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Allows iTunes to Run as a Windows Service

C# 100.00%

ituneservice's Introduction

iTuneService

Create an iTunes server by running it as a Windows Service

iTuneService makes installing and launching iTunes as a Windows Service an easy process. Run under any user credentials and take advantage of all the usual Windows Service controls.

Running iTunes as a service means that iTunes will start before anyone even logs onto the computer. You can use the Apple Remote App to play (including AirPlay) your music without logging in. Or you can easily share your library using Home Sharing on a headless server.

iTuneService was formerly known as JTunes and was originally created by John Cleary (www.johncleary.net).

Also contributing to the project is Nathan Jones (www.nathanpjones.com).

What Can I Use This For?

Expose a Personal Library You have a large iTunes library on your always-on desktop computer that you want to make available to the rest of your devices without always having to remember to run iTunes.

Use iTunesService to install the background service. When you want to use iTunes on the desktop, you click the system tray icon to bring up the service manager, stop the service, and then run iTunes as normal. When you're done, close iTunes and use the same process to start the service again.

Run on a Dedicated Server You have an always-on server computer where you created a separate standard user account that you want to use to serve media.

You log in as an administrator and install the service under that alternate username. When you want to load new media, download a new purchase, or import from other libraries on the network you may use the service manager's "Run iTunes Interactively" feature. If you delete any files as the service user, you can empty that user's recycle bin to free up disk space.

Always-On Music Player In either of the above scenarios, you can connect to your server using the Remote App and play music either through the server's speakers or AirPlay it to a compatible device.

Features

Run iTunes as a service under any username.
Easily install/uninstall or start/stop the service.
With a single click, run iTunes in interactive mode as the service user to perform library maintenance / import.
Provide ability to empty recycle bin of the service user for when you delete media in interactive mode.

Installer

Visit the releases page to download the installer.

This will require local administrator privileges to install / run.

Reporting an Issue / Requesting a Feature

To report a problem or request a feature, head on over to the Issues section and see if it's already listed. If not, go ahead and open a new issue.

If you're reporting an issue, please make sure to attach the logs found in: %allusersprofile%\iTuneService. For convenience, you may want to provide the files via a gist.

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ituneservice's Issues

Support headless server

Headless server's sometimes don't have a soundcard. In this scenario, iTunes will show a dialog (pictured below). The service would need to clear the dialog so iTunes can fully start.

Overhaul UI and application structure

Should rework the UI as mentioned in issue #6. Would like to use WPF using the MVVM paradigm.

Select simple MVVM framework. I've preferred MVVM Light in the past but I've heard good things about Caliburn.Micro. Could also create a basic framework ourselves.
Break out non-UI functionality to a library. Should also update service to use same library.

Add ability to empty recycle bin of service user

If you're running iTunes as a non-admin user and then start it in interactive mode under that user to modify the library somehow and delete files, those files end up in the iTunes user's Recycle Bin.

There's a hacky way to do it through the command line, but we should have an easy way to trigger a Recycle Bin empty.

Start iTunes button should start under the credentials the service uses

Create installer

Uninstall should also stop/uninstall the service if necessary.

No Airplay when running as a service

I have recently resurrected my media pc, upgraded itunes (v 12.10.0.7) and downloaded the most recent version of this, when running as a service I do not get the airplay icon on the iphone itunes remote. (ok when running in interactive mode)
iTuneService.log

home share only work in interactive mode

Hello I just download iTuneservice and able to run it. However, home share can only run when running interactively. It’s kind of defeating the purpose because I want to run it as a itune server. When I run it interactively I was able to logon Apple ID automatically.
Your suggestion is appreciated.

(I attached a log file, not sure if it's helpful)

asl.001137_22Nov15.txt

Thx

Wil

iTunes Home Sharing not working with iTuneService

iTunes Home Sharing is not available when iTunes is launched through the service control "Start" button.

However launching it through the "Run iTunes Interactively" command launches iTunes with Home Sharing enabled.

Cannot validate user Credentials

Very Excited to have found this utility, Thank you very much. I installed iTuneService Manager, but i cannot install the service as it keeps failing "validating User Credentials". I am running Windows Server 2012 R2 with all the updates. I tried 2 admin accounts and 1 local account, I get the same error. I also tried running the manager as admin, issue remained. I have verified the account passowords, I change the account password to remove special characters, issue persisted, Please help.
iTuneService.txt

=======================Resolved=================================
I was able to resolve the issue, the box that say "Domain or Computer name" had the computer name in it, I changed it to the domain name and it validated. The service is running wonderfully, Thank you very much.

Thank you

Add ability to automatically restart iTunes at a given time during the day

Restart every so often in case it gets stuck on a dialog or hangs in the background.

Handle users opening iTunes from windows gracefully

Currently only one instance of iTunes is allowed to be running. This causes a nasty dialogue to pop-up when a user tries to run iTunes from explorer when the service is running. This needs to be intercepted, repressed and replaced with a better dialogue explaining the situation.

The user will be given the option to temporarily pause the service until they close the iTunes window.
The usual other options will also be given.

Make "Run iTunes Interactively" always available

When the service is installed and running, this should automatically pause the Service before running iTunes interactively. When iTunes is finally closed, the service should be restarted.

Eliminate persistence of encrypted credentials

Though encrypted with salt, the encrypted credentials can be fairly easily decrypted. Could directly communicate with service installer through WCF.

No connection from remote app

Hello, I wanted to use itunes as a media server for the music and control it with the "remote" app, but as soon as I start the service, the "remote" app can't connect anymore with itunes. If I stop the server and launch itunes interactively, the remote app can connect with itunes.

I have installed it on windows 7 home premium and the service runs under a normal user named "Media Server", which hasn't administration rights.

The log file doesn't contains any error:
2015-09-15 11:08:40,331 -MGR- [736 ] INFO : [InstallWin.Install] User Validated: XXXXXX\Media Server
2015-09-15 11:08:44,481 -MGR- [736 ] INFO : [iTuneServiceInstaller..ctor] iTuneService: Service Installed
2015-09-15 11:08:44,590 -MGR- [736 ] INFO : [iTuneServiceInstaller.ProjectInstaller_BeforeInstall] Persisted credentials for 'XXXXXX\Media Server' were successfully loaded.
2015-09-15 11:08:50,159 -SRV- [2808] INFO : [iTuneService.OnStart] iTuneServer: Service Starting
2015-09-15 11:08:50,269 -SRV- [2808] INFO : [iTuneService.OnStart] Starting Process: C:\Program Files\iTunes\iTunes.exe
2015-09-15 11:08:50,425 -SRV- [2808] INFO : [iTuneService.OnStart] Process: 'C:\Program Files\iTunes\iTunes.exe' has started with a pid of 1640
2015-09-15 11:08:50,456 -SRV- [2808] INFO : [iTuneService.OnStart] iTuneServer: Service Started
2015-09-15 11:10:56,366 -SRV- [2808] INFO : [iTuneService.OnStop] iTuneServer: Service Stopping
2015-09-15 11:10:56,428 -SRV- [2808] INFO : [iTuneService.OnStop] Shutting down Process: 'C:\Program Files\iTunes\iTunes.exe', PID: 1640
2015-09-15 11:10:56,506 -SRV- [2808] INFO : [iTuneService.OnStop] Process: 'C:\Program Files\iTunes\iTunes.exe' has exited
2015-09-15 11:10:56,506 -SRV- [2808] INFO : [iTuneService.OnStop] iTuneServer: Service Stopped
2015-09-15 11:11:26,413 -SRV- [4508] INFO : [iTuneService.OnStart] iTuneServer: Service Starting
2015-09-15 11:11:26,476 -SRV- [4508] INFO : [iTuneService.OnStart] Starting Process: C:\Program Files\iTunes\iTunes.exe
2015-09-15 11:11:26,569 -SRV- [4508] INFO : [iTuneService.OnStart] Process: 'C:\Program Files\iTunes\iTunes.exe' has started with a pid of 2764
2015-09-15 11:11:26,585 -SRV- [4508] INFO : [iTuneService.OnStart] iTuneServer: Service Started