Quicktime Metadata handling in podcast producer batchs

Hi,
I'm wondering if there's a way to extend the amount of metadata that can be handled by the podcast producer batch so that it feets iTunes needs ?
I know that it depends of the workflow you use for the "common" metadatas (artist name, year, type, ) but what about the exotic ones : commentaries, lyrics and even illustration ?
Thanks in advance for your answer.
Nicolas

HAZAAR! Solved it for me, hope it's the same for you. Ensure your Server HOST name is identical to your service name. IT IS CASE SENSITIVE! I had to edit the /Library/PodCastProducer/Shared/Server/memberpreferencesUUID so it matched my hostname identically, and all is now working.
You'll notice you probably have errors in /Library/Logs/pcastserverd/apache_error.log referencing SNI name not matching hostname, this is the clue. Hope this resolves it for you also.
Pete

Similar Messages

Fix for Podcast Producer Removing Metadata?

We can create a file with all of our metadata included in the file. Then when we upload it to our server using Podcast Producer it strips out our metadata. Can anything be done to preserve our metadata during upload?
Thanks,
C Lyman

You have 2 options, both are using the podcast command line
1- remove the feed using podcast --removefeed --feed_uuid UIID
2- disable the feed using podcast --disablefeed --feed_uuid UIID
UUID is the feed_uuid of the workflow feed

Upscaling video in Podcast Producer

Hi all,
We have some videos that we would like to convert into Podcasts. Unfortunately these videos were originally recorded in a very low resolution. Podcast Producer handles them fine except it keeps them in the source resolution, which means the watermarks, ticker etc is also scaled down.
My question is, is there a way, either as part of the Podcast Producer workflow or before it, to easily scale up video in order to ensure the watermarks aren't scaled down?
Thanks in advance,
Erik

Could you cue them all in Handbrake for a batch job first and customize an output that targets the size/bitrate you want and then process the output in PP?
That said, you may want to do one first to test as you're going from low-resolution -> higher-than-intended resolution -> workflow compression.

Xgrid Job fails on Podcast Producer

Hi all. This is on a fresh install of Server 10.6 with all updates to 10.6.2, repaired permissions, rebooted, etc. I enabled Podcast Producer using its Setup Assistant. Created a test user, and Podcast Capture worked fine on uploading to their podcast, using the default Single Source with small movies. Uploaded 4 episodes. Then, all of a sudden, it stopped working, and I get this
=============================================================
Thu Dec 10 11:34:48 -0500 2009 -- Xgrid Job: 14 is Running
Thu Dec 10 11:34:53 -0500 2009 -- Xgrid Job: 14 is Failed
This is using both the Podcast Capture app or the web based Capture app, on the server or from other computers. In the error log I get this:
/System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/1.8/usr/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gem s/mongrel-1.1.5/bin/../lib/mongrel.rb:285:in `run': Ruby threads cannot be used in RubyCocoa without patches to the Ruby interpreter
Is this relevant? Already erased drive and reinstalled everything twice, on this Mac Pro, 2.8 GHz Quad Core Xenon.
Where to look and what to fix? Appreciate any feedback.

Here is the full Podcast Producer Server Log, if anyone can see the problem and how to fix it....
Thu Dec 10 12:14:38 -0500 2009 -- Queuing Xgrid Job for Podcast Producer Job ID: 16
Thu Dec 10 12:14:38 -0500 2009 -- Using workflow bundle: /Network/Servers/ilex.conncoll.edu/Library/PodcastProducer/Shared/Server/Workfl ows/DEFA1587-A650-426E-92DA-01C5EB811705.pwf
Thu Dec 10 12:14:38 -0500 2009 -- Assembling Metadata for recording: /Network/Servers/ilex.conncoll.edu/Library/PodcastProducer/Shared/UUIDs/9CF6B03 3-43F7-48E7-B9F9-CD8B36EB0114.prb
Thu Dec 10 12:14:38 -0500 2009 -- Unable to resolve admin user: admin
Thu Dec 10 12:14:38 -0500 2009 -- Adding User Metadata: /Network/Servers/ilex.conncoll.edu/Library/PodcastProducer/Shared/UUIDs/9CF6B03 3-43F7-48E7-B9F9-CD8B36EB0114.prb/Contents/Resources/Working/user_metadata.plist
Thu Dec 10 12:14:43 -0500 2009 -- Cached Workflow: /Network/Servers/ilex.conncoll.edu/Library/PodcastProducer/Shared/Server/Workfl ows/DEFA1587-A650-426E-92DA-01C5EB811705.pwf as /Network/Servers/ilex.conncoll.edu/Library/PodcastProducer/Shared/UUIDs/9CF6B03 3-43F7-48E7-B9F9-CD8B36EB0114.prb/Contents/Resources/Working/DEFA1587-A650-426E- 92DA-01C5EB811705.pwf
Thu Dec 10 12:14:43 -0500 2009 -- Set permissions on '/Network/Servers/ilex.conncoll.edu/Library/PodcastProducer/Shared/UUIDs/9CF6B0 33-43F7-48E7-B9F9-CD8B36EB0114.prb/Contents/Resources/Working/DEFA1587-A650-426E -92DA-01C5EB811705.pwf' to '770' recursive ownership: podcastxgrid5C34C647-87C0-4078-8D5C-97C8E1D2D029:pcastserver
Thu Dec 10 12:14:43 -0500 2009 -- Wrote Xgrid job batch file: /Network/Servers/ilex.conncoll.edu/Library/PodcastProducer/Shared/Server/Jobs/2 E7386B9-06B5-4F3F-A964-60B069BF4E1B_job.xml
Thu Dec 10 12:14:43 -0500 2009 -- Successfully queued Xgrid Job: 15 for Podcast Producer Job ID: 16
Thu Dec 10 12:14:43 -0500 2009 -- =============================================================
Thu Dec 10 12:14:43 -0500 2009 -- Xgrid Job: 15 is Prepared
Thu Dec 10 12:14:45 -0500 2009 -- Xgrid Job: 15 is Failed
Here is the Podcast Producer Application Log for the failed job
Processing CaptureController#file_upload (for 136.244.14.116 at 2009-12-10 12:14:37) [POST]
Session ID: 0ac1faa1ac97254a1c3cb1474d16e7fd
Parameters: {"locepisodewarn"=>"Please specify an episode title.", "locfilewarn"=>"You must specify a file to upload.", "source_file"=>#<File:/tmp/CGI20091210-280-1xp591x-0>, "workflowselectwarn"=>"You must choose a workflow", "title"=>"eric archer", "action"=>"file_upload", "loc_episode"=>"Episode", "loc_description"=>"Description", "controller"=>"capture", "description"=>"description", "workflow_select"=>"DEFA1587-A650-426E-92DA-01C5EB811705"}
Completed in 392ms (View: 0, DB: 3) | 200 OK [https://ilex.conncoll.edu/podcastproducer/capture/file_upload]
Completed in 6ms (View: 1, DB: 0) | 200 OK [https://ilex.conncoll.edu/podcastproducer/capture/fileuploadprogress]
Appreciate any insights!

Installing a new Podcast Producer Server

I have tried a few time to install a podcast producer on a new server. I used the instructions pages 21-30 on the pdf from Apple. They really seem very unclear. i have tried many things to get it working.
First it has you install dns, it has you create a primary zone for pcast.private. I am inside my domain. do i need that?
then i do get it set up. i can log into the wiki. i see my videos. when i go to play them i get the quicktime logo with a ? in it. the problem i think is that it is trying to load the video at http://server.mydomain.org/video.
however i can not get the server to have the default page. when i go to
http:\\server.mydomain.org i can not get there.
i create "a" host for that server in my dns. I can ping the server by that name. Howeve i can not get the web page up in that site name. if i could i am sure i can get the podcast to work.
Are there better instructions out there for setting this up?
thanks,

Since it's a component of OS X Server, there's a much richer discussion forum for it here:
http://discussions.apple.com/forum.jspa?forumID=1240
-S

Lion podcast producer can't publish to Lion apple wiki

Hi,Buddies, We're using Podcast Producer on Lion to publish podcast to Lion wiki, use lion podcast composer to define publish to lion wiki/blog server and deploy workflow to PCP server successfully, When we used lion podcast capture to send podcast to pcp server, checked in xgrid agent log and it always stopped at following and say 404 not found with http error, also I found url for posting to wiki is still old architecture of snow leopard, the lion wiki or blog url should be like this http://wiki.edu/wiki/projects/test or http://wiki.edu/wiki/people/U0K4j3h/blog, it's odd! Lion PCP,lion composer, lion wiki, but pcp can't publish to lion wiki, Do you guys have any same experience of this issue? Thanks
Feb 16 14:54:14 pcp2.wab.edu pcastaction[9500] <Notice>: PodcastProducer::Actions::WikiServer: START: [Working directory: /Network/Servers/pcp2.wab.edu/Library/PodcastProducer/Shared/UUIDs/2AFD1B7D-A83 4-4064-85C3-5D0DB1992A0F.prb/Contents/Resources/Working] {Arguments: --prb=/Network/Servers/pcp2.edu/Library/PodcastProducer/Shared/UUIDs/2AFD1B7D-A 834-4064-85C3-5D0DB1992A0F.prb --input=export-plugin-quicktime-E43D860D-31BB-454F-83AD-B2ECFFED9E92.m4v --docroot=/Network/Servers/pcp2.edu/Library/PodcastProducer/Shared/Podcasts --url=http://pcp2.edu:8171 --posting_url=http://pcp2.edu/users/test/blog --username=serveradmin --otp=AQPPrVYXywWWvsg4azuB2A== --pcast_server=https://pcp2.wab.edu:8170/podcastproducer --outfile=publish-plugin-wikiserver-48e4f3b14e180153320eba1e2f03ddba.yaml --mimetype=video/x-m4v} v.2
Feb 16 14:54:15 pcp2.wab.edu pcastaction[9500] <Critical>: PodcastProducer::Actions::WikiServer: HTTP-Error: 404 Not Found
Kinston

I thought I would post back with the solution I finally found in case someone else runs across this. I was going crazy!
This link and the comments in reply to the topic show what the problem is. I could not find it in any Apple documentation so I'm very grateful to those who posted at this link, "Mounting a shared file system for Xgrid":
http://hints.macworld.com/article.php?story=20100609114725470
Basically, Xgrid agents don't have permission to access folders pointed to under /Volumes. The solution is to provide the complete network path in your workflow, starting with /Network/Servers/<servername>/<path to folder>.
As long as the Podcast Producer Xgrid user (in my case, "pcastxgrid") has permission to the directory exported and once the full path is in your workflow the agents can publish to the folder. Again, thanks to those who posted to the hints at macworld.

Share from FCP X to Podcast Producer Problem

Hello,
I have a strange (what I think is strange) problem. I can Share to Podcast Producer from iMovie and I believe QuickTime but I cannot do it in FCPX. It lets me set it up and connect to the server but the Publish button is never highlighted. I don't get any errors or any other indication that something is wrong. Is there a permission or other setting that needs to be turned on to allow FCPX to do this?
Thanks,
Todd

Apparently nobody else has ever had this problem or there are no suggestions for what the problem could be?

Podcast Producer with SSLed Web Service

So, I'd like to configure the Web service in OS X to only use SSL. Are there any modifications that I will need to make to my Podcast Producer configuration? Currently, I do have Podcast Producer configured and working, but when I enable SSL in the Web Service, I am no longer able to submit new podcasts successfully from Podcast Capture. It does say that it was submitted successfully, but no email is sent and no new podcast appears in the blog. What extra settings will I need to make

Bonjour Phillippe, Ça va?
Ok, crash course in the fun of PcP.
The XML that PcP generates is based on .plist files that accompany each podcast item. On your server navigate to:
HD > Library > PodcastProducer > Shared > Content
In this folder you will find date stamped/named folders, each of these contains all the published podcasts for that date. Within you will find folders with very long names ending in '.prb', each of these is a podcast. Within each is a folder 'Contents > Resources > Metadata'. Inside 'Metadata' you will find 'properties.plist' and 'User_metadata-….plist'. These are the two files that PcP uses to generate the XML for the RSS feeds. You can edit these (remember to make sure you have permissions on the file and the containing folder) and change some of the metadata. You will need to sync the library using Terminal to see any changes in the XML though.
Editing these files is particularly useful if you need to change the author of the podcast.
The downside of this is it doesn't allow you to set all the XML elements required by iTunes U, and in particular the Public Site Manager; which is where Feeder comes in.
I've just downloaded all my feeds into Feeder and have started adding additional metadata. I'm then using SFTP to publish the feeds back to the normal webserver (not PcP) on my XServe as static files for import into iTunes U.
Once I have all my feeds re-imported into iTunes U, I'll then be able to make the move to Public Site Manager.
I know this is not the easiest or most user friendly of processes, I hope it will only be a stop-gap solution until OS X 10.7; but until then I know of no better way to do the job.
I hope this helps.
Barry

Posting Podcast Producer Content to CDN

I am part of a software company using the Xserve and podcast producer to create training content, and streaming it from the Xserve. This is all done in house, but we are looking to move our courses to a Content Delivery Network (CDN) like Akamai or limelight. Amazon's Cloudfront service looks promising but as far as I can determine they do not support quicktime streaming files. We have a worldwide audience that we need to reach, and up to this point, our customers have been streaming the files from our Xserve at the office, but we would like to provide seamless, reliable streaming media to our customers. Does anyone have any recommendations?

there is no way in GB to save the file with any other ext than (band)
Ahh
It appears that I'm missing a step
I can't follow your steps and figure out how you did it, but you're uploading the wrong file.
The .band file is something that NO computer using ANY software (other than GB or the Logic 7 series) could play.

Does lion server have podcast producer 2

The Apple Lion Server description lists podcast producer 2 but I'm only finding pod cast capture and pod cast publisher.

In Lion Server, Apple made some changes to the way podcasts can be handled. However, Podcast Producer is still available, and can be configured using the Server Admin app.

Persistent problems posting to iTunes U via podcast producer - inconsistent

Hi all,
We have been running podcast producer to post content to our iTunes U site since shortly after 10.5 came out. Responsibility for the server has recently been passed to me. The problem that we are having, the problem we have had for a very long time, is that "pcast action iTunesU" will fail. The logging is not very verbose so we do not know if it is a timeout issue or what. The problem is inconsistent, sometimes it works (for the same user using the same workflow) and other times it will just fail. Sometimes it will fail early on in the process, sometimes later on. It seems there is no consistency and as yet I have not been able to reproduce the problem from the command line.
We are running 10.5.3 as the 10.5.4 update broke things worse (the metadata problem others have experienced as well).
I know that our workflow works, I know that the user authentication is working as I can post to that iTunes U tab doing short tests with podcast capture. When the instructor in question tries to post it will sometimes work and sometimes fail. Is this a timeout issue on Apple's end?
We desperately need a solution for this.
Is there a file size limit that is not documented or something?
Here is an example of the error from xgrid agent log:
Fri Jul 11 13:01:30 podcast.acs.ocad.ca xgridagentd[1109] <Notice>: Notice: agent task "11438" failed for user "pcastxgrid" executable "/usr/bin/pcastaction" arguments (\n iTunesU,\n "--basedir=/Volumes/Content/Shared/Recordings/4900EF02-5717-4F5B-B420-48780F797 998",\n "--input=ScreenCapture-2008-07-10-180542-ipod.m4v",\n "--title=Bojana Test (video)",\n "--description=",\n "--site_url=ocad.ca",\n "--tab_id=1589674576.01589674581",\n "--credential=Administrator@urn:mace:itunesu.com:sites:ocad.ca",\n "--display_name=hidden",\n "[email protected]",\n "--user=hidden",\n "--user_id=1028",\n "--pcast_server=https://podcast.acs.ocad.ca:8170/podcastproducer",\n "--otp=/cjLUErIVJxKnx/ZCOalWA=="\n)
To test from the command line I am generating a fresh OTP just fyi in case someone is searching:
$sudo pcastconfig --add_access "token" --properties "iTunes U Shared Secret"
Again, this happens sometimes (lately more often than not), and sometimes it will work.
The lectures that we are posting are roughly 2.5 hours and the instructor is using podcast capture on a macbook pro using the screen capture function. We are running PcP on an intel xserve.
Thank you!
Message was edited by: smpsmp

Just for good measure, here is a successful log for the same workflow, same user:
Mon Jul 14 14:57:09 podcast.acs.ocad.ca xgridagentd[1109] <Notice>: Notice: agent task "81237" started for user "pcastxgrid" executable "/usr/bin/pcastaction" arguments (\n iTunesU,\n "--basedir=/Volumes/Content/Shared/Recordings/F0FAE0CE-7BAA-43AD-BA8B-75A14FBD4 70C",\n "--input=ScreenCapture-2008-07-14-123118-ipod.m4v",\n "--title=test (video)",\n "--description=test",\n "--site_url=ocad.ca",\n "--tab_id=1589674576.01589674581",\n "--credential=Administrator@urn:mace:itunesu.com:sites:ocad.ca",\n "--display_name=hidden",\n "--email=[email protected]",\n "--user=hidden",\n "--user_id=1028",\n "--pcast_server=https://podcast.acs.ocad.ca:8170/podcastproducer",\n "--otp=ixAqXmjxoZnvCEqkQQ3vqA=="\n)

When Podcast Producer says it's running but isn't (apache fails to start)

We've set up a new Intel XServe up with Leopard Server (10.5.6) and are having trouble persuading the Podcast Producer engine from starting.
First, we've set up all the accounts and settings exactly per Apple's PP documentation. Yes, I'm aware of the need to significantly tweak the defaults and that you don't just click "start" We have a fully functioning OD Master on this machine, plus DNS, Kerberos, XGrid, QTSS and our regular web services (on port 80) via Apache.
We try to start the Podcast Producer in Server Admin. The dot goes green, indicating that the service is running. However, no one can connect to it using the Podcast Capture application (and yes, users attempting that are clients of the OD Master).
The logs show what's not happening, but not why:
The pcastserverd_out.log shows many repetitive instances of:
Thu Jan 22 16:27:33 +1100 2009 -- Starting pcastserverd apache...
pcastserverd_error.log shows many repeated instances of:
Unexpected exception in check: Failed system command: /usr/sbin/httpd -f /usr/share/podcastproducer/apache/httpd.conf -k start (256)
and, less often:
Unexpected exception starting mongrel instance: Failed system command: /usr/sbin/httpd -f /usr/share/podcastproducer/apache/httpd.conf -k start (256)
I have traced this error to the execution of a ruby file:
/usr/share/podcastproducer/pcastserverd/lib/pcast_server.rb
where there is a routine that obviously attempts to check "mongrel and apache" for something. Here's the routine:
def check
ASLLogger.debug("Checking mongrel and apache...")
begin
if (!check_apache)
start_apache
end
if (ServerPreferences.mode == "main")
@mongrelbase_port.upto(@mongrel_baseport + @num_mongrels - 1) do |portnum|
start_mongrel(portnum)
end
end
rescue Exception => boom
ASLLogger.error "Unexpected exception in check: #{boom}"
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end
Here's the question: how do I further trace this fault to work out what's going on and how to fix it? Why does SA insist the PP engine is running when evidently it isn't? Why won't this instance of Apache launch properly?
I am assuming that the PP invoked instances of Apache and it's "mongrels" (whatever they are) are using SSL on ports in the 8xxx range, and that these are entirely unrelated to the web services I've already set up for webmail, wikis and blogs elsewhere in SA.
Your advice is appreciated.

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i

Is there a way to create a iTunes U feed using .pdf or .epub files using a Podcast Producer 2 backend?

I'm in the process of creating an iTunes U site for my university. We are in the process of activating an Xserve running Snow Leopard and Podcast Producer 2 to server as a backend and trying to figure out how to create various workflows and feeds for populating both the Public SIte Manager "public site" and the authenticated "private site". So far, I have not found any information regrading how to upload .pdfs or .epub documents using Podcast Composer or Podcast Capture. Is this possible?

WorMzy wrote:
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maybe a chmod fix if needed?
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This works fine.
# pacman -S iw wpa_supplicant
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Podcast Producer and Internet Explorer

I've configured Podcast Producer on 10.6.8, and it is working fine - items are processed from the Capture software through to PcP2 and Xgrid, and are then uploaded to a Wiki.
The issue is with clients using Internet Explorer (any version) and their ability to play audio files uploaded from Capture or through the web interface of the wiki. Videos work fine, but whatever code is used to upload just audio files to the wiki cannot be interpreted by IE. I know that 10.6.8 was meant to address some of these issues, but I am just not sure how to proceed.
Has anyone had a similar experience?
Cheers
Kieran

Not sure if this will fix your problem, but I was having the same problem until I looked at the specs for XGrid, it has to run on an Intel Mac. This is where you can get the specs:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=306737
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Podcast Capture requirements
Any Mac running Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard
iSight camera (built-in or external) or FireWire DV camcorder
Podcast Producer Server requirements
Any Mac running Mac OS X Server version 10.5 Leopard
Xsan for optional cluster file services
Podcast Producer Xgrid rendering requirements
Any Intel-based Macintosh Server or Intel-based desktop Mac (a Mac Pro, for example)
Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard or Mac OS X Server version 10.5 Leopard
At least 1 GB of memory (RAM) plus 512 MB of additional RAM per processor core
At least 50 GB of available disk space
Xsan for optional cluster file services
Quartz Extreme-enabled video chipset
Note: Quartz Extreme support can be verified in the Graphics section of Apple System Profiler.
Note: If a system is providing multiple Podcast services (for example, Podcast Producer and Podcast Producer Xgrid rendering), the system needs to meet both requirements.

How to get poster art in the RSS feed using Podcast Producer workflow

With podcast producer there are standard workflow which create atom feeds. I can not figure out how to automatically generate a poster image (or any type of images) associated with the video to show in the rss feed. Anyone got this to work?
Here is the feed of the test site:
feed://switch.macsenior.net:8171/podcastproducer/atom_feeds/4C9A6B5A-4D09-4394-A 846-5407C8BF8FBD
I like to show poster art of an random frame of the movie.

You actually are publishing images. For example:
http://switch.macsenior.net:8171/podcastproducer/feed_logos/4C9A6B5A-4D09-4394-A 846-5407C8BF8FBD.png
http://switch.macsenior.net:8171/podcastproducer/attachments/4C9A6B5A-4D09-4394- A846-5407C8BF8FBD/2EFF4653-5E35-4F9F-B0D1-14C797DAB1C8.png
You aren't seeing these images because of the way Safari parses feeds. Try using curl from the command line or another browser. Safari and Podcast Producer really don't play well together. A good example is trying to use the SSL port to view feeds.
If you'd like to change the image to something common for all episodes in a workflow, select Window > Workflow Inspector in Podcast Composer. Be careful with your image dimensions, as it is posted unaltered.

Quicktime Metadata handling in podcast producer batchs

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