MRL Error on Local File

[EMGuy]

Trying to play a video file saved as a local file. When I attempt to open I get an error saying that "VLC is unable to open the MRL file"
From what I've read this usually occurs when accessing files on external drives or when streaming.

[Hitchhiker]

Follow instructions in this post to create a new youtube.luac file and then use it to overwrite the existing one.

[EMGuy]

I tried that and unfortunately it didn't work. Thanks though.

[Hitchhiker]

Follow instructions in the orange box to create the log files we need to help you with your problem.

To help you, we need messages, to completely understand what your problems is.
To fix this, please be sure before you start the playback to:

1. Open: Tools -> Messages.
2. Set Verbosity to 2
3. Start playback to reproduce your issue
4. Save text in a file or copy into clipboard
5. Then paste the full resulting log here between [​code]and[​/code] (or use Pastebin.com if it's too long)

Also don't forget to name your Operating System and provide the VLC media player version.

[EMGuy]

OS Win 10 VLC 3.0.4

Code: Select all

main debug: processing request item: The.Avengers.Earths.Mightiest.Heroes.1.S01E01.Breakout.1.1080p.BluRay.DD5.1.x264-CtrlHD.mkv, node: Playlist, skip: 0 main debug: Creating an input for preparsing 'The.Avengers.Earths.Mightiest.Heroes.1.S01E01.Breakout.1.1080p.BluRay.DD5.1.x264-CtrlHD.mkv' main debug: rebuilding array of current - root Playlist main debug: rebuild done - 2 items, index 1 main debug: starting playback of new item main debug: resyncing on The.Avengers.Earths.Mightiest.Heroes.1.S01E01.Breakout.1.1080p.BluRay.DD5.1.x264-CtrlHD.mkv main debug: The.Avengers.Earths.Mightiest.Heroes.1.S01E01.Breakout.1.1080p.BluRay.DD5.1.x264-CtrlHD.mkv is at 1 main debug: creating new input thread main debug: Creating an input for 'The.Avengers.Earths.Mightiest.Heroes.1.S01E01.Breakout.1.1080p.BluRay.DD5.1.x264-CtrlHD.mkv' main debug: looking for meta fetcher module matching "any": 1 candidates main debug: requesting art for new input thread main debug: using timeshift granularity of 50 MiB main debug: using timeshift path: C:\Users\jooke\AppData\Local\Temp main debug: `file://?/A%3A/qBtor/The%20Avengers%20Earths%20Mightiest%20Heroes%20Season%201-2%20S01-S02%201080p%20BluRay%20x264-CtrlHD%20%5BRiCK%5D/The%20Avengers%20Earths%20Mightiest%20Heroes%20Season%201%20S01%201080p%20BluRay%20x264-CtrlHD/The.Avengers.Earths.Mightiest.Heroes.1.S01E01.Breakout.1.1080p.BluRay.DD5.1.x264-CtrlHD.mkv' gives access `file' demux `any' path `?/A%3A/qBtor/The%20Avengers%20Earths%20Mightiest%20Heroes%20Season%201-2%20S01-S02%201080p%20BluRay%20x264-CtrlHD%20%5BRiCK%5D/The%20Avengers%20Earths%20Mightiest%20Heroes%20Season%201%20S01%201080p%20BluRay%20x264-CtrlHD/The.Avengers.Earths.Mightiest.Heroes.1.S01E01.Breakout.1.1080p.BluRay.DD5.1.x264-CtrlHD.mkv' main debug: creating demux: access='file' demux='any' location='?/A%3A/qBtor/The%20Avengers%20Earths%20Mightiest%20Heroes%20Season%201-2%20S01-S02%201080p%20BluRay%20x264-CtrlHD%20%5BRiCK%5D/The%20Avengers%20Earths%20Mightiest%20Heroes%20Season%201%20S01%201080p%20BluRay%20x264-CtrlHD/The.Avengers.Earths.Mightiest.Heroes.1.S01E01.Breakout.1.1080p.BluRay.DD5.1.x264-CtrlHD.mkv' file='(null)' main debug: looking for access_demux module matching "file": 15 candidates main debug: no access_demux modules matched main debug: creating access: file://?/A%3A/qBtor/The%20Avengers%20Earths%20Mightiest%20Heroes%20Season%201-2%20S01-S02%201080p%20BluRay%20x264-CtrlHD%20%5BRiCK%5D/The%20Avengers%20Earths%20Mightiest%20Heroes%20Season%201%20S01%201080p%20BluRay%20x264-CtrlHD/The.Avengers.Earths.Mightiest.Heroes.1.S01E01.Breakout.1.1080p.BluRay.DD5.1.x264-CtrlHD.mkv lua debug: Trying Lua scripts in C:\Users\jooke\AppData\Roaming\vlc\lua\meta\fetcher main debug: looking for access module matching "file": 26 candidates main debug: no access modules matched lua debug: Trying Lua scripts in C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\lua\meta\fetcher main debug: dead input main debug: no meta fetcher modules matched main debug: looking for art finder module matching "any": 2 candidates main debug: changing item without a request (current 1/2) main debug: nothing to play lua debug: Trying Lua scripts in C:\Users\jooke\AppData\Roaming\vlc\lua\meta\art lua debug: Trying Lua scripts in C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\lua\meta\art lua debug: Trying Lua playlist script C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\lua\meta\art\00_musicbrainz.luac lua debug: skipping script (unmatched scope) C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\lua\meta\art\00_musicbrainz.luac lua debug: Trying Lua playlist script C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\lua\meta\art\01_googleimage.luac lua debug: skipping script (unmatched scope) C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\lua\meta\art\01_googleimage.luac lua debug: Trying Lua playlist script C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\lua\meta\art\02_frenchtv.luac lua debug: skipping script (unmatched scope) C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\lua\meta\art\02_frenchtv.luac lua debug: Trying Lua playlist script C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\lua\meta\art\03_lastfm.luac lua debug: skipping script (unmatched scope) C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\lua\meta\art\03_lastfm.luac main debug: no art finder modules matched main debug: looking for meta fetcher module matching "any": 1 candidates main debug: looking for meta fetcher module matching "any": 1 candidates lua debug: Trying Lua scripts in C:\Users\jooke\AppData\Roaming\vlc\lua\meta\fetcher lua debug: Trying Lua scripts in C:\Users\jooke\AppData\Roaming\vlc\lua\meta\fetcher lua debug: Trying Lua scripts in C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\lua\meta\fetcher lua debug: Trying Lua scripts in C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\lua\meta\fetcher main debug: no meta fetcher modules matched main debug: looking for art finder module matching "any": 2 candidates main debug: no meta fetcher modules matched main debug: looking for art finder module matching "any": 2 candidates lua debug: Trying Lua scripts in C:\Users\jooke\AppData\Roaming\vlc\lua\meta\art lua debug: Trying Lua scripts in C:\Users\jooke\AppData\Roaming\vlc\lua\meta\art lua debug: Trying Lua scripts in C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\lua\meta\art lua debug: Trying Lua scripts in C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\lua\meta\art lua debug: Trying Lua playlist script C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\lua\meta\art\00_musicbrainz.luac lua debug: Trying Lua playlist script C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\lua\meta\art\00_musicbrainz.luac lua debug: skipping script (unmatched scope) C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\lua\meta\art\00_musicbrainz.luac lua debug: Trying Lua playlist script C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\lua\meta\art\01_googleimage.luac lua debug: Trying Lua playlist script C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\lua\meta\art\01_googleimage.luac lua debug: Trying Lua playlist script C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\lua\meta\art\02_frenchtv.luac lua debug: skipping script (unmatched scope) C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\lua\meta\art\01_googleimage.luac lua debug: Trying Lua playlist script C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\lua\meta\art\02_frenchtv.luac lua debug: Trying Lua playlist script C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\lua\meta\art\03_lastfm.luac lua debug: skipping script (unmatched scope) C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\lua\meta\art\02_frenchtv.luac lua debug: Trying Lua playlist script C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\lua\meta\art\03_lastfm.luac main debug: no art finder modules matched lua debug: skipping script (unmatched scope) C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\lua\meta\art\03_lastfm.luac main debug: no art finder modules matched main debug: looking for meta fetcher module matching "any": 1 candidates lua debug: Trying Lua scripts in C:\Users\jooke\AppData\Roaming\vlc\lua\meta\fetcher lua debug: Trying Lua scripts in C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\lua\meta\fetcher main debug: no meta fetcher modules matched main debug: looking for art finder module matching "any": 2 candidates lua debug: Trying Lua scripts in C:\Users\jooke\AppData\Roaming\vlc\lua\meta\art lua debug: Trying Lua scripts in C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\lua\meta\art lua debug: Trying Lua playlist script C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\lua\meta\art\00_musicbrainz.luac lua debug: Trying Lua playlist script C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\lua\meta\art\01_googleimage.luac lua debug: Trying Lua playlist script C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\lua\meta\art\02_frenchtv.luac lua debug: Trying Lua playlist script C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\lua\meta\art\03_lastfm.luac main debug: no art finder modules matched

[Hitchhiker]

Did you stream it from dailymotion by any chance? They implemented DRM controls in October which might prevent copying.

Have you tried youtube? If you can find it on there you can save it as a file directly by doing the following.

1. Click the Share button underneath the video (start playing the file if it's greyed out) and then copy the link and close your browser.
2. Open vlc, hit Ctrl+N and then paste the link into the field which opens and hit Enter.
3. While the video is playing click Tools ---> Codec Information. At the foot of the menu click inside the Location field (you won't see anything happen) and hit Ctrl+A to highlight it all and then copy it.
4. Open your browser again and then paste the text you just copied into the location bar and hit Enter. This takes you to the youtube server.
5. Click the play button and then right click the video while it's playing and click "Save Video As" and save it wherever you wish.
6. It'll be automatically named "videoplayback.mp4" so you'll have to change that to whatever the title is.

[Lotesdelere]

Code: Select all

main debug: `file://?/A%3A/qBtor/The%20Avengers%20Earths%20Mightiest%20Heroes%20Season%201-2%20S01-S02%201080p%20BluRay%20x264-CtrlHD%20%5BRiCK%5D/The%20Avengers%20Earths%20Mightiest%20Heroes%20Season%201%20S01%201080p%20BluRay%20x264-CtrlHD/The.Avengers.Earths.Mightiest.Heroes.1.S01E01.Breakout.1.1080p.BluRay.DD5.1.x264-CtrlHD.mkv' gives access `file' demux `any' path `?/A%3A/qBtor/The%20Avengers%20Earths%20Mightiest%20Heroes%20Season%201-2%20S01-S02%201080p%20BluRay%20x264-CtrlHD%20%5BRiCK%5D/The%20Avengers%20Earths%20Mightiest%20Heroes%20Season%201%20S01%201080p%20BluRay%20x264-CtrlHD/The.Avengers.Earths.Mightiest.Heroes.1.S01E01.Breakout.1.1080p.BluRay.DD5.1.x264-CtrlHD.mkv'

You are trying to open the file from a non standard path.
Copy the file to another folder and try again.

[EMGuy]

Moving it worked. I don't know why VLC is having an issue with that location, it plays everything else on the same drive.

Thanks a ton.

[Lotesdelere]

It's not about the drive but the path, especially the %3A (:) character which shouldn't be used, not to mention the question mark.

[Hitchhiker]

It's not about the drive but the path, especially the %3A (:) character which shouldn't be used, not to mention the question mark.

OK, understood. Thanks for the tip.

[Lotesdelere]

Anyway, this is strange and needs more investigations.

I don't know why VLC is having an issue with that location, it plays everything else on the same drive.

Is it a mapped drive ?

[EMGuy]

It is an internal RAID 10 drive used for video footage storage. I can load up any footage from the same drive and it works perfectly.

[Lotesdelere]

Strange because of the A: drive name. Internal HDDs are supposed to be C: D: etc.
Anyway, food for thought:
https://stackoverflow.com/questions/211 ... -file-path

[robUx4]

It's possible we don't support that in a MRL

[j.armke]

The file path is too long. Copy the same video file to a directory closer to the root or change the name to remove all the uploader tags.

**Apologies for posting on a seemingly-dead thread, but I just came across the same problem and found this solution**

Cheers, all,

J