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Novice user trying to get started - Robert - 18-04-2016 14:09
I am trying to use MinimServer on an Innuous Zen Play NAS drive, playing into a Naim Uniti, controlled by the Naim app on an iPad. All my music is on my PC in iTunes, in a playlist organised by Composer. Innuous recommended Minim as the best server for my purpose.
I have successfully (I think) installed MinimWatch on my PC (shown in the apps list as MinimWatch version 0.8.3 and 2.05MB size) and MinimServer on my Zen (where there is a MinimServer icon). The Minimwatch icon on the PC is white and the MinimWatch icon on the Zen is green.
First question: The problem is that repeated clicking on the Minimwatch icon doesn't open it. Nothing happens. The log reads:
MinimServer 0.8.3 update 80, Copyright © 2012-2016 Simon Nash. All rights reserved.
OpenJDK Runtime Environment (build 1.7.0_65-mockbuild_2014_07_17_14_16-b00)
OpenJDK Server VM (build 24.65-b04, mixed mode)
Platform default charset is UTF-8
autoUpdate: installed package 'minimserver-0.8-update-81' replacing 'minimserver-0.8-update-80'
autoUpdate: relaunching runtime
MinimServer 0.8.3 update 81, Copyright © 2012-2016 Simon Nash. All rights reserved.
OpenJDK Runtime Environment (build 1.7.0_65-mockbuild_2014_07_17_14_16-b00)
OpenJDK Server VM (build 24.65-b04, mixed mode)
Platform default charset is UTF-8
Language setting is 'eng'
Current time is Mon Apr 18 13:43:30 BST 2016 in time zone Europe/London
starting MinimServer[zen]
MinimServer[zen] is running
So I can't control the server from my PC and haven't been able to transfer any of my music to the Zen. I must be doing something wrong, but what?
Second question: When I eventually get MinimWatch working (I hope), how do I transfer my iTunes library to MinimServer on the Zen, with all the metadata in the same Coimposer order? I think I saw a note with instructions for transferring iTunes somewhere but can't find it now.
I'm sure these are simple problems that a more tech-savvy user would deal with easily, but I'm stumped.
RE: Novice user trying to get started - simoncn - 18-04-2016 20:47
I would be interested to know why Innuos recommended MinimServer rather than the built-in UPnP server that is included with the Zen Play.
MinimWatch is used to monitor and control MinimServer. It isn't a UPnP control point, so you can't use it to browse your library or play music. From your post, it seems that MinimWatch is working correctly. See this page for information about what MinimWatch does and how to use it.
I don't use iTunes and I can't provide instructions for transferring an iTunes library to a NAS. It is mostly a matter of copying the library files but there is likely to be an issue with missing album art because iTunes stores album art in a nonstandard format in a separate file that would not be transferred when you copy the library files. There are tools available (see this page) that can help solve this problem if your iTunes library is on a Mac. Perhaps the Innuos support team can provide some help with this.
RE: Novice user trying to get started - Robert - 18-04-2016 21:58
(18-04-2016 20:47)simoncn Wrote: I would be interested to know why Innuos recommended MinimServer rather than the built-in UPnP server that is included with the Zen Play.
MinimWatch is used to monitor and control MinimServer. It isn't a UPnP control point, so you can't use it to browse your library or play music. From your post, it seems that MinimWatch is working correctly. See this page for information about what MinimWatch does and how to use it.
I don't use iTunes and I can't provide instructions for transferring an iTunes library to a NAS. It is mostly a matter of copying the library files but there is likely to be an issue with missing album art because iTunes stores album art in a nonstandard format in a separate file that would not be transferred when you copy the library files. There are tools available (see this page) that can help solve this problem if your iTunes library is on a Mac. Perhaps the Innuos support team can provide some help with this.
RE: Novice user trying to get started - Robert - 18-04-2016 22:08
Thanks, Simon. Innuous recommended MinimServer because they think it's more suited to arranging large classical music libraries--searchable by composer and then works, rather than albums. I'd use the Naim app as a control point once my music is on the Zen NAS drive.
The main problem seems to be that I can't open Minimwatch on my PC (not Mac), so can't control MinimServer on my Zen and can't transfer music from my PC to the Zen. I guess that has to be done via MinimWatch. The Naim app (on an iPad) recognises Zen (MinimServer) but says it's empty.
I do have the CopyTrans app on my PC. which enables the transfer of iTunes libraries back & forth to iPods and other PCs. Perhaps is I put a copy on the Zen that would do the transfer--but it seems more logical to use MinimWatch if only I could get it to open.
RE: Novice user trying to get started - simoncn - 18-04-2016 22:19
(18-04-2016 22:08)Robert Wrote: Thanks, Simon. Innuous recommended MinimServer because they think it's more suited to arranging large classical music libraries--searchable by composer and then works, rather than albums. I'd use the Naim app as a control point once my music is on the Zen NAS drive.
Thanks, this makes sense.
Quote:The main problem seems to be that I can't open Minimwatch on my PC (not Mac), so can't control MinimServer on my Zen and can't transfer music from my PC to the Zen. I guess that has to be done via MinimWatch. The Naim app (on an iPad) recognises Zen (MinimServer) but says it's empty.
MinimWatch doesn't "open" in the way you are expecting. Also, it doesn't transfer music from a PC to a NAS. Please read this page to get a better understanding of what MinimWatch does and how to use it.
Quote:I do have the CopyTrans app on my PC. which enables the transfer of iTunes libraries back & forth to iPods and other PCs. Perhaps is I put a copy on the Zen that would do the transfer--but it seems more logical to use MinimWatch if only I could get it to open.
You can't use MinimWatch to do this.
RE: Novice user trying to get started - Robert - 19-04-2016 14:47
(18-04-2016 22:19)simoncn Wrote:(18-04-2016 22:08)Robert Wrote: Thanks, Simon. Innuous recommended MinimServer because they think it's more suited to arranging large classical music libraries--searchable by composer and then works, rather than albums. I'd use the Naim app as a control point once my music is on the Zen NAS drive.
Thanks, this makes sense.
Quote:The main problem seems to be that I can't open Minimwatch on my PC (not Mac), so can't control MinimServer on my Zen and can't transfer music from my PC to the Zen. I guess that has to be done via MinimWatch. The Naim app (on an iPad) recognises Zen (MinimServer) but says it's empty.
MinimWatch doesn't "open" in the way you are expecting. Also, it doesn't transfer music from a PC to a NAS. Please read this page to get a better understanding of what MinimWatch does and how to use it.
Quote:I do have the CopyTrans app on my PC. which enables the transfer of iTunes libraries back & forth to iPods and other PCs. Perhaps is I put a copy on the Zen that would do the transfer--but it seems more logical to use MinimWatch if only I could get it to open.
You can't use MinimWatch to do this.
RE: Novice user trying to get started - Robert - 19-04-2016 14:57
Thanks again, Simon. I see from the links you sent me that "The minim icon has a pop-up menu for controlling the MinimServer instance that the icon represents, and it displays hover text and status messages to show you the current status of this MinimServer instance. To display this pop-up menu on Windows or Linux, right-click the minim icon." However, no pop-up menu opens when I right-click the icon that was installed with MininWatch. When I click on the "show how to open this file" link a message appears saying "This file does not have a program associated with it for performing this action, or if one is already installed, create an association in the Default Programs control panel." The Default Programslist doesn't show MinimWatch, so I don't know how to do that.
The log still says that MinimWatch is there and that MinimServer [Zen] is working, but I can't seem to get any access to it. Very frustrating. Should I re-install MinimWatch and/or install MinimServer on my PC as well as on the Zen?
I'll have to get my music onto
RE: Novice user trying to get started - simoncn - 19-04-2016 15:20
I don't think reinstalling would make any difference and I don't recommend doing this. You should not install MinimServer on your PC.
Where exactly are you seeing the log messages that you posted previously?
To launch MinimWatch, you need to double-click the MinimWatch launch icon on your desktop and this will display a small minim icon (musical note) in your system tray. From your last post, it sounds like this isn't working for you because the .jar file association isn't correct on your Windows PC.
Do you have Java installed on your Windows PC? If not, you need to install Java on your Windows PC and this will enable you to launch MinimWatch. If you already have Java installed on your Windows PC, you can fix the incorrect .jar file association by using the jarfix program.
RE: Novice user trying to get started - Robert - 19-04-2016 15:49
The log messages were produced by right-clicking on the green Minim icon in the system tray and choosing options-show log (watch) as you advised earlier. I do have the latest version of Java 64bit installed: I installed it before I could install MininWatch 64. I have just downloaded the jarfix program and got a "you have successfully registered jarfix" message, so I guess it has been installed, though I can't find it in my all apps list. But double clicking (left and then right) on the MinimWatch icon still doesn't produce a menu.
RE: Novice user trying to get started - simoncn - 19-04-2016 19:03
(19-04-2016 15:49)Robert Wrote: The log messages were produced by right-clicking on the green Minim icon in the system tray and choosing options-show log (watch) as you advised earlier. I do have the latest version of Java 64bit installed: I installed it before I could install MininWatch 64. I have just downloaded the jarfix program and got a "you have successfully registered jarfix" message, so I guess it has been installed, though I can't find it in my all apps list. But double clicking (left and then right) on the MinimWatch icon still doesn't produce a menu.
OK, as you have confirmed that you have a green minim icon in the system tray, this means you have MinimWatch and Java installed correctly and MinimWatch is working correctly.
When you right-click on the minim icon in the system tray, you get a menu with various choices that are described on this page. These are the only choices that are available.
The reference to double-clicking wasn't for the minim icon in the system tray but for the MinimWatch launch icon (not the same thing) on your desktop. I presume you double-clicked this launch icon after starting Windows to produce the minim icon in the system tray.