Using the client library
=========================
-The client library can be used as follows::
+Introduction
+------------
+
+The client library can be used as follows:
+
+.. code-block:: python
client = musicpd.MPDClient() # create client object
client.connect() # use MPD_HOST/MPD_PORT if set else
# test ${XDG_RUNTIME_DIR}/mpd/socket for existence
# fallback to localhost:6600
# connect support host/port argument as well
- print client.mpd_version # print the mpd version
- print client.cmd('one', 2) # print result of the command "cmd one 2"
- client.close() # send the close command
+ print(client.mpd_version) # print the mpd protocol version
+ print(client.cmd('foo', 42)) # print result of the request "cmd foo 42"
+ # (nb. for actual command, see link to the protocol below)
client.disconnect() # disconnect from the server
-A list of supported commands, their arguments (as MPD currently understands
-them), and the functions used to parse their responses can be found in
-`doc/commands.txt`. See the `MPD protocol documentation`_ for more
-details.
+In the example above `cmd` in not an actual MPD command, for a list of
+supported commands, their arguments (as MPD currently understands
+them), and the functions used to parse their responses see :ref:`commands`.
+
+See the `MPD protocol documentation`_ for more details.
+
+Command lists
+-------------
Command lists are also supported using `command_list_ok_begin()` and
-`command_list_end()` ::
+`command_list_end()` :
+
+.. code-block:: python
client.command_list_ok_begin() # start a command list
client.update() # insert the update command into the list
client.status() # insert the status command into the list
results = client.command_list_end() # results will be a list with the results
+Ranges
+------
+
Provide a 2-tuple as argument for command supporting ranges (cf. `MPD protocol documentation`_ for more details).
-Possible ranges are: "START:END", "START:" and ":" ::
+Possible ranges are: "START:END", "START:" and ":" :
+
+.. code-block:: python
# An intelligent clear
# clears played track in the queue, currentsong included
client.delete((pos,)) # purge queue from current to the end
A notable case is the `rangeid` command allowing an empty range specified
-as a single colon as argument (i.e. sending just ":")::
+as a single colon as argument (i.e. sending just ":"):
+
+.. code-block:: python
# sending "rangeid :" to clear the range, play everything
client.rangeid(()) # send an empty tuple
Empty start in range (i.e. ":END") are not possible and will raise a CommandError.
+Iterators
+----------
Commands may also return iterators instead of lists if `iterate` is set to
-`True`::
+`True`:
+
+.. code-block:: python
client.iterate = True
for song in client.playlistinfo():
print song['file']
+Idle prefixed commands
+----------------------
+
Each command have a *send\_<CMD>* and a *fetch\_<CMD>* variant, which allows to
send a MPD command and then fetch the result later.
-This is useful for the idle command::
+This is useful for the idle command:
+
+.. code-block:: python
>>> client.send_idle()
# do something else or use function like select()
>>> gobject.io_add_watch(client, gobject.IO_IN, callback)
>>> gobject.MainLoop().run()
+Fetching binary content (cover art)
+-----------------------------------
+
+Fetching album covers is possible with albumart, here is an example:
+
+.. code-block:: python
+
+ >>> cli = musicpd.MPDClient()
+ >>> cli.connect()
+ >>> track = "Steve Reich/1978-Music for 18 Musicians"
+ >>> aart = cli.albumart(track, 0)
+ >>> received = int(aart.get('binary'))
+ >>> size = int(aart.get('size'))
+ >>> with open('/tmp/cover', 'wb') as cover:
+ >>> # aart = {'size': 42, 'binary': 2051, data: bytes(...)}
+ >>> cover.write(aart.get('data'))
+ >>> while received < size:
+ >>> aart = cli.albumart(track, received)
+ >>> cover.write(aart.get('data'))
+ >>> received += int(aart.get('binary'))
+ >>> if received != size:
+ >>> print('something went wrong', file=sys.stderr)
+ >>> cli.disconnect()
+
+A `CommandError` is raised if the album does not expose a cover.
+
+You can also use `readpicture` command to fetch embedded picture:
+
+.. code-block:: python
+
+ >>> cli = musicpd.MPDClient()
+ >>> cli.connect()
+ >>> track = 'muse/Amon Tobin/2011-ISAM/01-Amon Tobin - Journeyman.mp3'
+ >>> rpict = cli.readpicture(track, 0)
+ >>> if not rpict:
+ >>> print('No embedded picture found', file=sys.stderr)
+ >>> sys.exit(1)
+ >>> size = int(rpict['size'])
+ >>> done = int(rpict['binary'])
+ >>> with open('/tmp/cover', 'wb') as cover:
+ >>> cover.write(rpict['data'])
+ >>> while size > done:
+ >>> rpict = cli.readpicture(track, done)
+ >>> done += int(rpict['binary'])
+ >>> print(f'writing {rpict["binary"]}, done {100*done/size:03.0f}%')
+ >>> cover.write(rpict['data'])
+ >>> cli.disconnect()
+
+Refer to `MPD protocol documentation`_ for the meaning of `binary`, `size` and `data`.
.. _MPD protocol documentation: http://www.musicpd.org/doc/protocol/