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>
            </extension>
            
        </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>
            <location>dvd://e:\@1</location> 
            <extension application="http://www.videolan.org/vlc/playlist/0">
                <vlc:id>3</vlc:id>
                <vlc:option>my-option=42</vlc:option>
                <vlc:option>start-time=42</vlc:option>
                <vlc:option>stop-time=45</vlc:option>
                <vlc:option>no-audio</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.

Unsafe operations

Some operations, like setting volume, setting sout destination, etc. are deemed "unsafe" to be in the playlist, so you'll have to add those settings to the command line instead.