MPRIS

MPRIS is a standard interface for communicating with Music Players on linux operating systems.

If you run Linux and have a notification tray that shows what media you are listening to, you likely have access to MPRIS.

multi-scrobbler can listen to this interface and scrobble tracks played by any media player that communicates to the operating system with MPRIS.

Host Setup

MPRIS communication requires multi-scrobbler to have access to the host’s dbus-daemon.

Local

If multi-scrobbler is running as a Local Installation, directly with node/npm, on the same host as MPRIS then no setup is required.

Remote setup is also possible, see the Remote Unix Socket section in the Docker tab.

Docker

If multi-scrobbler is running as a Docker Container some modifications are required…

Local Unix Socket

The most secure way is to run a multi-scrobbler container on the same host as MPRIS. In this scenario you can simply mount the user session dbus unix socket into the container. Make sure PUID and PGID ENVs are configured so the container has permissions to access the socket. Then, modify your compose stack with these additional values:

docker-compose.yaml

    environment:
    - DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS=unix:path=/run/user/UID/bus

    volumes:
    - /run/user/UID/bus:/run/user/UID/bus:ro

Remote Unix Socket

Warning

This method is insecure. You should not expose dbus over a network unless access to the port is restricted and the network is trusted.

Use socat to bidirectionally relay communication from the host’s dbus socket to a listening TCP port.

To make dbus for user with uid 1000 available on port 6644:

socat TCP-LISTEN:6644,reuseaddr,fork UNIX-CONNECT:/run/user/1000/bus

Then, add the following value to multi-scrobbler’s ENVs:

DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS=tcp:host=yourHostIP,port=6644

Configuration

ENV

Configuration Type

This is configuration for the ENV Config Type.

Environmental Variable	Type	Default	Description
MPRIS_ID	string		A globally unique ID EX myComponentId
MPRIS_NAME	string	Value of MPRIS_ID	A vanity name EX My Cool Component
MPRIS_ENABLE	boolean	true	Should this component be used?
MPRIS_BLACKLIST	string		DO NOT scrobble from any players that START WITH values from this comma-delimited list
MPRIS_WHITELIST	string		ONLY scrobble from any players that START WITH values from this comma-delimited list

Bold/Italic = Required

File

Config Structure

This displays the structure of the File Configuration for a mpris type Source with all possible properties, their shape, and descriptions/types. Use this to understand how to write a valid config.

Config Example

This displays an example config file of a mpris Source File Configuration that adheres to the shown Config Structure.

• text mode lets you edit the JSON directly.
• tree mode gives you a guided point-and-click editing experience that always keeps the JSON syntax valid.

Both modes validate that the configuration is correct. Any errors show up as squiggly lines.

Important

Only source mpris configs will validate correctly in the editor but both source and client mpris configs are allowed in the real CONFIG/mpris.json

After you finish editing, switch to text and then copy all text to get a completed config.

Config Example Mobile Experience

This displays an example config file of a mpris Source File Configuration that adheres to the shown Config Structure.

The example config file editor is meant for a larger screen experience so only the read-only example is shown. Please use this site on a tablet/laptop/desktop to enable file editor features.

CONFIG/mpris.json

[
  {
    "id": "myMprisUbuntu",
    "name": "Desktop",
    "data": {
      "blacklist": [
        "spotify"
      ],
      "whitelist": [
        "vlc",
        "mpd"
      ]
    },
    "enable": true
  }
]

AIO

Config Structure

This displays the structure of the all-in-one (config.json) configuration with all possible properties, their shape, and descriptions/types. Use this to understand how to write a valid config.

Select the mpris type from the respective sources node below, then expand it.

Config Example

This displays an example config file of a all-in-one (config.json) configuration that includes a mpris Source that adheres to the shown Config Structure.

• text mode lets you edit the JSON directly.
• tree mode gives you a guided point-and-click editing experience that always keeps the JSON syntax valid.

Both modes validate that the configuraion is correct. Any errors show up as squiggly lines.

After you finish editing, switch to text and then copy all text to get a completed config.

Config Example Mobile Experience

This displays an example config file of a all-in-one (config.json) configuration that includes a mpris Source that adheres to the shown Config Structure.

The example config file editor is meant for a larger screen experience so only the read-only example is shown. Please use this site on a tablet/laptop/desktop to enable file editor features.

CONFIG/config.json

{
  "sources": [
    {
      "type": "mpris",
      "id": "myMprisUbuntu",
      "name": "Desktop",
      "data": {
        "blacklist": [
          "spotify"
        ],
        "whitelist": [
          "vlc",
          "mpd"
        ]
      },
      "enable": true
    }
  ]
}