Sort XML Playlist

I use Windows Media Player (WMP) version 9 and have a great deal of WMP
playlists. One short coming of WMP is that there is no way to sort
playlists. However, WMP's playlists look like there are in XML format (See
Sample Code below).

I'm a VB/ASP/Access developer, but only have a basic understanding of XML
files. I was curious if it would be possible to sort a XML playlist like my
sample playlist below?


SAMPLE CODE: ***********************










tid="{29CC328D-F875-41A3-866D-C7303EB3E5C5}"/>

tid="{248770B2-BD01-4E59-BEF4-F24047B5F9B0}"/>
tid="{7D4E2093-20FE-4317-8DFF-6BE6BBE57AFB}"/>
tid="{C06CF2E1-9094-4CF3-A7A0-CED6F8683F98}"/>





cid="{90507084-8561-47BA-8F42-61F9A02B6925}"
tid="{8F814FA3-7C8F-4ACB-AE3B-578691B9BE51}"/>
cid="{CED8E89F-E95D-450F-ACEA-AA3DFC34E537}"/>

Re: Sort XML Playlist

scott wrote:

> I'm a VB/ASP/Access developer, but only have a basic understanding of XML
> files. I was curious if it would be possible to sort a XML playlist like my
> sample playlist below?

MSXML 3 (IE 6/7 come with MSXML 3) supports XSLT 1.0 transformations
which can transform XML to XML and sort with the xsl:sort instruction.
So that is a possible way to sort.
What exactly do you want to sort on however? Do you want to sort on the
src attribute of the media elements?

--

Martin Honnen --- MVP XML
http://JavaScript.FAQTs.com/

Re: Sort XML Playlist

From looking at the xml structure, it looks like sorting the src attribute
would be about the only thing that I could sort by. If I could sort that,
then at least the artists would be in order within the playlist.


"Martin Honnen" wrote in message
news:%23LOF08CBIHA.5980@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
> scott wrote:
>
>> I'm a VB/ASP/Access developer, but only have a basic understanding of XML
>> files. I was curious if it would be possible to sort a XML playlist like
>> my sample playlist below?
>
> MSXML 3 (IE 6/7 come with MSXML 3) supports XSLT 1.0 transformations which
> can transform XML to XML and sort with the xsl:sort instruction. So that
> is a possible way to sort.
> What exactly do you want to sort on however? Do you want to sort on the
> src attribute of the media elements?
>
> --
>
> Martin Honnen --- MVP XML
> http://JavaScript.FAQTs.com/

Re: Sort XML Playlist

"scott" wrote in message
news:eXFedyDBIHA.1356@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
> From looking at the xml structure, it looks like sorting the src attribute
> would be about the only thing that I could sort by. If I could sort that,
> then at least the artists would be in order within the playlist.
>
>


I'm not sure where ASP fits into all this however here is a VBScript that
will do the sort based on the src attribute:-

Dim oDOM
Dim oSeq
Dim arrMedia
Dim i

Set oDOM = CreateObject("MSXML2.DOMDocument.3.0")
oDOM.load "g:\temp\test.smil"

Set oSeq = oDOM.selectSingleNode("/smil/body/seq")

ReDim arrMedia(oSeq.childNodes.length - 1)

For i = 0 To UBound(arrMedia)
Set arrMedia(i) = oSeq.childNodes(i)
Next

ShellSortObj arrMedia, GetRef("Comparator")

For i = 0 To UBound(arrMedia)
oSeq.appendChild arrMedia(i)
Next

oDOM.save "g:\temp\test2.smil"

Function Comparator(roLeft, roRight)
Comparator = roLeft.getAttribute("src") > roRight.getAttribute("src")
End Function

Sub ShellSortObj(rarr, fnCompare)

Dim i, j
Dim distance
Dim tmpValue
Dim lCount

lCount = UBound(rarr) + 1

distance = 0
Do
distance = distance * 3 + 1
Loop Until distance > lCount

Do
distance = distance \ 3
For i = distance To lCount - 1
If fnCompare(rarr(i - distance), rarr(i)) Then
j = i
Set tmpValue = rarr(j)
Do
Set rarr(j) = rarr(j - distance)
j = j - distance
If j + 1 <= distance Then Exit Do
Loop While fnCompare(rarr(j - distance), tmpValue)
' move the data back in the array
Set rarr(j) = tmpValue
End If
Next
Loop Until distance <= 1

End Sub

Note the at its the comparator function that defines the basis for sort. So
with a few utlity functions:-

Function GetFolder(FilePath)

Dim lLastSlash

lLastSlash = InStrRev(FilePath, "\")

If lLastSlash > 0 Then
GetFolder = Left(FilePath, lLastSlash - 1)
End If

End Function

Function GetTrackNo(FileName)

Dim lLastSlash
Dim lLastDot
Dim sFileTitle

lLastSlash = InStrRev(FileName, "\")
lLastDot = InStrRev(FileName, ".")

sFileTitle = Mid(FileName, lLastSlash + 1, lLastDot - lLastSlash - 1)

GetTrackNo = CInt(Right(sFileTitle, 2))

End Function

We can change the comparator to:-

Function Comparator(roLeft, roRight)

Dim sLeftFolder
Dim sRightFolder
Dim sLeftTrackNo
Dim sRightTrackNo

sLeftFolder = GetFolder(roLeft.getAttribute("src"))
sRightFolder = GetFolder(roRight.getAttribute("src"))

If sLeftFolder = sRightFolder Then
sLeftTrackNo = GetTrackNo(roLeft.getAttribute("src"))
sRightTrackNo = GetTrackNo(roRight.getAttribute("src"))
Comparator = sLeftTrackNo > sRightTrackNo
Else
Comparator = sLeftFolder > sRightFolder
End If

End Function

Now it will sort by folder then by track number. Hence a sensible folder
structure which has a folder per artist in which there is a folder per album
will sort quite nicely.

You (or other readers) might be tempted to optimize the code (sort oriented
questions tends to bring that desire out of people) but don't in the real
world the performance of thsi code is perfectly adequate.


--
Anthony Jones - MVP ASP/ASP.NET

Re: Sort XML Playlist

I assume that "g:\temp\test.smil" should be my playlist path. What does the
path in the below line represent?

Set oSeq = oDOM.selectSingleNode("/smil/body/seq")


"Anthony Jones" wrote in message
news:ebqyjFOBIHA.1212@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
> "scott" wrote in message
> news:eXFedyDBIHA.1356@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>> From looking at the xml structure, it looks like sorting the src
>> attribute
>> would be about the only thing that I could sort by. If I could sort that,
>> then at least the artists would be in order within the playlist.
>>
>>
>
>
> I'm not sure where ASP fits into all this however here is a VBScript that
> will do the sort based on the src attribute:-
>
> Dim oDOM
> Dim oSeq
> Dim arrMedia
> Dim i
>
> Set oDOM = CreateObject("MSXML2.DOMDocument.3.0")
> oDOM.load "g:\temp\test.smil"
>
> Set oSeq = oDOM.selectSingleNode("/smil/body/seq")
>
> ReDim arrMedia(oSeq.childNodes.length - 1)
>
> For i = 0 To UBound(arrMedia)
> Set arrMedia(i) = oSeq.childNodes(i)
> Next
>
> ShellSortObj arrMedia, GetRef("Comparator")
>
> For i = 0 To UBound(arrMedia)
> oSeq.appendChild arrMedia(i)
> Next
>
> oDOM.save "g:\temp\test2.smil"
>
> Function Comparator(roLeft, roRight)
> Comparator = roLeft.getAttribute("src") > roRight.getAttribute("src")
> End Function
>
> Sub ShellSortObj(rarr, fnCompare)
>
> Dim i, j
> Dim distance
> Dim tmpValue
> Dim lCount
>
> lCount = UBound(rarr) + 1
>
> distance = 0
> Do
> distance = distance * 3 + 1
> Loop Until distance > lCount
>
> Do
> distance = distance \ 3
> For i = distance To lCount - 1
> If fnCompare(rarr(i - distance), rarr(i)) Then
> j = i
> Set tmpValue = rarr(j)
> Do
> Set rarr(j) = rarr(j - distance)
> j = j - distance
> If j + 1 <= distance Then Exit Do
> Loop While fnCompare(rarr(j - distance), tmpValue)
> ' move the data back in the array
> Set rarr(j) = tmpValue
> End If
> Next
> Loop Until distance <= 1
>
> End Sub
>
> Note the at its the comparator function that defines the basis for sort.
> So
> with a few utlity functions:-
>
> Function GetFolder(FilePath)
>
> Dim lLastSlash
>
> lLastSlash = InStrRev(FilePath, "\")
>
> If lLastSlash > 0 Then
> GetFolder = Left(FilePath, lLastSlash - 1)
> End If
>
> End Function
>
> Function GetTrackNo(FileName)
>
> Dim lLastSlash
> Dim lLastDot
> Dim sFileTitle
>
> lLastSlash = InStrRev(FileName, "\")
> lLastDot = InStrRev(FileName, ".")
>
> sFileTitle = Mid(FileName, lLastSlash + 1, lLastDot - lLastSlash - 1)
>
> GetTrackNo = CInt(Right(sFileTitle, 2))
>
> End Function
>
> We can change the comparator to:-
>
> Function Comparator(roLeft, roRight)
>
> Dim sLeftFolder
> Dim sRightFolder
> Dim sLeftTrackNo
> Dim sRightTrackNo
>
> sLeftFolder = GetFolder(roLeft.getAttribute("src"))
> sRightFolder = GetFolder(roRight.getAttribute("src"))
>
> If sLeftFolder = sRightFolder Then
> sLeftTrackNo = GetTrackNo(roLeft.getAttribute("src"))
> sRightTrackNo = GetTrackNo(roRight.getAttribute("src"))
> Comparator = sLeftTrackNo > sRightTrackNo
> Else
> Comparator = sLeftFolder > sRightFolder
> End If
>
> End Function
>
> Now it will sort by folder then by track number. Hence a sensible folder
> structure which has a folder per artist in which there is a folder per
> album
> will sort quite nicely.
>
> You (or other readers) might be tempted to optimize the code (sort
> oriented
> questions tends to bring that desire out of people) but don't in the real
> world the performance of thsi code is perfectly adequate.
>
>
> --
> Anthony Jones - MVP ASP/ASP.NET
>
>

Re: Sort XML Playlist

scott wrote on Tue, 2 Oct 2007 11:20:56 -0500:

> I assume that "g:\temp\test.smil" should be my playlist path. What does
> the path in the below line represent?

> Set oSeq = oDOM.selectSingleNode("/smil/body/seq")


The above line will set the object variable oSeq to point to the first node
that matches in the structure





the following line then loops through the childNodes (which will be all the
nodes)

Dan



> "Anthony Jones" wrote in message news:ebqyjFOBIHA.1212@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
>> "scott" wrote in message
>> news:eXFedyDBIHA.1356@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>>> From looking at the xml structure, it looks like sorting the src
>>> attribute would be about the only thing that I could sort by. If I
>>> could sort that, then at least the artists would be in order within
>>> the playlist.




>> I'm not sure where ASP fits into all this however here is a VBScript
>> that will do the sort based on the src attribute:-

>> Dim oDOM
>> Dim oSeq
>> Dim arrMedia
>> Dim i

>> Set oDOM = CreateObject("MSXML2.DOMDocument.3.0")
>> oDOM.load "g:\temp\test.smil"

>> Set oSeq = oDOM.selectSingleNode("/smil/body/seq")

>> ReDim arrMedia(oSeq.childNodes.length - 1)

>> For i = 0 To UBound(arrMedia)
>> Set arrMedia(i) = oSeq.childNodes(i)
>> Next

>> ShellSortObj arrMedia, GetRef("Comparator")

>> For i = 0 To UBound(arrMedia)
>> oSeq.appendChild arrMedia(i)
>> Next

>> oDOM.save "g:\temp\test2.smil"

>> Function Comparator(roLeft, roRight)
>> Comparator = roLeft.getAttribute("src") > roRight.getAttribute("src")
>> End Function

>> Sub ShellSortObj(rarr, fnCompare)

>> Dim i, j
>> Dim distance
>> Dim tmpValue
>> Dim lCount

>> lCount = UBound(rarr) + 1

>> distance = 0
>> Do distance = distance * 3 + 1
>> Loop Until distance > lCount

>> Do distance = distance \ 3
>> For i = distance To lCount - 1
>> If fnCompare(rarr(i - distance), rarr(i)) Then j = i
>> Set tmpValue = rarr(j)
>> Do
>> Set rarr(j) = rarr(j - distance)
>> j = j - distance
>> If j + 1 <= distance Then Exit Do
>> Loop While fnCompare(rarr(j - distance), tmpValue)
>> ' move the data back in the array
>> Set rarr(j) = tmpValue
>> End If
>> Next
>> Loop Until distance <= 1

>> End Sub

>> Note the at its the comparator function that defines the basis for
>> sort.
>> So with a few utlity functions:-

>> Function GetFolder(FilePath)

>> Dim lLastSlash

>> lLastSlash = InStrRev(FilePath, "\")

>> If lLastSlash > 0 Then
>> GetFolder = Left(FilePath, lLastSlash - 1)
>> End If

>> End Function

>> Function GetTrackNo(FileName)

>> Dim lLastSlash
>> Dim lLastDot
>> Dim sFileTitle

>> lLastSlash = InStrRev(FileName, "\")
>> lLastDot = InStrRev(FileName, ".")

>> sFileTitle = Mid(FileName, lLastSlash + 1, lLastDot - lLastSlash - 1)

>> GetTrackNo = CInt(Right(sFileTitle, 2))

>> End Function

>> We can change the comparator to:-

>> Function Comparator(roLeft, roRight)

>> Dim sLeftFolder
>> Dim sRightFolder
>> Dim sLeftTrackNo
>> Dim sRightTrackNo

>> sLeftFolder = GetFolder(roLeft.getAttribute("src"))
>> sRightFolder = GetFolder(roRight.getAttribute("src"))

>> If sLeftFolder = sRightFolder Then sLeftTrackNo =
>> GetTrackNo(roLeft.getAttribute("src"))
>> sRightTrackNo = GetTrackNo(roRight.getAttribute("src"))
>> Comparator = sLeftTrackNo > sRightTrackNo
>> Else
>> Comparator = sLeftFolder > sRightFolder
>> End If

>> End Function

>> Now it will sort by folder then by track number. Hence a sensible
>> folder structure which has a folder per artist in which there is a
>> folder per album will sort quite nicely.

>> You (or other readers) might be tempted to optimize the code (sort
>> oriented questions tends to bring that desire out of people) but
>> don't in the real world the performance of thsi code is perfectly
>> adequate.


>> --
>> Anthony Jones - MVP ASP/ASP.NET