AppleScript and VLC

[Mug]

Hello!

I've been reading through the forums trying to find a solution to my issue.

My goal is to set up Automator tasks in order to play back video using iCal alerts at specific times.

Originally, I set out using Quicktime to accomplish this, but learned quickly that Quicktime does not like to let you do something on your primary monitor while it's playing back on your secondary monitor. So I switched to trying to use VLC.

So far it has been the better solution save for one issue. Upon closing VLC it seemingly doesn't save the setting of Display 2. I've been reading through the forums and this just appears to be an issue currently. It would be possible to just let VLC and never close to keep the setting; however, I would like to try to find a way around that issue.

In Automator it is possible open the application, get the finder item etc... I'm curious if there is an apple script that could be written such that it would send the setting to VLC to play on Display 2. The follow would look something like the following:

[Get Finder Items XYZ]
[Launch Application "VLC"]
[Apple Script "Send Display 2 setting to VLC"]
[Open Finder Items with "VLC"]

(VLC is set to auto play full screen on load of movie)

The reason I'm asking this is eventually, I'll be modifying the Automator flow to exit X application at the start and start X application at the end so that something is always running on the 2nd monitor. In some cases it could be advantageous to not have VLC running.

Any ideas?

[fkuehne]

Regrettably, VLC's AppleScript support is really limited. Changing the fullscreen device isn't included in the current library.

However, Automator should be able to run applications command-line wise (like in Terminal.app), so you can give VLC parameters that way. If you run "/Applications/VLC.app/Contents/MacOS/VLC --macosx-vdev=0", it will show the video on the primary screen. By playing around with the number, you'll get your 2nd screen. Regrettably, there is a backside of this way: it will break with VLC 0.8.6e, as we are changing the screen numbering (we are forced to do that, sorry).

Hope this helps a bit.

Depending on your skills or your needs, adapting VLC to support a screen device action in AppleScript, should be fairly easy to do.