Listen for distributed notifications from iTunes of the current song

itunes_notifications.py

'''
This python script listens for distributed notifications from iTunes of new songs playing, 
works alot better then constantly polling. 
'''
import Foundation
from AppKit import *
from PyObjCTools import AppHelper

class GetSongs(NSObject):
    def getMySongs_(self, song):
        song_details = {}
        ui = song.userInfo()
        song_details = dict(zip(ui.keys(), ui.values()))
        print song_details

nc = Foundation.NSDistributedNotificationCenter.defaultCenter()
GetSongs = GetSongs.new()
nc.addObserver_selector_name_object_(GetSongs, 'getMySongs:', 'com.apple.iTunes.playerInfo',None)

NSLog("Listening for new tunes....")
AppHelper.runConsoleEventLoop()

Thanks! I used this as a base script to take it even further and display the current playing track on a dot matrix LED display (via HTTP) connected to my Raspberry PIs GPIO interface.

Code (macOS)

import Foundation
from AppKit import *
from PyObjCTools import AppHelper
import requests

LED_URL = "http://raspberrypi.local:8181"

class GetSongs(NSObject):
    def getMySongs_(self, song):
        ui = song.userInfo()
        song_details = dict(zip(ui.keys(), ui.values()))
        nowPlaying = (song_details['Artist'] + " : " + song_details['Name'])
        r = requests.post(url = LED_URL, data = nowPlaying)
        print(nowPlaying)

nc = Foundation.NSDistributedNotificationCenter.defaultCenter()
GetSongs = GetSongs.new()
nc.addObserver_selector_name_object_(GetSongs, 'getMySongs:', 'com.apple.iTunes.playerInfo',None)

NSLog("Listening for new tunes....")
AppHelper.runConsoleEventLoop()

Raspberry PI (Server) code

Luma display library & max7219 display drivers by Richard Hull.

https://github.com/rm-hull/luma.led_matrix

from BaseHTTPServer import BaseHTTPRequestHandler, HTTPServer
import re
import argparse
import time
from luma.core.interface.serial import spi, noop
from luma.core.render import canvas
from luma.led_matrix.device import max7219
from luma.core.virtual import viewport
from luma.core.legacy import text, show_message
from luma.core.legacy.font import proportional, CP437_FONT, TINY_FONT, SINCLAIR_FONT, LCD_FONT

serial = spi(port=0, device=0, gpio=noop())
device = max7219(serial, cascaded=3, block_orientation=-90, rotate=2)

class S(BaseHTTPRequestHandler):
    def do_POST(self):
        content_length = int(self.headers['Content-Length'])
        post_data = self.rfile.read(content_length)
        show_message(device, post_data, fill="white", font=proportional(LCD_FONT))

def run(server_class=HTTPServer, handler_class=S, port=8181):
    server_address = ('', port)
    httpd = server_class(server_address, handler_class)
    print 'Starting httpd Server...'
    httpd.serve_forever()

if __name__ == "__main__":
    from sys import argv

    if len(argv) == 2:
        run(port=int(argv[1]))
    else:
        run()

Is there a way to return the variable song_details to a python script to be queried later? similar to a basic class in python?

This script works only with system python2. Also, the f*ggot company has renamed iTunes. So here's a couple of needed changes:

#!/usr/bin/python

'''
This python script listens for distributed notifications from iTunes of new songs playing, 
works alot better then constantly polling. 
'''
import Foundation
from AppKit import *
from PyObjCTools import AppHelper

class GetSongs(NSObject):
    def getMySongs_(self, song):
        song_details = {}
        ui = song.userInfo()
        song_details = dict(zip(ui.keys(), ui.values()))
        print song_details

nc = Foundation.NSDistributedNotificationCenter.defaultCenter()
GetSongs = GetSongs.new()
nc.addObserver_selector_name_object_(GetSongs, 'getMySongs:', 'com.apple.Music.playerInfo',None)

NSLog("Listening for new tunes....")
AppHelper.runConsoleEventLoop()

Runs with Python3, just be sure to install the right PyObjC wrapper, and modify line 1 to point to your python3 installation if its not in the default location.