View source for VLC HTTP requests

There is a set of remote-control commands for VLC over [[HTTP]].

This is probably the most convenient and reliable [[interface]] for developers to use to control VLC.

The commands ARE listed - but the list is tucked away in a README file, in the http subfolder of the little HTTP server under the VLC executables folder.

== How the Commands & Status Queries Work ==

The commands below are all applied by submitting an HTTP-GET for one of the [[XML]] files stored in the VLC http/requests folder.   For example, VLC will report back the current playlist when you submit a [[MRL]] of the form

  http://127.0.0.1:9090/requests/playlist.xml     (that is for a VLC which was started, listening on port 9090). 

Similarly,  

  http://127.0.0.1:9090/requests/status.xml

will report back the player status.   Commands TO the player are sent by appending a trailing command parameter (following a '?' separator) to this latter status query command.

== Examples ==

SHOW CURRENT PLAYLIST:
  http://127.0.0.1:9090/requests/playlist.xml

SHOW STATUS:
  http://127.0.0.1:9090/requests/status.xml

STOP
  http://127.0.0.1:9090/requests/status.xml?command=pl_stop

CLEAR PLAYLIST
  http://127.0.0.1:9090/requests/status.xml?command=pl_empty

PLAY AN RTSP STREAM URL:  
  http://127.0.0.1:9090/requests/status.xml?command=in_play&input=rtsp://user:pass@somewebcameraaddress.com:9552/cam1/mpeg4


By the bye: to start VLC's control HTTPD service on a specific port, use the syntax

  vlc --intf http --http-host 10.1.1.156:9090


== Full command list ==
HERE IS the FULL http-remote-control command list (as listed in README.txt in the VLC http subfolder) :- 

Commands available through the requests/  path:

Lines starting with < describe what the page sends back  

Lines starting with > describe what you can send to the page


All parameters need to be [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/URL_encoded URL encoded].
Examples:
 # -> %23
 % -> %25
 + -> %2B
 space -> +
 ...

'''status.xml:'''

< Get VLC status information, current item info and meta.

> add <mrl> to playlist and start playback:
  ?command=in_play&input=<mrl>

> add <mrl> to playlist:
  ?command=in_enqueue&input=<mrl>

> play playlist item <id>:
  ?command=pl_play&id=<id>


NB:  ?command=pl_play      also works  (no ID needed).


> toggle pause. If current state was 'stop', play item <id>:
  ?command=pl_pause&id=<id>

NB:  ?command=pl_pause      NB: seems largely ignored ?  stream often continues.  (May depend on whether camera obeys pause command - NB this command may only cause a PAUSE to be sent out to the video stream source, so result will depend on whether source obeys.)


> stop playback:
  ?command=pl_stop
                            NB:   seems not to clear the playlist.    If in doubt clear the playlist and reload to start.


> jump to next item:
  ?command=pl_next

> jump to previous item:
  ?command=pl_previous

> delete item <id> from playlist:
  ?command=pl_delete&id=<id>

> empty playlist:
  ?command=pl_empty

> sort playlist using sort mode <val> and order <id>:
  ?command=pl_sort&id=<id>&val=<val>
  If id=0 then items will be sorted in normal order, if id=1 they will be
  sorted in reverse order
  A non exhaustive list of sort modes:
    0 Id
    1 Name
    3 Author
    5 Random
    7 Track number

> toggle random playback:
  ?command=pl_random

> toggle loop:
  ?command=pl_loop

> toggle repeat:
  ?command=pl_repeat

> toggle enable service discovery module <val>:
  ?command=pl_sd&val=<val>
  Typical values are:
    sap
    shoutcast
    podcast
    hal

> toggle fullscreen:
  ?command=fullscreen

> set volume level to <val> (can be absolute integer, percent or +/- relative value):
  ?command=volume&val=<val>
  Allowed values are of the form:
    +<int>, -<int>, <int> or <int>%

> seek to <val>:
  ?command=seek&val=<val>
  Allowed values are of the form:
    [+ or -][<int><H or h>:][<int><M or m or '>:][<int><nothing or S or s or ">]
    or [+ or -]<int>%
    (value between [ ] are optional, value between < > are mandatory)
  examples:
    1000 -> seek to the 1000th second
    +1H:2M -> seek 1 hour and 2 minutes forward
    -10% -> seek 10% back


'''playlist.xml:'''

< get the full playlist tree


'''browse.xml:'''

< ?dir=<dir>

> get <dir>'s filelist


'''
vlm.xml:'''

< get the full list of VLM elements


'''vlm_cmd.xml:'''

< execute VLM command <cmd>
  ?command=<cmd>
> get the error message from <cmd>

[[Category:Control VLC]]