Add metadata pipe support which is compatible with forked-daapd.

[billsq]

Use argument --metadata-pipe [/srv/music/librespot.metadata] to enable metadata pipe.
Recommend to use arguments --linear-volume --mixer pipe to properly send the volume.

[sashahilton00]

I'm hesitant to merge this, as we've entertained merging things like this in the past, but have usually stuck to keeping librespot as the core functionality for connecting to Spotify/creating a Connect device, particularly @plietar. This functionality would be better suited to the librespot daemon, though I appreciate that we haven't written that yet...

[plietar]

Yep, this way outside the scope for librespot, especially given how specific it is to one tool.

As I've mentioned before, I'm all for adding APIs that allow pulling that kind of stuff out, but not doing the actual I/O or hardcoding a specific format.

[sashahilton00]

@billsq I'll try and remember to notify you once the daemon is written, which would be the appropriate place for this.

[MartB]

@sashahilton00 drop a comment here when that happens, im interested in it.

[chimpy]

Such a shame this never happened. Providing proper metadata cleanly to forked-daapd would save time and mean the whole librespotd thing doesn't even need to happen because forked-daapd would cover it all anyway.

[Ulrar]

Hi,

I know this was refused and the original patch doesn't apply to the current repo anymore, but since this PR seems to be referenced and talked about in various places I figured it'd be the best place to post a link to this updated patch for people looking to use this feature anyway, works like a charm.

[iVolt1]

Is there any way to up vote for this or a similar patch? I don't understand how it is considered a nitch uses case. I have been using librespot-java as spoticfy connect server for a few years instead of librespot because librespot-java can pipe music and metadata to owntone which can then pass to the airplay players around the house. It would be nice to see this patch added to the .50 dev branch.

Is suppose if there is an updated patch I could compile in, that would be great too.

[kingosticks]

It sounds like you already have a solution.

For everyone else maintaining forks/hacks, what is wrong with the existing events functionality with a helper script/program to pull the track data? Your helper can write to a pipe, send an email, post to Twitter, turn your coffee machine on; whatever use-case you might have.

[michaelherger]

For everyone else maintaining forks/hacks, what is wrong with the existing events functionality with a helper script/program to pull the track data?

My application is multiplatform, incl. Windows. It was easier to fork and expand the feature than to write a helper for Mac/Windows/Linux (ARM, x86_64).

[Ulrar]

I haven't used it in a long time so I don't know the current status, but back then this was the only way to do it, short of writing your own application I suppose.
librespot with the above patch piped into forked-daapd (renamed owntone these days I believe) was a great easy-ish way to get a spotify connect to play to arbitrary combinations of chromecast, airplay and other connected speakers in sync

[kingosticks]

If I was doing this, I'd write a small rust helper (and I'd re-use the existing saved librespot credentials, where available). I'd compile that along with librespot for all my platforms. But the choice and the functionality are there.