path: root/DOCS/xml/en/usage.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="iso-8859-1"?>
<chapter id="usage">
<title>Usage</title>

<sect1 id="commandline">
<title>Command line</title>

<para>
<application>MPlayer</application> utilizes a complex playtree. It consists
of global options written as first, for example

<screen>mplayer -vfm 5</screen>

and options written after filenames, that apply only to the given
filename/URL/whatever, for example:

<screen>mplayer -vfm 5 movie1.avi movie2.avi -vfm 4</screen>
</para>

<para>
You can group filenames/URLs together using <literal>{</literal> and
<literal>}</literal>. It's useful with option <option>-loop</option>:

<screen>mplayer { 1.avi - loop 2 2.avi } -loop 3</screen>

The above command will play files in this order: 1, 1, 2, 1, 1, 2, 1, 1, 2.
</para>

<para>
Playing a file:
<synopsis>
<command>mplayer</command><!--
--> [<replaceable>options</replaceable>]<!--
--> [<replaceable>path</replaceable>/]<replaceable>filename</replaceable>
</synopsis>
</para>

<para>
Playing more files:
<synopsis>
<command>mplayer</command><!--
--> [<replaceable>default options</replaceable>]<!--
--> [<replaceable>path</replaceable>/]<replaceable>filename1</replaceable><!--
--> [<replaceable>options for filename1</replaceable>]<!--
--> <replaceable>filename2</replaceable><!--
--> [<replaceable>options for filename2</replaceable>] ...
</synopsis>
</para>

<para>
Playing VCD:
<synopsis>
<command>mplayer</command> [<replaceable>options</replaceable>]<!--
--> -vcd <replaceable>trackno</replaceable><!--
--> [-cdrom-device <replaceable>/dev/cdrom</replaceable>]
</synopsis>
</para>

<para>
Playing DVD:
<synopsis>
<command>mplayer</command> [<replaceable>options</replaceable>]<!--
--> -dvd <replaceable>titleno</replaceable><!--
--> [-dvd-device <replaceable>/dev/dvd</replaceable>]
</synopsis>
</para>

<para>
Playing from the WWW:
<synopsis>
<command>mplayer</command> [<replaceable>options</replaceable>]<!--
--> http://<replaceable>site.com/file.asf</replaceable>
</synopsis>
(playlists can be used, too)
</para>

<para>
Playing from RTSP:
<synopsis>
<command>mplayer</command> [<replaceable>options</replaceable>]<!--
--> rtsp://<replaceable>server.example.com/streamName</replaceable>
</synopsis>
</para>

<para>
Latest versions of <application>MPlayer</application> also accepts VCD and
DVD tracks in URL style, just like <application>Xine</application> does:
<screen>mplayer dvd://1</screen>
or
<screen>mplayer vcd://1</screen>
</para>

<para>
Examples:
<screen>
mplayer -vo x11 /mnt/Films/Contact/contact2.mpg
mplayer -vcd 2
mplayer -afm 3 /mnt/DVDtrailers/alien4.vob
mplayer -dvd 1 -dvd-device /dev/hdc
mplayer -abs 65536 -delay -0.4 -nobps ~/movies/test.avi<!--
--></screen>
</para>
</sect1>


<sect1 id="control">
<title>Control</title>

<para>
<application>MPlayer</application> has a fully configurable, command
driven, control layer which lets you control
<application>MPlayer</application> with keyboard, mouse, joystick or remote
control (using LIRC). See the man page for the complete list of keyboard controls.
</para>


<sect2 id="ctrl-cfg">
<title>Controls configuration</title>

<para>
<application>MPlayer</application> allows you bind any key/button to any
MPlayer command using a simple config file.  The syntax consist of a key
name followed by a command. The default config file location is
<filename>$HOME/.mplayer/input.conf</filename> but it can be overridden
using the <option>-input <replaceable>conf</replaceable></option> option
(relative path are relative to <filename>$HOME/.mplayer</filename>).
</para>

<example>
<title>A simple input control file</title>
<programlisting>
##
## MPlayer input control file
##

RIGHT seek +10
LEFT seek -10
- audio_delay 0.100
+ audio_delay -0.100
q quit
&gt; pt_step 1
&lt; pt_step -1
ENTER pt_step 1 1<!--
--></programlisting>
</example>


<sect3 id="ctrl-cfg-keys">
<title>Key names</title>

<para>
You can have a full list by running
<command>mplayer -input keylist</command>.
</para>

<itemizedlist>
<title>Keyboard</title>
<listitem><simpara>Any printable character</simpara></listitem>
<listitem><simpara><literal>SPACE</literal></simpara></listitem>
<listitem><simpara><literal>ENTER</literal></simpara></listitem>
<listitem><simpara><literal>TAB</literal></simpara></listitem>
<listitem><simpara><literal>CTRL</literal></simpara></listitem>
<listitem><simpara><literal>BS</literal></simpara></listitem>
<listitem><simpara><literal>DEL</literal></simpara></listitem>
<listitem><simpara><literal>INS</literal></simpara></listitem>
<listitem><simpara><literal>HOME</literal></simpara></listitem>
<listitem><simpara><literal>END</literal></simpara></listitem>
<listitem><simpara><literal>PGUP</literal></simpara></listitem>
<listitem><simpara><literal>PGDWN</literal></simpara></listitem>
<listitem><simpara><literal>ESC</literal></simpara></listitem>
<listitem><simpara><literal>RIGHT</literal></simpara></listitem>
<listitem><simpara><literal>LEFT</literal></simpara></listitem>
<listitem><simpara><literal>UP</literal></simpara></listitem>
<listitem><simpara><literal>DOWN</literal></simpara></listitem>
</itemizedlist>

<itemizedlist>
<title>Mouse (only supported under X)</title>
<listitem><simpara>
  <literal>MOUSE_BTN0</literal> (Left button)</simpara></listitem>
<listitem><simpara>
  <literal>MOUSE_BTN1</literal> (Right button)</simpara></listitem>
<listitem><simpara>
  <literal>MOUSE_BTN2</literal> (Middle button)</simpara></listitem>
<listitem><simpara>
  <literal>MOUSE_BTN3</literal> (Wheel)</simpara></listitem>
<listitem><simpara>
  <literal>MOUSE_BTN4</literal> (Wheel)</simpara></listitem>
<listitem><simpara>...</simpara></listitem>
<listitem><simpara><literal>MOUSE_BTN9</literal></simpara></listitem>
</itemizedlist>

<itemizedlist>
<title>Joystick (support must be enabled at compile time)</title>
<listitem><simpara>
  <literal>JOY_RIGHT</literal> or
  <literal>JOY_AXIS0_PLUS</literal></simpara></listitem>
<listitem><simpara>
  <literal>JOY_LEFT</literal> or
  <literal>JOY_AXIS0_MINUS</literal></simpara></listitem>
<listitem><simpara>
  <literal>JOY_UP</literal> or
  <literal>JOY_AXIS1_MINUS</literal></simpara></listitem>
<listitem><simpara>
  <literal>JOY_DOWN</literal> or
  <literal>JOY_AXIS1_PLUS</literal></simpara></listitem>
<listitem><simpara><literal>JOY_AXIS2_PLUS</literal></simpara></listitem>
<listitem><simpara><literal>JOY_AXIS2_MINUS</literal></simpara></listitem>
<listitem><simpara>...</simpara></listitem>
<listitem><simpara><literal>JOY_AXIS9_PLUS</literal></simpara></listitem>
<listitem><simpara><literal>JOY_AXIS9_MINUS</literal></simpara></listitem>
</itemizedlist>
</sect3>


<sect3 id="ctrl-cfg-commands">
<title>Commands</title>

<para>
You can have a full list of known commands by running
<command>mplayer -input cmdlist</command>.
</para>

<itemizedlist>
<listitem><para><literal>seek</literal> (int) val [(int) type=0]</para>
  <para>
  Seek to some place in the movie.
  Type <literal>0</literal> is a relative seek of +/- val seconds.
  Type <literal>1</literal> seek to val % in the movie.
  </para></listitem>
<listitem><para><literal>audio_delay</literal> (float) val</para>
  <para>
  Adjust the audio delay of val seconds
  </para></listitem>
<listitem><para><literal>quit</literal></para>
  <para>
  Quit <application>MPlayer</application>
  </para></listitem>
<listitem><para><literal>pause</literal></para>
  <para>
  Pause/unpause the playback
  </para></listitem>
<listitem><para><literal>grap_frames</literal></para>
  <para>
  Somebody know ?
  </para></listitem>
<listitem><para><literal>pt_step</literal> (int) val [(int) force=0]</para>
  <para>
  Go to next/previous entry in playtree. Val sign tell the direction.  If
  no other entry is available in the given direction it won't do anything
  unless force is non 0.
  </para></listitem>
<listitem><para><literal>pt_up_step</literal> (int) val [(int) force=0]</para>
  <para>
  Like pt_step but it jump to next/previous in the parent list. It's useful
  to break inner loop in the playtree.
  </para></listitem>
<listitem><para><literal>alt_src_step</literal> (int) val</para>
  <para>
  When more than one source is available it select the next/previous one
  (only supported by asx playlist).
  </para></listitem>
<listitem><para><literal>sub_delay</literal> (float) val [(int) abs=0]</para>
  <para>
  Adjust the subtitles delay of +/- val seconds or set it to val seconds
  when abs is non zero.
  </para></listitem>
<listitem><para><literal>osd</literal> [(int) level=-1]</para>
  <para>
  Toggle osd mode or set it to level when level &gt; 0.
  </para></listitem>
<listitem><para><literal>volume</literal> (int) dir</para>
  <para>Increase/decrease volume
  </para></listitem>
<listitem><simpara><literal>contrast</literal> (int) val [(int) abs=0]
  </simpara></listitem>
<listitem><simpara><literal>brightness</literal> (int) val [(int) abs=0]
  </simpara></listitem>
<listitem><simpara><literal>hue</literal> (int) val [(int) abs=0]
  </simpara></listitem>
<listitem><para><literal>saturation</literal> (int) val [(int) abs=0]</para>
  <para>
  Set/Adjust video parameters. Val range from -100 to 100.
  </para></listitem>
<listitem><para><literal>frame_drop</literal> [(int) type=-1]</para>
  <para>
  Toggle/Set frame dropping mode.
  </para></listitem>
<listitem><para><literal>sub_visibility</literal></para>
  <para>
  Adjust subtitles visibility.
  </para></listitem>
<listitem><para><literal>sub_pos</literal> (int) val</para>
  <para>
  Adjust subtitles position.
  </para></listitem>
<listitem><para><literal>vobsub_lang</literal></para>
  <para>
  Change the language of VobSub subtitles.
  </para></listitem>
<listitem><para><literal>vo_fullscreen</literal></para>
  <para>
  Switch fullscreen mode.
  </para></listitem>
<listitem><para><literal>tv_step_channel</literal> (int) dir</para>
  <para>
  Select next/previous tv channel.
  </para></listitem>
<listitem><para><literal>tv_step_norm</literal></para>
  <para>
  Change TV norm.
  </para></listitem>
<listitem><para><literal>tv_step_chanlist</literal></para>
  <para>
  Change channel list.
  </para></listitem>
<listitem><simpara><literal>gui_loadfile</literal></simpara></listitem>
<listitem><simpara><literal>gui_loadsubtitle</literal></simpara></listitem>
<listitem><simpara><literal>gui_about</literal></simpara></listitem>
<listitem><simpara><literal>gui_play</literal></simpara></listitem>
<listitem><simpara><literal>gui_stop</literal></simpara></listitem>
<listitem><simpara><literal>gui_playlist</literal></simpara></listitem>
<listitem><simpara><literal>gui_preferences</literal></simpara></listitem>
<listitem><para><literal>gui_skinbrowser</literal></para>
  <para>
  GUI actions
  </para></listitem>
</itemizedlist>
</sect3>
</sect2>


<sect2 id="lirc">
<title>Control from LIRC</title>

<para>
Linux Infrared Remote Control - use an easy to build home-brewn IR-receiver,
an (almost) arbitrary remote control and control your linux box with it!
More about it at <ulink url="http://www.lirc.org">www.lirc.org</ulink>.
</para>

<para>
If you have installed the lirc-package, configure will autodetect it. If
everything went fine, <application>MPlayer</application> will print a
message like "<computeroutput>Setting up lirc support...</computeroutput>"
on startup. If an error occurs it will tell you. If it doesn't tell you
anything about LIRC there's no support compiled in. That's it :-)
</para>

<para>
The application name for <application>MPlayer</application> is - oh wonder
- <filename>mplayer</filename>.  You can use any mplayer commands and even
pass more than one command by separating them with <literal>\n</literal>.
Don't forget to enable the repeat flag in <filename>.lircrc</filename> when
it make sense (seek, volume, etc). Here's an excerpt from my
<filename>.lircrc</filename>:
</para>

<programlisting>
begin
     button = VOLUME_PLUS
     prog = mplayer
     config = volume 1
     repeat = 1
end

begin
    button = VOLUME_MINUS
    prog = mplayer
    config = volume -1
    repeat = 1
end

begin
    button = CD_PLAY
    prog = mplayer
    config = pause
end

begin
    button = CD_STOP
    prog = mplayer
    config = seek 0 1\npause
end<!--
--></programlisting>

<para>
If you don't like the standard location for the lirc-config file
(<filename>~/.lircrc</filename>) use the <option>-lircconf
<replaceable>filename</replaceable></option> switch to specify another
file.
</para>
</sect2>


<sect2 id="slave-mode">
<title>Slave mode</title>
<para>
The slave mode allow you to build simple frontend to
<application>MPlayer</application>. When enabled (with the
<option>-slave</option> option) <application>MPlayer</application> will
read commands separated by new line (\n) from stdin.
</para>
</sect2>
</sect1>


<sect1 id="streaming">
<title>Streaming from network or pipes</title>

<para>
<application>MPlayer</application> can play files from network, using the
HTTP or MMS protocol.
</para>

<para>
Playing goes by simply using adding the URL to the command line.
<application>MPlayer</application> also honors the
<envar>http_proxy</envar> environment variable, and uses proxy if
available.  Proxy usage can also be forced:
<screen>mplayer http_proxy://proxy.micorsops.com:3128/http://micorsops.com:80/stream.asf</screen>
</para>

<para>
<application>MPlayer</application> can read from stdin
(<emphasis>not</emphasis> named pipes). This can be for example used to
play from FTP:
<screen>wget ftp://micorsops.com/something.avi -O - | mplayer -</screen>
</para>

<para>
Note: it's also recommended to enable CACHE when playback from network:
<screen>wget ftp://micorsops.com/something.avi -O - | mplayer -cache 8192 -</screen>
</para>
</sect1>
</chapter>