I am both an avid Sonos (hardware) fan and also a Control4 user who loves to program in Composer.
I'm wondering how / where I can submit feature requests to re-enable a VERY important feature in the Sonos API. And that is... the ability to replace the queue when we are calling different playlists in programming.
If Playlist A is currently in the queue, and I don't manually go into the sonos app and clear the queue first, when I call Playlist B in programming (from a custom button, voice control, etc) it will MERGE Playlist B randomly into the queue alongside Playlist A's songs.
I understand that this topic has been hotly debated for some time on what the DEFAULT handling of the situation should be. And, although I still disagree that the majority of people would ever want to merge playlists into a queue by default... I do respect the decision by the devs to be diligent in keeping the default behavior consistent. However, i do not understand why you would REMOVE the ability to clear the queue through a command in the API for those users who want to implement that behavior? I have circled this request internally with several different 3rd parties thinking that it was a feature they just weren't tapping into. But, alas, each of them came back with the same reply saying that the API used to allow it, but now explicitly prohibits it???? Again, aside from the debate on what should be the default action... why would you remove functionality from the API? And, is there any way to get it added back? I can think of no reason why I would ever want to merge playlists in a custom control system specifically designed to give me TOTAL control of everything.
Thanks to the community managers for any info you can provide on this? I greatly appreciate it.
Answered
API Feature Request - Queue Control
Best answer by Ryan S
Hi g8rfn2, I don't have a timeline right now, but you can always contact the team at https://developer.sonos.com/ in case you want to give them a direct request. They may not have time to get right back to you though.
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+26Hi g8rfn2, sadly I don't have any details I can bring to light on this interaction, but I'll let the right people on the API dev team know about your inquiry and request. Maybe this is something that they can look further into and add at some point in the future. Thanks for asking!
Thanks Ryan,
Can you please keep me updated on their response (good or bad)? This is imperative for the way i continue to build out my system.
Can you please keep me updated on their response (good or bad)? This is imperative for the way i continue to build out my system.
+23Which of the many API sets are you talking about? This is trivial to do with the UPnP API.
They mentioned that... But, also mentioned it's use is now prohibited by third parties. This is what I got back from the Control4 developers:
Well, unfortunately this is a request that needs to be received by Sonos.
The Sonos API is explicit that the behavior explained here is how it is supposed to work and is not to be tampered with. The API also does not include any mechanism for cleaning the queue ; that was present in the old UPNP API but those commands are no longer supported or allowed for third parties.
https://developer.sonos.com/reference/control-api/favorites/loadfavorite/ is the URL for the command we use to load a favorite and calls this behavior out.
I hope that this information is helpful,
Well, unfortunately this is a request that needs to be received by Sonos.
The Sonos API is explicit that the behavior explained here is how it is supposed to work and is not to be tampered with. The API also does not include any mechanism for cleaning the queue ; that was present in the old UPNP API but those commands are no longer supported or allowed for third parties.
https://developer.sonos.com/reference/control-api/favorites/loadfavorite/ is the URL for the command we use to load a favorite and calls this behavior out.
I hope that this information is helpful,
+26I'll let you know if I hear anything, they don't always have a response to every request however. So I would recommend making decisions entirely based on what's currently available and what you can work with.
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Ryan S wrote:
I'll let you know if I hear anything, they don't always have a response to every request however. So I would recommend making decisions entirely based on what's currently available and what you can work with.
Ryan,
I understand that requests can get out of hand, and that's why they cant respond to everything. But, especially given that this is something that USED TO WORK, and now is no longer permitted in the API, I would hope they could at least let us know if it's something they are looking into? I'm not asking for any sort of un-charted features here...
Would really appreciate an update.
Thanks,
-Matt
This is also a very important function for us which I had requested last year.
The problem with the current playlist still exists. As described, we can not play any Favorite in random mode, because we can not delete the current playlist. So in random mode everything is played, not just the selected playlist. This is a very important feature for us and we would be very happy if we get a chance to delete the current playlist.
Thanks,
Marco
The problem with the current playlist still exists. As described, we can not play any Favorite in random mode, because we can not delete the current playlist. So in random mode everything is played, not just the selected playlist. This is a very important feature for us and we would be very happy if we get a chance to delete the current playlist.
Thanks,
Marco
Can we please get an update on this feature request and/or get the contact info for someone directly? This seems like such a common sense request, I just don't understand why the functionality was removed from a prior version? Who do we contact to actually have a discussion about this?
+26Hi g8rfn2, I don't have a timeline right now, but you can always contact the team at https://developer.sonos.com/ in case you want to give them a direct request. They may not have time to get right back to you though.
Definitely not getting back to me via that route either... This is incredibly frustrating! I have over $3K of Sonos stuff in my house, and cant get any of it to do what I want it to do any more.
@Ryan S , we could really use your help here. I found the (very long) thread about everyone complaining when a queue was reset in a prior update. And, I get that every situation is unique. But, what I cannot understand is regardless of the "default" behavior of how the queue works... Why can we not have the OPTION to make it do whatever WE want it to do via the programming in the API? All I am asking for is either:
Please help us get a response and some traction on this.
Thanks,
-Matt
- Add a programmatic way to clear the queue (before I send other commands)
- Add the EXISTING functionality that is already located in the "3 dots" menu using "Replace Queue" when i select a new playlist to play.
Please help us get a response and some traction on this.
Thanks,
-Matt
+26Hi Matt, I can't promise any traction, but I'll make sure that the team has seen the request. Thanks for reaching out!
Ryan S wrote:
Hi Matt, I can't promise any traction, but I'll make sure that the team has seen the request. Thanks for reaching out!
What could possibly be their reason for NOT supporting it? It’s SO frustrating to not get any direct communication and just vague responses. If there is a legitimate reason, then they should just tell their consumers? Can i get a refund on all my devices since they no longer work as I want them to? Extreme example, but this is the equivalent of an auto manufacturer downgrading the software on your car to give you less features than when you bought it. Just give us a method to get around the new (poorly designed) “default behavior” in programming. Again, not asking you to revert the decision, just give us an alternative! I’m not understanding why nobody can actually answer me on this? I’m “trying” to be as patient as I can be, but we’re well past 3 months now? Is there a customer service manager I can speak with on the phone? Does that do me any good?
+23As I said already, this is trivial to do with the UPnP API. The UPnP API is so much more complete and useful than the REST API, and this wont be the last time you are frustrated with the REST API. Just make the switch.
I seriously doubt any communication with a CSM would result in a new API, but happy to be wrong.
I would also use it very well and unfortunately do not understand why you cannot implement it.
Michael
controlav wrote:
As I said already, this is trivial to do with the UPnP API. The UPnP API is so much more complete and useful than the REST API, and this wont be the last time you are frustrated with the REST API. Just make the switch.
I seriously doubt any communication with a CSM would result in a new API, but happy to be wrong.
The UPnP API is more complete, but can we be sure it will be supported in the future?
+23riccardoch wrote:
The UPnP API is more complete, but can we be sure it will be supported in the future?
Well it has been around since the day Sonos has shipped, so it has a solid history. I guess we’ll find out its longer term plan in May.
I am also in great need of this feature. I live my life based off Spotify playlists and when trying to program a keypad to have the ability to pull up and switch between playlists from Spotify in shuffle mode is something that used to work! Without the “CLEAR PLAYLIST’ it’s pointless to program more than 1 Spotify Playlist through Control4. Please help!
Nick
Same problem here, I searched for hours thinking they can not have missed that feature in the API, but it looks like it has been missed. Please add this feature. Is there a way we can at least be informed, that it will be added?
If the UPnP API is not supported in S2 wouldn’t that just drive more people to stay on a legacy configuration? Is that the outcome Sonos wants?
+23upstatemike wrote:
If the UPnP API is not supported in S2 wouldn’t that just drive more people to stay on a legacy configuration? Is that the outcome Sonos wants?
I haven’t seen anything to indicate that UPnP is going away in S2, have you?
controlav wrote:
upstatemike wrote:
If the UPnP API is not supported in S2 wouldn’t that just drive more people to stay on a legacy configuration? Is that the outcome Sonos wants?
I haven’t seen anything to indicate that UPnP is going away in S2, have you?
I’m just trying to follow the information from this thread that seems to say:
1- Sonos has a new REST API and they want third parties to use it so they forbid them from using the old UPnP API.
2- Sonos does not provide some important functionality that exists in the UPnP API within the newer REST API.
3- The REST API has been out a long time now and SONOS has not closed the functionality gap nor provided any indication that they ever intend to.
So I guess I’m confused as to why Sonos would continue to support an API that they don’t want third parties to use and why anyone would upgrade to any future software version that did not include the existing functionality of the UPnP API either by fixing the REST API or continuing to support the UPnP API… but if they continue supporting UPnP that has better functionality then why even have the REST API?
^^^ Exactly! Control4 was “forced” to switch away from UPnP a while back… They SPECIFICALLY mentioned that they used to have access to this exact feature, but that it was taken away in the REST API.
There is no logic in taking features away. And, Sonos doesn’t even have the common courtesy to tell us WHY we cant have it back?
Officially out of patience.
+26Hi
Ryan S wrote:
Hi
This feature is missed very much! It is so annoying that I can’t Clear the SONOS Queue via a programming action. Seems like we are back in the 1990s with this, let’s get it on the list to fix!
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