Documentation:Modules/dummy

Dummy modules are the VLC equivalent of /dev/null on GNU/Linux: they represent doing nothing.

List

Overview of dummy modules

Type	Description	Shortcut(s)
Access	Dummy input	dummy, vlc
Access output	Dummy stream output	dummy
Audio output	Dummy audio output	dummy
Decoder	Dummy decoder	dummy, dump
Encoder	Dummy encoder	dummy
Control interface	Dummy interface	(none)
Muxer	Dummy/Raw muxer	dummy, raw, es
Stream output	Dummy stream output	dummy, drop
Text renderer	Dummy font renderer	(none)
Video output	Dummy video output	dummy, stats
Video output (legacy video plugins)	Dummy window	dummy

Descriptions

Interface

A dummy interface works well with command-line usage. It consumes fewer computing resources, something that can be used to reduce a bottleneck effect during transcoding, or simply when opening a window makes little sense.

This will play an Ogg file with no interface:

$ vlc -I dummy audio.ogg vlc://quit

No window is launched, and control is returned to the calling application after the file plays.

This will play a Schroedinger file with a minimalist interface:

$ vlc -I dummy video.drc vlc://quit

A window with no buttons or toolbars is launched (no skin), because video output requires a window. Hotkeys may be used to control playback by default, something that can be disabled if necessary with --no-keyboard-events.

Stream output

Doesn't do anything. Can be used to test other stream output chain modules without actually streaming anything.

Options

Dummy decoder

• dummy-save-es <boolean> : Save the raw codec data if you have selected/forced the dummy decoder in the main options. default value: disabled

Video output

• dummy-chroma <string> : Force the dummy video output to create images using a specific chroma format instead of trying to improve performances by using the most efficient one. default value: NULL

Source code

• modules/access/idummy.c (Access)
• modules/access_output/dummy.c (Access output)
• modules/audio_output/adummy.c (Audio output)
• modules/codec/ddummy.c (Decoder)
• modules/codec/edummy.c (Encoder)
• modules/control/dummy.c (Interface)
• modules/mux/dummy.c (Output muxer)
• modules/stream_out/dummy.c (Stream output)
• modules/text_renderer/tdummy.c (Text rendering)
• modules/video_output/vdummy.c (Video output)
• modules/video_output/wdummy.c (Video output for legacy video plugins)

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