AppleScripts for Disco XT/iTunes

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zipthebird · #1 Post by **zipthebird** » Mon Jan 26, 2009 3:20 pm

Just to prove to my wife that I really am a nerd...I've been puttering with AppleScripts lately. Thought I'd share some of the results.

Here is a script for transfering a playlist from Disco XT into iTunes. I like to keep a record of all the sets I play, so I use this to save set lists to my iTunes library.

Here is one to create little graphs based on the bpm of your set. To use this one, you'll need to have the bpm marked for all of the tracks in a particular playlist. It then creates a sparkline of bpm over time (by order within the playlist) and a frequency distribution of bpm of all songs in your playlist. (The graphics are generated using the Google Charts API.)

And here is the script that I use to publish playlists onto my blog.

If y'all have other easy ways of doing these tasks I'd be interested to hear.

Haydn · #2 Post by **Haydn** » Wed Jan 28, 2009 9:39 am

Thanks. I've dabbled with Disco XT, but not DJ'd from it yet.

Do you use iTunes Smart Playlists, and if so, how do you switch between these when DJing from Disco XT. Do you use the playlist feature in Disco XT so you are managing a playlist?

Would it be possible to preview in iTunes AND preview in Disco XT?

zipthebird · #3 Post by **zipthebird** » Wed Jan 28, 2009 1:53 pm

Not sure I understand what you're asking. When I DJ a dance, generally Disco XT is the only thing I have running. I select and preview tunes by browsing from playlists (iTunes playlists are visible from within Disco XT, including smart playlists). When I find a tune I want to play, I move it to the cue. Generally I use the automix mode, so Disco XT handles loading songs from the cue into the "decks" and fading between songs.

Disco XT keeps a log of everything that you play. At the end of my set, I export this log to a text file. Using the script I posted above, I can then read that text file back into iTunes, so I have a record of the songs I played.

Haydn · #4 Post by **Haydn** » Thu Jan 29, 2009 7:51 am

zipthebird wrote:Not sure I understand what you're asking. When I DJ a dance, generally Disco XT is the only thing I have running. I select and preview tunes by browsing from playlists (iTunes playlists are visible from within Disco XT, including smart playlists). When I find a tune I want to play, I move it to the cue. Generally I use the automix mode, so Disco XT handles loading songs from the cue into the "decks" and fading between songs.

Automix is the playlist that plays continuously isn't it, which means you can queue up a list of songs in advance (and edit the order).

Although you don't do this, would it be possible to have iTunes running at the same time and preview from it? (I like to see the connections and 'links' between songs in iTunes which result from tagging in the Grouping and Comment fields, so for example "720 In The Books" by Jan Savitt might be in the "Late 30s Mid-Tempo" Smart Playlist and also in the "Beginners" Smart Playlist. I can see which playlists a song is in by pressing the <ctrl> key and clicking the mouse button and then selecting "Show in Playlist". As far as I know, you can't do this in Disco XT, so I'd like to know if it's possible to have both programs running, and also be able to 'Preview' in the headphones in iTunes.

Cyrano de Maniac · #5 Post by **Cyrano de Maniac** » Thu Jan 29, 2009 8:35 am

Yes you can have both running and preview from iTunes. Just make sure the system sound output device, which will be used by iTunes, matches up with the preview sound device as set in Disco XT.

Anyone tried the Disco XT 5.x series yet? I'm pretty happy with 4.x, and am loathe to shell out for the upgrade without a compelling reason.

Brent

dogpossum · #6 Post by **dogpossum** » Fri Jan 30, 2009 11:59 pm

Mac/itunes/DJ1800/external soundcard user here.

I'm pretty tempted by Disco XT.
I've been playing with the demo and really like it. I like that it can read my itunes library but doesn't require me to input the whole thing into Disco XT. I'm finding the 20 minutes demo time limit a bit limiting (not the sharpest pencil in the box, here) and the 'help' is a bit strange - kind of like it's written by someone who's not all that familiar with English, but I like it.
One thing I do like is that it displays my itunes library in folders - the same folders I have it in in itunes (eg it keeps my 'should play lindy' folder and my '<200bpm lindy' folders so I can use those to search).

I am looking forward to saying goodbye to itunes for DJing. And saying good BYE to the pain-in-the-arse DJ1800.
Now I'm wondering whether I want to farewell itunes altogether? Not sure I could do without airtunes at home. Airtunes is sweet.

I am poor, so I'll save up a bit before I buy Disco XT. I guess I'm leaning towards buying it. So long as I can figure out whether it does what I want.