Problem automatically loading current youtube URL

[brittney24]

I haven't switched to SMPlayer 0.8.5 yet (using 0.8.4 PORTABLE w/ MPlayer2), but the latest changes don't sound related to the issue I'm seeing.

When SMP is open & I'm on Youtube's site & click a vid, & it's URL is in Fx's address bar, that 1st URL is already loaded in SMP's "Enter URL" bar.

But, after playing the 1st vid, the next vid's URL that I click on in Fx, doesn't necessarily get entered in SMP's URL bar. Nor is it in the drop list of URLs.

Then may try clicking another vid & sometimes it may then be automatically entered in SMP. Is there a magic sequence that must be followed to get each successive vid's URL to automatically load?

Or is it because SMP doesn't recognize something in certain vid's URLs, thus fails to load them? Yes, they are flash vids. The notice pops up saying "You need Flash Player..." I don't have Flash Player installed, so...

I haven't had dozens & dozens of URLs that wouldn't autoload (haven't tried several dozen), so don't see a pattern why some do & some don't.

Thanks.

[rvm]

Could you paste any of the URLs that don't work?

[brittney24]

I think the problem was the fact that SMP doesn't "automatically load" URLs. Of course, you have to hi light the youtube URL, then copy or Ctrl + C, etc.

I was thinking along the lines of browsers being able to use what's in the address bar, but SMP works off what's copied to clipboard. That said, not sure there aren't slight glitches in the exact steps required for SMP to play a vid, that HAS been copied into clipboard. Maybe be operator error.

Most times, if I copy the URL from browser (Fx) to clipboard, then click Enter URL icon (placed on toolbar), the URL is already entered (of course) & entering OK starts playing it.
But sometimes that last step doesn't start the playing. Like this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Adw772km7PQ

First time I did steps above, I believe SMP showed it was starting to cache the vid, but then didn't start playing it (after I hit OK on the Enter URL UI). That happened on other vids a few times.
W/O doing anything else, clicked the "enter URL icon" again (same URL above was still entered). This time when clicked OK (enter) on the Enter URL UI, the vid DID play. This is a sporadic thing.

I'm not sure of exact behavior design for steps required to start playing youtube vids (no FAQ / docs, AFAIK).

Is SMP designed to assume if a vid URL is copied to clipboard, the user intends to play it? I'm just thinking of the easiest way to play youtube vids, so it's almost as easy Flash's one click. So more users would use SMP vs Flash Player. Perhaps requiring small changes in how SMP now handles youtube URLs.

Once copied to clipboard, is the URL already in SMP's enter URL field, OR does the UI for entering URL have to be opened before it copies the clipboard into the field?

I haven't thought of all possible negatives for this, but if SMP is running & user copies a URL to clipboard, should SMP assume user intends to play it, so all they need to do is click play button?
Yes, the method above wouldn't allow replaying the previous vid loaded in Enter URL, but if users want to replay the last vid, would they copy a new URL to clipboard, then try to replay the last one?
I guess they might, if they were "pre-loading" a new vid (sitting in clipboard); replay the last vid, then copy the URL in clipboard into SMP.

Not sure avg users think that far ahead. If they want to pre-load URLs, isn't there now the option to add URLs to playlist, in SMP 0.8.5? Clearing the way to allow SMP to automatically load URLs from clipboard & play just by clicking Play (no opening Enter URL UI needed). Just musing over cutting out a step or 2 & what would suit most users the best.

[rvm]

[brittney24]

Thanks. Anyway, now that SMP has ability to add URLs to playlist, what do you think about the idea of making it so once a URL is copied to clipboard, users only need to press play?

After all, that is the intent of vast majority - once they copy a URL, they intend to play it.

Only other thing I can see that would be useful is IF SMP is OPEN, each time another URL is copied from browser, it's added to SMP's playlist. Maybe there could be an option in prefs to enable / disable that behavior. Otherwise, I think the vast majority intend to play the vid (very soon) after they copy it from browser address bar.

If so, why the need to open an "Add URL" screen (another step)? You just DID add a URL(the intent), by copying it from the browser & also have SMP open.
If some people feel the "need" to open another screen in SMP to add the URL, make that an option. I think many will continue using (security risk) Flash Player because there are fewer steps involved.

[semes]

I have a IP problem with youtube video. Can I watch youtube video through smplayer?