Integrate VLC player in C# (WPF) project using Vlc.DotNet - wpf

Question

I want to integrate to my project a VLC player to display video cameras streams. For that, I try to use Vlc.DotNet (2.1.126 version) in my WPF project.
My tests are done in the following XAML file (I'm a bit a beginner at XAML/WPF):
<UserControl x:Class="TVSCS_View.VideoDisplay.VideoPlayerControl"
xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
xmlns:mc="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/markup-compatibility/2006"
xmlns:d="http://schemas.microsoft.com/expression/blend/2008"
xmlns:ctrl="clr-namespace:TVSCS_View.VideoDisplay"
xmlns:wpf="clr-namespace:Vlc.DotNet.Wpf;assembly=Vlc.DotNet.Wpf"
mc:Ignorable="d"
d:DesignHeight="300"
d:DesignWidth="300"
x:Name="controlVideoDisplay"
DataContext="{Binding ElementName=controlVideoDisplay}">
<Border BorderBrush="Black"
BorderThickness="1">
<Grid x:Name="videoDisplayLayoutRoot"
Margin="5,5,5,5">
<Image Source="{Binding ElementName=myVlcControl}"
HorizontalAlignment="Stretch"
VerticalAlignment="Stretch"/>
<ctrl:VideoCommandsControl x:Name="videoPlayerControl"
VerticalAlignment="Bottom"
Height="25"
Width="175"
Visibility="Visible"
Margin="10,0,10,20" />
<ctrl:VideoTimeLineControl x:Name="timeLineControl"
VerticalAlignment="Bottom"
Margin="0,0,0,0"/>
</Grid>
</Border>
</UserControl>
And the associated .cs file is:
using System.Reflection;
using System.Text;
using System.Threading.Tasks;
using System.Windows;
using System.Windows.Controls;
using System.Windows.Data;
using System.Windows.Documents;
using System.Windows.Input;
using System.Windows.Media;
using System.Windows.Media.Imaging;
using System.Windows.Navigation;
using System.Windows.Shapes;
using Vlc.DotNet.Wpf;
namespace TVSCS_View.VideoDisplay
{
/// <summary>
/// Logique d'interaction pour VideoPlayerControl.xaml
/// </summary>
public partial class VideoPlayerControl : UserControl
{
public VlcControl myVlcControl;
public VideoPlayerControl()
{
InitializeComponent();
MediaPlayer media = new MediaPlayer();
myVlcControl = new VlcControl();
var currentAssembly = Assembly.GetEntryAssembly();
var currentDirectory = new FileInfo(currentAssembly.Location).DirectoryName;
if (Environment.Is64BitOperatingSystem)
{
myVlcControl.MediaPlayer.VlcLibDirectory = new DirectoryInfo(System.IO.Path.Combine(currentDirectory, #"C:\Users\t0115019\Documents\Visual Studio 2015\Projects\tvscs_display\packages\VLC\"));
}
myVlcControl.MediaPlayer.EndInit();
myVlcControl.MediaPlayer.Play(new Uri("C:/Users/Documents/WP_20160908_11_16_53_Pro.mp4"));
}
}
}
Currently, I have an exception "FillNotFOundException" linked to "myVlcControl.MediaPlayer.EndInit()" line when I execute the application.
If I delete this line, nothing is displayed in the UserControl.
Nota:
I try to integrate the VlcControl using the following method:
<UserControl x:Class="TVSCS_View.VideoDisplay.VideoPlayerControl"
xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
xmlns:mc="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/markup-compatibility/2006"
xmlns:d="http://schemas.microsoft.com/expression/blend/2008"
xmlns:ctrl="clr-namespace:TVSCS_View.VideoDisplay"
xmlns:wpf="clr-namespace:Vlc.DotNet.Wpf;assembly=Vlc.DotNet.Wpf"
mc:Ignorable="d"
d:DesignHeight="300"
d:DesignWidth="300"
x:Name="controlVideoDisplay"
DataContext="{Binding ElementName=controlVideoDisplay}">
<Border BorderBrush="Black"
BorderThickness="1">
<Grid x:Name="videoDisplayLayoutRoot"
Margin="5,5,5,5">
<wpf:VlcControl x:Name="myVlcControl" />
</Grid>
</Border>
</UserControl>
But in this case, i have the following messsage:
the value of type "VlcControl" cannot be added to a collection or dictionary of type 'UIElementCollection'.
Do you have any solution for my little problem?
Thanks

Answer 1

The WPF version of the VlcControl is just a WindowsFormsHost control hosting the Windows Forms version of the VlcControl. Judging by the error message (The value of type "VlcControl" cannot be added to a collection or dictionary of type 'UIElementCollection') you're simply missing a reference to the WindowsFormsIntegration assembly, in which the WindowsFormsHost is defined (it can be found under Assemblies → Framework in the reference manager).
Here's a fully working example of a WPF window hosting the VLC player. You need to install the Vlc.DotNet.Wpf NuGet package (and its dependencies) and reference the WindowsFormsIntegration assembly.
MainWindow.xaml
<Window x:Class="HelloVlc.MainWindow"
xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
xmlns:vlc="clr-namespace:Vlc.DotNet.Wpf;assembly=Vlc.DotNet.Wpf">
<vlc:VlcControl x:Name="vlcPlayer" />
</Window>
MainWindow.xaml.cs
public partial class MainWindow
{
public MainWindow()
{
InitializeComponent();
vlcPlayer.MediaPlayer.VlcLibDirectory =
//replace this path with an appropriate one
new DirectoryInfo(#"c:\Program Files (x86)\VideoLAN\VLC\");
vlcPlayer.MediaPlayer.EndInit();
vlcPlayer.MediaPlayer.Play(new Uri("http://download.blender.org/peach/" +
"bigbuckbunny_movies/big_buck_bunny_480p_surround-fix.avi"));
}
}