Making Meta Files

So you are ready for making metafiles for your wma files. If you have reached this point then there is nothing much to worry about. You have already done the important job of encoding the files. Now let's begin with the meta files.

A Meta file is a text file containing a URL. This URL is the exact location of your wma file. When a visitor clicks a song, the windowsmedia player is directed to the URL that you wrote in your metafile and the streaming begins.

A metafile does the important job of directing your windowsmedia player to the address where your BIG wma file is located. The result is that the song is played instantly without waiting for the whole song to download. In other words a metafile streams your media bit by bit and your player plays it continuously, sounds great eh?

To make a metafile open your notepad and write down this text:

http://www.yourserver.com/yoursong.wma

For example, if the address of your homepage is www.Safis-Web.com/mypage and you want to make a meta file for your music file called mysong.wma, the meta file would look like this:

http://www.Safis-Web.com/mypage/mysong.wma

Save the metafile as mysong.wax. Note the ending ".wax" is what makes it a windows media metafile. I suggest you give your meta file the same name as your wma file and put them in the same directory which will simplify things for you.

You are done! Make a metafile for each of your wma file and upload all of your wma and wax files to where homepage is located, in this case:

www.Safis-Web.com/mypage

To see if you have made your metafile correctly, open the file by double-clicking. If it plays the song then you have done the right job, if not check the URL you have written in the meta file.

Note that for metafile to work you must have uploaded your wma file to the address which you have written in your metafile.

Editing Your HTML File

You are now one step away from having a website with professional music files. To accomplish the last step open your HTML file and put a link to your wax file with the full path. For example:

<a href="http://www.Safis-Web.com/mypage/mysong.wax">listen to</a>.

Note that you put a link to your wax file not to wma file. That is what streams the music.

Your are done! Put links to all the songs you would like your visitors to listen to and enjoy!

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Akmal Khan Sapay
Music Editor
Safis Web

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Go Back To:

What Is Streaming Media | Encoding Your Media | Making Meta Files

See Also: Real Media Streaming | Quicktime Streaming