Adding Files with Commas in the File Name to a Playlist
The Web Playlists module for Internet Information Services (IIS) 7.0 provides a way to create a list of media content items, such that playback of the content items on client computers is controlled by the Web server. This feature for IIS 7.0 allows content providers to control the order and the content that is viewed by users in a Web playlist (a file with a .isx file name extension). For example, this feature allows for the insertion of advertisements in a list of media content items so that users must play them before proceeding to the next item in the list. Additional constraints can be added to individual media items in the playlist, such as the ability to prevent seeking through an item, skipping to the next item in the list (or allowing skip-forward only after a specified percentage of the currently playing item is played), or skipping back to the beginning of the currently playing item.
The Web Playlist module includes these key features:
· Integration with IIS 7.0. The Web Playlist module is tightly integrated with this new administration interface and configuration store in IIS 7.0. In addition, IIS 7.0 has a new administration tool, and the new Web Playlist module plugs seamlessly into that paradigm.
· Support for all Digital Media Files Types. Any digital media file type that can be downloaded from a Web server can be added to a Web playlist by using this feature.
· Session Provider Settings. Allows you to add ASP.NET session persistence and provides an additional level of control for the content on a Web server by configuring multiple options that specify how long the content referenced by a playlist is available to users.
· Session Settings. Allows you to specify the maximum number of clients that can connect to the playlist and the amount of content that must be watched before allowing a user to skip to the next item in the playlist.
· Impersonation Settings. Allows for media items that are protected by user credentials to be added to playlists.
· Client-Side Playlist Import. Allows for quick conversion of client-side playlists (files with .asx file name extensions) for files stored on the Web server to Web playlists.
The following prerequisites must be fulfilled to install the Web Playlist module:
· You must use IIS 7.0 running on Windows Server 2008 RC1 or later or Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1).
· The IIS Management Console for Internet Information Services 7.0 must be installed to manage the Web Playlists module using the IIS 7.0 user interface (UI). In addition, the UI requires the .NET Extensibility role service if you are running the Web Server (IIS) role on Windows Server 2008 or the .NET Framework if you plan to install this feature on Windows Vista.
· To maintain session state persistence, the ASP.NET role service must be installed if you are running the Web Server (IIS) role on Windows Server 2008. (ASP.NET is not supported on Server Core installations of Windows Server 2008.)
· You must install the Web Playlist module as an administrator. (See Downloading and Installing for more information.)
Two separate downloadable packages are available for the Web Playlist module. Download the appropriate package for your version of Windows:
· Web Playlist for IIS 7.0 (x86)
· Web Playlist for IIS 7.0 (x64)
You must be an administrator on the computer to run the installation package. This can be accomplished by one of the following methods:
· Log on to the computer using the Administrator account.
· Log on to the computer using an account with administrative privileges, open an elevated command prompt (Click Start, click All Programs, click Accessories, right-click Command Prompt, and then click Run as administrator), and then type the following command to run the installation:
msiexec /I playlist32ctp1.msi
-Or-
msiexec /I playlist64ctp1.msi
If you encounter any problems during installation, type the following command in the elevated command prompt to create a log file that contains information about the installation process:
msiexec /L playlist.log /I playlist32ctp1.msi
-Or-
msiexec /L playlist.log /I playlist64ctp1.msi
Analyze this log file after a failed installation to help determine the cause of the failure.
To remove the Web Playlist module from IIS 7.0, in Programs and Features in Control Panel, click Web Playlists for IIS 7.0 under Uninstall or change a program, and then click Uninstall.
Web Playlist cannot add digital media files to a playlist correctly if the file name for the media item contains a comma. Remove the comma from the file name before adding media items to a playlist, or after the playlist is created, edit the entries in the Web playlist file to correct any errors. A Web playlist file is a file with a .isx file name extension. It is created by default in %systemdrive%\Inetpub\wwwroot.
The following walkthroughs for the new Web Playlist module are available on IIS.net:
· Web Playlist Setup and Configuration Walkthrough. Describes how to download and install the Web Playlist module and how to configure settings in the feature configuration files.
· Creating Web Playlists Walkthrough. Describes how to create Web playlists by using the Web Playlists module or the Appcmd.exe command-line tool in IIS 7.0 and how to set additional properties for them. It also describes the attributes in a Web playlist (.isx) file.
· Client Interaction Walkthrough. Describes how players on client computers consume Web playlist files. This document shows you how to update your Web pages so that players can consume the .asx response correctly when they request the Web playlist (.isx) file.
Also, be sure to visit the IIS Media Delivery Blog where IIS team members who work on digital media will talk about the Web Playlist module and other technologies in the pipeline that will help you better serve digital media content to your users.