XSPF

XSPF, pronounced "spiff", is a playlist in XML format, which is supported by Xiph. It is a free and open format so can be easily, freely used for sharing playlists.

Sample

A very simple document looks like this:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
 <playlist version="1" xmlns="http://xspf.org/ns/0/">
    <trackList>
        <track><location>file:///mp3s/song_1.mp3</location></track>
        <track><location>file:///mp3s/song_2.mp3</location></track>
        <track><location>file:///mp3s/song_3.mp3</location></track>
    </trackList>
 </playlist>

VLC Extensions

XSPF supports extensions to allow applications to add special data. These extensions can appear in the following entries:

• playlist
• track

The extension format is defined in the namespace xmlns:vlc="http://www.videolan.org/vlc/playlist/ns/0/":

<playlist version="1" xmlns="http://xspf.org/ns/0/" xmlns:vlc="http://www.videolan.org/vlc/playlist/ns/0/">
 ...
 <extension application="http://www.videolan.org/vlc/playlist/0">
  ...
 </extension>
</playlist>

Currently, extensions support the following elements:

• vlc:node
• vlc:item
• vlc:id
• vlc:option

The extensions vlc:node and vlc:item are used to specify how to display the playlist tree, which is not supported by standard XSPF.

vlc:node

This element will be displayed as a node in the playlist. It appears as an extension of the playlist block (under playlist/extension). Only its name can be specified:

<vlc:node title="Node title">
 [list of vlc:item or vlc:node]
</vlc:node>

vlc:item

This element represents a playlist item (not a node). It appears as an extension of the playlist block (under playlist/extension). It contains only a track id (see below, vlc:id):

<vlc:item tid="42" />

vlc:id

This element specifies a track's id. It appears as an extension of the track block (under playlist/trackList/track/extension).

<vlc:id>42</vlc:id>

The value of the id corresponds to the value of the attribute tid of vlc:item.

vlc:option

This element allows you to add options to the input item. It appears as an extension of the track block (under playlist/trackList/track/extension).

<vlc:option>option-name</vlc:option>

Or, if the option has a value:

<vlc:option>option-name=option-value</vlc:option>

Example of XSPF with VLC extensions

Let's summarize these as an example:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<playlist version="1" xmlns="http://xspf.org/ns/0/" xmlns:vlc="http://www.videolan.org/vlc/playlist/ns/0/">
    <title>Playlist</title>
    <location>D:/media/example.xspf</location>
    <trackList>
        <track>
            <title>Track 1</title>
            
            <extension application="http://www.videolan.org/vlc/playlist/0">
                <vlc:id>0</vlc:id>
                <vlc:option>start-time=42</vlc:option>
                <vlc:option>stop-time=45</vlc:option>
            </extension>
            <location>dvd://e:\@1</location> 
            ...
        </track>
        <track>
            <title>Track 2</title>
            ...
            <extension application="http://www.videolan.org/vlc/playlist/0">
                <vlc:id>1</vlc:id>
            </extension>
        </track>
        <track>
            <title>Track 3</title>
            ...
            <extension application="http://www.videolan.org/vlc/playlist/0">
                <vlc:id>2</vlc:id>
            </extension>
        </track>
        <track>
            <title>Track 4</title>
            ...
            <extension application="http://www.videolan.org/vlc/playlist/0">
                <vlc:id>3</vlc:id>
                <vlc:option>my-option=42</vlc:option>
            </extension>
        </track>
    </trackList>
    <extension application="http://www.videolan.org/vlc/playlist/0">
        <vlc:node title="Node 1">
            <vlc:item tid="0" />
            <vlc:item tid="1" />
            <vlc:node title="Node 2">
                <vlc:item tid="2" />
                <vlc:item tid="3" />
            </vlc:node>
        </vlc:node>
    </extension>
</playlist>

This playlist example will be displayed as:

Playlist
`- Node 1
   |- Track 1
   |- Track 2
   `- Node 2
      |- Track 3
      `- Track 4

The input for Track 4 will be created with the option my-option set to 42.

See also

• Media Library a function built into VLC media player

There are many advantages to using XML as the format. More information is available at

• Xiph.org
• XSPF project website.