Browser proxy properties automatically used by VLC plugin

[gborzi]

Dear developers

I would like to have the videolan plugin using automatically the proxy setting of the browser (IE of Firefox) it runs into, without need for the user to set them manually.

I think this is an important issue for the usability of videolan plugin in real world projects on the internet.

Just my two cents

[VLC_help]

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library ... S.85).aspx
for IE things are quite easy, but I am not sure if there is a easy and universal way for Firefox proxy settings.

[gborzi]

Sorry but I do not have the necessary expertise to do this, I am afraid I am not a C programmer, just a videolan user.

[VLC_help]

I didn't mean that you have to do it I just express my views in here because some people automatically think that every feature request they make will be included in next VLC version.

[gborzi]

I was just wondering if I understood correctly. These are exactly the answers that tend to make me angry.

I do not suppose all the "please-scratch-my-back" features that are requested daily on this forum should be implemented on the fly. I also expressed my views about the "suggest features" approach in another post.

But this feature is really a very basic one, and also a very important one.
Not just for me: not surprisingly, it was suggested at least 3 years ago (see developers -> trac tickets #233 and #234).

Just to clarify the scenario:
I publish a videolan video on a website. Mr visitor arrives on my page: if he navigates trough a proxy (50% chance? All companies have proxies) he gets no video but gets a popup message like "No suitable access module for my-video-URL-gently-exposed-for-all-to-see".
Some comments:
1) I could not find a way to disable the darn popup message: let me decide if I want to expose the url of my videos!
2) the message, in pure geek jargon, does not suggest any useful action to the user, such as "Please check your videolan proxy settings".

I think this is something more basic and important for the general usability of videolan than "please add a 4-stereo-channels-super-mega-video-Karaoke to it".

[VLC_help]

You use VLC activeX in your page or mozilla plug-in?

1. URL thing doesn't matter. It is impossible to hide URLs and I can't figure any reason why would someone want to hide URLs (unless it is security via obfuscation thingy).
2. it is strange that it complains access module problem, if VLC cannot connect to video at all it should say something like Unable to open 'http://www.google.com/super.avi'.

[gborzi]

Found a way to "disable" the "darn" message... actually it was my javascript code that gathered it from the VLC messages and displyed it. Did I say I am a dummy user? Well, yes I am.
Anyway I used this unwanted feature to pop up a messsage like "Please check your proxy setting".

[VLC_help]

First sample available. Based on 0.9.0 GIT I have added option (Tools -> Preferences and tick Show settings All and locate Input / Codecs -> Access modules -> HTTP(S)) called Use Internet Explorer proxy settings. If selected, It will override anything written to HTTP Proxy field with IE proxy settings. IE proxy settings are pulled from Windows registry (HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings and keys read are ProxyEnable and ProxyServer), so if the settings aren't there, no go. There might also be a Unicode issue but I assume most proxy servers either use IP or [a-z][0-1][-][.] style naming, so it should work on most case (I tried to do Unicode way, but I only got ? marks as result).

There isn't currently install option or command line one to enable this but I think adding those ain't that hard.

If you have problems, open Tools -> Messages, hit Verbose to 2 and open the http stream. If everything goes OK, it should say IE proxy is: yourproxy.com:8080. Possible errors: Cannot open ProxyEnable registry key, Cannot open ProxyServer registry key and Cannot open Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings.

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=GQUL0VMH

PS. I am not gonna do Firefox/Mozilla proxy support!

[vibes992000]

Well yes thats true that 30% of the Internet Users are accessing the Internet BEHIND their Proxy Servers because almost all OFFICE use Firewalls/Proxy Server to make sure that their bandwidth isn't abused.

Here is where MICRSOFT WINDOWS MEDIA player plugin WINS the battle so far.
First of all there is NO need to install it as Internet Explorer is automatically giving its also having its quick install plugins for other browsers like Opera or even matter of fact safari and the MOST IMPORTANT THING IS THAT IT AUTOMATICALLY USES SETTINGS from INTERNET OPTIONS in the control panel.
However Because of the inefficiency of the Protocol that it uses for Streaming i.e MMHS it isn't successful either. It gives bad displays and many of times during streaming either Sound or Video gets off.

I like to use H.264 for streaming on Internet as that gives great quality even on low bandwidth so I have to keep up with the VLC Plugin only because only it supports h.264 greatly. Frankly speaking its very stable too and I'm loving it!

Well as I was getting haunted by this Proxy Thing for vlc so I decided to make a small javascript code for implementing it. BY help of my Teacher 'Julien' of 'Revolunet i.e http://www.revolunet.com' I wrote code of enter the proxy manually. So atleast those users who know the address of their proxy servers can now play the file. Here is the demo for the link http://www.ignouonline.ac.in/empc/intra ... rshan.aspx

This is to tell here that we are recieving daily hits of 1000 on the site (http://www.ignouonline.ac.in/broadcast) and so far there have been no problems in VLC Plugin at least for the users with DIRECT INTERNET CONNECTION but unfortunately our technical support is full with complaints with people who are accessing it BEHIND proxy servers.To Them we have to tell them how to find out their proxy servers by going in 'Internet Options' and finding their proxy and then entering that proxy further on the page of vlc plugin every time.

I hope that VLC will soon take a Stable Way that will detect the browser settings from the 'Internet Options' mentioned in the settings of Start -> Control Panel -> Internet Options (I'm talking about Windows XP or VISTA). Any Help from the VLC Development Staff will be HIGHLY appreciated and we'll be sharing their credits on the site as well.

Thanks & Regards
Vibs
eGyankosh,IGNOU,INDIA
(IGNOU is an International University with a Student count of 1.7 Million and we are taking initiative to use open source plugin like VLC to make live education based Broadcast Free for everyone)