[AndrewD]

Originally Posted by nexus851

i have a mp3 file that is a music file that can be played. However, when the link is clicked, it has to download the whole file before it plays, is there a way i can change the mime types or any other way to let it START playing same time that its downloading... sorta like streaming play... this way my users dont have to wait to download 10megs before they can hear it....

The text link is simply an instruction to download the file (or jump to another site, if it's a regular url). For an mp3 file (and for most file types), the user's pc will wait until the file is complete before doing anything with it.

As far as I understand (I'm not an expert), to 'stream' mp3s so that the user does not have to wait for the download to complete, you wrap them up in m3u playlists. For example, to stream a file http://yoursite/xxx.mp3, then write a m3u file as follows:

#EXTM3U
http://yoursite/xxx.mp3

You also have to set up the m3u mimetype information in the VB admin/attachments page, and provide an m3u.gif icon in your files_icons_dir directory. The correct mimetype is Content-type: audio/x-mpequrl.

One possible problem with the m3u route is that it reveals the whereabouts of the main mp3. Possibly I could wrap all this up inside LDM, but that will have to take its place in the wish list.

Originally Posted by nexus851

P.S - 1 more thing, the MP3 file doesnt seem to play in the JUKEBOX in either Windows Meda or Realplayer mode... it just says "ready..." in windows media, and in REAL PLAYER, it says "Requested File not found. The Link you followed maybe outdated or inaccurate." What might be the problem here??

Happy to take a look - PM me with your board's address and an admin username and password - apologies if you've already done this - I lose track.