CODEWITHSUNDEEP
applescript
user749127
user749127

Reputation:

Why does my AppleScript program say iTunes is playing a track when iTunes isn't actually doing so?

I'm trying to make an AppleScript that tells iTunes to play a certain track. Here's my code. I'm baffled, because when I set "theCommand" to "play Shake Up Christmas by artist Train" the script works when I right-click a test e-mail and click "Apply Rules." However, it doesn't work when I tell it to play what the e-mail tells it to play.

using terms from application "Mail"
on perform mail action with messages messageList for rule aRule
    tell application "Mail"
        repeat with thisMessage in messageList
            try
                set theCommand to content of thisMessage as string
            on error errMsg
                display alert errMsg
            end try
        end repeat
    end tell
    tell application "iTunes"
        if theCommand contains "play" then
            if theCommand is equal to "play" then
                play
            else
                set prevTIDs to text item delimiters of AppleScript
                set text item delimiters of AppleScript to "play "
                set subject to text items of theCommand
                set text item delimiters of AppleScript to ""
                set subject to "" & subject
                set AppleScript's text item delimiters to " by artist "
                set delimitedList to every text item of subject
                set theTrack to the first item of delimitedList
                try
                    set theArtist to the second item of delimitedList
                    set artistIsDefined to true
                on error
                    set artistIsDefined to false
                end try
                set AppleScript's text item delimiters to prevTIDs
                if artistIsDefined is true then
                    try
                        play (every track in playlist 1 whose artist is theArtist and name is theTrack)
                        say "Playing " & theTrack
                    on error errMsg
                        say errMsg
                    end try
                else
                    play (every track in playlist 1 whose name is theTrack)
                end if
            end if
        else if theCommand is equal to "pause" then
            pause {}
        else if theCommand is equal to "stop" then
            stop {}
        end if
    end tell
end perform mail action with messages
end using terms from

The Mac will respond to an e-mail by saying "Playing (track)," but it won't play the track. The fact that the file is on a Time Capsule shouldn't matter, as iTunes can access it. (iTunes would have shown an exclamation mark to the left of the track name if it couldn't.)

Upvotes: 1

Views: 201

Answers (1)

regulus6633
regulus6633

Reputation: 19030

My guess is that you need to change the word "every" to "first" in this command...

play (every track in playlist 1 whose artist is theArtist and name is theTrack)

I didn't test my theory, but I think by using the word "every" you get a list of tracks from that command (even if only 1 track is in the list). And iTunes doesn't know how to play a list. iTunes can play a track. So by using "first" you will get the first track found and thus it should work. Alternatively you could get the first item of the list... play (item 1 of (every track...)).

Upvotes: 1

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