The Command Line
Media Center can be controlled by command line parameters. Execute parameters will start Media Center if it is not already started. Control parameters are ignored if Media Center is not currently running.
If using Media Jukebox, the command to use is mjextman.exe, for Media Center, MC11.exe or MC12.exe. This document uses MC12.exe
Execute Parameters
Executing one of the following parameters starts Media Center if it's not running.
Playback Execute Parameters
MC12.exe /Play [filename] plays filename. The filename parameter can point to a specific file or URL as well as to a location in the organization tree. Any item in the tree, except for CD & DVD and Handhelds can be accessed by passing a filename parameter: TREEPATH=location (e.g. TREEPATH=Playlists\Top Hits). To play items under the CD & DVD and Handhelds item use DEVICE=drive letter (e.g. DEVICE=G:). Note that filenames can be separated by pipes. (i.e. c:\1.mp3|c:\2.mp3)
MC12.exe [filename] plays filename. This command behaves the same way as /Play command.
MC12.exe /Append [filename] appends specified file to the currently playing list of files. Also see notes for /Play command on replacing filename parameter with TREEPATH and DEVICE commands.
MC12.exe /PlayReplace [filename] works like /Play except that it always clears Playing Now and replaces it with the new files (Media Center specific).
Note: Playback execute parameters can be issued to a specific zone by adding Zone=x as one of the filenames in the pipe delimited filename list. An example would be "MC12.exe /Append c:\1.mp3|c:\2.mp3|zone=1" (requires Media Center 10 or later)
Media Core Commands
These parameters apply to Media Center only.
MC12.exe /MCC [Command],[Param] sends the desired command to Media Center ([Param] is optional, and will default to 0)
See the Media Core Command list here.
Other Execute Parameters
MC12.exe /Import [filename] imports specified file into MJ library and launches Media Jukebox.
MC12.exe /Connect m01p://[ip address or host name] establishes connection to a remote Media Server
MC12.exe /SilentImport [filename] imports specified file into MJ library but does not launch Media Jukebox.
MC12.exe /Clear [mode] clears Playing Now playlist. If mode is empty, all items will be removed. If mode is DontRemoveCurrent, currently playing file will not be removed.
MC12.exe /Mode [modename] if the app is not running the call starts MJ in the specified mode, if it's already running the call switches Media Jukebox to the specified mode. List of Mode names: Megame, Minime, Fullscreen, Theater, Windowed. If modename is empty MJ will start in user defined mode.
MC12.exe /Start starts Media Jukebox or brings it to top.
MC12.exe /Close closes Media Jukebox
MC12.exe /Power starts Media Jukebox if it's not running, or closes it if it is.
Command Parameters
Command parameters control the functionality of an already running Media Center. If MC is not running, the following commands will be ignored.
MC12.exe /Command Play starts playback of the selected track(s).
MC12.exe /Command Pause toggles between play and pause states.
MC12.exe /Command Stop stops playback.
MC12.exe /Command Next skips to the next track.
MC12.exe /Command Previous jumps to previous track.
MC12.exe /Command FastForward jumps 5 seconds forward.
MC12.exe /Command Rewind jumps 5 seconds back.
MC12.exe /Command Mute mutes the sound.
MC12.exe /Command VolumeUp [Value] increases sound by Value. Default is 5%
MC12.exe /Command VolumeDown [Value] decreases sound by Value. Default by 5%
MC12.exe /Command VolumeSet [Value] sets main volume. If value is not specified 50% is used.
MC12.exe /Command ToggleShuffle toggles shuffle mode
MC12.exe /Command ToggleContinuous toggles continuous mode