The VideoLAN Forums

8 March 2005 edit -- corrected InvokeProgID...
30 March edit -- changed dvd:// to dvdsimple://

OK, here is exactly the sequence to have VLC autoplay DVDs:

Open Explorer
Select a drive, then select Tools -- Folder Options

Select File Types

Click the File Types header, so that it sorts by File Type

You should see something with Extension "[NONE]", File Type "DVD Video". Click on it, then select the Advanced button.

It should open an "Edit File Type" window. You should see a "Play with VLC Media Player" option. Select it, then select Edit. If you don't have that choice, just select New.

This opens a window, "Editing action for type: DVD Video". Here are the settings:
Action: Play with VLC media player
Application used to perform action:
"C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\vlc.exe" dvdsimple://D:@0:1 %1
(put in your DVD drive letter where I show D )
Use DDE: Checked
DDE Message: leave it blank
Application: vlc
DDE Application not running: leave it blank
Topic: System

Select OK, which closes the "Editing" window. You're back in the "Edit file type" window. Select "Play with VLC media player", and then the "Set Default button. Leave the "Confirm open after download" and "Always show extension" boxes clear (unselected), then press OK, to exit the File Type window.

Now for the fun part (hey, gotta work for some things):

Warning: Editing the registry can mess up your computer if you aren't careful. Only make the precise change that I'm describing below; if you aren't comfortable with this, ask a techie friend.
Open registry editor.
Go to:
My Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\AutoplayHandlers\Handlers\VLCPlayDVDMovieOnArrival

This key has several values (variables). The one thing that MS doesn't set properly is "DefaultIcon". It doesn't put the quotes around the command. Double click on DefaultIcon -- put the first part of the Value Data in quotes:

Old: C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\vlc.exe,0
New: "C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\vlc.exe",0

Click OK, in the Edit string window, exit out of RegEdit.

You now have VLC autoplay for DVDs.

Ask nice, and maybe one of the devs will add this to the auto-installing package, or create a vlc_dvd.reg for those working from the zip version. The contents of such a file should be:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\AutoplayHandlers\Handlers\VLCPlayDVDMovieOnArrival]
"Action"="Play DVD movie"
"DefaultIcon"="\"C:\\Program Files\\VideoLAN\\VLC\\vlc.exe\",0"
"InvokeProgID"="VLC.MediaFile"
"InvokeVerb"="play"
"Provider"="VideoLAN VLC media player"

The above is for a "standard" vlc installation, where vlc is installed at C:\Program Files\Videolan\VLC\vlc.exe. "Program Files", of course, changes depending on local language.

Although this post really has helped my windows2000-pro recognise vlc as the default dvd player, and anyway autoplay now works nicely a persisting problem came back. As I explained in an earlier post at

viewtopic.php?t=7446

"...when I choose DVD(menus) in Disk types, DVD plays back rather problematically. I mean , for example, it shows the "screens-chapters" menu but everything is slow paced((definitely and always)not a continuous play, sound too) and then when the movie begins again there are little pauses not a smooth running. I have to choose "DVD" from "Disc type" for the movie to begin playing normally..."

So is there any way for making autoplay begin playing the film itself and not go the DVD Menus. Change some numbers in your post???

{Duplicate post deleted.}

I am sorry for the annoyance and the double posting.
I found this myself.

For the line:
"C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\vlc.exe" dvd://D:@0:1 %1
I changed dvd:// to dvdsimple:// and it worked now the film begins immediately and runs continuously.
Thanks for your help again.

After several attempts to autoplay VLC without success I finally stumbled on the following codes.

CD Audio
"C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\vlc.exe" --started-from-file cdda:///%1


DVD
"C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\vlc.exe" --started-from-file dvd:///%1 --fullscreen