ActiveX/HTML
| This page describes how to use the ActiveX control within a webpage. | Other "how to" pages |
Contents
Embedding Activex using Javascript
You can insert the ActiveX control in your HTML pages like this :
<OBJECT classid="clsid:9BE31822-FDAD-461B-AD51-BE1D1C159921"
codebase="http://downloads.videolan.org/pub/videolan/vlc/latest/win32/axvlc.cab"
width="640" height="480" id="vlc" events="True">
<param name="Src" value="" />
<param name="ShowDisplay" value="True" />
<param name="AutoLoop" value="False" />
<param name="AutoPlay" value="False" />
</OBJECT>
Then, using Javascript, you can select another source, or change the audio track :
document.vlc.playlistClear();
var options=[":audio-track=5"]; // select audio track 5 (=6th, 1st is 0)
document.vlc.addTarget("...",options,2,0); // replace entry 0
document.vlc.play();
See http://people.videolan.org/~damienf/plugin-0.8.6.html for a complete demo.
Embedding ActiveX using m3u Playlists
Maybe a better to show VLC in an HTML Website is to use m3u Playlists. It has got the advantage that users with turned-off Javascript can also use this plugin, since document.vlc.addTarget won't work with javascript turned off.
- Step 1: Create the HTML website with the VLC-Object linked to the m3u playlist
- Step 2: Create your m3u playlist with all options, save and upload it to your webspace.
- Step 3 (optional): Create buttons and other objects to control VLC (like document.vlc.play();)
Step 1: Creating the website to embed ActiveX Control
<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Frameset//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/frameset.dtd">
You should modify the values of width, height and volume (0-100) fitting to your desires. If you don't know them, simply delete them (e.g. remove width="640" from the code).
- See also: VLC Plugins Demo Page
Step 2: Creating the m3u playlist
Open Notepad, create your playlist and save it as 'myplaylist.m3u' for this example.
#EXTM3U // Required to identify this file as m3u file #EXTVLCOPT--input-repeat=-1 // repeat the following file/playlist #EXTVLCOPT--http-reconnect=true // required for a streaming-client to enable repeat #EXTVLCOPT--any further parameter goes here // see also VLC command-line help #EXTINF:0, Test Description // set the title for the following file shown in your playlist video.mpg // the actual file to be displayed
Annotations:
- For actual looping of the entire playlist, the user has to have check 'Repeat all' under Preferences --> Playlist --> General
- Mind that options have different names if you play a file locally or if you want to stream it (--sub-filter --> --s-filter)
Mind the different Options-styles:
--option A global option that is set for the duration of the program.
-option A single letter version of a global --option.
:option An option that only applies to the playlistitem directly before it
and that overrides previous settings.
Known Problems and how to solve them
Problem
A know problem is, that the VLC-Plugin won't be displayed. Instead, you are asked whether you want to install the VLC-ActiveX-Component. "Don't install" cancels the installation and nothing happens. "Install" runs the usual VLC-Setup (mind to install the ActiveX-Plugin), but after reopening an HTML-page with the VLC-Plugin, it's the same situation as before.
Solution
- Use the "other" ClassID in your HTML-Source as shown above:
<OBJECT classid="clsid:9BE31822-FDAD-461B-AD51-BE1D1C159921" ...
- You have to lower the security settings on your PC. Do this at your own risk! Use Firefox to browse the web!
- In Internet Explorer select [Tools], [Internet Options]. The "Internet Options" window opens. Select the Tab "Advanced". Scroll down until you see the main point "Security".
- Check the following entries:
- Allow active content to CDs to run on My Computer
- Allow active content to run in files on My Computer
- Allow software to run or install even if the signature is invalid
- Instead of lowering security level, you can add the website address to the right security area.
