[SOLVED] Script to download content from a subsonic server

nivata · 2014-07-01 11:08:25

Hi there,

I've done some research on the subject, but I'm having a hard time finding a suitable solution to my problem, so I thought I'd come here for a little help. My problem is as follows : I have a friend who set up a Subsonic server on his computer (I think he's running Windows). And he has a huge music collection (about ~400GB). What I want to do now, is to use my access to this Subsonic server to download all the music to my local hard drive, so as not clutter up his network connection all the time. The problem is, with the basic web-client, the "download" button only let you download a .zip archive of a bunch of files (that are in your playlist for example). So what I'd like to have is a rsync-like script that would be able to resume an interrupted download, and would sync the files in an orderly fashion.

So far I don't see how can I do that easily. But maybe I missed something, so I'd like to hear your suggestions.

Last edited by nivata (2014-07-12 08:41:18)

qinohe · 2014-07-01 15:28:15

I don't see the problem here, ask your friend for access to his server trough SSH, use rsync to move the files.
There are plenty of sites with tutorials on how to use it.

nivata · 2014-07-02 10:37:08

My friend is running Windows, so I don't think setting up a ssh server / rsync functionalities would be as easy as on Linux. But I suppose it can be done.

However, suppose that it wasn't my friend I was talking about, but some random service which provides me access to a subsonic server. I would still be interested in knowing whether there exist some tools to rsync the content of the server to my local hard drive. But if you think the question is not relevant here, I won't mind if someone decides to close the topic.

Trilby · 2014-07-02 11:02:09

There is nothing special about subsonic here - you just want to download files from a web server.

Rsync requires shell access to the server. So as noted above, if this is your freind's server, he should be able to give you access.

If you can't get shell access - then rysync will not work (independent of whether this is subsonic, windows, or anything else), but wget/curl will work.

qinohe · 2014-07-02 11:04:10

nivata wrote:

My friend is running Windows, so I don't think setting up a ssh server / rsync functionalities would be as easy as on Linux. But I suppose it can be done.

Well, you could can setup OpenSSH server, have a peek, http://sshwindows.sourceforge.net/

Last edited by qinohe (2014-07-02 11:06:10)

nivata · 2014-07-02 12:54:50

There is nothing special about subsonic here - you just want to download files from a web server.

On the contrary I think it can be specific to subsonic. If the web-client offers a "download all" button, or if there is a way to get a list of files to download via wget, then the situations are different. A simple "wget url-of-mp3-file" doesn't seem to work with a subsonic server: the "download" button seems to create a temporary archive (.zip) that you download via a temporary url. So how could I be able to retrieve all the content of the web server if the is no easy way for me to list the content of the server and to download it?

I will try to go with the shell access option, as it seems to be the no-headache solution, but I'm still surprised if there'd be no "subsonic specific" solution.

qinohe · 2014-07-02 13:17:17

I guess no one needs it if there are no solutions found, to tackle your specific issue.
You could try and create it yourself, or ask on the 'Subsonic whishlist' if they (the devs) would be so kind to make such a 'button' for you.
But yes, I think going for the SSH option is the best, personally.

Trilby · 2014-07-02 13:37:55

My points stand. If the data is hidden/encrypted or otherwise made inaccessible on the server end until you use one of their web forms to request a file download, then no tool (curl, wget, or rsync) would ever be able to access those files.

In order to use rsync to get the files, the files would have to exist on the server in an accessible folder. If they exist in an accessible folder, then you could use curl or wget.

If these files are not accessible except when you use a specific web form provided by the site, then it would seem the providers don't want you to have access to these files. This supports my initial concern/suspicion with this thread that you are trying to circumvent a security check to illegally copy protected data.

qinohe · 2014-07-02 13:47:11

@Trilby, it sounded hackish to me too.:|
I have run a Subsonic serer in the past, and the files are hashed, and the hash changes, if I do remember correctly, so you could not access them directly.

tomk · 2014-07-02 13:55:45

Ask your friend to set up a different kind of server instead of Subsonic - ssh has been mentioned, but samba would work too, or webdav. No idea how to set these up under Windows, but I'm sure he could find out, and you could help him.

And just for completeness - if your friend lives near you, why not just grab a pizza, a six pack, and a usb drive and pop around to his place?

nivata · 2014-07-03 14:46:21

My friend currently lives across the ocean, so it makes visiting a bit more difficult ;p
Now that you've convinced me that a user-side implementation of rsync is quite unlikely for a subsonic web client, should I mark this thread as [SOLVED]?

sugartest · 2014-07-10 09:49:47

I guess you should since the only solutions to your "problem" (which isn't really one) is to use wether SSH rsync or webdav as mentionned above. Anyway if the data is hashed seems you're screwed as you won't be able to retrieve it properly...

Arch Linux

#1 2014-07-01 11:08:25

[SOLVED] Script to download content from a subsonic server

#2 2014-07-01 15:28:15

Re: [SOLVED] Script to download content from a subsonic server

#3 2014-07-02 10:37:08

Re: [SOLVED] Script to download content from a subsonic server

#4 2014-07-02 11:02:09

Re: [SOLVED] Script to download content from a subsonic server

#5 2014-07-02 11:04:10

Re: [SOLVED] Script to download content from a subsonic server

#6 2014-07-02 12:54:50

Re: [SOLVED] Script to download content from a subsonic server

#7 2014-07-02 13:17:17

Re: [SOLVED] Script to download content from a subsonic server

#8 2014-07-02 13:37:55

Re: [SOLVED] Script to download content from a subsonic server

#9 2014-07-02 13:47:11

Re: [SOLVED] Script to download content from a subsonic server

#10 2014-07-02 13:55:45

Re: [SOLVED] Script to download content from a subsonic server

#11 2014-07-03 14:46:21

Re: [SOLVED] Script to download content from a subsonic server

#12 2014-07-10 09:49:47

Re: [SOLVED] Script to download content from a subsonic server

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