ActiveX/HTML

This page describes how to use the ActiveX control within a webpage.

Other "how to" pages

Embedding Activex using Javascript

You can insert the ActiveX control in your HTML pages like this :

 <OBJECT classid="clsid:E23FE9C6-778E-49D4-B537-38FCDE4887D8"
    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>

The Sourcecode above doesn't work always, exspecially with Windows 2000 and Internet Explorer 6. That's why you'd better use this code:

 <OBJECT classid="clsid:9BE31822-FDAD-461B-AD51-BE1D1C159921"
    codebase="http://downloads.videolan.org/pub/videolan/vlc/latest/win32/axvlc.cab#Version=0,8,6,0"
       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).

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

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

Solution 2 Instead of lowering security level, you can add the website address to the right security area.

See also

• Delphi Implementation
• ActiveX Description