What is the MRI?
Pre-requisites
Downloading the MRI
Installation Notes
MRS Configuration
Using The MRI
Bug reports
Contact Me
Changelog
The Music Request Interface, or MRI for short, is a program designed to interface with a Music Request System or MRS. This allows a user to perform basic administrative actions (dealing with requests and opening and closing system) without having to go through the administration console.
In order to make use of the MRI, your MRS must be running release 2.2b3.101 or later, or you must have downloaded the API goodie package and installed it. See more details here.
The MRI itself has no prerequisites. If you find it does have prerequisites, let me know.
Please be sure to read the pre-requisite section and installation notes. Report bugs if they are encountered. Also look at the changelog.
Current release (as of June 15, 2018):
Stable: None, see beta releases
Beta: 1.0.5
These are fully functional JAR applications. Double-click to start, or type java -jar <executable name> at a command prompt.
Stable: See below
Beta: Download me!
"Nightly" pre-release: Download me!
The source code is particularly useful if you are looking to build your own interface tool for an MRS, as all the hard work has been done for you.
Stable: See below
Beta: Download me!
"Nightly" pre-release: Download me!
Please note that these older versions are not supported! They may contain serious bugs and other problems, and may be insecure. The only way to receive support is to be running the latest version!
Browse previous releases and sources
Releases so old no one should run them
Compared to the MRS, the MRI is really easy to install...in fact, there is no installation! The only minor hitch that I am aware of is that you require write access to the folder in which the MRI is stored in order to save the configuration.
Before you can use the MRI, you must make sure the MRS' external API is configured.
IMPORTANT: You must be running MRS version 2.2b3.101 before you can use the external API! Previous versions are known to be buggy.
Log in to your MRS, go to the administration page, and select "manage system API". There are three settings on this page:
Enable the API, and set an API password. Although nothing is stopping you from doing so, it is best to use a different password than the one used to log in as an administrator. Ignore the API ID for now; this is there for future use only.
Upon launching for the first time, you should see this message:
As it tells you, this is normal, since you have not configured the MRI yet and therefore it has no configuration to read. Push OK, and the program opens.
This is the main window. More on it later. Go under "configuration" and select "configure MRI".
Enter the URL to the main portion of the MRS (ie the URL you use to open the homepage, but without the "index.php" in it) and password. Caveat: the URL MUST contain "http://" and it cannot terminate in a "/".
Once this is done, click OK. That's all there is to configure!
Before you can use the MRI, you must make sure the MRS' external API is configured.
It is always a good idea to test your configuration before using it. Go under "configuration" and select "test configuration". The result will be one of three things, described below.
This shows up when you haven't configured the MRI yet. You should go do that. Follow the directions above.
Your MRI and MRS are successfully talking to each other, and you are now free to use the MRI to interface with it.
Something has gone wrong. Make sure the URL you have entered is the path to the root of the MRS, and that you entered the correct password. If it still doesn't work, let me know.
Let's talk about what the MRI offers you. There are spaces for four requests. Below this, there is a counter for additional requests, and a time to next refresh. Every 60 seconds (as long as the MRS is open and/or the timer is started), the MRI will automatically refresh and get new requests, if any. You can refresh at any time by pushing "refresh now", and you can start and stop the timer at any time by pushing the "start/stop timer" button. "Open/close MRS" will enable or disable the MRS.
Each request has four options: view info, which will display extended information (such as comments, request state, etc), and the usual queue, decline and mark as played options. Both queue and decline will prompt for a comment; you may enter one, or leave it blank for none.
The MRI's configuration is not persistent, and therefore it needs to be saved if you wish to retain it.
The MRI always saves the configuration in a "config.mri" file located in the same directory as the JAR. Likewise, it can only read a configuration file at startup from this location. If you move it elsewhere and go to restart the program, it will complain about a lack of a configuration. You may, however, load a configuration from anywhere.
Bug reports should be sent to mrsbugreports@gmail.com to distinguish them from regular contact requests and other emails. Be sure to include the word "bug" in the subject, or the email will never be seen.
Bug reports may also be submitted via the Stereo Dust Particles forum. Note an account on the forum is required to post.
Contact with me is provided through this form. You may also contact me directly via YouTube (link is in the copyright notice below), or through email at lowendradiorequests@gmail.com.
Spam will not be responded to or looked at. Be sure to provide a meaningful and descriptive title when sending me messages! Bug reports should contain enough information that I can easily replicate the problem.
Feedback is also welcome, provided it is constructive.
Version 1.x
1.0.1 (Beta): First release.
1.0.2 (Beta): Fixed word wrap issues. Fixed issue where a "null, requested by null" request appeared and could not be removed.
1.0.3 (Beta): Corrected some problems related to HTML encoding of certain characters.
1.0.4 (Beta): Added custom icon. Added viewer for all requests on the system. Fixed bug where number of additional requests did not update appropriately.
1.0.5 (Beta): Added placeholders for future MRS API calls. Fixed bug where comment and/or response were null instead of "None". MRI refresh time is now configurable. Added "dump to file" for requests. Load configuration dialog now restricted to .mri files by default.
