URGENT: iOS/iPadOS 16.4.1(a) Videos not opening/playing at all

iOS, iPad, iPhone, tvOS specific usage questions
SegaMad
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URGENT: iOS/iPadOS 16.4.1(a) Videos not opening/playing at all

Postby SegaMad » 05 May 2023 01:39

First post here and sadly an issue…

I’ve been a long time user of VLC on all platforms and have been very happy with it!

Since upgrading to iOS/iPadOS 16.4.1(a) I have been unable to get any video files to open at all on the VLC app.

I am on the most recent app version (3.4.0) and have tried everything I can think of, uninstalling/reinstalling/restarting the devices/etc, but nothing is working and I am still unable to open any videos in VLC.

I have tried .mkv and .mp4 files and I’m getting the same issue.

Is this a known issue and when will a fix be issued?

Should I roll back to the standard iOS/iPadOS 16.4.1 version instead of the 16.4.1(a) Security Fix version?

Any help appreciated as I rely on VLC for watching a lot of my content so this is VERY frustrating!

Thanks

fkuehne
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Re: URGENT: iOS/iPadOS 16.4.1(a) Videos not opening/playing at all

Postby fkuehne » 05 May 2023 07:19

What happens when you try to open your videos? Is it on the internal or external screen?

The iOS version is not responsible for this. Please keep the save, fixed update.
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SegaMad
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Re: URGENT: iOS/iPadOS 16.4.1(a) Videos not opening/playing at all

Postby SegaMad » 05 May 2023 09:23

I am just opening the videos on the internal device screen and nothing happens.

I try to open a video file by selecting “Open in VLC” in the preview window as I normally used to do and it opens up VLC but just shows the “Your VLC library is empty” Home Screen and nothing else?

My video files open fine in other apps so it’s definitely an issue with VLC since either your new version OR the 16.4.1(a) iOS version.

What do you mean by “keep the save, fixed update”?

Is there an update coming from your side? I see other people complaining about 16.4.1(a) compatibility issues too.

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Re: URGENT: iOS/iPadOS 16.4.1(a) Videos not opening/playing at all

Postby SegaMad » 05 May 2023 12:50

@fkuehne

Update: I managed to get MKV files working again but NOT as I normally do.

So, basically both the ‘Open In VLC’ button and selecting VLC from the share sheet options in the 16.4.1(a) iOS/iPadOS Preview window results in the behaviour I previously mentioned: VLC opens, but nothing opens or plays.

So it seems like this way to open files within 16.4.1(a) is broken (at least on my version) and is not allowing VLC to integrate properly into iOS/iPadOS or the Files app?

I have now found that I CAN get any file to open, even using the above ‘Open in VLC’ etc in the Files app preview, but I need to first have the VLC app open!

If I have the VLC app open first, then attempt to open any file (MKV, MP4 etc) in my normal way of: Selecting the file, opening the preview window and selecting ‘Open In VLC’ it then opens!

So, I’ve found a workaround but this is quite strange behaviour and wonder if something has changed in iOS/iPadOS 16.4.1(a) to “break” the integration into the OS and Files app to allow direct opening of VLC?

Any thoughts?

SegaMad
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Re: URGENT: iOS/iPadOS 16.4.1(a) Videos not opening/playing at all

Postby SegaMad » 05 May 2023 13:00

Another issue!

Although I can now finally get video files to open with audio on the internal iPad screen, monitor support is broken!

In the past, if I connected to an external monitor using my iPad, I would get the message on my iPad saying “This video is playing on the TV” and both the video AND audio would play on the attached monitor.

Now, all I am getting is that same message mirrored on both the iPad screen and the monitor and all that is playing is the audio??

Have any settings changed or is this another bug with either the 3.4 release or the iPadOS 16.4.1(a) release?

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Re: URGENT: iOS/iPadOS 16.4.1(a) Videos not opening/playing at all

Postby SegaMad » 07 May 2023 09:51

Are none of the developers online to reply at the weekends?

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Re: URGENT: iOS/iPadOS 16.4.1(a) Videos not opening/playing at all

Postby SegaMad » 10 May 2023 10:02

@fkuehne

Will the fix mention submitted on a recent post also help these issues?

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Re: URGENT: iOS/iPadOS 16.4.1(a) Videos not opening/playing at all

Postby fkuehne » 11 May 2023 09:29

All your problems should be resolved with today's update. and yes, we are usually less responsive on weekends.
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Re: URGENT: iOS/iPadOS 16.4.1(a) Videos not opening/playing at all

Postby SegaMad » 11 May 2023 10:17

@fkuehne

Thank you for getting back to me and for pushing the update so quickly.

There is still one issue.

Most issues are fixed but unfortunately VLC’s integration with Apple’s Files app is still broken?

As I said before, basically both the ‘Open In VLC’ button and selecting VLC from the share sheet options in the 16.4.1(a) iOS/iPadOS Preview window results in the behaviour I previously mentioned: VLC opens, but nothing opens or plays.

So, if I click on any video file within the Files app if brings up the preview window with “Open in VLC” and the separate Share Sheet button in the top right of the window.

Clicking on either of these would normally open the file to start playing immediately in VLC but now it still only opens the empty VLC app with no file open or playing.

IF I then go back to the preview window and click “Open in VLC” a 2nd time, the file WILL open.

So basically it’s following the same behaviour as I mentioned before and the full integration into iOS 16.4.1(a) is still broken, as all the sharing options are doing are opening the VLC app, rather than opening the file itself?

So it seems like this way to open files within 16.4.1(a) is STILL broken (at least on my version) and is not allowing VLC to integrate properly into iOS/iPadOS or the Files app?

With the new VLC update you just issued I have now found that I CAN get any file to open, even using the above ‘Open in VLC’ etc in the Files app preview, but I need to first have the VLC app open.

If I have the VLC app open first, then attempt to open any file (MKV, MP4 etc) in my normal way of: Selecting the file, opening the preview window and selecting ‘Open In VLC’ it then opens!

So, I’ve found a workaround but this is quite strange behaviour and wonder if something has changed in iOS/iPadOS 16.4.1(a) to “break” the integration into the OS and Files app to allow direct opening of VLC?

Any thoughts or anything else I can provide to show this is an actual issue that needs fixed?


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