---
name: "ample.conf"
section: "5"
platform: "linux"
package: "ample"
version: "0.5.7-15"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/ample.conf"
---

# ample.conf(5)

configuration file for Ample

## NAME

ample.conf - configuration file for Ample

## DESCRIPTION

This file, by default */etc/ample.conf*, is read by Ample at startup. There are three categories of values than can be defined: strings, numbers and boolean values. Valid boolean values are (case insensitive) yes, no, true and false. Lines that start with # are considered to be comments and ignored.

## EXAMPLE

-

  ```
  # An example of a Ample config file
  #
  # Port number to use
  port = 1234
  # Should files be ordered when playing a mixed stream?
  order = true
  # Amount of simultaneous clients allowed
  clients = 5
  # Path to logfile if syslog isn't used
  logfile = /var/log/ample
  # Path(s) to MP3 dir/file or M3U file
  mp3path = /home/mp3
  mp3path = /home/moremp3/zztop.mp3
  mp3path = /home/favourites.m3u
  # Path to the HTML file to use as a template
  htmlfile = /etc/ample.html
  # Should the MP3 dir(s) be recursively scanned?
  recursive = true
  # Name of the server
  # (displayed to clients here and there)
  servername = Ample
  # Address of the server
  # (only if your server can't be resolved)
  serveraddress = 192.168.0.1
  # Username and password, if these are specified, Ample
  # will automatically ask for username/password
  username = MusicLover
  password = Pekaboo
  # Filter to pass each music file through
  # (before they are sent to the client)
  filter = /usr/bin/lame -b64 --quiet "@FPATH@" -
  # The end
  ```

## OPTIONS

- **port=***NUM*

  Listen to TCP port  *NUM*, default is 1234.

- **order=***BOOL*

  When a list of files is requested, and this option is  **TRUE**, play them in alphabetical order.

- **clients=***NUM*

  Allow a maximum of *NUM* clients to be connected at the same time.

- **logfile=***FILE*

  Use  *FILE* as logfile if  [**syslogd**(8)](/syslogd/8.md) isn't used.

- **mp3path=***PATH*

  These are path(s) to files or directories that Ample can use to populate it's list of MP3's. If *PATH* is a directory, all files (possibly recursively, see the **-n** option above) will be added. If *PATH* is a regular file ending with .mp3 it will be added and if it is a regular file ending with .m3u (MP3 playlist) the files listed in it will be added. You can specify several paths by adding several **mp3path=***PATH* lines to this config file.

- **htmlfile=***FILE*

  This is the path to the file which Ample should use as it's base for creating HTML pages. See  [**ample.html**(5)](/ample.html/5.md) for more information.

- **recursive=***BOOL*

  If  **TRUE**, all directories that Ample index:es will be scanned recursively (meaning that all subdirs will be checked for files as well)

- **servername=***STRING*

  The name of the server will be set to *STRING* instead of "Ample" (the servername is displayed to clients in various places).

- **serveraddress=***STRING*

  *STRING* should be the IP address of the server where Ample is run. This is only needed if DNS resolving your server, for some reason, doesn't work.

- **username=***STRING*

  If both username and password is specified in the config file, HTTP  authentication will be enabled. This means that if a client wants to  connect to ample, it must do so with a username  and password in  order to be granted access. If username or password is missing, HTTP authentication will be disabled.

- **password=***STRING*

  See the description of username above.

- **filter=***STRING*

  Specifies an optional filter to run each file through before it is sent to the client. As an example, this could be used to downgrade the bitrate of a music file if you have a lousy net connection but lots of CPU cycles to spare. If  *STRING* contains the word @FPATH@ it will be replaced with the absolute path of the file.

## AUTHOR

David Härdeman \<david@2gen.com\>

## SEE ALSO

[**ample**(1)](/ample/1.md), [**ample.html**(5)](/ample.html/5.md)