Song Downloader module

[MichallusTG]

A feature needing some more ingerence into the code - something written into the code of FoF program to let it download songs from any external server itself.

My concept:

1. Visuals - an additional menu option, something like 'download songs' somewhere deeper in the main menu. After picking it, a text list of songs with some kind of browser and search field could show up, showing a list of available songs with adiditonal filters, like: artist, title, length, genre (possibly). After selecting one, a short preview could be downloaded and heard; these ones should be discarded after turning off Frets on Fire. Also, the songs that are already in the local folder should be marked somehow.
2. Files - three .files should be included for each file - a .zip file with packed preview and song.ini, shortly after downloading being unzipped, the .mid checksum for comparison, and finally the file including label and .ogg files.
3. Connection details - first the server would send the FoF program the list of available songs with their .midi checksums to note if they are already available. (This would need an additional field in every song.ini called 'hash = ...', but I do not think it would be a problem) Then the choose-a-song-to-download screen could be present, with browser and filters. Nothing would be downloaded at this point. If somebody would finally choose a song, its preview (and maybe label) would load up. Then, if the player would like to have that song, the zip containing .oggs would be sent, unpacked and placed in a proper place.

Why not a standalone application? Just because I bet it would be better to simply include this into FoF and be able to download new songs without first downloading any additional tools.

What do you think about it?

[R4L]

Not a bad idea. You would need a python server though, to work with FoF.

[baejumper12]

hi guys

[MichallusTG]

baejumper12, hello. If you continue posting like that, be sure moderators will not be nice to you.

R4L, look at the charts script. It uses Python. And I bet adjusting already existing scripts, like the hosting for FoF songs (I forgot adress), would not make much trouble. Only the uploading scheme would need much work, especially with adjusting already uploaded songs.

Also, for an addition, a star-like rating from FoF could be used. You know, for marking the perfectly made songs - over 95% overall rating and et cetera. Of course, besides displaying the digits.

EDIT
R4L, Python can also send PHP $GET and $POST rerequests. I say it just for information; it do would be better to write the script in Python as well.

[R4L]

Ah, I see now. I'm a nub when it comes to servers and net sending and that kind of stuff.

[Clayman]

MichallusTG,
a good idea, we could use ftp.cry-freedom.com as a song-vault. The only thing that still bugs me is why not just run your browser and do all the work yourself? I mean downloading songs is not that hard that one needs a dedicated tool for this job.

[MichallusTG]

The only thing that still bugs me is why not just run your browser and do all the work yourself?

First, it would be better to include it directly into the FoF source. Besides, I am really weak at Python (At all, I can only add and subtract numbers.)

And we could use one of the already existing FoF vaults as storages, as I have written before.

[MichallusTG]

Edit:

2. Files - three .files should be included for each file - a .zip file with packed preview and song.ini, shortly after downloading being unzipped, the .mid checksum for comparison, the whole collection of them downloaded along with the list of songs, and finally the file including .mid file, label and .ogg files.

[m0nkiii]

Great idea!
i_robot73 here on the forum has a nice ftp with many many songs. The speed ain't the best but it works
But if many ppl will use this his ftp might not be enough

[MichallusTG]

m0nkiii, see what I have written. It would need rebuilding lots of song packages. Therefore, if no script unzipping the songs and zipping them back properly is made as well, we won't have much songs in this module.

[ghostboy666]

If a server is needed for song downloads I co-own a server with one of my friends who would happily fork over a certain chunk of the server space for downloads and stuff. And you wouldnt need a python server for downloads, just and addon within the FoF program that would access the server and then download the filelist.

It wouldnt be too hard although the programming of the addon would be a wee bit hard. (I have no exerience in Python just C# so I wouldnt really know lol)

Ah well...it's an idea none the less

[ThatJon]

If your writing a script to do this and need a starting point, feel free to incorporate parts of my Cassette Label downloader. It's written in python, and uses urllib (can't remember if it's version 1 or 2) to download labels off teh interwebs.
Tbh the hardest part of this plan is probably getting a standardised way of storing the files, indexing them etc.

Why not a standalone application? Just because I bet it would be better to simply include this into FoF and be able to download new songs without first downloading any additional tools.

The only slight problems with this is that it would A) cause conflicts with any other mods installed (eg RF mod) and B) enabling a method for FoF to directly download copyrighted material throws up a load of legal stuff.
It's probably better to make it a seperate program for the sake of keeping the main game "Clean"

Just a slight extension I'd like to add to this idea - instead of just making this program download songs, why not turn it into a sort of "song organiser", providing an easy way to organise everything? There's loads of potential features that could be added via this route.

[MichallusTG]

ThatJon,

Just a slight extension I'd like to add to this idea - instead of just making this program download songs, why not turn it into a sort of "song organiser", providing an easy way to organise everything? There's loads of potential features that could be added via this route.

Nice.

A) cause conflicts with any other mods installed (eg RF mod)

It will eventually get compiled along with other mods if it is made. Besides, it could be made by modifying the original RF-code.

B) enabling a method for FoF to directly download copyrighted material throws up a load of legal stuff.

A little foreplay - you would have to enter the server you would want to download from yourself. Voila.

Tbh the hardest part of this plan is probably getting a standardised way of storing the files, indexing them etc.

I have already thought about it. Look at the first post in the thread.

ghostboy666,
A server really is not a big problem here. Modifications could be done to already existing FoFsources. And keeping everything in the native snake language would be nice, so I do not want to mix PHP/HTML inside. Besides, Python offers more possibilities from scratch and is easier for me than PHP.

[ghostboy666]

ghostboy666,
A server really is not a big problem here. Modifications could be done to already existing FoFsources. And keeping everything in the native snake language would be nice, so I do not want to mix PHP/HTML inside. Besides, Python offers more possibilities from scratch and is easier for me than PHP.

I wasnt reffering to an actual website. All that would need to be implemented is an addon, with say the RF Mod, that would access the server and get a file list, much like when you are using the in-game song editor or the song library. The server would just hold the songs for downloading and nothing else. Wouldn't be able to access it through a web-browser just through FoF