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irth main window

This window shows essential information about the current played track, basically radio name and comment. If provided by the radio station, you can visit radio's website in one click using the browser defined in the preferences.

The current song name is editable, and updated regulary as defined in the preferences. This lets you modify it before clicking the google search button to seach the reference with Safari or Firefox.

Use the update now button to force irth asking iTunes's current radio song name.

The linked drawer allows you to quickly check the lastest songs references played, text is selectable. Log appearance can be customized via preferences. When automatic log isn't activated for a radio, yo can use the log current ref button to do it on the fly. You can also insert a comment quickly with the add comment button (see figure 1). The clear button only erase the text of this drawer and has no effect on the current log file (and main Log Window). A new Log on/off button (not illustrated here) lets you control global loggin.

figure 1 : irth main window

NEW since 2.0 ! irth tracklist window

irth log window

This window shows the actual content of the log file and is independant from the main window's log drawer. Text is selectable but not editable. As irth log file type is .rtf, you can use TextEdit to modify it, but to avoid problems, be sure that irth isn't running while you edit it :)

irth check first if the current radio is saved in the list. If so, it will use the keyword name and color, else the full radio name (which may be long). Log colors are customizable via preferences and radio settings, actually date and hour are fixed to black. Radios whitch are not saved in the list are added with the default color. You can also choose the default comment color (ie. orange in figure 2). Check the preference window for more information.

figure 2 : irth log window

irth netradio list window

You can organize radios that you're listening regulary with this list. Use the add category button to create a folder. The add current radio button saves information of iTunes's current radios. Remember, irth is NOT a radio tuner, it simply asks iTunes tracks informations. If the radio has a website and provide an icon, this one is used.

The edit buttons show or hide the drawer that shows infos about the selected radio.
In time, the radio's url may change. irth has actually no way to verify that this url is valid. So if you double-click on a station and it doesn't work, find this station with iTunes's tuner, play it and while it is playing, click on the assign button. The current informations will be saved into the selected radio entry, so you won't loose radio's specific preferences and colors.

figure 3 : irth netradio list window

irth info window

This simple window only shows the name of the current played song. You can choose if it always stays in front or not via preference. You can also choose its appearance in the preferences (see creating skins to learn how to add your owns). Actually, window horizontal size is rezisable, move the mouse to its right border, the cursor will change, then click and adjust the size.

figure 4 : irth info window

irth preference dialog

Check boxes of what you want to appear : date, hour, keyword. "Log date of day" will insert the date on a new line the first time irth is open after 0:00 (see figure 2). "Log on top mode" insert text before. It has been added lately, i'm not sure it works very well.. :)

Check the "Always in front" to keep it visible even if irth isn't the front application. Choosing its skin is done here too. The text color of the info window is set here. You can also show the radio icon when "Show radio icon" is checked.

Default color is used when writing radio station that are not saved in the list. Comment color is use by the add comment button of irth main window. It can be overwriten in the comment dialog.

Update frequency is a very important parameter, you must choose it carefully according to radio style you're listening. Consider that updating every 2s is very aggresive, but more accurate than update on a 40s basis. Example : for radio where song's duration is about 3/4mn, 10 or 20 seconds might be good values. For radio playing mixed set, ambient or other long time track type, song's duration may vary between 45mn to a few hours. Prefering a 5mn basis is a good way to not charge the processor and iTunes from unnecessary loads. If you don"t know what to do, i recommend 20s value.

Use "Set log file location" to define where irth's log file is stored. if it don't exist, it will be created at irth's launch, if it exits it will be used.

figure 5 : irth preference dialog