1 Instructions to code your own VLC Lua scripts and extensions
7 Lua documentation is available on http://www.lua.org/ . The reference manual
8 is very useful: http://www.lua.org/manual/5.1/ .
10 All the Lua standard libraries are available.
16 Several types of VLC Lua scripts can currently be coded:
17 * Playlist and websites parsers (see playlist/README.txt)
18 * Art fetchers (see meta/README.txt)
19 * Interfaces (see intf/README.txt)
20 * Extensions (see extensions/README.txt)
21 * Services Discovery (see sd/README.txt)
23 Lua scripts are tried in alphabetical order in the user's VLC config
24 directory lua/{playlist,meta,intf}/ subdirectory on Windows and Mac OS X or
25 in the user's local share directory (~/.local/share/vlc/lua/... on linux),
26 then in the global VLC lua/{playlist,meta,intf}/ directory.
29 3 - VLC specific Lua modules
30 ============================
32 All VLC specifics modules are in the "vlc" object. For example, if you want
33 to use the "info" function of the "msg" VLC specific Lua module:
34 vlc.msg.info( "This is an info message and will be displayed in the console" )
36 Note: availability of the different VLC specific Lua modules depends on
37 the type of VLC Lua script your are in.
41 local a = vlc.acl(true) -> new ACL with default set to allow
42 a:check("10.0.0.1") -> 0 == allow, 1 == deny, -1 == error
43 a("10.0.0.1") -> same as a:check("10.0.0.1")
44 a:duplicate() -> duplicate ACL object
45 a:add_host("10.0.0.1",true) -> allow 10.0.0.1
46 a:add_net("10.0.0.0",24,true) -> allow 10.0.0.0/24 (not sure)
47 a:load_file("/path/to/acl") -> load ACL from file
51 config.get( name ): Get the VLC configuration option "name"'s value.
52 config.set( name, value ): Set the VLC configuration option "name"'s value.
53 config.datadir(): Get the VLC data directory.
54 config.userdatadir(): Get the user's VLC data directory.
55 config.homedir(): Get the user's home directory.
56 config.configdir(): Get the user's VLC config directory.
57 config.cachedir(): Get the user's VLC cache directory.
59 config.datadir_list( name ): Get the list of possible data directories in
60 order of priority, appended by "name"
64 local d = vlc.dialog( "My VLC Extension" ): Create a new UI dialog, with a human-readable title: "My VLC Extension"
65 d:show(): Show this dialog.
66 d:hide(): Hide (but not close) this dialog.
67 d:delete(): Close and delete this dialog.
68 d:set_title( title ): set the title of this dialog.
69 d:update(): Update the dialog immediately (don't wait for the current function to return)
70 d:del_widget( widget ): Delete 'widget'. It disappears from the dialog and repositioning may occur.
72 In the following functions, you can always add some optional parameters: col, row, col_span, row_span, width, height.
73 They define the position of a widget in the dialog:
74 - row, col are the absolute positions on a grid of widgets. First row, col are 1.
75 - row_span, col_span represent the relative size of a widget on the grid. A widget with col_span = 4 will be displayed as wide as 4 widgets of col_span = 1.
76 - width and height are size hints (in pixels) but may be discarded by the GUI module
77 Example: w = d:add_label( "My Label", 2, 3, 4, 5 ) will create a label at row 3, col 2, with a relative width of 4, height of 5.
79 d:add_button( text, func, ... ): Create a button with caption "text" (string). When clicked, call function "func". func is a function reference.
80 d:add_label( text, ... ): Create a text label with caption "text" (string).
81 d:add_html( text, ... ): Create a rich text label with caption "text" (string), that supports basic HTML formatting (such as <i> or <h1> for instance).
82 d:add_text_input( text, ... ): Create an editable text field, in order to read user input.
83 d:add_password( text, ... ): Create an editable text field, in order to read user input. Text entered in this box will not be readable (replaced by asterisks).
84 d:add_check_box( text, ... ): Create a check box with a text. They have a boolean state (true/false).
85 d:add_dropdown( ... ): Create a drop-down widget. Only 1 element can be selected the same time.
86 d:add_list( ... ): Create a list widget. Allows multiple or empty selections.
87 d:add_image( path, ... ): Create an image label. path is a relative or absolute path to the image on the local computer.
89 Some functions can also be applied on widgets:
90 w:set_text( text ): Change text displayed by the widget. Applies to: button, label, html, text_input, password, check_box.
91 w:get_text(): Read text displayed by the widget. Returns a string. Applies to: button, label, html, text_input, password, check_box.
92 w:set_checked( bool ): Set check state of a check box. Applies to: check_box.
93 w:get_checked(): Read check state of a check box. Returns a boolean. Applies to: check_box.
94 w:add_value( text, id ): Add a value with identifier 'id' (integer) and text 'text'. It's always best to have unique identifiers. Applies to: drop_down.
95 w:get_value(): Return identifier of the selected item. Corresponds to the text value chosen by the user. Applies to: drop_down.
96 w:clear(): Clear a list or drop_down widget. After that, all values previously added are lost.
97 w:get_selection(): Retrieve a table representing the current selection. Keys are the ids, values are the texts associated. Applies to: list.
102 deactivate(): Deactivate current extension (after the end of the current function).
106 http( host, port, [cert, key, ca, crl]): create a new HTTP (SSL) daemon.
108 local h = vlc.httpd( "localhost", 8080 )
109 h:handler( url, user, password, callback, data ) -- add a handler for given url. If user and password are non nil, they will be used to authenticate connecting clients. callback will be called to handle connections. The callback function takes 7 arguments: data, url, request, type, in, addr, host. It returns the reply as a string.
110 h:file( url, mime, user, password, callback, data ) -- add a file for given url with given mime type. If user and password are non nil, they will be used to authenticate connecting clients. callback will be called to handle connections. The callback function takes 2 arguments: data and request. It returns the reply as a string.
111 h:redirect( url_dst, url_src ): Redirect all connections from url_src to url_dst.
115 input.is_playing(): Return true if input exists.
116 input.add_subtitle(url): Add a subtitle to the current input
117 input.item(): Get the current input item. Input item methods are:
118 :uri(): Get item's URI.
119 :name(): Get item's name.
120 :duration(): Get item's duration in seconds or negative value if unavailable.
121 :is_preparsed(): Return true if meta data has been preparsed
122 :metas(): Get meta data as a table.
123 :set_meta(key, value): Set meta data.
124 :info(): Get the current input's info. Return value is a table of tables. Keys of the top level table are info category labels.
125 :stats(): Get statistics about the input. This is a table with the following fields:
129 .average_input_bitrate
133 .average_demux_bitrate
148 msg.dbg( [str1, [str2, [...]]] ): Output debug messages (-vv).
149 msg.warn( [str1, [str2, [...]]] ): Output warning messages (-v).
150 msg.err( [str1, [str2, [...]]] ): Output error messages.
151 msg.info( [str1, [str2, [...]]] ): Output info messages.
153 Misc (Interfaces only)
154 ----------------------
155 ----------------------------------------------------------------
156 /!\ NB: this namespace is ONLY usable for interfaces.
158 ----------------------------------------------------------------
159 misc.version(): Get the VLC version string.
160 misc.copyright(): Get the VLC copyright statement.
161 misc.license(): Get the VLC license.
163 misc.action_id( name ): get the id of the given action.
165 misc.mdate(): Get the current date (in microseconds).
166 misc.mwait(): Wait for the given date (in microseconds).
168 misc.should_die(): Returns true if the interface should quit.
169 misc.quit(): Quit VLC.
173 net.url_parse( url, [option delimiter] ): Parse URL. Returns a table with
174 fields "protocol", "username", "password", "host", "port", path" and
176 net.listen_tcp( host, port ): Listen to TCP connections. This returns an
177 object with an accept and an fds method. accept is blocking (Poll on the
178 fds with the net.POLLIN flag if you want to be non blocking).
179 The fds method returns a list of fds you can call poll on before using
180 the accept method. For example:
181 local l = vlc.net.listen_tcp( "localhost", 1234 )
183 local fd = l:accept()
185 net.send( fd, "blabla" )
189 net.connect_tcp( host, port ): open a connection to the given host:port (TCP).
190 net.close( fd ): Close file descriptor.
191 net.send( fd, string, [length] ): Send data on fd.
192 net.recv( fd, [max length] ): Receive data from fd.
193 net.poll( { fd = events } ): Implement poll function.
194 Returns the numbers of file descriptors with a non 0 revent. The function
195 modifies the input table to { fd = revents }. See "man poll".
196 net.POLLIN/POLLPRI/POLLOUT/POLLRDHUP/POLLERR/POLLHUP/POLLNVAL: poll event flags
197 net.read( fd, [max length] ): Read data from fd.
198 net.write( fd, string, [length] ): Write data to fd.
199 net.stat( path ): Stat a file. Returns a table with the following fields:
208 net.opendir( path ): List a directory's contents.
212 object.input(): Get the current input object.
213 object.playlist(): Get the playlist object.
214 object.libvlc(): Get the libvlc object.
215 object.aout(): Get the audio output object.
216 object.vout(): Get the video output object.
218 object.find( object, type, mode ): Return nil. DO NOT USE.
222 osd.icon( type, [id] ): Display an icon on the given OSD channel. Uses the
223 default channel is none is given. Icon types are: "pause", "play",
224 "speaker" and "mute".
225 osd.message( string, [id], [position], [duration] ): Display the text message on
226 the given OSD channel. Position types are: "center", "left", "right", "top",
227 "bottom", "top-left", "top-right", "bottom-left" or "bottom-right". The
228 duration is set in microseconds.
229 osd.slider( position, type, [id] ): Display slider. Position is an integer
230 from 0 to 100. Type can be "horizontal" or "vertical".
231 osd.channel_register(): Register a new OSD channel. Returns the channel id.
232 osd.channel_clear( id ): Clear OSD channel.
233 osd.menu.show(): Show the OSD menu.
234 osd.menu.hide(): Hide the OSD menu.
235 osd.menu.prev(): Select previous/left item.
236 osd.menu.next(): Select next/right item.
237 osd.menu.up(): Move selection up.
238 osd.menu.down(): Move selection down.
239 osd.menu.activate(): Activate/validate current selection.
243 playlist.prev(): Play previous track.
244 playlist.next(): Play next track.
245 playlist.skip( n ): Skip n tracks.
246 playlist.play(): Play.
247 playlist.pause(): Pause.
248 playlist.stop(): Stop.
249 playlist.clear(): Clear the playlist.
250 playlist.repeat_( [status] ): Toggle item repeat or set to specified value.
251 playlist.loop( [status] ): Toggle playlist loop or set to specified value.
252 playlist.random( [status] ): Toggle playlist random or set to specified value.
253 playlist.goto( id ): Go to specified track.
254 playlist.add( ... ): Add a bunch of items to the playlist.
255 The playlist is a table of playlist objects.
256 A playlist object has the following members:
257 .path: the item's full path / URL
258 .name: the item's name in playlist (OPTIONAL)
259 .title: the item's Title (OPTIONAL, meta data)
260 .artist: the item's Artist (OPTIONAL, meta data)
261 .genre: the item's Genre (OPTIONAL, meta data)
262 .copyright: the item's Copyright (OPTIONAL, meta data)
263 .album: the item's Album (OPTIONAL, meta data)
264 .tracknum: the item's Tracknum (OPTIONAL, meta data)
265 .description: the item's Description (OPTIONAL, meta data)
266 .rating: the item's Rating (OPTIONAL, meta data)
267 .date: the item's Date (OPTIONAL, meta data)
268 .setting: the item's Setting (OPTIONAL, meta data)
269 .url: the item's URL (OPTIONAL, meta data)
270 .language: the item's Language (OPTIONAL, meta data)
271 .nowplaying: the item's NowPlaying (OPTIONAL, meta data)
272 .publisher: the item's Publisher (OPTIONAL, meta data)
273 .encodedby: the item's EncodedBy (OPTIONAL, meta data)
274 .arturl: the item's ArtURL (OPTIONAL, meta data)
275 .trackid: the item's TrackID (OPTIONAL, meta data)
276 .options: a list of VLC options (OPTIONAL)
277 example: .options = { "fullscreen" }
278 .duration: stream duration in seconds (OPTIONAL)
279 .meta: custom meta data (OPTIONAL, meta data)
280 A .meta field is a table of custom meta key value pairs.
281 example: .meta = { ["GVP docid"] = "-5784010886294950089", ["GVP version] = "1.1", Hello = "World!" }
282 Invalid playlist items will be discarded by VLC.
283 playlist.enqueue( ... ): like playlist.add() except that track isn't played.
284 playlist.get( [what, [tree]] ): Get the playlist.
285 If "what" is a number, then this will return the corresponding playlist
286 item's playlist hierarchy. If it is "normal" or "playlist", it will
287 return the normal playlist. If it is "ml" or "media library", it will
288 return the media library. If it is "root" it will return the full playlist.
289 If it is a service discovery module's name, it will return that service
290 discovery's playlist. If it is any other string, it won't return anything.
291 Else it will return the full playlist.
292 The second argument, "tree", is optional. If set to true or unset, the
293 playlist will be returned in a tree layout. If set to false, the playlist
294 will be returned using the flat layout.
295 Each playlist item returned will have the following members:
296 .item: The input item.
298 .flags: a table with the following members if the corresponding flag is
308 .duration: (-1 if unknown)
310 .children: A table of children playlist items.
311 playlist.search( name ): filter the playlist items with the given string
312 playlist.current(): return the current input item
313 playlist.sort( key ): sort the playlist according to the key.
314 Key must be one of the followings values: 'id', 'title', 'title nodes first',
315 'artist', 'genre', 'random', 'duration',
316 'title numeric' or 'album'.
317 playlist.status(): return the playlist status: 'stopped', 'playing', 'paused' or 'unknown'.
319 FIXME: add methods to get an item's meta, options, es ...
323 sd.get_services_names(): Get a table of all available service discovery
324 modules. The module name is used as key, the long name is used as value.
325 sd.add( name ): Add service discovery.
326 sd.remove( name ): Remove service discovery.
327 sd.is_loaded( name ): Check if service discovery is loaded.
328 sd.add_node( ... ): Add a node to the service discovery.
329 The node object has the following members:
330 .title: the node's name
331 .arturl: the node's ArtURL (OPTIONAL)
332 .category: the node's category (OPTIONAL)
333 sd.add_item( ... ): Add an item to the service discovery.
334 The item object has the same members as the one in playlist.add() along with:
335 .category: the item's category (OPTIONAL)
336 Returns the input item.
337 sd.remove_item( item ): remove the item.
339 n = vlc.sd.add_node( {title="Node"} )
340 n:add_subitem( ... ): Same as sd.add_item(), but as a subitem of n.
341 n:add_subnode( ... ): Same as sd.add_node(), but as a subnode of n.
343 d = vlc.sd.add_item( ... ) Get an item object to perform following set operations on it:
344 d:set_name(): the item's name in playlist
345 d:set_title(): the item's Title (OPTIONAL, meta data)
346 d:set_artist(): the item's Artist (OPTIONAL, meta data)
347 d:set_genre(): the item's Genre (OPTIONAL, meta data)
348 d:set_copyright(): the item's Copyright (OPTIONAL, meta data)
349 d:set_album(): the item's Album (OPTIONAL, meta data)
350 d:set_tracknum(): the item's Tracknum (OPTIONAL, meta data)
351 d:set_description(): the item's Description (OPTIONAL, meta data)
352 d:set_rating(): the item's Rating (OPTIONAL, meta data)
353 d:set_date(): the item's Date (OPTIONAL, meta data)
354 d:set_setting(): the item's Setting (OPTIONAL, meta data)
355 d:set_url(): the item's URL (OPTIONAL, meta data)
356 d:set_language(): the item's Language (OPTIONAL, meta data)
357 d:set_nowplaying(): the item's NowPlaying (OPTIONAL, meta data)
358 d:set_publisher(): the item's Publisher (OPTIONAL, meta data)
359 d:set_encodedby(): the item's EncodedBy (OPTIONAL, meta data)
360 d:set_arturl(): the item's ArtURL (OPTIONAL, meta data)
361 d:set_trackid(): the item's TrackID (OPTIONAL, meta data)
365 stream( url ): Instantiate a stream object for specific url.
366 memory_stream( string ): Instantiate a stream object containing a specific string.
367 Those two functions return the stream object upon success and nil if an
368 error occurred, in that case, the second return value will be an error message.
370 s = vlc.stream( "http://www.videolan.org/" )
371 s:read( 128 ) -- read up to 128 characters. Return 0 if no more data is available (FIXME?).
372 s:readline() -- read a line. Return nil if EOF was reached.
373 s:addfilter() -- add a stream filter. If no argument was specified, try to add all automatic stream filters.
377 strings.decode_uri( [uri1, [uri2, [...]]] ): Decode a list of URIs. This
378 function returns as many variables as it had arguments.
379 strings.encode_uri_component( [uri1, [uri2, [...]]] ): Encode a list of URI
380 components. This function returns as many variables as it had arguments.
381 strings.make_uri( path, [scheme] ): Convert a file path to a URI.
382 strings.resolve_xml_special_chars( [str1, [str2, [...]]] ): Resolve XML
383 special characters in a list of strings. This function returns as many
384 variables as it had arguments.
385 strings.convert_xml_special_chars( [str1, [str2, [...]]] ): Do the inverse
387 strings.from_charset( charset, str ): convert a string from a specified
388 character encoding into UTF-8.
392 var.inherit( object, name ): Find the variable "name"'s value inherited by
393 the object. If object is unset, the current module's object will be used.
394 var.get( object, name ): Get the object's variable "name"'s value.
395 var.get_list( object, name ): Get the object's variable "name"'s value list.
396 1st return value is the value list, 2nd return value is the text list.
397 var.set( object, name, value ): Set the object's variable "name" to "value".
398 var.create( object, name, value ): Create and set the object's variable "name"
399 to "value". Created vars can be of type float, string, bool or void.
400 For a void variable the value has to be 'nil'.
402 var.trigger_callback( object, name ): Trigger the callbacks associated with the
403 object's "name" variable.
405 var.command( object name, name, argument ): Issue "object name"'s "name"
406 command with argument "argument".
407 var.libvlc_command( name, argument ): Issue libvlc's "name" command with
410 var.inc_integer( name ): Increment the given integer.
411 var.dec_integer( name ): Decrement the given integer.
412 var.count_choices( name ): Return the number of choices.
413 var.toggle_bool( name ): Toggle the given boolean.
417 video.fullscreen( [status] ):
418 * toggle fullscreen if no arguments are given
419 * switch to fullscreen 1st argument is true
420 * disable fullscreen if 1st argument is false
424 vlm(): Instanciate a VLM object.
427 v:execute_command( "new test broadcast" ) -- execute given VLM command
429 Note: if the VLM object is deleted and you were the last person to hold
430 a reference to it, all VLM items will be deleted.
434 volume.get(): Get volume.
435 volume.set( level ): Set volume to an absolute level between 0 and 1024.
437 volume.up( [n] ): Increment volume by n steps of 32. n defaults to 1.
438 volume.down( [n] ): Decrement volume by n steps of 32. n defaults to 1.
442 This module is only available on Windows builds
443 win.console_init(): Initialize the windows console.
444 win.console_wait([timeout]): Wait for input on the console for timeout ms.
445 Returns true if console input is available.
446 win.console_read(): Read input from the windows console. Note that polling and
447 reading from stdin does not work under windows.
451 xml = vlc.xml(): Create an xml object.
452 reader = xml:create_reader( stream ): create an xml reader that use the given stream.
453 reader:read(): read some data, return -1 on error, 0 on EOF, 1 on start of XML
454 element, 2 on end of XML element, 3 on text
455 reader:name(): name of the element
456 reader:value(): value of the element
457 reader:next_attr(): next attribute of the element
459 The simplexml module can also be used to parse XML documents easily.