WMP, Wmp plugin + Vbs script (Not AMIP, but Acts the "same") Options

[doodr]

Ok so you use WMP and want your now playing info to display on any program with the press of a button? Here is how I did it. (Windows XP and WMP11, Should work on wmp9 and up)

Requirements-
Keyboard with some extra buttons (media, volume, favorites, email, www, etc etc).
WMP 9 or higher.
Some time.


1-------------------
Close WMP.

Download a plugin for WMP called np_plugin.

Extract it to your "C:\program files\windows media player\" folder (or where ever you have WMP installed).

register the dll with regsvr32, to do this goto start>run and type in
regsvr32 "C:\program files\windows media player\np_plugin.dll"

(This plugin makes a text file in the same directory with the song info inside of the text file.)

Open WMP and goto Tools>plugins>options
in the plugins panel goto Background and select the "Now Playing Plugin" and click properties, change w/e options you want EXCEPT the 2'nd box that says "C:\Program Files\Windows Media Player\np_info.txt" This Needs to stay the same for now.

Ok now that the plugin is installed onto the next step.


2-------------

Open the folder "C:\program files\windows media player\" and make a new text file and copyand paste this VBScript into it (everything between the ======== lines)
=======================

Set WshShell = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
fspec="C:\Program Files\Windows Media Player\Np_info.txt"
set fso=createobject("scripting.filesystemobject")
set ots=fso.opentextfile(fspec)
WshShell.SendKeys ots.readline
WshShell.SendKeys "~"
ots.close

=======================
save and close the new text file, and rename it to np.vbs
(If you cannot change the extention from txt to vbs, google how to view/change known file extentions)

Ok now you have a script that when ran will read the first line of np_info.txt and press enter., next step.


3---------------

Download and install tweakUI for windows XP.

Once installed, Open it and goto Explorer > Command keys and choose a button on your keyboard you never use (I chose the EMAIL button).

click the change button, and select the 3rd box that says "Run a custom program when this key is pressed" and put in
"C:\program files\windows media player\np.vbs"
press OK then APPLY then OK again to close tweakUI.


now for the last step


4---------------

Open up regedit Start>run, type in regedit

When regedit is open, press control+F or goto edit>find, make sure all 3 check boxes are checked, and do a search for "C:\program files\windows media player\np.vbs" (this might take a min depending on the speed of your computer), when it finds the key it should say

Shellexecute "C:\program files\windows media player\np.vbs"

Double click shellexecute and remove the quotes from "C:\program files\windows media player\np.vbs"

then press ok.
-------------------

Your done! Now you should beable to press w/e command button (EMAIL for me) and the currently playing song's info will be displayed and entered into the active text field!!

------------------

Heres mine!

;WMP Is playing: Kiss - 05 Love gun


Hope this helps someone, and the explanation isn't too screw'd up.

[nigelnorris]

Thanks for this, been looking everywhere. I'd just like to add that it all works fine in Vista x64 (Using the 32bit player) so long as the path in the vbscript is amended to "C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Media Player\Np_info.txt". Obviously TweakUI doesn't work with Vista but my (most?) keyboards come with dedicated software to reassign buttons anyway - also I didn't carry out step 4, seems to work fine without that.

[doodr]

Thanks for this, been looking everywhere. I'd just like to add that it all works fine in Vista x64 (Using the 32bit player) so long as the path in the vbscript is amended to "C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Media Player\Np_info.txt". Obviously TweakUI doesn't work with Vista but my (most?) keyboards come with dedicated software to reassign buttons anyway - also I didn't carry out step 4, seems to work fine without that.

Glad to know someone else is using this!
also glad to know it works on vista(and x64) too, albeit with 32bit media player.
and yeah, guide was made for xp, so steps 3-4 wont work for vista users, but as you said, your keyboard and yes most keyboards anymore, come with programs to manually set the "special" keys.

while it doesnt have any of the advanced things that amip has, it still works fairly well aslong as the song has a valid id3 tag, and is still, afaik the only way to get now playing info for wmp to paste to (almost) any program.

[nigelnorris]

I don't understand a single symbol from that vbscript. Can the output be added to? For example I'd like to see the album name in there, or maybe some punctuation/parentheses arount the output?

[doodr]

I don't understand a single symbol from that vbscript. Can the output be added to? For example I'd like to see the album name in there, or maybe some punctuation/parentheses arount the output?

I didn't make the DLL plugin for WMP so I'm not sure about adding much info from ID3 tags or filename's. But if you want to add special characters (wrap the info it does provide), follow the instructions then do this.

Goto

Tools>Plugins>Options>

From the Background Catagory select the "Now playing" entry to the right.
Then click the Properties button, This should open the Now playing plugin's options, The "Title" line will be infront of the now playing info, and the "Signature" will be after.
Click ok twice to close the options dialog box, and the plugins dialog box.

Now open the np.vbs file that was created earlier, and add two more of these lines

WshShell.SendKeys ots.readline

just under the one that is already there, (This will make the signature show up too, effectively wrapping the text).
Save then close and that should be it.

-------------------------------------

Set WshShell = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
fspec="C:\Program Files\Windows Media Player\Np_info.txt"
set fso=createobject("scripting.filesystemobject")
set ots=fso.opentextfile(fspec)
WshShell.SendKeys ots.readline
WshShell.SendKeys ots.readline
WshShell.SendKeys ots.readline
WshShell.SendKeys "~"
ots.close

-------------------------------------