Squiz Matrix MP3 File Asset to be Released in 3.20

Recently I wrote an MP3 File asset for MySource Matrix which will let you upload file types of .mp3 and the asset will extract the ID3 tags which are then usable in Matrix. This asset is based off of the standard File asset type, but goes one step further for MP3 files giving them a new type code, as well as ID3 extraction functionality.

I am excited to say that I submitted the asset to Squiz and they will be including it in the 3.20 branch. My fingers are crossed that it will be released in the 3.20.0 release, but if it does not make it in that, it will be released in 3.20.1 in February. Squiz has to run it through their test suite first to make sure that the asset does not break any core functionality of MySource Matrix (it better not!).

Right now the MP3 File asset is at version 1.0 which includes the following features:

• Uses getID3(), a great library that gets mp3 tags along with lots of other audio formats. This can be downloaded at www.getid3.org. Right now version 1.7.8 is the version that I am recommending, as the 2.x branch has a few bugs.
• getID3() is a new option in External Tools Configuration (error checking is done in the asset to make sure this is turned on, and that the files exist).
• Asset extracts ID3 tags automatically when the file is uploaded (error checking also if there are none).
• Asset checks for ID3v1 and ID3v2 and uses the appropriate extraction method for the correct version.
• ID3 information can be manually parsed on the assets details page (Great in case you change the tags manually and want to revert back to the ID3 tags in the mp3).
• Custom keywords have been added which dynamically get the ID3 tag information and print it. This information does not have to be in the database.
• Bulk File Import Tool updated to allow bulk importing to .mp3 files through FTP as well as Admin interface. Importing .mp3 files in this way will also extract ID3 tags for each file.
• Squiz coding standards have been followed.

It is exciting to get to write an asset which will be added to MySource Matrix! I will continue to be the person that is in charge of the asset and I already have some additional feature ideas to add to the asset.

Feel free to let me know what you think and go download MySource Matrix 3.20 on January 5th!