Can OS X wakeup and play some music?

[Eric Durbrow]

I am not sure what forum this fits in but here goes. I have a PB G4 and I am wondering if I can use it, OSX, and iTunes as an expensive alarm clock. Can I have the PB wake up and play an mp3 file? Thanks for any help.

[santin]

I believe it isn't possible to do this due to the fact that while sleeping no process is running.
However if you just leave your PB running without sleeping, you should be able to use it as an alarm clock (a REALLY expensive one).

[santin]

You can find some info about an iTunes alarm clock in http://www.macosxhints.com/article.php?story=20020110163623707

[semeion0]

I usually use this <http://macupdate.com/info.php/id/10582>. The problem I have found with it is that it is not easy to reset the alarm and untill you get it set right you should use an alarm too. I always use the "agenda" (which is a scheduled alarm.) part of it, it is the only part that I have found dependable but it has never let me down, but I have not even figured out how to set the quick alarm. (This alarm uses Itunes)

[gldfshkpr]

I am not sure what forum this fits in but here goes. I have a PB G4 and I am wondering if I can use it, OSX, and iTunes as an expensive alarm clock. Can I have the PB wake up and play an mp3 file? Thanks for any help.

Eric,

Use iCal and iTunes. Make an event and have the alarm "Open file". Have it open this script...

tell application "iTunes"
run
play user playlist "U2"
end tell

Just replace "U2" with a playlist of your own. It has to be exact spelling and spacing. Works like a charm for me! I spend a few days trying out alarm apps and was frustrated by their lack of consistency. You will have to set the computer to never sleep in Energy Saver Preferences, or you can have the machine wake up before the alarm goes off using Schedule, also in Energy Saver.

[mclbruce]

It would be easy if you shut down the computer instead of sleep it. In 10.3 you can tell your computer when to start up in the Energy Saver preferences. Then you drag an MP3 file out of iTunes and use "Get Info" to make the file open in QuickTime. Then in the Accounts preferences add the file to the startup items. Make sure your computer is set to automatically log in to your account.

At the scheduled time your computer starts up and plays the file in QuickTime. Using QuickTime prevents a possible problem with the file being added to your iTunes library every time you use the alarm.

[guardian34]

It would be easy if you shut down the computer instead of sleep it.
That's how I do it. I have my PowerBook set to start up at 7:10 AM. Then this AppleScript runs when I log in:

property wakeHour : 7
property wakeMinute : {10, 20}
property thePlaylist : "Wake Up"

if (do shell script "date +%H") as integer is equal to wakeHour then
set currentMinute to (do shell script "date +%M") as integer
if currentMinute is greater than or equal to (item 1 of wakeMinute) and currentMinute is less than or equal to (item 2 of wakeMinute) then
set volume without output muted
set volume output volume 75
tell application "iTunes"
activate
play playlist thePlaylist
end tell
end if
end if

I could probably make that better, but it works fine as is.