The VideoLAN Forums

Hi guys behind VLC and thanks for the great job!
On my Win machine I use old BSplayer + FFDshow decoding filter, but on Ubuntu I choosen to use VLC. There are some troubles, but recently (yesterday) I updated to the latest version and I have to report two new problems, while the audio-lost-on-seeking main problem is slightly better now.

Compared to 3/4 year old release, that it is.

So, compared to this old version, I noticed immediatelly, that my shortcuts DO NOT WORK ANYMORE.
In order to make them work, I need to rename them with the .XXX asociation name. I did not remember what the crazy XLF or whatever extension is, because I frankly does not care about extensions on Linux. That is DOS thing, now I'm used to have name as I please, not be TIED UP to the extension.
To make the bugreport exact - to repeat it, do:
- create and safe a list of media files (wmv, avi, rm...) to play (in once case over 700 for me, on another under 500)
- save it (used Documents dir)
- create a shortcut to it, place it on desktop
- check that it is working as it it now
- rename it to for example "Movies list" (make sure you strip the extension)
- now it does not work, while it was perfectly working before the update
(I mean, the VLC run, but act weirdly - show the list as just a name of the list and not play single movie)

Another bug is fullscreen filelist.
Starting VLC with clicking on the shortcut of the list of files to play, makes it play the RND choosed vid on start on fullscreen, as selected. So far, so good.
However!
When I try select another video, so I double click to get the smal video playing AND the big list visible to choose from it, there is suddently no way to completely close the VLC! The top menu is gone! The player works like it is in fullscreen mode or somehing like this and does NOT allow me to get closed. I need to double clock again on the video to get into the window mode, so the top menu with the close button appears once again.
This was not there before and it is quite a nuisance.

It definitively make me regret the update I hope some fix is planed...

I don't understand what you expect to be fixed. Shortcuts have nothing to do with VLC. That's your done by your desktop environment,

I do not understand very well either. In the worst case, have you tried Rhythmbox is the default player for ubuntu?

Using the 14.04 version, I've never encountered any problem with VLC is that I find very stable.

I even used to test VLC videos and to make the integration on my site.

Well in Ubuntu version 12.0.1
1) Right click on the file (shortcut)
2) Select properties
3) Select the tab "Open With"
4) Select the desired program

Well in Ubuntu version 14.0.1
1) Right click on the file (shortcut)
2) Select "Open with Application"
3) Select the desired program
4) Tick the box "Use as default for this kind of file"

Thing is I do not know how they are going to determine "this kind of file" without an extension or the first line being something like: #!/bin/bash

cheers ...

Shortcuts have nothing to do with VLC.

If that is true, then why it stoped working after update...? And why it started working, when I rename the shortcut to xxx.xspf

That's your done by your desktop environment,

If you actually bother to read what I write, then I specifically mentioned, that the shortcut started the VLC, right? So, you see... the desktop is working well. VLC not played the list, until the shortcut name get the extension... Clear now?
"it does not work (...) I mean, the VLC run, but act weirdly..."

have you tried Rhythmbox is the default player for ubuntu?

No, it does not support list at all, so, useless for me.

I've never encountered any problem with VLC is that I find very stable.

Well, except that seeking = no audio, at start (before first keyframe) is the picture usually trashed a lot and except the new bug with the need extension - all is fine with VLC. I can confirm no crashes. I cannot confirm no problems. The "fullscreened" list after existng from fullscreen (new bug) is very very annoying anyway.

Thing is I do not know how they are going to determine "this kind of file" without an extension...

Probably by the type stored somewhere? I mean... the list.xspf is one thing, I was all the time talking about SHORTCUT to the list file. The list.xspf file is in documents. The shortcut in on the desktop. Before the damned update the desktop file can be named "cool link" ... after the update the link file on desktop must be named "cool link.sxpf", or the list does NOT PLAY. That it the bug.

Once again - w/o the xspf extension it linked on the list file, started VLC ... but fail to play anything. With the extensions it works. Hope this is clear now, where the bug is.

PS. the crazy RMVB video format (and other RealMedia too) are playing in WRONG aspect ratio using the latest VLC 2.1.5 on both PC Win and UBuntu. There is a example of Sway in latex (no nudity, but not exactly work safe either): http://www.mediafire.com/?8h22k1blopc2a25

BSplayed open it using alternative RealMedia codecs with correct 640 x 360 pixels (even it claim that the size is 640 x 720, witch is obviously is not):



...but VLC fail there. But IIRC the older version worked well in this regard.

Same happens (RMVB aspect ratio troubles) with the Windows latest version, to report the error properly.


But I have a good news. For the video keyframe trashing problem(s) found in many and many WMV files, I finally find one file, that is not at least too kinky. Not exactly work safe either, but no nudity AND the trashing happends in first few sec.

While other players works well and not produce such trashing. There is the sample video, hopefully it will be found as usable bugreport:
http://www.mediafire.com/?qcqy18u377sva43

Yea, Sway in latex again...