Installing and Using the iTunesSpy AppleScript

Script and instructions based off iTunesWatcher by Michael Simmons. Script modified by crea-doo.at, instructions ported and script tweaked by Hannah Gray.


1Step 1. Download.On Mac systems, iTunesSpy uses an AppleScript that stays running in the background to pass iTunes data to the server-based Wordpress iTunesSpy plugin. Since each persons' Wordpress setup is different, you will need to edit the AppleScript and save it as an application before you can use it. The minimum requirements for the iTunesSpy AppleScript are:

  • Mac OS X 10.2 or higher.
  • iTunes 4 or higher.
  • Wordpress Installation with iTunesSpy activated

2Step 2. Configure.After you download the iTunesSpy package, you will need to edit two lines of the itunesspy.applescript.

  • property auth : "some-key-here"     -- Change some-key-here to a private passkey of your choice. Make sure it matches the key you give to the Wordpress iTunesSpy plugin within the Wordpress Options admin section
  • property scriptUrl : "http://www.mysite.com/wordpress/"     Change the URL to the URL of your blog, as shown

3Step 3. Compile AppleScript.Save the script as an application:     Click "Save as...", and a dialog box will appear, make sure before saving that the setting are the same as the screenshot below:

4

The last step: move the script to your destination of choice (probly the applications folder). Now that you are all setup, you are now ready to use iTunesSpy. It is recommended that you place the iTunesSpy AppleScript next to iTunes in your dock. To monitor the activity of iTunes and post the songs you play to your blog, just launch the compiled AppleScript, and it’ll do the rest for you. To stop monitoring iTunes, just quit the AppleScript. It is recommended that you quit the AppleScript before iTunes since the script will automatically launch iTunes again if left open.

Enjoy!