Filed under: Odds and ends, iTunes, Graphic Design
Inside the new iTunes LP format
With the release of iTunes 9 came iTunes LP. Our own Dave Caolo gave iTunes LP a glowing review, but if you're wondering just how Apple worked their magic with the new format, web developer Jay Robinson has picked it apart thoroughly. As it turns out, simply replacing the ".itlp" extension with ".zip" reveals the contents of the package, which are actually HTML, CSS, and a little JavaScript. The Flash-like interfaces really use no Flash, but instead rely on the proposed CSS3 animation properties. If you're a web developer like yours truly (or a few other TUAW bloggers), you'll definitely want to check out Jay's analysis of the format.
We've also been informed by a loyal tipster that if you take that unzipped folder of content and put it in your Sites directory (with Web sharing turned on, naturally), you might try browsing to it from your iPhone or iPod touch and seeing what shows up in Mobile Safari. Fascinating.
We've also been informed by a loyal tipster that if you take that unzipped folder of content and put it in your Sites directory (with Web sharing turned on, naturally), you might try browsing to it from your iPhone or iPod touch and seeing what shows up in Mobile Safari. Fascinating.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
mikeyrogers said 12:01PM on 9-15-2009
I only get some functionality on my iPhone OS 3.1. Some links and animations work, but things like Play Album and tapping videos do nothing more than just highlight them.
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Noah said 12:21PM on 9-15-2009
That's still pretty cool, though.
Hobbes said 12:10PM on 9-15-2009
You don't have to change the extension to see the contents of the package. Just right click on the .itlp file and choose "Show Package Contents".
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CyBeR said 12:33PM on 9-15-2009
Indeed. They're not zip files at all, just packages. Renaming a folder to .zip just has the side effect of the finder not having any idea wtf you're doing (a .zip is always a file) so it just returns to the default behaviour of showing it as a folder.
Paul Mensah said 12:54PM on 9-15-2009
The Blueprint 3 is one of the best albums this year! Buy It!
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utterer said 1:04PM on 9-15-2009
Raekwon's Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... Part 2 is better.
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orta said 1:59PM on 9-15-2009
My band has their own iTunes LP, check it out for free at http://brutaltechnopunk.com :)
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Giants Win said 2:19PM on 9-15-2009
I tried to upgrade to iTunes 9.0. Now I can't sync my podcasts or access the iTunes Store. According to the Apple forums, this is a common problem. I will give it a day or two to see if there is a patch then uninstall and reinstall iTunes 8.11.
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albk said 3:55PM on 9-15-2009
A much more complete rundown is provided by roughlydrafted, which points out that iTunes LP is built using a new TuneKit JavaScript Framework that bridges web content with iTunes control:
http://www.roughlydrafted.com/2009/09/14/new-itunes-lp-and-extras-built-using-tunekit-framework-aimed-at-apple-tv/
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Mickey said 3:59PM on 9-15-2009
So, theoretically, could someone build their own iTunes LP artwork and such for albums?
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Jay Robinson said 4:32PM on 9-20-2009
I have been trying to build my own iTunes LP, but I have struggled with grabbing the correct songs from my library. The internal .xml files reference an "xid" of the songs it should play.
Any ideas?
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Universal Indie Records said 12:25PM on 10-13-2009
These guys have created their own album in iTunes LP format and the content of their ".itpl" file is a lot easier to follow
http://ilongplay.com/#download-listen-tryad%22
it's a free download... so I'd advise people to check it out...
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Universal Indie Records said 1:08PM on 10-21-2009
Actually, I've just created my own iTunes LP album. It's pretty basic but I learned a lot in the process as well.
You can download it from
http://www.universalindie.com
warning: it's hip hop (lol)
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