer/Documents/volume.txt",'w');

 
$oldvolume = exec("osascript -e 'tell app \"iTunes\" to sound volume'");

 
//echo "volume data:$data:<br>";

if ($data == "x")

{

fwrite($logfile,$oldvolume);

exec("osascript -e 'tell app \"iTunes\" to set sound volume to 0'");

}

else

{

fwrite($logfile,"x");

exec("osascript -e 'tell app \"iTunes\" to set sound volume to $data'");

}

fclose($logfile);

}

 
?>

<p>  <img src="Actions1.png" width="131" height="66" border="0" usemap="#Map">

  <map name="Map">

    <area shape="rect" coords="101,46,123,59" href="index.php?q=louder">

    <area shape="rect" coords="44,6,85,46" href="index.php?q=playpause">

    <area shape="rect" coords="11,9,43,45" href="index.php?q=prev">

    <area shape="rect" coords="87,8,117,44" href="index.php?q=next">

    <area shape="rect" coords="3,47,25,60" href="index.php?q=quieter">

  </map>

</p>

</body>

</html>

--notice what I commented out - read what the lines say, if you're webs server isn't where I have it (via /Library/WebServer/Documents) you need to change a few things then 2 lines that say that thing, change it to the location of your server, these lines:
$data = file_get_contents("/Library/WebServer/Documents/volume.txt");

$logfile = fopen("/Library/WebServer/Documents/volume.txt",'w');

Now in your terminal, type this (you may need to change /Library... to the location of your web server:
cd /Library/WebServer/Documents
pico volume.txt
Control+O
Enter
Control+X

Now type in: sudo chmod 777 volume.txt

Step 3 Test to see if it works:
3) Type into Safari, or whatever browser you want to use: ip_address/index.php
YAY IT SHOULD WORK =D, here's a copy of the files I used down at the bottom or top, its in a zip file.

The volume icons control the volume - the next and previous control the track - the play button controls play and pause.

OH MY GOSH - I FORGOT TO GIVE CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE: I found out how to do this here: http://www.whatsmyip.org/itunesremote/