A tool for generating iTunes library XML from a Swinsian music library database.
Currently, DJ software applications such as Serato and Traktor are able to access a read-only version of the iTunes library through a special XML file. Apple briefly describes this XML mechanism in a support note:
The iTunes Library.xml file contains some, but not all, of the same information that's stored in the iTunes Library.itl file. The purpose of the iTunes Library.xml file is to make your music and playlists available to other applications on your computer, such as iPhoto, Garageband, iMovie, and third-party software, in OS X Mountain Lion and earlier. These applications use this file to make it easier for you to add music from your iTunes library to your projects.
iTunes, however, is a bloated monster that starts to fall over with large libraries typical of a DJ. Enter Swinsian.
Swinsian is an excellent Mac OS X music management alternative to iTunes. It is especially well-suited for large music collections and does not suffer from the same feature bloat as iTunes.
The swinsian2itlxml script is an attempt to bridge the gap between Swinsian and DJ software such as Serato by generating an iTunes XML file. Specifically, the important bits of the iTunes XML is generated using data stored in Swinsian's sqlite database.
Please note that this script has been tested with Serato DJ only. It may or may not work with other products like Traktor.
This script overwrites the iTunes XML file. It does not back anything up -- use at your own peril!
To force iTunes versions prior to 12.2 to regenerate the XML file, simply delete it and relaunch iTunes. Do not delete the .itl file.
This tool was developed and test with the following:
- macOS Sierra 10.12.4
- Python 2.7.10
- Swinsian 1.13.1 (332)
- Serato DJ 1.9.6 (1964129)
- No Swinsian smart playlist support
- No backup of existing iTunes library XML currently performed
No special installation steps required other than cloning the git repo to the machine hosting the Swinsian library.
$ git clone https://github.com/mhite/swinsian2itlxml
Information about the tool's usage can be viewed with the -h option.
$ cd swinsian2itlxml
$ ./swinsian2itlxml.py -h
usage: swinsian2itlxml.py [-h] [--version]
[--log-level {critical,error,warning,info,debug}]
[--log-filename LOGFILE] [--db DB] [--xml XML]
[--itunes-music ITUNES_MUSIC_FOLDER]
Swinsian to iTunes XML tool
optional arguments:
-h, --help show this help message and exit
--version, -v Display version
--db DB, -d DB Swinsian sqlite database file
[/Users/mhite/Library/Application
Support/Swinsian/Library.sqlite]
--xml XML, -x XML iTunes library XML [/Users/mhite/Music/iTunes/iTunes
Library.xml]
--itunes-music ITUNES_MUSIC_FOLDER, -i ITUNES_MUSIC_FOLDER
iTunes music folder [/Users/mhite/Music/iTunes/iTunes
Music/]
logging:
--log-level {critical,error,warning,info,debug}, -l {critical,error,warning,info,debug}
Logging level [info]
--log-filename LOGFILE, -o LOGFILE
Logging output filename
The most basic use case is to just launch the script. Default locations for the Swinsian database file and the iTunes XML are assumed. Warning messages about play dates vs. date added may appear -- these are harmless and do not prevent generation of the iTunes library XML.
$ ./swinsian2itlxml.py
2015-09-12 09:10:42 INFO: Opening Swinsian database '/Users/mhite/Library/Application Support/Swinsian/Library.sqlite'...
2015-09-12 09:10:42 INFO: Generating track information...
2015-09-12 09:10:42 WARNING: Destiny's Child / Say My Name has a play date earlier than date added, 2007-10-02 17:37:36 [play date] < 2008-05-09 12:41:08 [date added]
2015-09-12 09:10:42 WARNING: Placebo / Pure Morning has a play date earlier than date added, 2007-10-18 15:39:19 [play date] < 2008-05-09 12:41:08 [date added]
2015-09-12 09:10:42 WARNING: Massive Attack / Protection (Album Version) has a play date earlier than date added, 2007-11-02 15:44:52 [play date] < 2008-05-09 12:41:08 [date added]
2015-09-12 09:10:42 WARNING: Fort Minor F.styles of Beyond / Remember the Name has a play date earlier than date added, 2007-10-19 00:17:59 [play date] < 2008-05-09 12:41:08 [date added]
2015-09-12 09:10:42 WARNING: Rihanna Ft. Lil Mama / Umbrella (Remix) has a play date earlier than date added, 2007-10-26 17:02:48 [play date] < 2008-05-09 12:41:08 [date added]
2015-09-12 09:10:42 WARNING: Club Nouveau / Lean On Me has a play date earlier than date added, 2007-10-01 15:30:39 [play date] < 2008-05-09 12:41:09 [date added]
2015-09-12 09:10:42 WARNING: Destiny's Child / Jumpin' Jumpin' has a play date earlier than date added, 2007-10-09 13:28:36 [play date] < 2008-05-09 12:41:09 [date added]
...
2015-09-12 09:10:43 WARNING: Smokey Robinson & the Miracles / Mickey's Monkey (Instrumental) has a play date earlier than date added, 2011-08-06 16:43:42 [play date] < 2013-11-28 10:22:20 [date added]
2015-09-12 09:10:43 INFO: Generating 'master' library hidden playlist...
2015-09-12 09:10:43 INFO: Generating folder playlist information...
2015-09-12 09:10:43 INFO: Generating playlist information...
2015-09-12 09:10:43 INFO: Outputting iTunes XML to '/Users/mhite/Music/iTunes/iTunes Library.xml'...
2015-09-12 09:10:50 INFO: Done.
This next example uses the -d option to explicitly specify the location of the
Swinsian sqlite database file.
$ ./swinsian2itlxml.py -d ~/Dropbox/Library.sqlite
2015-09-12 09:20:53 INFO: Opening Swinsian database '/Users/mhite/Dropbox/Library.sqlite'...
2015-09-12 09:20:53 INFO: Generating track information...
2015-09-12 09:20:54 WARNING: Destiny's Child / Say My Name has a play date earlier than date added, 2007-10-02 17:37:36 [play date] < 2008-05-09 12:41:08 [date added]
2015-09-12 09:20:54 WARNING: Placebo / Pure Morning has a play date earlier than date added, 2007-10-18 15:39:19 [play date] < 2008-05-09 12:41:08 [date added]
...
2015-09-12 09:20:55 WARNING: Smokey Robinson & the Miracles / Mickey's Monkey (Instrumental) has a play date earlier than date added, 2011-08-06 16:43:42 [play date] < 2013-11-28 10:22:20 [date added]
2015-09-12 09:20:55 INFO: Generating 'master' library hidden playlist...
2015-09-12 09:20:55 INFO: Generating folder playlist information...
2015-09-12 09:20:55 INFO: Generating playlist information...
2015-09-12 09:20:55 INFO: Outputting iTunes XML to '/Users/mhite/Music/iTunes/iTunes Library.xml'...
2015-09-12 09:21:01 INFO: Done.
To output the iTunes XML into a non-standard location, use the the -x
option.
$ ./swinsian2itlxml.py -d ~/Dropbox/Library.sqlite -x test.xml
2015-09-12 09:33:33 INFO: Opening Swinsian database '/Users/mhite/Dropbox/Library.sqlite'...
2015-09-12 09:33:33 INFO: Generating track information...
2015-09-12 09:33:34 WARNING: Destiny's Child / Say My Name has a play date earlier than date added, 2007-10-02 17:37:36 [play date] < 2008-05-09 12:41:08 [date added]
2015-09-12 09:33:34 WARNING: Placebo / Pure Morning has a play date earlier than date added, 2007-10-18 15:39:19 [play date] < 2008-05-09 12:41:08 [date added]
...
2015-09-12 09:33:35 WARNING: Limelight / Ready Or Not - Mondo Dub Mix (Clean) has a play date earlier than date added, 2010-04-08 18:48:51 [play date] < 2013-11-28 10:21:34 [date added]
2015-09-12 09:33:35 WARNING: Kylie / All The Lovers (Dada Life Dub) has a play date earlier than date added, 2010-06-19 19:02:54 [play date] < 2013-11-28 10:21:35 [date added]
2015-09-12 09:33:35 WARNING: Smokey Robinson & the Miracles / Mickey's Monkey (Instrumental) has a play date earlier than date added, 2011-08-06 16:43:42 [play date] < 2013-11-28 10:22:20 [date added]
2015-09-12 09:33:35 INFO: Generating 'master' library hidden playlist...
2015-09-12 09:33:35 INFO: Generating folder playlist information...
2015-09-12 09:33:35 INFO: Generating playlist information...
2015-09-12 09:33:35 INFO: Outputting iTunes XML to 'test.xml'...
2015-09-12 09:33:41 INFO: Done.
Matt Hite created swinsian2itlxml.
Your code contributions are welcome. Please fork and open a pull request.
- Fix for
ValueError: strings can't contains control characters; use plistlib.Data insteadcrash when XML-unsafe UTF-8 characters were encountered. Thanks to Seth Millstein for sending me a sample Swinsian database exhibiting this issue. Also thanks to Lendar for submitting a pull request which was the basis for this fix.
- Fix for case when folder playlist information SQL query returns empty
- Initial release
Please see LICENSE.