Import Text File?

Post your questions and problem reports here
Post Reply
User avatar
syrupcore
Top Contributor
Posts: 917
Joined: Thu Jul 21, 2005 12:58 am
Location: Portland, Oregon, usa
Contact:

Import Text File?

Post by syrupcore »

Hi,

I'm trying to find a way to show the currently playing iTunes song as text on a screensaver. I found a program that will create and update a text (or xml) file of the currently playing song but now I need to find a screensaver or screensaver creation progam to get that info and display it on screen.

I downloaded Screensaver Factory but didn't see a way. Is it possible and I've just missed it? If not, any other ideas?

Thanks,
Will
User avatar
chrisjlocke
Top Contributor
Posts: 995
Joined: Mon Aug 01, 2005 4:12 pm
Location: Essex, UK
Contact:

Post by chrisjlocke »

Its easy to create a screensaver in VB, and easy to read text files in VB.
Hmm. Should be easy to merge the two...

Creating a program to create a user-configurable screensaver would be quite difficult though (well, for me...)
User avatar
Karlis
Site Admin
Posts: 3605
Joined: Mon Jul 15, 2002 5:24 pm
Location: Riga, Latvia, Europe
Contact:

Post by Karlis »

Not sure that I understand, but it seems to me like you would like to have text displayed on the screen while the sound is being played inside iTunes software. I am afraid that this is not possible with Screensaver Factory, unless you add the screensaver text manually and specify duration for each piece of text.
Karlis Blumentals
Blumentals Software
www.blumentals.net
User avatar
syrupcore
Top Contributor
Posts: 917
Joined: Thu Jul 21, 2005 12:58 am
Location: Portland, Oregon, usa
Contact:

Post by syrupcore »

Thanks guys. Karlis, you understood perfectly. Powerful decryption engine in your head. Sorry to be confusing.

Chris, thanks for the tip. I've never done anything in VB. Perhaps it's time... ;)

Thanks,
Will
User avatar
chrisjlocke
Top Contributor
Posts: 995
Joined: Mon Aug 01, 2005 4:12 pm
Location: Essex, UK
Contact:

Post by chrisjlocke »

You could update win.ini (or is it stored in the registry these days?) for the Marquee screensaver, so when that started, it would display the last known song. I don't think it continually reads the settings though, so wouldn't be constantly up-to-date - only when first run.

I'll knock up a sample screensaver which you could use. Whats the format of the text file / XML that iTunes spits out?
User avatar
syrupcore
Top Contributor
Posts: 917
Joined: Thu Jul 21, 2005 12:58 am
Location: Portland, Oregon, usa
Contact:

Post by syrupcore »

chrisjlocke wrote:You could update win.ini (or is it stored in the registry these days?) for the Marquee screensaver, so when that started, it would display the last known song. I don't think it continually reads the settings though, so wouldn't be constantly up-to-date - only when first run.

I'll knock up a sample screensaver which you could use. Whats the format of the text file / XML that iTunes spits out?
awesome! I'm at work and the itunes output is at home. I'll email it to you this weekend. Hey, I looked all over the place for something like this (there are many many available on the mac). I'm pretty sure you could get some traffic from it.
User avatar
chrisjlocke
Top Contributor
Posts: 995
Joined: Mon Aug 01, 2005 4:12 pm
Location: Essex, UK
Contact:

Post by chrisjlocke »

Kerching!!!! ;)

For every unit you sell, I'll give you commission!! ;)
Post Reply