VB6 - Get Winamp 5.xx currently playing module.

Hi, in this thread i will show you how to get the currently playing winamp 5.xx series song, the original code was found by me, unworking, and abandoned, i have fixed this and made this work once again.
Enjoy.

VB Code:

'In a module
Private Declare Function GetWindowText Lib "user32" Alias "GetWindowTextA" (ByVal hwnd As Long, ByVal lpString As String, ByVal cch As Long) As Long
'API call to get the windows text, this is useful as WinAMP's
'currently playing song is a part of its title.
Private Declare Function FindWindow Lib "user32" Alias "FindWindowA" (ByVal lpClassName As String, ByVal lpWindowName As String) As Long
Public lHandle As Long
'this API call finds the WinAmp window when the correct parameters
'are passed to it.
 
Function getWinampWindow()
lHandle = FindWindow("Winamp v1.x", vbNullString) 'This is for finding the window, "Winamp v1.x" is the reference to the window type of the Winamp pogram
If lHandle > 0 Then 'making sure the window exists
    Dim lRet As Long
    Dim sTitle As String * 256
    Dim sCaption As String
    lRet = GetWindowText(lHandle, sTitle, Len(sTitle))
    sCaption = Left(sTitle, InStr(1, sTitle, vbNullChar, vbTextCompare) - 10)
    Do
        If IsNumeric(Left(sCaption, 1)) = True Or Left(sCaption, 1) = "." Or Left(sCaption, 1) = " " Then
        sCaption = Right(sCaption, Len(sCaption) - 1)
        Else
        Exit Do
        End If
    Loop
    Do
        If IsNumeric(Right(sCaption, 1)) = True Or Right(sCaption, 1) = ")" Or Right(sCaption, 1) = " " Or Right(sCaption, 1) = ":" Then 'removes the number from the winamp currently playing song.
        sCaption = Left(sCaption, Len(sCaption) - 1)
        ElseIf Right(sCaption, 1) = "(" Then
        sCaption = Left(sCaption, Len(sCaption) - 1)
        Exit Do
        Else
        Exit Do
        End If
    Loop
    getWinampWindow = sCaption 'sets the return value of the module to the edited sCaption strong, which now contains the song name and artist...
Else
    getWinampWindow = "Winamp 5 Series Not Found" 'sets the return value of the module to the edited sCaption string which has jut been set because the winamp title could not be found
End If
End Function

Usage:

Using this module is simple, no need to declare anything in your forms, no need to register anything, simply call "getWinampWindow" as if it was a string, for example :

VB Code:

msgbox getWinampWindow

It could even be used in a timer to periodically update a Label to show the currently playing song. For example - (where SongUpdate is a timer, CurrentSong is a label)

VB Code:

Private sub SongUpdate_Timer()
SongUpdate.Enabled = False
CurrentSong.Caption = getWinampWindow
SongUpdate.Enabled = True
End Sub

Experimenting with this you could record you very own music played log, although you would need to compare the two Listbox entries to make sure no songs appear more than once in a row, especially if used in a timer, you could make it only add the song if the song before it was different.
Some pseudo-code for this would be -
-----------------------------------------
Get the last song (listindex = 0) and save it to a string
Compare this string to getWinampWindow
Add getWinampWindow if the two aren't equal
Don;t add it if they are equal
-----------------------------------------

Enjoy :)

I will attach a sample project as well.

I mentioned being able to create a decent logfile of your played songs... i gave Pseudo Code, now, i bring to you, and example using the very same module as before :D

Here is the code for the main Form, i will comment it and show you what is going on :

VB Code:

Dim CurrSong As String 'this is where the current song will be stored, it will be used in comparisons later on, and so is important.
 
Private Sub Command1_Click()
If Command1.Caption = "Start Logging Songs" Then 'checks to see the caption of the command button
Command1.Caption = "Stop Logging Songs" 'changes the command buttons caption suitably
Timer1.Enabled = True 'enables the simple timer that will be used to log songs
Else:
Timer1.Enabled = False 'turns the timer off
Command1.Caption = "Start Logging Songs" 'changes the command buttons caption
End If
End Sub
 
Private Sub Command2_Click()
On Error GoTo SAVE_ERROR 'error trapping
Dim intX As Integer
CD.Filter = "Text File (*.txt)|*.txt" 'set the output of the common dialog control to text files
CD.ShowSave 'shows the common dialogs save menu
Open CD.FileName For Output As #2
For intX = 0 To List1.ListCount - 1 'loops through the listbox adding all the items to file
    Print #2, List1.List(intX)
Next
Close #2
Exit Sub
SAVE_ERROR:
    MsgBox Err.Num & " " & Err.Description, vbOKOnly, "" 'tells the end user what the error was
End Sub
 
Private Sub Command3_Click()
List1.Clear 'clears the log of songs
End Sub
 
Private Sub Form_Load()
Call Update 'Calling the update function straight away ensures the program id up-to-date with the currently playing song.
End Sub
 
Function Update()
Label1.Caption = getWinampWindow 'calls the module to gain the currently playing songs title
End Function
 
Private Sub Timer1_Timer()
Timer1.Enabled = False 'turns the timer off, just incase processing this Sub takes longer than expected.
Label1.Caption = getWinampWindow 'updates the Label to display the currently playing song.
CurrSong = getWinampWindow 'updates the currently playing song string via the module
If Left(CurrSong, 9) = "[Opening]" Then CurrSong = Right(CurrSong, Len(CurrSong) - 10) 'strips the [opening] tag that may exist on the song if Winamp is struggling to open a particular file
If List1.ListCount > 0 Then List1.ListIndex = 0
If CurrSong = List1.Text Then 'if the same song is still playing as the last update then skip anything from now, and do not re-add the song to the log
Else:
List1.AddItem CurrSong, 0 'adds the currently playing song to the top of the list
End If
Timer1.Enabled = True 'turns the timer back on, so the process can be repeated again.
End Sub

The module mentioned is unchanged from the one posted above.
Enjoy the use of this example :)

Edit: Compiled .Exe removed from attachment - Hack

Sorry, i didn't notice that until last night when it was too late, BUT, the Winamp 5.xx Series is called Winamp 6 amongst many people i know, because they reason the Winamp original was actually Winamp 0.

I will change the title :)
And the code, but i shall leave the download how it is :)

Did you find this code useful ?

Here are some changes i'v donne to the module to try to fix a problem that i had with winamp modern skin, addeded id3v2 support to it and mpeg info reading too...

VB Code:

'WinampMod - winamp.bas
'
'By MidTerror - [email][email protected][/email]
'
'Updated by [url=http://www.vbforums.com/member.php?u=44830]Thegreatone[/url]
'
'Re-Update by ME :=)
'(problem opening id3 editor solved, working for
'winamp modern skin, addeded id3v2 tag reading support)
'improvement of ID3v1 and ID3v2 reading/checking
'addeded MPEG info reading, fixed getWinampWindowText bug
'
'Feel free to mail comments, bugs, advice
'I'd appreciate it if you gave me some credit
'If you make a program out of this. If not
'then it's ok, but I wouldn't mind seeing the
'program, so feel free to send me programs you
'make with this.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by thegreatone

Used like so -

VB Code:

FindWinamp
getWinampWindowText
GetMp3Info
MsgBox MP3Info.id3v2_Album
MsgBox MP3Info.id3v2_Artist
MsgBox MP3Info.id3v2_Comment
MsgBox MP3Info.id3v2_Composer
MsgBox MP3Info.id3v2_Copyright
MsgBox MP3Info.id3v2_EncodedBy
MsgBox MP3Info.id3v2_Genre
MsgBox MP3Info.id3v2_OrgArtist
MsgBox MP3Info.id3v2_Title
MsgBox MP3Info.id3v2_Track
MsgBox MP3Info.id3v2_Url
MsgBox MP3Info.id3v2_Year

---

There you go :)

Edit1: ID3v2 state checking (addeded)
Edit2: Addeded MPEG info support (addeded)
Edit3: ID3v1 state checking (addeded)
Edit4: Fixed a little problem in getWinampWindowText:

VB Code:

'sCaption = Left(sTitle, InStr(1, sTitle, vbNullChar, vbTextCompare) - 10)
    'as sometimes it gave me bad title i put the following:
 
    sCaption = Left(sTitle, InStr(1, sTitle, vbNullChar, vbTextCompare))
    sCaption = Replace(sCaption, " - Winamp", "")

Well done TDQWERTY. Nice to see when we work together the bugs get ironed out ;)

hehe true indeed, i might change that module soon...i wanted to add a mpeg info reading too but unfortunatly won't be this weekend.
I'm trying to find out all the conts used in winamp to some things can be speeded up a bit.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by TDQWERTY

hehe true indeed, i might change that module soon...i wanted to add a mpeg info reading too but unfortunatly won't be this weekend.
I'm trying to find out all the conts used in winamp to some things can be speeded up a bit.

---

That could get tricky very fast.

I thik there is a way of making Winamp update your program automagically, i'm looking into it soon.

hmm winamp had to use a plugin to do such, but as far as i know can't be donne a plug-in for winamp in vb (my guess)

Edit: MPEG info option addeded;
ID3v1 and ID3v2 state checking as boolean (enabled/disabled)

Great job Thegreatone & TDQWERTY. I have just begun to play with VB. Would you by chance have the same type of thing for Musicmatch? Specifically, I am looking for a way to access the ID3V2 tag info in Musicmatch. Any help is appreciated.

codebank isn't the right place to ask this type of thinks.
but no, i'v never try that program.
I have try this with winamp due to some fun controling 2 media boxes over the internet to my house...
as far as i remember musicmatch was too heavy for this kind of things, although it migh be donne. It's all a mather of shorcuts and handles.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by L-B-P-O

Great job Thegreatone & TDQWERTY. I have just begun to play with VB. Would you by chance have the same type of thing for Musicmatch? Specifically, I am looking for a way to access the ID3V2 tag info in Musicmatch. Any help is appreciated.

---

Same here i'm afraid never used the program.

However, the code used could also be re-used in a few ways to work with Musicmatch. I'm guessing with some work using Spy++ you could retrieve the information needed as we did.

Any chance of making this work with VB 2005 (express edition) ?

If you fancy converting it then yes, you could read up on the equivalents in VB.NET.

Unfortunatly at this time i don't have the timne to be learning a new language, work is more important (and it takes way too much time up). Sorry.

I'm a sort-a-noob to 2005 so can't convert this :( I have tried for about 3 hours :(

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by FusionXN1

I'm a sort-a-noob to 2005 so can't convert this :( I have tried for about 3 hours :(

---

Is that telefragx by any chance over at geekbb? 2 people asking for the same thing in the same day...

I'm certainly a n00b at vb.net 2005. I may take a look, but i doubt i can do it in such a limited amount of time.

I, that's my old one :) Been tring to get it to work all dya no luck so time for a break.

Ok, so i threw it through the converter and ended up with a workingversion, it has one bug i know of so far, that when winamp first loads it simply shows "wi" until you play a song.

It's attached, but i'm unsure whether this is worthy of the codebank for .Net submisions.

Edited a little bit and got it working, now it shows say im playing Crash and Burn by Shortie it shows:

- Winamp *** 1. Shortie - Crash and Burn

How can i get the artist to Label1
And the Track to Label2?

It worked when i converted it, so the version above now works.

To seperate the things to seperate labels use the split function.

Dont want to sound like an idiot but how can i remove everything but the artist and track and split them? :blush:

EDIT: I have winamp scrolling in the task bar and it seems to do it in my app too :(

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by thegreatone

I mentioned being able to create a decent logfile of your played songs... i gave Pseudo Code, now, i bring to you, and example using the very same module as before :D

Here is the code for the main Form, i will comment it and show you what is going on :

VB Code:

Dim CurrSong As String 'this is where the current song will be stored, it will be used in comparisons later on, and so is important.
 
Private Sub Command1_Click()
If Command1.Caption = "Start Logging Songs" Then 'checks to see the caption of the command button
Command1.Caption = "Stop Logging Songs" 'changes the command buttons caption suitably
Timer1.Enabled = True 'enables the simple timer that will be used to log songs
Else:
Timer1.Enabled = False 'turns the timer off
Command1.Caption = "Start Logging Songs" 'changes the command buttons caption
End If
End Sub
 
Private Sub Command2_Click()
On Error GoTo SAVE_ERROR 'error trapping
Dim intX As Integer
CD.Filter = "Text File (*.txt)|*.txt" 'set the output of the common dialog control to text files
CD.ShowSave 'shows the common dialogs save menu
Open CD.FileName For Output As #2
For intX = 0 To List1.ListCount - 1 'loops through the listbox adding all the items to file
    Print #2, List1.List(intX)
Next
Close #2
Exit Sub
SAVE_ERROR:
    MsgBox Err.Num & " " & Err.Description, vbOKOnly, "" 'tells the end user what the error was
End Sub
 
Private Sub Command3_Click()
List1.Clear 'clears the log of songs
End Sub
 
Private Sub Form_Load()
Call Update 'Calling the update function straight away ensures the program id up-to-date with the currently playing song.
End Sub
 
Function Update()
Label1.Caption = getWinampWindow 'calls the module to gain the currently playing songs title
End Function
 
Private Sub Timer1_Timer()
Timer1.Enabled = False 'turns the timer off, just incase processing this Sub takes longer than expected.
Label1.Caption = getWinampWindow 'updates the Label to display the currently playing song.
CurrSong = getWinampWindow 'updates the currently playing song string via the module
If Left(CurrSong, 9) = "[Opening]" Then CurrSong = Right(CurrSong, Len(CurrSong) - 10) 'strips the [opening] tag that may exist on the song if Winamp is struggling to open a particular file
If List1.ListCount > 0 Then List1.ListIndex = 0
If CurrSong = List1.Text Then 'if the same song is still playing as the last update then skip anything from now, and do not re-add the song to the log
Else:
List1.AddItem CurrSong, 0 'adds the currently playing song to the top of the list
End If
Timer1.Enabled = True 'turns the timer back on, so the process can be repeated again.
End Sub

The module mentioned is unchanged from the one posted above.
Enjoy the use of this example :)

Edit: Compiled .Exe removed from attachment - Hack

---

I like this solution, but i need date and time when song is played.
I believe that can be done with date and time stamp. As well, song duration would be interesting to add.
So, can anyone help me how to add time stamp in this project ?
Any kind of help would be good for me !

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by thegreatone

Sorry, i didn't notice that until last night when it was too late, BUT, the Winamp 5.xx Series is called Winamp 6 amongst many people i know, because they reason the Winamp original was actually Winamp 0.

I will change the title :)
And the code, but i shall leave the download how it is :)

Did you find this code useful ?

---

Actually, there was no version "0". The real reason for the jump from 3 to 5 (ignoring 4) is hilarious.

From the Winamp FAQ:

Quote:

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You're not imagining things. Yes, we skipped a version number for the following reasons: a) Winamp 5 combines the best aspects of Winamp 2 and Winamp 3 into one player. Hence Winamp 2 + Winamp 3 = Winamp 5! b) Who the hell wants to see a Winamp 4 Skin :P c) We think that a Fibonacci sequence for versioning might be pretty damn cool. d)We improved so much in Winamp 5 that we figured it warranted skipping a version. ;)

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