iCal Calling iTunes! v4.1

How To Use

• First, create a new calendar in iCal called "iTunes" by clicking on "New Calendar" in iCal's File Menu. Select to work with the iTunes Calendar by clicking on it in iCal's Calendars list.

• Create an event in the iTunes Calendar. Enter the name of an iTunes playlist as the Subject and then set the day and time you want the playlist to begin playing. Create a separate event for each playlist you want to play.

Events are entered in the iTunes Calendar of iCal. The Subject of each event is the name of an iTunes playlist.


• Now, activate iCal Calling iTunes! by double-clicking it. It is an AppleScript applet, or "mini-application", that stays running, watching the clock and your iCal iTunes events. At the appointed times, iTunes will play the playlist you have entered in an event's subject box.

Other Features

• You can have any playlist shuffled by iTunes before it is played by simply placing an asterisk "*" at the end of the playlist name in the event's Subject window.



• Repeat Events — customize an event in your iTunes Calendar to repeat Daily or Weekly and your favorite playlists will play every day, every weekday, every Tuesday and Thursday—whenever you have set them to recur.

• Volume — each playlist event can be set to start playing at—or fade up to—its own discrete volume level.

• Different iTunes Calendars — By default, iCal Calling iTunes! requires that the iTunes Calendar be called "iTunes". But you can select any calendar with which to schedule playlist events. Create a calendar for "Friday Party", "Vacation Week", "Only Classical", "Yadda Yadda".

For more information see the included "Read Me" document.

Upgrade!

Download now.

This version of iCal Calling iTunes! runs in full-feature demo mode. In demo mode all features are available, however it will only run for 3 hours at a time. After you pay the $10US shareware fee, you will receive a code that takes iCal Calling iTunes! out of demo mode so it can run unencumbered. You'll also be enabling me to continue working on iCal Calling iTunes! and make it work better for you.

You can make safe and secure payments using your credit card. Just click either the "Kagi" or the "PayPal" button below.

This update is free for registered users. You rock!

Currently, I can only accept credit card and echeck payments electronically via PayPal and Kagi. For other payment options, please email me at dougscripts AT mac DOT com

Version History

v4.1 (may 4, 2006, current):
- detection of scheduled events improved for speed, efficiency, and accuracy
- Daily, Weekly, Custom Daily and Custom Weekly repeat events recognized
- added Status dialog on reopen (re-activating)
- "on date" and "after" end settings in repeat events recognized
- added ability to delete expired events in the iTunes Calendar
- volume setting for "fade up" routine optional
- catches errors when non-playlist window is open, preventing AppleScript access to iTunes
- some GUI changes to dialogs

v4.0 (august 12, 2005):
- removed routines requiring the Status setting, which can no longer be set manually in iChat v2.0
- unregistered versions are now fully functional as demo for three hours at a time
- improved "fade up" option
- checks if scheduled playlist is already playing on startup (sets volume nonetheless, if set)
- prevents an event from *possibly* being checked twice, and thus played twice, within the idle time
- ensures repeating event in-progress runs at start up
- fixes sometime-error when scheduled stop of repeating event is missed

v3.5 (november 13, 2003):
- refreshes when re-activated (reopen handler)
- accomodates Weekly repeats in addition to Daily repeats [upgrade version]
- "Change iTunes Calendar" dialog now appears at startup, no longer impeding shutdown [upgrade version]
- set an event to fade-up iTunes as a playlist starts [upgrade version]
- aware of changes made to stop time of current event
- scheduled stops are ignored if user selects a different playlist
- tweaked in-progress event check at start up
- general efficiency tweaks

v3.2 (october 7, 2003):
- fixed a problem some users experienced with playlists not fading and stopping on schedule

v3.1 (august 22, 2003):
- fixed a problem where an event in-progress may not be recognized at start up

v3.0 (june 9, 2003):
- fixed an occasional problem with recurring events
- added ability for events to set iTunes sound volume
- recurring events recognition, volume setting and target calendar selection available after upgrade
- streamlining of code

v2.0 (sept 25, 2002):
- now able to stop a playlist playing by setting an event's "to" time
- intercepts an AppleScript timeout error that could occur during Sleep
- removes "Tentative" event status if a previously not-found playlist is found

v1.1 (sept 18, 2002):
- setting an event's status to "Cancelled" skips over the event
- now launches iCal when started, and quits more reliably after iCal quits
- only examines today's future iTunes Calendar events, not all iTunes Calendar events
- no longer quits if no future events are scheduled
- much consolidating of code

v1.0 (sept 15, 2002):
- added option to shuffle playlist before play
- no longer necessary to set status to "None"
- if playlist not found, sets status of the associated event to "Tentative", ignores the event, and continues playing current playlist
- fixed problem with recurring events
- fixed math-figgerin' glitch in time-getting routine; now consistently accurate
- Read Me contains updated instructions

v0.9 (sept 13 2002):
- initial release

Known Issues

Screen Effects and Sleep. AppleScript applications like iCal Calling iTunes! cannot awaken a computer from Computer Sleep mode (regrettably, this precludes some of the script's functionality on PowerBooks and iBooks. I am indebted to the diligent observations in this area made by user Kurt Hansen). However, iCal Calling iTunes! does work correctly while Screen Effects are active. In the Energy Saver System Preference, make sure the "Put the computer to sleep when is is inactive for:" is set to "Never". Then check "Use separate time to put the display to sleep". Your display setting in Screen Effects can now be set to whatever you like, and the script will operate correctly.

Other Controls: Repeat, Visuals, Mute, etc. Under consideration.

Thank you to the users who emailed me with comments and ideas. Please let me hear from you!