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https://github.com/mihirlad55/polybar-spotify-module

A collection of lightweight programs for use with a Polybar Spotify Module
https://github.com/mihirlad55/polybar-spotify-module

c lightweight module polybar spotify

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A collection of lightweight programs for use with a Polybar Spotify Module

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# Polybar Spotify Module



![polybar-spotify-module](https://github.com/mihirlad55/polybar-spotify-module/raw/master/screenshots/capture2.png)



This is a pure C implementation of an external polybar module that signals

polybar when a track is playing/paused and when the track changes. There is

also a program that retreives the title and artist of the currently playing

song on spotify.



## Requirements

DBus is used for listening to spotify track changes. Obviously you need spotify

and polybar as well:

`dbus polybar spotify`



To compile the program, you will need `make`.



You most likely already have the above packages installed. Systemd depends on

DBus, and you wouldn't be looking at this, if you didn't have polybar and

spotify installed.



## How to Setup



### Installing the Program

Run the following code to clone the repo and install the programs.

```

git clone https://github.com/mihirlad55/polybar-spotify-module

cd polybar-spotify-module/src/

sudo make install

```



#### Arch Linux Users

`polybar-spotify-module` exists as a package on the AUR! Use your favourite

AUR helper to install the package.

```

yay -S polybar-spotify-module

```

The package can be found here

.



### Running spotify-listener in the Background

`spotify-listener` must run in the background for it to be able to listen for

track changes and communicate with polybar. There are two ways to keep it

running in the background. If you are using systemd, you can have it start at

system startup by running:



```

systemctl --user enable spotify-listener

```



Then, you can start the service now by running:



```

systemctl --user start spotify-listener

```



If you are not using systemd, make sure the `spotify-listener` program is

executed at startup. Something like

```

spotify-listener &

disown

```

in a startup script should accomplish that.



### Configuring Polybar

Your polybar configuration file should be located at `.config/polybar/config`



First make sure IPC is enabled. The following should be in your configuration

file under the `[bar/]` section:

```

[bar/main]

enable-ipc = true

```



If you plan to use icons for next/play/previous/pause buttons, make sure you

add (and have installed) an icon font accordingly such as NerdFonts or

FontAwesome under the `[bar/]` section:

```

[bar/main]

font-1 = Font Awesome 5 Free:size=10;1

```

Note that the font is specified in modules as a 1-based index, so `font-1` is

specified by `format-font = 2`.



Next, add the following spotify modules:

```

[module/previous]

type = custom/ipc

format-font = 2

; Default

hook-0 = echo ""

; When spotify active

hook-1 = echo "Previous"

click-left = "spotifyctl -q previous"



[module/next]

type = custom/ipc

format-font = 2

; Default

hook-0 = echo ""

; When spotify active

hook-1 = echo "Next"

click-left = "spotifyctl -q next"



[module/playpause]

type = custom/ipc

format-font = 2

; Default

hook-0 = echo ""

; Playing

hook-1 = echo "Pause"

; Paused

hook-2 = echo "Play"

click-left = "spotifyctl -q playpause"



[module/spotify]

type = custom/ipc

; Default

hook-0 = echo ""

; Playing/paused show song name and artist

hook-1 = spotifyctl -q status --format '%artist%: %title%'

```

You can replace the text for Pause/Play/Next/Previous with icons for each of

the hooks.



Lastly, make sure the new spotify modules are part of your bar. Make sure one of

the following lines is part of your modules.

```

modules-center = spotify previous playpause next

modules-left = spotify previous playpause next

modules-right = spotify previous playpause next

```



## Status Formatting

The `spotifyctl status` command has multiple formatting options. You can

specify the:

- Maximum output length

- Maximum artist length

- Maxiumum track title length

- Output Format

- Truncation string



By default, the above lengths are `INT_MAX` (no limit). Additionally, if max

length is specified, the artist and track title will not be truncated if

the untruncated output satisfies the output max length constraint.



The tokens `%artist%` and `%title%` can be used to specify the output format.



For example for the artist `Eminem` and track title `Sing For The Moment`

```

spotifyctl status --format '%artist%: %title%' --max-length 20 \

    --max-title-length 10 --max-artist-length 10 --trunc '...'

```

would result in the following output

```

Eminem: Sing Fo...

```



For more information and examples, you can run the command `spotifyctl help`.



## How it Works

The spotify-listener program connects to the DBus Session Bus and listens for

two particular signals:



- `org.freedesktop.DBus.ProprtyChanged` for track changes

- `org.freedesktop.DBus.NameOwnerChanged` for spotify disconnections



Using this information, it sends messages to spotify polybar custom/IPC modules

to show/hide spotify controls and display the play/pause icon based on whether

a song is playing/paused.



The spotifyctl program calls `org.mpris.MediaPlayer2.Properties.Get` method to

retreive status information and calls methods in the

`org.mpris.MediaPlayer2.Player` interface to pause/play and go to the

previous/next track.



## Why Did I Make this in C

- Practice/learn low-level C

- Reduce number of dependencies

- Make something as lightweight as possible by directly interfacing with DBus

- For fun 😜



## Resources

The following are very useful resources for DBus API and specs:



- 

- 

- 

- 

- 



## Credits

Inspired by the python implementation by

[dietervanhoof](https://github.com/dietervanhoof):