new vlc user interested in scripting

[monguin61]

Hi all,
I have recently started the process of migrating to linux, and I'm looking for an audio player that can replicate the functionality that I am used to in winamp. I am picky and there are many things I want in an audio player, but most important are two things:

1) Global hotkey control (ie, control of program when it is not in focus), which I am sure I can accomplish directly with linux as long as there is any method whatsoever for interacting with vlc by command line

2) Ability to randomly shuffle playlist/library (not sure what the proper terminology is) by ALBUM, not by song. this should be done both with a global hotkey, and automatically upon completion of one album. I can easily write a bash script to select a random album, and (I assume) instruct vlc to play those files, but then I would need to be able to receive information from vlc regarding its current status.

I quickly searched these forums for both "global hotkeys" and "album shuffle" and found nothing. I have almost no experience with vlc, or any scripting or plugins or customizations for it, so I wonder, how much of this is possible? What plugins/languages/whatever would I need to do these things? Any help, just pointing me in the right direction, would be great.

Thanks

[Jean-Baptiste Kempf]

1) global hotkey control in linux is arriving for 1.0
2) not possible.

[monguin61]

I see, thats unfortunate. Would you happen to know of any other linux media player that does allow both of these?