auto installing vlc plugin for Mozilla/firefox

[ken]

Hello,

I am interested in being able to install the vlc player as a automatic standalone plugin for Mozilla, especially Firefox - I am especially interested in making this work for Windows, having OSX support would be ideal (Safari & Firefox)
I'm willing to assist in development, I run multipe platforms (mac, linux, bsd and windows), however i'm starting from ground zero here.

we only require the plugin to stream audio files. So stipping out other functionality would server our purpose. The key is so our visitors won't have to instal the complete VLC program if they don't want to - however, speaking only for myself, i would be happy to promote the vlc player.

Having an ActiveX control (i've read the threads that it can be done) that works the same way for IE would also be of great interest to us, as we are currenlty using the ampx plugin from nullsoft which seems to be unsupported and is poorly documented.

[Jerome2]

I am looking for the same thing Anybody did it?

[apocalyspe]

i think i did

[ken]

i think i did

any details? how to? links? would be helpful.
thanks

[apocalyspe]

blazemediausa.com

[ken]

thanks, but that's not what i'm looking for.

your script seems to be loading in the activeX plugin or downloading the VLC from the vlc website.
We need a version of VLC that is only the activeX component - or for Secure browsers - the mozilla plugin. If you are familiar with the nullsoft ampx control, you'll know that it does not require a user download winamp, simply visiting a site with IE will cause the activeX component to be downloaded and installed.

The problem is - this is a windows/ie only solution. VLC offers a solution (currently) for windows and linux, and offers the plugin for activeX and mozilla/gecko browsers both. There's even a mac version in development. My question is creating a plugin so that it doesn't require the full VLC install, and offers an autoinstallation method via codebase that works with IE and firefox.

I've been trying to do this myself over the past few days - however, i'm having a great deal of problems setting up a build environment with cygwin, the software won't configure.

if anyone else is working on a similar project - i'd like to bang heads.

thanks,
ken.

[tonsofpcs]

http://wiki.videolan.org/index.php/ActiveX
read the bottom where it says "the ActiveX control can be automatically installed"

[Guest]

http://wiki.videolan.org/index.php/ActiveX
read the bottom where it says "the ActiveX control can be automatically installed"

What about Firefox?

[ken]

http://wiki.videolan.org/index.php/ActiveX
read the bottom where it says "the ActiveX control can be automatically installed"

That's new! thanks!
however, the primary concern is firefox! i'm actually working on compiling this myself, but it's not exactly my specialy to so i'm stumbling in the dark - hopefull if i can get it to work on Windows, i'll have some time to commit to making the plugin work for the Mac OSX/mozilla environment.

let's see how much of the wheel i have to re-invent first.

[tonsofpcs]

What about Firefox?

Firefox on windows *can* use ActiveX controls.

That's new! thanks!

That specific section has been there since "23:41, 16 January 2006".

however, the primary concern is firefox! i'm actually working on compiling this myself, but it's not exactly my specialy to so i'm stumbling in the dark - hopefull if i can get it to work on Windows, i'll have some time to commit to making the plugin work for the Mac OSX/mozilla environment.

There is a mozilla/firefox control, I'm not sure of the state of it. However, I don't think firefox controls/plugins can be automatically installed.

[ken]

What about Firefox?

Firefox on windows *can* use ActiveX controls.

sure, however there's two major problems with that *can*,
1) we want a system that's simple to support, installing activeX into firefox, with the problems and conflicts that can happen is not something we want to support when users have a hard enough time simply downloading VLC clicking the "mozilla plugin" and "activeX control" boxes and completing the install.
2) none of the activeX controls are ok'd by firefox, they add security concerns and many firefox users will not install activeX for security reasons. We need to offer a simple firefox solution.

I'm assuming the *can* indicates that you are well aware of both of these issues, however - it doesn't help my cause.

That's new! thanks!

That specific section has been there since "23:41, 16 January 2006".

16 January or 19 Febuary? regardless -- i've been paying more attention to a firefox solution as we don't have a viable solution. for IE, that control is perfect, and i'll be experimenting with it, but don't expect any problems. Currently we have a solution that uses the ampx control from nullsoft. Personally - i think the VLC control is better suppored (the fact that it has documentation at all is a bonus over the ampx control.) and if we can get a working SIMPLE installation of VLC for Firefox - we will probably support VLC over the ampex control to keep out entire setup simpler.

however, the primary concern is firefox! i'm actually working on compiling this myself, but it's not exactly my specialy to so i'm stumbling in the dark - hopefull if i can get it to work on Windows, i'll have some time to commit to making the plugin work for the Mac OSX/mozilla environment.

There is a mozilla/firefox control, I'm not sure of the state of it. However, I don't think firefox controls/plugins can be automatically installed.

Yes there is - and it works great. However the only way to install it, at the moment, is to download VLC, install the full package - making sure the "install mozilla plugin" is checked. What i would like - is an installer that installs the npvlc.dll vlcintf.xpi and vlc.exe in the plugins folder simply by accepting the download - providing a fully self contained VLC player for firefox. (the same way that the flash player is installed the first time you visit a page with flash content).

[tonsofpcs]

I'm assuming the *can* indicates that you are well aware of both of these issues, however - it doesn't help my cause.

Yes, that was just to reply to the Guest commenter's claim.

16 January or 19 Febuary?

16 January. The top item in the 'history' is just the last time the page was changed, http://wiki.videolan.org/index.php?titl ... nd_Methods is the point at which that piece was added by the all-knowing Dionoea.

Yes there is - and it works great. However the only way to install it, at the moment, is to download VLC, install the full package - making sure the "install mozilla plugin" is checked.

I'll look into getting an individual build/installer set up. I'll report my findings here.

[tonsofpcs]

Ok, from what I have found, the way that macromedia facilitates the automatic redirection to their page to install is via a javascript check to see if a plugin is registered and if it can handle the file extension or mime type. You can see this in effect at: macromedia.com and adobe.com . Not sure how you can apply this to VLC, but it might be possible.

[ken]

Just like activeX the embed tag for a plugin that's not found should cause an "additional plugin's are required to display content on this page - click here to install" if the codebase link is valid, you will either be told you need to add the domain to your "allow" list or the plugin will be installed. As long as the browser doesn't require a restart (or the whole darn OS - Real Player) then the plugin should install and load.

the only time you should be redirected (ie, flash8 on linux) is when the codebase points you to an invalid link.

currently - i'm trying to build a statically linked VLC binary with the mozilla dll and xpi file. I have finally managed to configure a successful build environment for VLC with the gecko-sdk. What i havn't been able to figure out is how to tell the compiler that i want to my libraries statically linked - or built right into the binary. (i'm building without any gui or skins also - vlc-trunk.)

[mrlitsta]

Ken,

Did you ever figure out a way to do this? I need a way to detect a users' version and install the appropriate upgraded version.

[Spellcoder]

What about Firefox?

Firefox on windows *can* use ActiveX controls.

Using ActiveX for what he wants is bad because:

• the plugin requires a different version for different Firefox versions
• only meant for Firefox up to 1.5 (although it seems to work on 2.0
  too)
• doesn't work in Firefox 3 (tested in alpha 1 and nightlies)
• if the user allready has the plugin you might overwrite his activex.js whitelist