UPnP 2025 - Continuation of the original UPnP/DLNA plugin

[BoringName]

So the path to PERL should probably differ from yours?
But at this moment, I can't find any traces of PERL on my system at all.

I would expect it to be in
C:\Program Files (x86)\Squeezebox\Perl\perl\bin\perl.exe

Push the Windows key + R
Type in Services.msc and hit enter.
Scroll down to Logitech Media Server
Right click and select properties
The "path to executable" should show you the location of Perl.exe

[BoringName]

I don't use the Windows firewall. I use ESET. I added a firewall rule to allow both in and out traffic to a number of Squeezebox .exe files: squeezeboxcp.exe, squeezeSVR.exe, and SqueezeSvr.exe. They are all located in C:\Program Files (x86)\Squeezebox\server. I have since removed them since they weren't doing anything for me.

If you are using LMS, you need to add perl.exe to the firewall. It's LMS that talks to musicbee, not the squeezebox EXE's.

[phred]

Logitech Media Server 8.5.2 also uses perl. Located at
C:\Program Files\Squeezebox\Perl\perl\bin\perl.exe

I'm on LMS 8.5.3 and there is no path to perl.exe.
Note to hiccup: The control panel launched via the systray icon and the browser GUI are the same as they've been in almost forever. I think I figured out what you're doing. You're clicking on 'web control' from the systray icon, correct? I never do that, but that brings you to the Material Skin, which until you get used to it, is quite confusing. Do this instead: in your browser, open http://[server IP:9000/default/ which will bring you to the player. In the lower right corner, click on 'settings.' I think you'll be much happier.

Now to uninstall all this nonsense. FYI - LMS and the squeeze players leave A LOT of crap on your system after uninstall that you have to manually remove.

That's why Revo Uninstaller exists. Worth every penny (shilling/pense/farthing.) After the initial uninstall, it searches for any leftovers and gives you the option to delete them also.

[phred]

If you are using LMS, you need to add perl.exe to the firewall. It's LMS that talks to musicbee, not the squeezebox EXE's.

I assume this is only needed to use MB's UPNP plugin? Because I've been running LMS for longer than I've been using MB and never had to install Perl. And if your answer is "yes" then I will no longer try to connect MB to LMS. The plugin works great with my Internet Radio device and that's more important to me. LMS and my Squeezebox Touch are getting the music files from the same place MB gets them and twice a day I automatically export my playlists to a directory that LMS sees and uses.

[hiccup]

Push the Windows key + R
Type in Services.msc and hit enter.
Scroll down to Logitech Media Server
Right click and select properties
The "path to executable" should show you the location of Perl.exe

Nah, it's not there.

Nor can I see it running looking at Task Manager > services.

But this PERL stuff is probably some red herring.
As I said, I will probably need to clean up stuff thoroughly, and then perform some clean installs before I post again about all this.

[BoringName]

I assume this is only needed to use MB's UPNP plugin?

Isn't that what we are talking about?

Because I've been running LMS for longer than I've been using MB and never had to install Perl.

Perl is installed automatically when you install LMS. Both Logitech Media server 8.5.2 and the newest Lyrion Media Server both use Perl so 8.5.3 would as well. The LMS software is written in Perl (pl files) and you need Perl.exe to read them. If you look at the shortcut used to run the service it will be perl.exe followed by a path to pl file which contains the server code.

But this PERL stuff is probably some red herring.

It's not. But you guys are making me glad I don't do IT support anymore

Well at least not for a paycheck.

If you don't use it already, I highly recommend installing Everything

Type Perl.exe into that and it will find the file pretty much instantly. It's a million times better than windows search.

If perl.exe doesn't exist on your system, it means LMS isn't installed anymore.

[hiccup]

If you don't use it already, I highly recommend installing Everything
Type Perl.exe into that and it will find the file pretty much instantly. It's a million times better than windows search.
If perl.exe doesn't exist on your system, it means LMS isn't installed anymore.

I do have LMS 8.5.2 installed, and I am using Directory Opus as my file manager.
Trust me, no perl.exe lives on my C drive. And there is no PERL folder either.
Not saying that it shouldn't be there.
So that's why I said I should give all this another try with an as-possible clean slate.

Or I should go up the attic and dust-off my Victrola.

[BoringName]

I do have LMS 8.5.2 installed, and I am using Directory Opus as my file manager.

And it's running ok?

Got me completely stuffed if that's the case. Maybe you have some other program that runs perl files and it's using that instead. I don't know....

If you just nuke it all and follow the steps I provided earlier it "should" work.

[hiccup]

And it's running ok?

Yep, working fine, listening to some radio station as we speak.
And no perl.exe or PERL folder in sight.

If you just nuke it all and follow the steps I provided earlier it "should" work.

Yeah, nuking it all will be a next step.

[BoringName]

Yep, working fine, listening to some radio station as we speak.
And no perl.exe or PERL folder in sight.

Hold off on the nuking, it seems only the 64 bit version uses perl for some stupid reason. Maybe the 32bit just embeds it in the EXE.

Anyway, I've just installed it, let me test it out and I'll post what needs to be added to the firewall.

[BoringName]

Alright, follow all the steps I listed in this Link

Including the twiddling the thumbs part before installing the UPnP Media Interface plugin, you'd think I would have remembered that by now....

Except instead of adding perl.exe to the firewall rules. Add the following file
C:\Program Files (x86)\Squeezebox\server\SqueezeSvr.exe

After restarting the service, squeezeplayer and musicbee it's all working fine for me.

edit: Also just a PSA, it's absolutely mental how many firewall rules were listed for apps I uninstalled years ago and some of them don't even display when you open the firewall settings from the Windows Security system tray icon. You have to go to control panel->windows defender firewall->advanced settings. Clearly the app uninstallers are not removing them like they should.

edit: and now I've uninstalled everything I just found an outbound port rule still in the firewall for 49382 that I entered the other day and thought I had deleted... so if you follow all the steps and it's still not working. Allow TCP outbound on port 49382 and see if that helps.

[phred]

Alright, follow all the steps I listed in this Link
Including the twiddling the thumbs part before installing the UPnP Media Interface plugin, you'd think I would have remembered that by now....

Well, I'm  quite relieved that hiccup and I are not crazy and you found out why we don't have perl anywhere on our PCs.

The UPnP Media Interface plugin you referred to was installed by me when you first issued your plugin. It took about five seconds to install, but about two minutes for LMS to restart. And earlier today I added SqueezeSvr.exe to my firewall's whitelist.

Since I already have LMS (not Squeeze Player) installed, along with the LMS UPnP plugin, all I have to do is (re)add the .exe to the firewall.

I hope to get to this later tonight, or at some point tomorrow.

[phred]

I hope to get to this later tonight, or at some point tomorrow.

When adding the service to my firewall, I noticed that I already had a rule for it. I didn't notice it this afternoon. The existing rule has been applied 2,428,652 times since it was activated.

However, there's been no change in behavior. Track info and image appear on the device but MB isn't playing the file, so therefore it's not playing on the device.

And worst of all, I  can't get any sound out of MB directly now. All other media players are working and outputting audio. <sigh>

And there's still the issue when installing this plugin, Lyrics Reloaded 1.2.6 changes the show source option from top to bottom. <sigh> <sigh>

[BoringName]

When adding the service to my firewall, I noticed that I already had a rule for it. I didn't notice it this afternoon. The existing rule has been applied 2,428,652 times since it was activated.
However, there's been no change in behavior. Track info and image appear on the device but MB isn't playing the file, so therefore it's not playing on the device.

I'm sure this is still a firewall issue. You're using a separate Squeezebox device on the network correct? ie) not the squeezeplayer software like Hiccup and I are testing on. You may need to open ports for the IP of your squeezebox device. A good test would be to just disable your firewall and see what happens. Disconnect the router from the internet if you are worried about security while testing.

And worst of all, I  can't get any sound out of MB directly now. All other media players are working and outputting audio. <sigh>

If you have squeezebox set as the output, that is what is supposed to happen. The audio should be coming out of your squeezebox, not Musicbee. If you set the output to WASAPI shared it should come out of Musicbee again.

And there's still the issue when installing this plugin, Lyrics Reloaded 1.2.6 changes the show source option from top to bottom. <sigh> <sigh>

I don't think there is anything I can do about that. There is nothing in the code to interact with other plugins. Not sure that's even possible.

edit: Also check the debug log, it might highlight a different issue.

[phred]

I'm sure this is still a firewall issue. You're using a separate Squeezebox device on the network correct? ie) not the squeezeplayer software like Hiccup and I are testing on. You may need to open ports for the IP of your squeezebox device. A good test would be to just disable your firewall and see what happens. Disconnect the router from the internet if you are worried about security while testing.

Yes, a separate SB device. On my ethernet LAN. I tried disabling the firewall earlier today and it didn't make any difference.

And worst of all, I  can't get any sound out of MB directly now. All other media players are working and outputting audio. <sigh>

If you have squeezebox set as the output, that is what is supposed to happen. The audio should be coming out of your squeezebox, not Musicbee. If you set the output to WASAPI shared it should come out of Musicbee again.

No. This is -after- I set the player back to WASAPI shared. And disabled the UPNP plugin for MB. And restarted MB. And then the PC. No sound output at all from MB, but okay with other players. Finally resolved it by restoring a backup from two days ago.

And there's still the issue when installing this plugin, Lyrics Reloaded 1.2.6 changes the show source option from top to bottom. <sigh> <sigh>

I don't think there is anything I can do about that. There is nothing in the code to interact with other plugins. Not sure that's even possible.

I believe you on this, but why does it only happen when I install the UPNP plugin? I guess I'll ask Mayibongwe in the Lyrics Reloaded thread.

FWIW, I'm done with this plugin. At least until someone confirms that it's working on a SB device and provides a how to.

I appreciate you taking this on and breathing new life into it, but it's just not necessary for me to connect with LMS.