playlists and relative paths problems
Posted: 13 Oct 2022 15:07
Hi,
I try to create local XSPL playlist files and have set an association with VLC. The file specifications in the XSPL files are relative.
Starting VLC via association (thus clicking on such an XSPL file) starts VLC, and the playlist works as expected.
However, when VLC is already running, and I click on another XSPL file in another directory, it fails.
It seems that when starting VLC using association, it sets the current directory to the directory of the XSPL file, so that it works fine.
When clicking a second XSPL file in another directory it fails because VLC still holds the old current directory, so all relative file specifications fail.
I don't want to use absolute references, because then I cannot simply rename or move directories. Or even worse: if I want to use
a playlist over the network, I need to use UNC file specifications (e.g., \\myComputer\myMusic\ACDC\highway to hell.mp3)
For me it would be more logical that VLC always handles relative file specifications relative to the directory containing the playlist file.
In fact, I was rather surprised when I found out that it doesn't.
Right now, I need to generate three playlists (!): one relative, one with local absolute paths, and one with UNC paths.
btw, this whole story also holds for m3u and m3u8 playlists...
Is there a good reason for the current behavior? Also, would changing this behavior break any existing playlists?
I try to create local XSPL playlist files and have set an association with VLC. The file specifications in the XSPL files are relative.
Starting VLC via association (thus clicking on such an XSPL file) starts VLC, and the playlist works as expected.
However, when VLC is already running, and I click on another XSPL file in another directory, it fails.
It seems that when starting VLC using association, it sets the current directory to the directory of the XSPL file, so that it works fine.
When clicking a second XSPL file in another directory it fails because VLC still holds the old current directory, so all relative file specifications fail.
I don't want to use absolute references, because then I cannot simply rename or move directories. Or even worse: if I want to use
a playlist over the network, I need to use UNC file specifications (e.g., \\myComputer\myMusic\ACDC\highway to hell.mp3)
For me it would be more logical that VLC always handles relative file specifications relative to the directory containing the playlist file.
In fact, I was rather surprised when I found out that it doesn't.
Right now, I need to generate three playlists (!): one relative, one with local absolute paths, and one with UNC paths.
btw, this whole story also holds for m3u and m3u8 playlists...
Is there a good reason for the current behavior? Also, would changing this behavior break any existing playlists?