DOWNLOAD:
The tool can be downloaded as a zip file from here : Playlist Generator
USAGE:
Extract the zip file. Modify the config.xml file. The tags are self-explanatory. Explanation is given below the picture attached.
THE PROJECT:
The motive is simple – to generate a play list of top songs for any given artist. The song list is looked up from last.fm and the songs are searched on the path provided in the config.xml file. A m3u playlist is generated. I was also focused on having the application easy-to-use and being able to save the configuration file without.
Let me tell you that at present this is in its most basic form. At the time of writing this page, I have put in less than a days work into this self project. So unless you stick to all the criteria, I have no idea how the application will work out.
The usage is pretty simple. All that is needed is the PlaylistGenerator.jar file and the config.xml file. Double clicking the jar file executes the application (no visual feedback at present, so be patient 
). The jar file uses the config.xml to create playlists. So all you need to know is how to edit the xml file.
Once again, I have a few extensions planned, and so the xml file contains more information than is currently required.
Above is a sample configuration to prepare a play list for Greenday songs. If the screenshot is not self-explanatory:
- extensions: The play list format. [only m3u for now, but hey, you can always extend using the interfaces I have created]
- save_location: The path where the file needs to be saved. The screenshot tells the application to create a greenday.m3u play list on the desktop.
- artist: The full name of the artist for which you want the play list.
- size: Number of songs in the play list. Maximum: 50
- duration: Not in use right now, so do not bother. [But I think things will go wrong if you omit the node
... Known issues are always fine.] - location: The location of the folder which contains the songs. The folders are looked up recursively starting from the specified one.
- enabled: Whether you really want to create the play list for this artist. Values: true or false.
The enabled option obviates the need to delete entries when a particular play list creation is not required.
Going further into the project;
- I need to make the searching of files more efficient. At present only the tag is checked for a match of file name and artist name. I need to find better matching technique. — Priority 1. This is the main focus of the project.
- The user shall have more options in the creation of play list, not just limited to Artist and overall bests.
- Provide more play list formats
- Make the application robust
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