Windows Media Player options

Overview

The HTML code for the embedded Windows Media Player has the following general structure:

<OBJECT ID="WMPlayer" CLASSID="CLSID:22D6F312-B0F6-11D0-94AB-0080C74C7E95"
HEIGHT="390" WIDTH="360" STANDBY="Loading Windows Media Player components..." TYPE="application/x-oleobject">
<param name="FILENAME" value="http://www.surfnet.nl/cgi-bin/play.php?url=/n/naam/voorbeeld.asf&start=23.1&end=68.9">
<param name="AUTOSTART" value="FALSE">
<param name="PLAYCOUNT" value="1">
<param name="SHOWCONTROLS" value="TRUE">
<param name="SHOWDISPLAY" value="TRUE">
<param name="SHOWSTATUSBAR" value="TRUE">
<embed NAME="WMPlayer"
TYPE="application/x-mplayer2"
SRC="http://www.surfnet.nl/cgi-bin/play.php?url=/n/naam/voorbeeld.asf&start=23.1&end=68.9"
HEIGHT ="390"
WIDTH ="360"
AUTOSTART ="FALSE"
PLAYCOUNT ="1"
SHOWCONTROLS ="TRUE"
SHOWDISPLAY ="TRUE"
SHOWSTATUSBAR ="TRUE">
</embed>
</OBJECT>

This code consists of an <OBJECT> tag and an <EMBED> tag. The <OBJECT> tag is interpreted by Internet Explorer, but is ignored by Netscape. The OBJECT tag handles the embedding of an ActiveX component. Netscape uses the EMBED tag for embedding a Netscape plugin. The combination of both tags ensures a correct replay of the clip in both browsers.

Setting options

The easiest way to set common options is by using the Virtual Cutter. However, you can manually add options that are not included in the generated HTML code. An overview of all options is presented below. Note that you must specify the options for both the OBJECT and the EMBED tag.

OBJECT tag parameters
Add the line below. Replace [parameter name] by the name of the parameter and [value] by the value of the parameter.

<param name= '[parameter name]' value ='[value]'>

An example:
In order to set the value of the parameter 'AUTOSTART' to 'true', add the following line underneath the other lines (but before the ">"):

<param name='AUTOSTART' value='true'>

EMBED tag parameters
Add the line below. Replace [parameter name] by the name of the parameter and [value] by the value of the parameter.

<param name='[parameter name]' value='[value]'>

An example:
 In order to set the value of the parameter 'AUTOSTART' to true 'true', add the following line underneath the other lines (but before the EMBED tag):

'AUTOSTART' ='true'

Overview of the options

Below you will find the options with which you can modify the behaviour of the embedded RealPlayer to your wishes. Include the options in the generated  HTML code as described above. The following guidelines apply:

OBJECT tag
- The reserved words PARAM, NAME and VALUE are not case-sensitive.
- Parameter names are not case-sensitive.
- The same holds for parameter values. Note that file names must often be specified in lowercase.
- Parameter values must always be enclosed in double quotation marks.

EMBED tag
- Parameter names are not case-sensitive.
- The same holds for parameter values. Note that file names must often be specified in lowercase.
- There is no need to put quotation marks around the parameter values, unless the value is a URL (file location).

Only examples for the EMBED tag are provided.

autoStart

Specifies whether to automatically play a presentation.

Value(s) TRUE of FALSE
Default value TRUE

balance

This specifies the balance between the stereo channels. Valid values range from -10000 to 10000.

Value(s) -10000 to 10000
Default value 0

baseURL

The base component for URLs that are embedded in media items. These URLs are processed if invokeURLs is set to TRUE. The embedded URLs represent relative paths and are combined with the base URL to yield an absolute URL.

Value(s) Valid relative URL
Default value (none)

captioningID

Specifies the name of the element displaying the embedded captioning. These are the texts that are displayed during playback.

Value(s) Valid name
Default value (none)

currentPosition

Specifies the starting position in the media item in seconds. Using this parameter in HTML code that is generated by the Virtual Cutter can produce unexpected results.

Value(s) Integer from 0 to the duration of the media item
Default value 0

currrentMarker

Specifies the starting position as a given marker embedded in the media item. (these are not the markers that are placed by the Virtual Cutter). If CurrentMarker is set to 0, then playback starts at the beginning of the media item.

Value(s) Integer waarde from 0 to the number of markers present
Default value 0

defaultFrame

Specifies the name of the frame used to display an URL.

Value(s) Valid frame name
Default value (none)

enableContextMenu

Specifies a value indicating whether to enable the context menu, which appears when the right mouse button is clicked.

Value(s) TRUE or FALSE
Default value TRUE

enabled

Specifies whether the Windows Media Player control is enabled. 

Value(s) TRUE or FALSE
Default value TRUE

height

Sets the height of a specified embedded control.

Value(s) Number of pixels or pecentage of the browser window
Default value (none)

invokeURLs

Specifies whether the player should process URL events embedded in the media item.

Value(s) TRUE or FALSE
Default value TRUE

mute

Specifies if audio is muted.

Value(s) TRUE or FALSE
Default value FALSE

playCount

Specifies the number of times a media item will play. The media item will be repeated continuously if playCount is set to 0.

Value(s) Integer of 0 or larger 
Default value 1

rate

Specifies if playback is slowed down or speeded up. The value of rate indicates the factor of the speed change.

Value(s) Decimal fraction
Default value 1.0

SAMIFilename

Specifies which file contains the embedded captioning. SAMI stands for Synchronized Accessible Media Interchange. The file must have a .sami of .smi extension.

Value(s) Valid SAMI file name
Default value (none)

SAMILang

Specifies the captioning language.

Not supported for the EMBED tag.

Value(s) Valid language
Default value The first language defined in the SAMI file

SAMIStyle

Specifies the style that is to be used to display the text in the SAMI file.

Not supported for the EMBED tag.

Value(s) Valid style
Default value The first style defined in the SAMI file

showcontrols

Specifies if the control panel is visible

Value(s) TRUE or FALSE
Default value TRUE

showdisplay

Specifies whether the window for showing the video or animation is visible.

Value(s) TRUE or FALSE
Default value TRUE

showstatusbar

Specifies whether the status bar for the media item is visible.

Value(s) TRUE or FALSE
Default value TRUE

volume

Specifies the volume in hundredths of deciBel when replay starts. A value of 0 indicates the maximum volume.

Value(s) From -10000 to 0
Default value -600

width

Sets the width of a specified embedded control.

Value(s) Number of pixels or pecentage of the browser window
Default value (none)