The Minimal Jukebox Database
The "Jukebox Database" is a collection of files designed for efficient access by the Apache HTTP server. It is re-created whenever albums are added to the jukebox. Wherever possible the database holds pages in HTML format ready to be displayed immediately on the remote control screen. Obviously HTML format is possible only for fixed pages whose content doesn't change as the jukebox is used. The album cover art files are also ready for display in JPEG format. The other pages (variable pages) are generated by the CGI programs whenever they are requested from the remote control. The CGI programs use data files in the database, and other sources of information, to compose those variable pages.
The tables below describes the contents of the sections of the jukebox database. The "Number of Files" column shows the extent of the database on our jukebox (991 CDs) at the time of writing, for illustrative purposes.
An illustration of the tabs area of the remote
control display, for quick reference| Display files in the database | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Database Section |
File Format |
Number of Files |
Used In |
Comments | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| index level 1 | HTML | 108 | Popular tab Classical tab Misc tab |
Each level 1 index page contains a list of artists, composers, or instruments, with the same initial letter. Index pages for consecutive letters are combined wherever possible, but not where this would result in the appearance of a vertical scroll bar. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| index level 2 | HTML | 3051 | Popular tab Classical tab Misc tab |
Each level 2 index page contains a list of albums, tracks, or pieces, for an individual artist, composer, or instrument. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| index level 3 | HTML | 890 | Popular tab Classical tab Misc tab |
Each level 3 index page contains details of one album, including a list of tracks. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| covers | JPEG | 890 | Most tabs | There's one cover image for each album. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| recent | HTML | 1 | Recent tab | The Recently Added page shows the 40 most recently added albums. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| about | HTML | 1 | Home tab | The statistics are calculated by the converter. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Data files in the database | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Database Section |
File Format |
Number of Files |
Used In |
Comments | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| searches | TXT | 2 | Search tab | The first file contains a list of the album and track titles to be searched. A second file contains the statistics displayed while a search is in progress. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| luckydips | TXT | 4 | Lucky Dip tab | There's one file for each Lucky Dip category (popular albums, popular tracks, classical albums, classical pieces). Each file contains a list of the albums or pieces from which the Lucky Dip selections are made. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| xedni | TXT | 890 | Player window Queue window Search tab Lucky Dip tab Recent tab |
This is a reverse index (xedni: geddit?) containing one file for each album. Each file lists artist, title, or track information (etc). The file is designed for CGI programs that know the pathname of a music file and need to find out information about the track and the album it's from. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The HTML pages in the database, and those generated on demand by the CGI programs, contain links to other HTML pages in the database and to other CGI programs. It's these links that allow the user to easily navigate round the database. All the HTML pages are designed for a screen size of 1024x600 pixels. The Database Converter is designed to generate HTML files for a variety of remote control formats (including PDA 240x320 and PC 1280x1024), but currently only the 1024x600 format is in use.
