Real time update of image files in Control Pages?

Looking for a little help here....

I've written an applescript that extracts the artwork from the currently playing iTunes track, updates an Indigo variable with some value, and creates a "png" image file. (I use the same file name each time)

Within the control pages I'd like to display that image and I'd like to have it dynamically update/refresh when the song changes.

I tried to be clever (and failed) by storing the image file in the "Variables" folder with both a 'standard' and '+true' file name. In the Control Pages, I added the widget for my Indigo variable created above. When I display the variable as text, it changes with the song, but if I display as my image file, it shows the correct image but I still have to manually refresh the browser each time the song changes.

Is there any way to get the image to refresh real time the same way as the variable text does, and if so, how?

Thanks

[matt (support)]

I'm looking into this now as a feature for Indigo. It is a bit more involved than I originally hoped, but I'm optimistic it will be in the next major rev of Indigo.

Regards,
Matt

I'm looking into this now as a feature for Indigo. It is a bit more involved than I originally hoped, but I'm optimistic it will be in the next major rev of Indigo.

Hmmm, that next major release would be 4.0. Did this ever happen?

[jay (support)]

Unfortunately, no. Indigo Touch and everything else in 4.0 took priority. It's still high on the priority list, but most likely POST 4.0.

Good to know it's still on the list. I tried my code with the latest beta but saw that it wasn't there yet. I can certainly wait as the job you guys have done on Version 4 and Indigo Touch is above and beyond my expectation. Well done guys!!!

[matt (support)]

Definitely still high on the list. I really want this one as well.

Is there any way to get the image to refresh real time the same way as the variable text does, and if so, how?

Maybe you could try this:
Make a dummy device that can be switched on and off.
Save the artwork from iTunes as an image that's used for the device state of that dummy device.
Then flip the device from on to off or off to on when the artwork changes.
If Indigo doesn't cache the image, you might get an instant update in your control page.

Strangely enough, after seeing this post resurrected, that was the idea I came up with when I walked myself through the scenario again. Thanks for validating!

I might play around with that idea and see what happens.

Any successful implementation of a dynamic png file? I am in the same boat with my Russound SMS media player. I am pulling current song data as well as album cover art. It would be create if I could get the image to refresh.

[matt (support)]

It still is not possible, but it is something we are looking into improving for the next major release.

Strangely enough, after seeing this post resurrected, that was the idea I came up with when I walked myself through the scenario again. Thanks for validating!

I might play around with that idea and see what happens.

did this idea work?

So I tried this out by creating a dummy X10 device that toggles when a custom variable changes value. I do this via a trigger. Everything is reporting well in the logs, but I am a victim to the Safari cache on my desktop and the browser cache on the iPad. I do see some refreshes, but it is not consistent. I'm not willing to give up on this yet, because I think I'm close. Is there a way to change the style sheets to always reload images?

Have there been any changes on this issue?
I would love to have iTunes artwork displayed
on a control page.

Thanks,

Carl

[matt (support)]

Indigo 5 has a new Refreshing Image URL Control Page control type. You can specify a URL that points to an HTTP served page (ex: http://...) or you can specify a local image file (ex: file:///Users/george/Desktop/blah.png).

Seems there must be a better way but what I'm working on now
is simply gathering the best quality artwork I can find, sizing and saving
as artwork+Beatles.png etc. and triggering the images from an iTunesAlbum
variable.

Yikes, not the most fun project with hundreds of albums to process but
it does look and work well, especially on a large screen.

Curious to see any AppleScripts anyone might have that processes artwork
from iTunes directly.

Carl