Linux Multimedia Hacks

Store amaroK Data in MySQL

amaroK has the option to store its collection data in a remote MySQL database. Use this feature to create a centralized database of your listening habits so they follow you from computer to computer.

By default, amaroK stores information about your collection including listening habits and rankings into a SQLite database file on your filesystem. If you only use amaroK on a single computer this works fine, but if you run it on multiple computers you might want your information to be persistent across machines. amaroK supports the use of a MySQL database for this type of storage, but it does require a bit of setup beforehand to use. This hack will describe the steps necessary to migrate to a MySQL collection database.

First, you need root access to a MySQL database to create a new database for amaroK. If you plan on accessing this database from anywhere, you will want it to be on an Internet-facing machine that’s always on. Log in to the database as root and create the initial database:

	$ mysql -p -u root
	mysql> CREATE DATABASE amarokdb;
	mysql> USE mysql;
	mysql> GRANT select, insert, update, delete, create, drop, create \
	temporary tables, index ON amarokdb.* TO amarok@localhost IDENTIFIED \
	BY 'password_here';
	mysql> FLUSH PRIVILEGES;

Replace password_here with the password you want to use the for amarok user. Now that the database is created, click Settings → Configure amaroK and then click Collection from the amaroK configuration window. Change the Collection ...