Please help, weird problem with Fat Client

[davdev]

Ok

I have been working on setting up a client server application for a few days and it is starting to drive me nuts.

I need help

What I have are two desktops and a laptop. One of the desktops is the server, another is a fat client and the laptop is a thin client.

I got the laptop to the point where it can control the music on the desktop. That's great, and was pretty easy to set up

The fat client is killing me though.

On the sever I have configured XNET to:

Start XNET Server:
192.168.1.100
Always Start as Server is Check

Connect to XNET SERVER
IP or Name
INTERNET
Always connect at Startup is Checked

In the who's on Network, I see both the server and the fat client

I also have UNC paths set up for the music, however, the won't stay for the coverart and I cannot see any cover art at all on the fat client

On the Fat Client
I have a winamp zone defined (I have also tried foobar, and I get the same results)

The Basic Tab is empty

On the Xnet Tab I have:

Start XNET Server:
192.168.1.102
Always Start as Server is NOT Checked

Connect to XNET SERVER
IP or Name
192.168.1.100
Always connect at Startup is Checked

In the who's on Network, I see both the server and the fat client


Now here is the thing. That fat client will not play anything on itself, but I can control the Server with the fat client.

For instance, if I am on the fat client and I have the Zones Synced, I can choose a song, and it will play on the server. However, I get errors in both winamp and foobar on the fat client.
If I ignore the zones and just try to play a track on the fat client, nothing happens.

Can someone let me know what I am doing wrong and why I cannot play anything on the fat client.

If I set up and import a database on the machine that is the fat client, and disconnect from the server, it plays fine, but then I loose the whole ability to sync the zones.

I have a few more questions as well:
1) Why can't I see cover art on the fat client. I have tried adding a UNC name, but it doesn't work and it just reverts back to the old way after reboot anyway.

2) Is there an easy way to create UNC names on the database. Right now I am going into the music database and manually adding the server name before each folder. I have over a thousand folders, and I really don't want to do that for each one, plus I want new tracks to just be imported with the correct path.

3) Is there a way to set up the thin client to control two zones easily. Right now, I can only get it to control the server.

Thanks

[davdev]

anyone?

[Marbles_00]

This might be a shot in the dark, but have you tried to map to a server directory within Windows?

I had similar problems, and then I realized that anytime I accessed the server the first time when starting up the client (outside of XLobby), I had to type in a log/password to access it. So what I did was map a server directory as a network drive so I had an automatic connection when starting up the client. It made life a bit easier.

To try and answer your questions:

1) Once you get the database copied over properly, the coverart should be there. You shouldn't have to do anything.

2) You should have to do all that. First, share your music directory (or drive) for network access within Windows. On your server, goto Setup/Basic and then add the UNC path in the music paths window (where you'd normally add the directories). What you do in this case is instead of going to the C: drive (or whatever drive you have your music stored in), "Add" from My Network Places where you should find that shared directory. Then import the database that way. When the clients start, this database (as well as the rest) should get copied over.

3) I think once you get all of the above sorted, this last question will be solved.

I hope all this was helpful.

David

[davdev]

Thanks that worked


I can't believe I didn't think of navigating to My Network Places for the folder. I was racking my brain trying to figure out how to get the UNC path into the database.


I am still having a problem with songs stuttering when the client is controling the server, but I think that has more to do with the client being old and crappy.

This project has been a proof of concept project to make sure it could do everything I need before I buy new PC's. It does that.

Thanks for your help

[Marbles_00]

I have found that running an earlier version of Winamp helps greatly. To me, there is no advantage in Xlobby to run the latest. I'm using version 2.95 and it loads quickly (trying 8 zones, two party zone takes about a seconds to load during xlobby startup), all controls exist. The only thing is that the latest has crossfade and balance, but Xlobby curently cannot control those functions. This may help your stutter problem.

[davdev]

I am actually using foobar on my server, but winamp on the client. I am sure this has something to do with the stutter and I am going to switch to foobar on both