VLC HowTo/Shut down the computer at the end of the playlist

This page contains example code.

This page describes how to switch off your computer automatically, when VLC has finished playing a file.

Other "how to" pages

General idea

It is not a feature included in VLC media player but small scripts can do it for you upon quitting VLC.

Quitting VLC

VLC media player can exit once all items have finished playing, this can done by enabling Play and exit in the Playlist section under Preferences

Alternatively, you can quit VLC media player after playback is finished, by adding the following to the end of the playlist:

vlc://quit

Shutdown

Windows

Bat File

1.) Create a new file with extension .BAT [use notepad] and paste in the contents from below. For use multi select file, juste made and forget your list... :) enjoy :

START /WAIT C:\"Program Files"\VideoLAN\VLC\vlc.exe %* vlc://quit
shutdown -s -t 60

2.) Use VLC to create/save playlist with desired content.

3.) Drag saved playlist icon on top of .bat file

The batch file will launch VLC and load the playlist. It will wait for the playlist to finish playing VLC will quit Batch will continue processing and system will be shutdown in 60 sec.'s.

VBScript

Make a .vbs file, copy in the code below and save. Drag and drop files onto the script file or double click the script to start it up. Supports avi, mp4, mov, wmv and 3gp files.

Note: Change line 6 to TRUE to force quit all other applications.

'By eyehawk78, posted on http://forum.videolan.org/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=70391

Dim oShell, FSO, FileData, vlc_path, video_dir, user, programs
Dim files, seconds

force_shutdown = FALSE 'Set to true to force quit all other applications set to false otherwise

Function SelectFile()
   Set file = CreateObject("UserAccounts.CommonDialog")
   file.Filter = "Video Files (avi, mp4, mov, wmv, 3gp)|*.avi;*.mp4;*.mov;*.wmv;*.3gp;"
   file.FilterIndex = 1
   file.InitialDir = video_dir
   InitFSO = file.ShowOpen
   
   If InitFSO = True Then   
      SelectFile = file.FileName
   Else
      WScript.Quit
   End If
End Function

Sub InputError(ErrorString)
   Wscript.Echo ErrorString
   Wscript.Quit
End Sub

files = ""

Set FSO = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
Set oShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")

If Wscript.Arguments.Count > 0 Then
   For Each FileData In Wscript.Arguments   
      Set FileInfo = FSO.GetFile(FileData)
      If InStr(FileInfo.Type, ".avi") or InStr(FileInfo.Type, ".mp4") or InStr(FileInfo.Type, ".mov") or InStr(FileInfo.Type, ".wmv") or InStr(FileInfo.Type, ".3gp") Then
         files = files & " " & CHR(34) & FileData & CHR(34)
      Else
         InputError("File " & CHR(34) & FileInfo.Name & CHR(34) & " has an unrecognised file type - Must be of type .avi, .mp4, .mov, .wmv or .3gp")
      End If
   Next
Else
   user = oShell.ExpandEnvironmentStrings("%USERPROFILE%")
   video_dir = oShell.ExpandEnvironmentStrings("%VLC_SHUTDOWN_VIDEOS_DIRECTORY%")

   'If this if first run, we must save where the default video directory is

   If video_dir = "%VLC_SHUTDOWN_VIDEOS_DIRECTORY%" Then
      video_dir = InputBox("Please input the directory where your Videos are kept." & vbcrlf & vbNewLine & "E.g. C:\Documents and Settings\User Name\My Documents\My Videos", "First Run", user)
      If video_dir <> "" Then
         strComputer = "."
         Set objWMIService = GetObject("winmgmts:\\" & strComputer & "\root\cimv2")

         Set objVariable = objWMIService.Get("Win32_Environment").SpawnInstance_

         objVariable.Name = "VLC_SHUTDOWN_VIDEOS_DIRECTORY"
         objVariable.UserName = "<System>"
         objVariable.VariableValue = video_dir
         objVariable.Put_   
      Else
         WScript.Quit
      End If
   End If   
   
   answer = 6

   'Loop while user wishes to add more files to playlist

   Do While answer = 6
      files = files & " " & CHR(34) & SelectFile() & CHR(34)
      answer = MsgBox("Would you like to add another file to the playlist?", 3, "Continue?")
   Loop

   If answer = 2 Then
      WScript.Quit
   End If
   
End If

'If this if first run, we must save where the default VLC directory is

programs = oShell.ExpandEnvironmentStrings("%PROGRAMFILES%")
vlc_path = oShell.ExpandEnvironmentStrings("%VLC_SHUTDOWN_VLC_LOCATION%")

If vlc_path = "%VLC_SHUTDOWN_VLC_LOCATION%" Then
   vlc_path = InputBox("Please input the directory where VLC program file is kept." & vbcrlf & vbNewLine & "E.g. C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC", "First Run", programs)
   
   If vlc_path <> "" Then
      strComputer = "."
      Set objWMIService = GetObject("winmgmts:\\" & strComputer & "\root\cimv2")

      Set objVariable = objWMIService.Get("Win32_Environment").SpawnInstance_

      objVariable.Name = "VLC_SHUTDOWN_VLC_LOCATION"
      objVariable.UserName = "<System>"
      objVariable.VariableValue = vlc_path
      objVariable.Put_
   Else
      WScript.Quit
   End If
End If

vlc_path = CHR(34) & vlc_path & "\vlc.exe" & CHR(34) 'VLC directory location

seconds = InputBox("Please enter the number of seconds the system should delay before commencing shutdown", "Enter Number of Seconds", "5")
If seconds <> "" Then
   If IsNumeric(seconds) And seconds > 0 Then

      oShell.Run vlc_path & " " & files & " vlc://quit", 1, TRUE
      'Execute shutdown command
      If force_shutdown Then
         oShell.Run "shutdown -s -f -t " & Round(seconds) & " -c " & CHR(34) & "Automatic Shutdown: Playlist Complete" & CHR(34)
      Else
         oShell.Run "shutdown -s -t " & Round(seconds) & " -c " & CHR(34) & "Automatic Shutdown: Playlist Complete" & CHR(34)
      End If
   Else
      InputError("Input not a number or negative")
   End If
End If
Wscript.Quit

Linux

Make a .sh

Create and execute a bash script with the following:

#! /bin/sh

vlc && shutdown -h now

With &&, figuratively speaking if it returns something other than "success" it doesn't perform the next command in the line.

Ubuntu 11.04 onwards / ConsoleKit based systems

You are able to shutdown without requiring sudo / root privileges by using dbus-send[1]

#! /bin/sh

vlc && dbus-send --system --print-reply --dest=org.freedesktop.ConsoleKit /org/freedesktop/ConsoleKit/Manager org.freedesktop.ConsoleKit.Manager.Stop

Older Ubuntu versions / HAL based systems

#! /bin/sh

vlc && dbus-send --system --print-reply --dest=org.freedesktop.Hal /org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/computer org.freedesktop.Hal.Device.SystemPowerManagement.Shutdown