Apple warning DJs to stick with macOS Mojave for now

AppleInsiderAppleInsider
Posted:
in iPod + iTunes + AppleTV edited October 2019
The ability to export a XML playlist in real time to other applications is gone from the Music app on macOS Catalina, breaking cross-application compatibility.




In iTunes in macOS Sierra, High Sierra, and Mojave, users could grant permission for other applications to look at the iTunes database. Other applications like Traktor can use that information stored in the iTunes database, which is in essence an XML file, providing users easy playlist and track location in the midst of what can be tens of thousands of music files lurking on a hard drive.

Catalina has done away with the ability to Share iTunes Library XML with other applications in its entirety. The Music app still has the ability to export a static XML file in a one-time affair invoked by the user, but it is not in real-time.

Windows users who use iTunes are not impacted by the removal. Apple has done nothing other than security updates to iTunes for Windows.

Sources inside Apple not authorized to speak on behalf of the company have said that the Music app on the Mac is brand new with a modern library format. If developers followed the tools that Apple has provided, there is still direct access to playlists and stored music through iTunes APIs, but direct access to the iTunes library using XML is no longer available.

Additionally, the same Apple sources say that the company is working closely with app developers to make sure their software is updated and compatible with Catalina.

Traktor developers Native Instruments say that they are working on a workaround for Catalina. Atomix, developers of Virtual DJ, told DJ Tech Tools that "VirtualDJ will support and work with Apple Music app, we are currently stress-testing it a bit, and should be out in Public Version real soon."

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 19
    coolfactorcoolfactor Posts: 2,241member
    This info is coming out today for the first time? Were they trying to avoid bad press in advance?

    wonkothesanerazorpitseanj
  • Reply 2 of 19
    Mike WuertheleMike Wuerthele Posts: 6,861administrator
    coolfactor said:
    This info is coming out today for the first time? Were they trying to avoid bad press in advance?

    It was known during the beta, several months ago. This is a confirmation from Apple.
    wonkothesaneStrangeDays
  • Reply 3 of 19
    Radio_SignalRadio_Signal Posts: 21member
    coolfactor said:
    This info is coming out today for the first time? Were they trying to avoid bad press in advance?

    Atomix' website said not to update months ago. That acknowledged, I chatted with someone there today, quite rude. Time to move over to Native Instruments.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 4 of 19
    netroxnetrox Posts: 1,421member
    What "format" is being used instead of XML? There are many open data structures that are available so it would be so lame if Apple chose data structure that is proprietary for themselves.
  • Reply 5 of 19
    cy_starkmancy_starkman Posts: 653member
    netrox said:
    What "format" is being used instead of XML? There are many open data structures that are available so it would be so lame if Apple chose data structure that is proprietary for themselves.
    i don’t know, but the article xml is Available. So Apple is not opposed to using the format. Probably as with most modern applications it is an API
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 6 of 19
    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 0
    netrox said:
    What "format" is being used instead of XML? There are many open data structures that are available so it would be so lame if Apple chose data structure that is proprietary for themselves.
    The iTunesLibrary Framework SDK is the "replacement". Replacement isn't actually the correct term since using the XML file was never supported by Apple and it was never documented. The officially supported and documented SDK was released five years ago.
    edited October 2019
  • Reply 7 of 19
    lkrupplkrupp Posts: 10,557member
    Oh my, something changed and people are upset. What else is new?
    rezwitsmdriftmeyerStrangeDayswatto_cobra
  • Reply 8 of 19
    dewmedewme Posts: 5,362member
    netrox said:
    What "format" is being used instead of XML? There are many open data structures that are available so it would be so lame if Apple chose data structure that is proprietary for themselves.
    I’d imagine Apple would seriously want to move to a more efficient, flexible, and performant serializable format with proxy/stub binaries, for example something like Google Protocol Buffers, rather than another straight text based format. At this point no matter what they do the change will impose breaking changes on legacy clients until they can come up with some sort of shim or broker to handle legacy clients.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 9 of 19
    EsquireCatsEsquireCats Posts: 1,268member
    This sounded far more dire than the reality, which is actually a really great thing for 3rd parties.
    So rather than Apple changing how the information is accessed, they're actually providing a standard way to access the data that won't break every time they make changes to the library format.

    It also means that developers won't need to write and maintain custom code to rifle through the database, instead the API will just handle that on their behalf.

    So yeah, on one hand it sucks that all the apps need to have an update to keep working with the latest version, but arguably they would always be playing cat and mouse with the library format anyway, meaning this change will reduce their workload in the future.
    StrangeDaysFileMakerFellerwatto_cobra
  • Reply 10 of 19
    huhu77huhu77 Posts: 1member
    Virtual DJ most recent version is able to handle the new Music app already. 

    A great DJ app btw...
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 11 of 19
    beowulfschmidtbeowulfschmidt Posts: 2,131member
    Am I the only one who remembers what the rules are for using indefinite articles with acronyms in writing?
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 12 of 19
    echosonicechosonic Posts: 462member
    STOP FUCKING WITH THE SHIT THAT AIN'T BROKE FFS!!!!
  • Reply 13 of 19
    Mike WuertheleMike Wuerthele Posts: 6,861administrator
    beowulfschmidt said:
    Am I the only one who remembers what the rules are for using indefinite articles with acronyms in writing?
    SQL is an initialism.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 14 of 19
    StrangeDaysStrangeDays Posts: 12,877member
    Mike Wuerthele said:
    beowulfschmidt said:
    Am I the only one who remembers what the rules are for using indefinite articles with acronyms in writing?
    SQL is an initialism.
    Debatable. While some pronounce it “S-Q-L”, most of the DBAs and devs in my career pronounce it “sequel”.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 15 of 19
    StrangeDaysStrangeDays Posts: 12,877member

    echosonic said:
    STOP FUCKING WITH THE SHIT THAT AIN'T BROKE FFS!!!!
    So there should never be any improvements to software unless something is broken? “Yyyyeaaaahh...”
    edited October 2019 watto_cobra
  • Reply 16 of 19
    FileMakerFellerFileMakerFeller Posts: 1,546member
    Am I the only one who remembers what the rules are for using indefinite articles with acronyms in writing?
    SQL is an initialism.
    Debatable. While some pronounce it “S-Q-L”, most of the DBAs and devs in my career pronounce it “sequel”.
    That's the sort of thing that drives me nuts. "SQL" is Structured Query Language. "SEQUEL" (Structured English Query Language) was the original name during development, but that term was changed because another company owned it (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SQL). "SEQUEL" was subsequently used as a company name and a product name in the mid-to-late 1980s (because, hey, if we can get people to think our product is this other popular thing, that couldn't possibly be bad, right?) and we now have this mess of an overloaded term that makes it harder to understand exactly what someone is talking about.

    I'm not going to even start about people who call Microsoft's SQL Server product "Sequel."
    gatorguywatto_cobra
  • Reply 17 of 19
    Mike WuertheleMike Wuerthele Posts: 6,861administrator
    Am I the only one who remembers what the rules are for using indefinite articles with acronyms in writing?
    SQL is an initialism.
    Debatable. While some pronounce it “S-Q-L”, most of the DBAs and devs in my career pronounce it “sequel”.
    Well, if the devs in your career pronounce it sequel, then it is an initialism, and not a acronym.

    SQL as acronym: "an SQL"

    SQL as initialism: "a SQL"
    edited October 2019 gatorguywatto_cobra
  • Reply 18 of 19
    beowulfschmidtbeowulfschmidt Posts: 2,131member
    Mike Wuerthele said:
    beowulfschmidt said:
    Am I the only one who remembers what the rules are for using indefinite articles with acronyms in writing?
    SQL is an initialism.
    Which is a subtype of acronym.  I'm sure there are contexts where that makes a huge, life shattering difference, though for some reason I can't think of one right off the top of my head.  For an audience as general as this one, that difference seems insignificant.

    However, I was referring to "XML" in the first sentence.  Neither the pronounced "X", nor the word for which it stands, "extensible", begin with a consonant sound.  Your use of "a" there is awkward at best.


    watto_cobra
  • Reply 19 of 19
    Mike WuertheleMike Wuerthele Posts: 6,861administrator
    beowulfschmidt said:
    Mike Wuerthele said:
    beowulfschmidt said:
    Am I the only one who remembers what the rules are for using indefinite articles with acronyms in writing?
    SQL is an initialism.
    Which is a subtype of acronym.  I'm sure there are contexts where that makes a huge, life shattering difference, though for some reason I can't think of one right off the top of my head.  For an audience as general as this one, that difference seems insignificant.

    However, I was referring to "XML" in the first sentence.  Neither the pronounced "X", nor the word for which it stands, "extensible", begin with a consonant sound.  Your use of "a" there is awkward at best.


    While I appreciate your opinion, AP and Chicagi disagree. 

    This aspect of this conversation has concluded.
    watto_cobra
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