Wimpy MP3 Player

Requirements

Installation

Troubleshooting

Alternatives to PHP, ASP or ColdFusion

Customizing Wimpy

Integrating Wimpy

Helpful Tools

Support, Tips & Tricks and Frequently Asked Questions

www.wimpyplayer.com

REQUIREMENTS

LINUX, MAC, UNIX or WINDOWS server running PHP or ASP.

PHP Version
Tested with PHP version 4.3 on Linux, PHP version 5.1 on Windows XP Professional and PHP version 4.3 on Mac OS X 10.3.9.

ASP Version
Tested on Windows XP Professional with .NET installed. The ASP code is based on VBscript, so Wimpy "should" work on earlier version of Windows Servers.

ColdFusion Version
Tested on Windows XP Professional using ColdFusion version 6.1. Currently, Wimpy MP3 Player for ColdFusion is still using Wimpy MP3 Player version 4.1, which does not include a lot of the advanced features. If you plan on using any of the advanced features, it would be best to stick with either the PHP or ASP version.

INSTALLATION

1. Create a new folder named "mp3s" on your website.

Example:
www.yoursite.com/mp3s

2. Upload all the Wimpy files to the new folder on your website.

3. Open a web browser and navigate to the Wimpy Script file.

Example:
www.yoursite.com/mp3s/wimpy.php

NOTE: Depending on the version you are installing, the Wimpy Script file will be either wimpy.php, wimpy.asp or wimpy.cfm

Troubleshooting

If the example.mp3 file does not show up in the playlist, or after accessing the Wimpy Script file all you see is a bunch of code, or a black screen, then your server does not have either PHP, ASP or ColdFusion installed, depending on the type of files you just installed. Try installing a different version. For example, if you installed the PHP demo and it did not work, then try installing the ASP demo.

Some web hosting companies claim to have PHP or ASP installed on their web server, however, PHP and ASP can be configured by the server administrator to prevent certain functions from working. Wimpy takes advantage of certain functions, such as directory reading, in order to automatically display the contents of the installation folder. Contact your hosting provider to see if they can remove the PHP or ASP limitations on your account.

ALTERNATIVES TO PHP, ASP OR ColdFusion

You can use Wimpy without a server-side scripting environment installed on the server by taking advantage of either the XML playlist, JavaScript, or embedded playlist functionality. Although these options are not as convenient, since they will not automatically load files into the playlist, they do offer added control over how the information is presented within the player and/or a higher level of control over the player.

Running Wimpy off of XML Playlists.
You can run wimpy off of an XML playlist rather than PHP, ASP or ColdFusion. To do so you will need to create an XML playlist, then use the Customizer tool to set the "Wimpy Script" to the URL for the XML playlist. Click here to learn more about using XML playlists.

Playing files using JavaScript
You can use JavaScript to load files into Wimpy and also control the player. Click here for more information on using the JavaScript implementation.

Using an "Embedded Playlist"
You can also load and play files by embedding the URL to your mp3 files into the HTML code that displays Wimpy. Use the Customizer tool and enter the URL to your MP3 files into the "Embedded playlist" option. Click here to check out the Customizer tool, scroll down until you see the "Embedded Playlist" option.

CUSTOMIZING WIMPY

To control the look and feel of the player, apply a skin or to control the way the player behaves, use the Customizer tool. Click here to access the Customizer tool. The Customizer tool also allows you to generate HTML code so that you can include Wimpy in any web page on your site.

You can use the HTML code that the Customizer tool outputs by copying and pasting the Wimpy Player HTML code anywhere between the opening <body> and closing </body> tags in your HTML pages.

SKINS
Check out the "skins" section at wimpyplayer.com to find a skin that you like. Once you find a skin you like, download the skin package (zip) file to your local hard drive and unzip the package, then upload the skin_name.xml (and any associated graphics) to your web site. Use the Customizer tool to apply the skin.

You can also create your own skin using Skin Machine in order to make the look and feel of Wimpy conform to your web site's design. Click here for more information on creating your own skin and Skin Machine.

INTEGRATING WIMPY

There are a number of integration options available, be sure to check out the Wimpy MP3 Player page at wimpyplayer.com. Some of the additional features include:

HELPFUL TOOLS

There are a variety of "tools" available to help get Wimpy MP3 Player set up and running smoothly on your site.: Click here to visit the tools section for a complete list..

Wimpy Loader
An example of how to load wimpy player into an existing Flash project and allows you to use your own buttons to control the player.

Pop Up Window Maker
Create a link to pop up the player into a tightly fitting window -- or automatically open a pop up window when your home page loads.

CMS plugins
Integrate Wimpy MP3 Player into your CMS applications, including PHPnuke, MovableType, WordPress and Joomla.