Subtitle search does not happen

[Sebastian42]

Every time I load a movie and activate VLSub it returns a 400 error. How can I make that feature work ?

[Hitchhiker]

You need to update the VLSub.luac file as follows:

1. Go to VLSub.luac update and copy all 2020 lines of code. The easiest way of doing that is to click once before the first dash on line 1 (nothing will appear on screen) and then scroll down to the bottom of the file, hold down SHIFT and click once after the last character of the word 'end', This will highlight everything in between. Then right click anywhere in the highlighted text and click Copy.
2. Open Notepad, right click and click Paste.
3. Click File ---> Save As and type VLSub.luac in the File name field.
4. Immediately below that in the Save As Type field change Text files (txt) to All Files (*.*) and then click Save. You can save it initially to directory of your choice.
5. Finally, copy/ paste the following path into the Windows Run command (Ctrl + R to open) and click OK:
   C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\lua\extensions. This the location where the file you just created needs to be saved to.
6. If you saved the file somewhere else drag and drop it into that location and confirm you want to overwrite the existing file.

Here's a pix of the fields where the file needs to be named and saved as:


(click to enlarge)

VLSub should now launch without a problem in vlc.

If there's anything you don't understand please don't hesitate to ask.

[Sebastian42]

I followed your suggested steps meticulously. The change is that : while previously a tick would appear to the left of VLSub, but I'd get the error message, now there is no response at all.

I have since discovered that my copying had not included the very first line : --[[

When I included that in the luac file, VLSub no longer appeared in the View Menu.

[Hitchhiker]

I just checked it myself. The file overwrote successfully and appears in the View menu, but nothing happens when the menu link is clicked.

But check to make sure that the file looks like you see it in the screenshot. It should appear properly in the View menu afterwards.


(click to enlarge)



After that you should report it as an issue at https://code.videolan.org/videolan/vlc/-/issues
Include the link to this thread so that the devs know what troubleshooting steps have been taken already.

[Hitchhiker]

I just noticed that the Opensubtitles site has been updated so I created a new VLSub.luac file with the new address, but it didn't make any difference unfortunately.

Link used to test VLSub: https://youtu.be/PjQjGUmWMgU

EDIT: Decided to go back to using the old VLSub.luac which was updated when the last installation took place. On my system that was 18-6-2021.

The situation now is that VLSub will launch, but only if a video isn't running. It launches, but obviously there's no data as per the pix.


(click to enlarge)

As soon as a video is played it stops working. Tried with a different yt video: https://youtu.be/dnwZrIx86EE but the utility won't launch.

[Sebastian42]

Where do we go from here ?

[Hitchhiker]

Assuming you logged a bug on the https://code.videolan.org/videolan/vlc/-/issues site it's just a case of waiting while the devs sort it out.

In the meantime you can download most subtitles from here: https://subscene.com/ and then use the option "Add subtitle" from the toolbar menu.

[Sebastian42]

I have tried to log the bug, but am required to register with 2-step verification, and mysteriously fail to achieve that. If YOU succeed in registering, maybe you would do it ?

[Hitchhiker]

I have tried to log the bug, but am required to register with 2-step verification, and mysteriously fail to achieve that. If YOU succeed in registering, maybe you would do it ?

I was confronted with the same problem and decided at the time not to pursue it any further.

Personally, I'm not inclined to hand over my phone number to sites unnecessarily especially where it concerns a mere reporting of a bug in an open source application such as vlc.

There was a long running discussion on the subject recently which ended without a way of providing an alternative means of filing bug reports: https://forum.videolan.org/viewtopic.ph ... 53#p522653

I would imagine that VLSub not working will crop up again in tbe not too distant future and the user will be willing to jump through all the hoops to report it.