Linux Spotify client 1.x now in stable

[jooon]

In June 2015 we released version 1.x of the client for Linux in the testing repository.

https://community.spotify.com/t5/Spotify-Community-Blog/Spotify-Client-1-x-beta-for-Linux-has-been-r...

The intention was to fix a few of the bigger issues and then quickly move this to stable. That never happened, since after September, we have had no developers working on the linux client. There are still lots of problem with this version of the client for linux, but we are now seeing much more problems with the old client.

Known linux specific issues in 1.0.23

• Improper MPRIS support (there is support since 1.0.13, but limited functionality). [Linux] Spotify DBus MPRIS2 support not fully working
• Sometimes crashes when streaming and playing local files (these very likely have more than one root cause) Linux Client crashing (segfault) on certain songs -- Segfaults when playing local files
• Improper package dependencies for installation outside Ubuntu LTS The return of the libssl trouble on Linux
• Missing application menu
• Missing tray icon
• Minimize (to tray)

Most of these we want to fix, but others (like missing tray icon) we probably won't. Link to threads with more issues you have and I will try to add them here. If you can't find your issue already reported, create a new thread and follow this troubleshooting guide for linux.

From now on, the idea is to first release a client to the testing repository as soon as possible, when it is ready internally, then after a week or so if we haven't discovered any serious new crash bug that affects lots of users, it will move to stable. Most of the time, a new linux release will have no linux specific changes, only the changes it shares with the mac and win clients.

Stable repository

To install a client from the stable repository follow the instructions on https://www.spotify.com/download/linux/

sudo apt-key adv --keyserver hkp://keyserver.ubuntu.com:80 --recv-keys BBEBDCB318AD50EC6865090613B00F1FD2C19886
echo deb http://repository.spotify.com stable non-free | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/spotify.list
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install spotify-client

Testing repository

To install a client from the testing repository, follow the same instructions, but replace the word stable with testing.

sudo apt-key adv --keyserver hkp://keyserver.ubuntu.com:80 --recv-keys BBEBDCB318AD50EC6865090613B00F1FD2C19886
echo deb http://repository.spotify.com testing non-free | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/spotify.list
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install spotify-client

[olejon]

If anyone want to downgrade to the previous 0.9.17.8 version, follow this guide:

https://github.com/olejon/spotcommander/wiki/DowngradeSpotify

My problem with the v 1.0 version is that they have broken the D-Bus MPRIS implementation. I am unable to get PlaybackStatus (times out), and OpenUri is broken.

Please fix @jooon !

[Dreadlord]

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@olejon wrote:

My problem with the v 1.0 version is that they have broken the D-Bus MPRIS implementation. I am unable to get PlaybackStatus (times out), and playing a URI that is not a track (album, artist, etc.) only opens it, it doesn't start to play.

@Please fix @jooon !

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Hey @olejon,

I posted a workaround for the autoplay issue here.

uri=spotify:album:4sb0eMpDn3upAFfyi4q2rw # We are going to use this variable to access the metadata for the album.
song=$(curl -G "http://ws.spotify.com/lookup/1/?uri=$uri&extras=track" | grep -E -o "spotify:track:[a-zA-Z0-9]+" -m 1) # Get the first track of the Album. We are going to use this variable in next line.
dbus-send  --print-reply --session --type=method_call --dest=org.mpris.MediaPlayer2.spotify /org/mpris/MediaPlayer2 org.mpris.MediaPlayer2.Player.Pause && dbus-send  --print-reply --session --type=method_call --dest=org.mpris.MediaPlayer2.spotify /org/mpris/MediaPlayer2 org.mpris.MediaPlayer2.Player.OpenUri "string:$song" 

[Mongolasse]

Hello everyone! 
I am using the official Spotify client for Ubuntu 15. I can't seem to find the "Play in Offline" toggle.
Is this not included in the linux client?

Cheers

[Dreadlord · Accepted solution]

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@Mongolasse wrote:

Hello everyone! 
I am using the official Spotify client for Ubuntu 15. I can't seem to find the "Play in Offline" toggle.
Is this not included in the linux client?

Cheers

---

Hey @Mongolasse,

This is known issue! For now, you can toggle "Play in Offline' by starting Spotify in the terminal via the following command:

spotify --ap=127.0.0.1

[Mongolasse]

Thanks a lot! Stupid question, but this will revert back if I restart Spotify? 🙂

[Dreadlord]

Hey @Mongolasse,

Yes it will, but you can create bash ( or I can create one for you ) script and start Spotify this way all the time : )

[Mongolasse]

Thanks a lot for the quick help! 🙂

No need to make it a bash, I am only using it once in a while, its just good to know that I still have to possibility to do it..

[olejon]

@Dreadlord Yeah, that's a possibility, using the web API, but it still is too bad that it at least can not work as before. I wish the other stuff listed (MPRIS) could work as well, so I don't have to use PulseAudio commands to control Spotify's volume (only), keyboard button simulation to toggle shuffle/repeat etc. Would be really great if we could get Position, Seek etc. as well.

Pretty sure I could work around this particular issue using only D-Bus when I tried when the beta was released without any web requests etc., but can't seem to find the combination of commands now. It was a weird one...

EDIT: Turns out that was just the workaround to play a new track, pausing the currently playing one before using OpenUri on a new one. Anyway your workaround only plays the album. No way to play an artist.

I have no idea, but I can not imagine it would be too hard to implement at least what we had before. There seems to be many people using D-Bus, after all Linux users love to make scripts and do a lot of cool stuff with it.

[Dark_Arc]

After the latest update, my Spotify client starts in full screen.

[Dreadlord]

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@olejon wrote:

@Dreadlord Yeah, that's a possibility, using the web API, but it still is too bad that it at least can not work as before. I wish the other stuff listed (MPRIS) could work as well, so I don't have to use PulseAudio commands to control Spotify's volume (only), keyboard button simulation to toggle shuffle/repeat etc. Would be really great if we could get Position, Seek etc. as well.

Pretty sure I could work around this particular issue using only D-Bus when I tried when the beta was released without any web requests etc., but can't seem to find the combination of commands now. It was a weird one...

EDIT: Turns out that was just the workaround to play a new track, pausing the currently playing one before using OpenUri on a new one. Anyway your workaround only plays the album. No way to play an artist.

I have no idea, but I can not imagine it would be too hard to implement at least what we had before. There seems to be many people using D-Bus, after all Linux users love to make scripts and do a lot of cool stuff with it.

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You can adjust the workaround to play an artist. I made it long ago for a guy that wanted to autoplay an album. 🙂

A quick note is that we are looking for fixed MPRIS2 support in next build. : - )

[jooon]

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@Dreadlord wrote:

A quick note is that we are looking for fixed MPRIS2 support in next build. : - )

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It should be out in testing now for 64-bit builds. Having some problem with the 32-bit builds again. 😕

[bitelaum]

Great news! 🙂

Could you provide a changelog, or tell us what issues were addressed beyond the MPRIS2 support?

[jooon]

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@bitelaum wrote:
Could you provide a changelog, or tell us what issues were addressed beyond the MPRIS2 support?

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Not easily. I know there are lots of tiny little changes to all the javascript views all the time. Since the frontend of the desktop clients are written like websites, but are released like executables, all those changes are bundled up every two weeks, instead of released several times per day. The only user noticable linux related change is the MPRIS fix.

[bitelaum]

Nice, thanks for the quick answer.

I was looking for the Linux client changes only. It's nice to know it's getting some attention now.

I know I might be asking too much, but since there are some very important known issues in the Linux client, do you have a roadmap to guide which of them will be addressed first?

[GFD]

Hi,

I've been testing the linux version for while now and it's looking better and better with each version (so sad it's not yet at the same statsu as the other OS's status 😕 ).

Anyone having trouble accessing their messag box like I do ?

When I click on the icon, I just get the black screen with a (never ending) spinning wheel 😕

I'm ok with a workaround if there is not fix...

[Dreadlord]

Hey @GFD,

Last few days I can see quite a lot of issues with Spotify CDN and that's what makes me think that the issue with your inbox is more likely to be connection issue rather than Spotify app issue.

Give your client few restarts and it should be OK ( I don't have any issues with my inbox ). 

I am not sure if it is going to work, but you can use the access point I am getting and see if the issue persists:

spotify --ap=194.14.177.5

[olejon]

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jooon wrote:

It should be out in testing now for 64-bit builds. Having some problem with the 32-bit builds again. 😕

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@jooon OpenUri in MPRIS still has the same issue, while PlaybackStatus now works... OpenUri is crucial.

[GFD]

Wow @Dreadlord, that's a fast reply !!

Your explanation makes perfect sense as I've been travelling for a few weeks now and hadn't notice this problem back at home.

I've restarted Spotify a lot since it first happened but no change.

I just tried your workaroud with the access point with no luck 😕

Thanks for the effort though !

I'll check in a few hours if New Zeland has a better connection to Spotify's CDN 😉

Cheers

[k1_hedayati]

I can't find my starred playlist in desktop client, but I have it in web.

Anyone with this issue?

[Dreadlord · Accepted solution]

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@k1_hedayati wrote:

I can't find my starred playlist in desktop client, but I have it in web.

Anyone with this issue?

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Hey @k1_hedayati,

Starred playlist is gone from the Desktop client for a long time now ( Indeed, you can still find it in play.spotify.com )
Any music you save is now transferred to the 'Your Music' tab instead.