xlobby2 client won't show cover art via mediaserver

[starmanj]

First, xlobby has come a long way-- it is fantastic (I first looked at it several years ago). BUT, I am jumping in though as a newby now.

I have xlobby2 from my office connecting to my mediaserver xlobby2 via XNS. But it won't display cover art for music. I want to be able to connect PC clients to control my mediaserver, which plays music through house via its soundcard.

Do the clients cache coverart locally? I don't see an option to do that. I see the xlobby2sd.exe-- no documentation covering any of this-- and when I edit the servers.txt, it will show an image of what is on my mediaserver. But it is very, very slow to update.

Can anyone help suggest what one is supposed to do have clients use a single mediaserver database that shows coverart locally?

PS I read about "thin" and "fat" clients. Where are these executables? And is there a web client? Is it the same as the XNS function? Is there any documentation for anything I'm talking about?

Thanks!
Starmanj

[rhinoman]

If by XNS you mean the xnet fat client, if coverart doesn't display you need to replace the paths to your music on the server machine with UNC paths ie \\server\music

[starmanj]

Rhinoman-
Bingo! Thanks. I didn't realize when you use the XNS fat client, it mirrors settings and database of the XNS server.

Is there a way to store thumbnails locally on the fat client (for performance)?

My last issue is I would like to play music on my client PC's soundcard as well as the server's. When I play music, it only comes out of the server. The default skin has no zones-- do I need a zonable skin to do this? How can I combine both soundcards into one zone?

Thanks!
Starmanj

[rhinoman]

You need to add a zone to the client to play at the clients output, these can be synced but its not something I've tried as my setup uses multiplw soundcards in one machine for music.

[m_masta]

If by XNS you mean the xnet fat client, if coverart doesn't display you need to replace the paths to your music on the server machine with UNC paths ie \\server\music

How exactly do you replace with unc paths?
My files are located for the most part in "My Documents" area, and I've shared them, meaning that on my wife's computer I do have access to all the shared files.
When setting my path, if I go in the "network neighborhood", where I can view the networked folders and try to add them, they revert back to the local name automatically
Do I need to manually reconfigure the xml file and put in the unc path?

EDIT: Quickly after typing this up, I figured it out. The problem was that I was assigning the paths by going to "My Network Places", but in fact I need to go in the network proper i.e: "Entire Network\Microsoft Windows network ..."
This might help someone

[starmanj]

You need to add a zone to the client to play at the clients output, these can be synced but its not something I've tried as my setup uses multiplw soundcards in one machine for music.

Very helpful Rhinoman, thanks!

Edit:
I understand more about zones via trial-and-error. I found the zone control under music->show->multizone; I can determine what soundcard I am controlling by selecting it there, or by F2->Xnet->select Winamp V1-> control zone.

I have uncovered a few bugs in the playlist part, will post after I play a bit more.

I am really jazzed about this software, it is powerful, flexible, yet very simple for my family to use (which is the goal!)


Thanks for you help!
Starmanj

[abobader]

Hi,

How exactly do you replace with unc paths?

To easy find what the sharing folder in the network for a pc or server:

Start / run then type the server or the pc name as:

Code: Select all

\\computername\

and it will list all the sharing folder for that pc.

Also if you want to make a hidden sharing folder, in sharing name just add "$" for the sharing name.

My best.

[rhinoman]

Edit:
I understand more about zones via trial-and-error. I found the zone control under music->show->multizone; I can determine what soundcard I am controlling by selecting it there, or by F2->Xnet->select Winamp V1-> control zone.

Now winamp is installed (same applys to foobar) you can create zones by copying the install to multiple locations ie
winamp installed to

c:/program files/winamp

take the contents of the winamp folder and copy to

C:/zones/bedroom

and

C:/zones/study

etc, even if you are only using this as a single zone on each machine. Then when you replace the path to winamp.exe using the new zones folder xlobby will display "bedroom" or "study" instead of "winamp V1"