[Python] Can when changing song position qdbus6/bluez does not update position metadata

when skipping backwards or changing the playback position of a song qdbus6 or bluez is not refreshing

if I rewind or scan in any direction I do not get a proper reading in the "Position" value instead it continues counting in milliseconds until it the song ends on the source device

Browsable: true
Device:
Name: Music
Playlist:
Position: 45044
Repeat: off
Searchable: true
Shuffle: alltracks
Status: playing
Subtype: None
Track: Album: Devil (feat. Bubi) - Single
Artist: Ironmouse, shirobeats & HalaCG
Duration: 189677
Genre: Pop
Item:
NumberOfTracks: 550
Title: Devil (feat. Bubi)
TrackNumber: 100
Type: Audio


I have tried manually issuing various control commands to see if there is something that can do it but I don't have the "Update" command so I am having trouble figuring out what is going on.

this is what it does when I adjust the position on the playback device and it goes past the playback range instead of of resetting when adjusted.

Browsable: true
Device:
Name: Music
Playlist:
Position: 89961
Repeat: off
Searchable: true
Shuffle: alltracks
Status: playing
Subtype: None
Track: Album: New Classics (2010-2016)
Artist: dj-Nate
Duration: 88163
Genre: Dance
Item:
NumberOfTracks: 550
Title: Dirty Thumpin' Saws
TrackNumber: 107
Type: Audio


the code for the entire app I am having is here

import curses
import subprocess
import argparse
import os
import time

def run_qdbus6(args):
try:
return subprocess.check_output(["qdbus6", "--system"] + args, text=True)
except Exception:
return ""

def parse_status(output: str) -> dict:
info = {}
for line in output.splitlines():
if ':' in line:
k, v = line.split(':', 1)
info[k.strip()] = v.strip()
return info

def ms_to_mins_secs(ms):
seconds = int(ms) // 1000
mins = seconds // 60
secs = seconds % 60
return f"{mins}:{secs:02}"

def check_device_connected(mac_addr):
"""Returns True if the device is connected, False otherwise."""
dev_path = f"/org/bluez/hci0/dev_{mac_addr.replace(':', '_')}"
try:
output = subprocess.check_output(
["qdbus6", "--system", "org.bluez", dev_path, "org.freedesktop.DBus.Properties.Get", "org.bluez.Device1", "Connected"],
text=True,
stderr=subprocess.DEVNULL
)
return "true" in output.lower()
except Exception:
return False

def figlet_centered(stdscr, text, color_pair=0):
max_y, max_x = stdscr.getmaxyx()
try:
figlet_out = subprocess.check_output(
["figlet", "-f", "slant", "-l", "-w", str(max_x), text],
text=True,
stderr=subprocess.DEVNULL
)
except Exception:
figlet_out = text
lines = figlet_out.splitlines()
y0 = max((max_y - len(lines)) // 2, 0)
for i, line in enumerate(lines):
x0 = max((max_x - len(line)) // 2, 0)
try:
stdscr.addstr(y0 + i, x0, line, curses.color_pair(color_pair))
except curses.error:
pass

def draw_ui(stdscr, info, highlight_idx=None, button_boxes=None, color_pair=0):
stdscr.clear()
max_y, max_x = stdscr.getmaxyx()
title = info.get("Title", "Unknown Title")
artist = info.get("Artist", "Unknown Artist")
album = info.get("Track: Album", info.get("Album", "Unknown Album"))
status = info.get("Status", "paused").capitalize()
position = int(info.get("Position", "0"))
duration = int(info.get("Duration", "1"))
elapsed = ms_to_mins_secs(position)
remaining = ms_to_mins_secs(max(duration - position, 0))
prog_pos = position // 1000
prog_dur = max(duration // 1000, 1)

stdscr.addstr(0, 0, "=" * max_x, curses.color_pair(color_pair))
stdscr.addstr(1, 0, title.center(max_x), curses.color_pair(color_pair))
stdscr.addstr(2, 0, artist.center(max_x), curses.color_pair(color_pair))
stdscr.addstr(3, 0, album.center(max_x), curses.color_pair(color_pair))
stdscr.addstr(4, 0, "=" * max_x, curses.color_pair(color_pair))
stdscr.addstr(5, 0, f"Status: {status}", curses.color_pair(color_pair))

bar_length = max(max_x - 23, 10)
filled_length = int(bar_length * prog_pos // prog_dur) if prog_dur else 0
bar = "[" + "=" * filled_length + ">" + " " * (bar_length - filled_length - 1) + "]"
stdscr.addstr(7, 0, f"{elapsed.rjust(5)} {bar} -{remaining}", curses.color_pair(color_pair))

labels = ["⏮", "⏯" if status.lower() != "playing" else "⏸", "⏭"]
button_boxes.clear()
btn_y = 9
btn_h = 5
btn_w = 13
gap = 6
total_btns = 3 * btn_w + 2 * gap
start_x = (max_x - total_btns) // 2
for i, label in enumerate(labels):
x = start_x + i * (btn_w + gap)
y = btn_y
box = (y, x, y + btn_h, x + btn_w)
button_boxes.append(box)
for bx in range(x, x+btn_w):
stdscr.addch(y, bx, curses.ACS_HLINE, curses.color_pair(color_pair))
stdscr.addch(y+btn_h-1, bx, curses.ACS_HLINE, curses.color_pair(color_pair))
for by in range(y, y+btn_h):
stdscr.addch(by, x, curses.ACS_VLINE, curses.color_pair(color_pair))
stdscr.addch(by, x+btn_w-1, curses.ACS_VLINE, curses.color_pair(color_pair))
stdscr.addch(y, x, curses.ACS_ULCORNER, curses.color_pair(color_pair))
stdscr.addch(y, x+btn_w-1, curses.ACS_URCORNER, curses.color_pair(color_pair))
stdscr.addch(y+btn_h-1, x, curses.ACS_LLCORNER, curses.color_pair(color_pair))
stdscr.addch(y+btn_h-1, x+btn_w-1, curses.ACS_LRCORNER, curses.color_pair(color_pair))
for by in range(y+1, y+btn_h-1):
stdscr.addstr(by, x+1, " " * (btn_w-2), curses.color_pair(color_pair) | (curses.A_REVERSE if highlight_idx == i else curses.A_NORMAL))
stdscr.addstr(y + btn_h//2, x + (btn_w-len(label))//2, label, curses.A_BOLD | curses.color_pair(color_pair) | (curses.A_REVERSE if highlight_idx == i else 0))
stdscr.addstr(btn_y+btn_h+1, 0, "Controls: [p] Play/Pause [n] Next Previous [q] Quit".center(max_x), curses.color_pair(color_pair))
stdscr.addstr(btn_y+btn_h+2, 0, "=" * max_x, curses.color_pair(color_pair))
stdscr.refresh()

def which_button(mx, my, button_boxes):
for idx, (y1, x1, y2, x2) in enumerate(button_boxes):
if y1 <= my < y2 and x1 <= mx < x2:
return idx
return None

def mac_to_bluez(mac):
return mac.replace(":", "_").upper()

def bluez_to_mac(bluez_mac):
# Accepts MAC with underscores, returns colon-separated MAC
return bluez_mac.replace("_", ":").upper()

def device_not_found_screen(stdscr, bluez_mac, color_pair, autoretry_interval=1.0):
shown_mac = bluez_to_mac(bluez_mac)
retry_counter = 0
while True:
stdscr.clear()
figlet_centered(stdscr, shown_mac, color_pair=color_pair)
msg = f"Device not connected. Waiting for device... (auto-retry every {autoretry_interval:.1f}s, press [q] to quit)".center(stdscr.getmaxyx()[1])
stdscr.addstr(stdscr.getmaxyx()[0]-2, 0, msg, curses.color_pair(color_pair))
stdscr.refresh()
wait_start = time.time()
# Wait for either timeout or 'q'
while True:
key = stdscr.getch()
if key in [ord('q'), ord('Q')]:
return False
elif key == ord('r'): # legacy, not needed, but kept for any custom testing
break
# After interval, break from inner loop to retry connection
if time.time() - wait_start > autoretry_interval:
break
time.sleep(0.05)
# After waiting, check connection
mac_addr = shown_mac
if check_device_connected(shown_mac):
return True

def main(stdscr, mac_addr, color_pair, autorefresh_interval=1.0):
curses.curs_set(0)
curses.mousemask(curses.ALL_MOUSE_EVENTS | curses.REPORT_MOUSE_POSITION)
stdscr.nodelay(True)
bluez_mac = mac_to_bluez(mac_addr)
PLAYER_PATH = f"/org/bluez/hci0/dev_{bluez_mac}/player0"

button_boxes = []

def refresh_info():
status_out = run_qdbus6([
"org.bluez",
PLAYER_PATH,
"org.freedesktop.DBus.Properties.GetAll",
"org.bluez.MediaPlayer1"
])
return parse_status(status_out)

# Device connect/retry loop (initial)
while not check_device_connected(mac_addr):
found = device_not_found_screen(stdscr, bluez_mac, color_pair, autoretry_interval=autorefresh_interval)
if not found:
return

info = refresh_info()
draw_ui(stdscr, info, None, button_boxes, color_pair=color_pair)
last_refresh = time.time()
while True:
try:
key = stdscr.getch()
now = time.time()

# At each loop, check if device is still connected
if not check_device_connected(mac_addr):
found = device_not_found_screen(stdscr, bluez_mac, color_pair, autoretry_interval=autorefresh_interval)
if not found:
return
info = refresh_info()
draw_ui(stdscr, info, None, button_boxes, color_pair=color_pair)
last_refresh = time.time()
continue

# Autorefresh every autorefresh_interval seconds
if now - last_refresh > autorefresh_interval:
info = refresh_info()
draw_ui(stdscr, info, None, button_boxes, color_pair=color_pair)
last_refresh = now

if key == ord('q'):
break
elif key in [ord('p'), ord(' ')]:
status = info.get("Status", "paused").lower()
if status == "playing":
run_qdbus6([
"org.bluez",
PLAYER_PATH,
"org.bluez.MediaPlayer1.Pause"
])
else:
run_qdbus6([
"org.bluez",
PLAYER_PATH,
"org.bluez.MediaPlayer1.Play"
])
info = refresh_info()
draw_ui(stdscr, info, 1, button_boxes, color_pair=color_pair)
last_refresh = time.time()
elif key in [ord('n'), curses.KEY_RIGHT]:
run_qdbus6([
"org.bluez",
PLAYER_PATH,
"org.bluez.MediaPlayer1.Next"
])
info = refresh_info()
draw_ui(stdscr, info, 2, button_boxes, color_pair=color_pair)
last_refresh = time.time()
elif key in [ord('b'), curses.KEY_LEFT]:
run_qdbus6([
"org.bluez",
PLAYER_PATH,
"org.bluez.MediaPlayer1.Previous"
])
info = refresh_info()
draw_ui(stdscr, info, 0, button_boxes, color_pair=color_pair)
last_refresh = time.time()
elif key == curses.KEY_MOUSE:
_, mx, my, _, bstate = curses.getmouse()
btn_idx = which_button(mx, my, button_boxes)
if btn_idx == 0: # prev
run_qdbus6([
"org.bluez",
PLAYER_PATH,
"org.bluez.MediaPlayer1.Previous"
])
elif btn_idx == 1: # play/pause
status = info.get("Status", "paused").lower()
if status == "playing":
run_qdbus6([
"org.bluez",
PLAYER_PATH,
"org.bluez.MediaPlayer1.Pause"
])
else:
run_qdbus6([
"org.bluez",
PLAYER_PATH,
"org.bluez.MediaPlayer1.Play"
])
elif btn_idx == 2: # next
run_qdbus6([
"org.bluez",
PLAYER_PATH,
"org.bluez.MediaPlayer1.Next"
])
info = refresh_info()
draw_ui(stdscr, info, btn_idx, button_boxes, color_pair=color_pair)
last_refresh = time.time()
elif key == -1:
pass
except KeyboardInterrupt:
break

def parse_args():
parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description="Bluetooth Music Player UI with Mouse and Keyboard Control")
parser.add_argument('-D', '--device', type=str, required=True, help="Bluetooth MAC address of the device")
parser.add_argument('--color', type=str, default="white", help="Color theme (default: white)")
parser.add_argument('--autorefresh', type=float, default=1.0, help="Autorefresh interval in seconds (default: 1.0)")
return parser.parse_args()

def color_theme(theme):
colors = dict(
black=curses.COLOR_BLACK, red=curses.COLOR_RED, green=curses.COLOR_GREEN, yellow=curses.COLOR_YELLOW,
blue=curses.COLOR_BLUE, magenta=curses.COLOR_MAGENTA, cyan=curses.COLOR_CYAN, white=curses.COLOR_WHITE
)
base = colors.get(theme.lower(), curses.COLOR_WHITE)
curses.init_pair(1, base, curses.COLOR_BLACK)
return 1

def run():
args = parse_args()
mac_addr = args.device
def wrapped(stdscr):
curses.start_color()
color_pair = color_theme(args.color)
main(stdscr, mac_addr, color_pair, autorefresh_interval=args.autorefresh)
curses.wrapper(wrapped)

if __name__ == "__main__":
run()


I noticed there were various another questions here about this issue but I did not see an answer on any of them.

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