Error When Importing VLC

[kethan1]

I am using 64-bit python 3.8.3. I have install vlc using pip install python-vlc. I am getting the following error:

Traceback (most recent call last): File "<pyshell#1>", line 1, in <module> import vlc File "C:\Users\--\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python38\lib\site-packages\vlc.py", line 210, in <module> dll, plugin_path = find_lib() File "C:\Users\--\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python38\lib\site-packages\vlc.py", line 170, in find_lib dll = ctypes.CDLL('.\\' + libname) File "C:\Users\--\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python38\lib\ctypes\__init__.py", line 373, in __init__ self._handle = _dlopen(self._name, mode) FileNotFoundError: Could not find module 'C:\Users\--\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python38\libvlc.dll' (or one of its dependencies). Try using the full path with constructor syntax.

Edit: I am using Windows, and I have installed VLC before installing the python module.

[oaubert]

@pjeanjean do you have an idea? Since this occurs on windows (that I do not use) and seems to be impacted by your patch.

[pjeanjean]

From the message, I am guessing that VLC is not installed on the computer (or at least that the install path was not found from the registry), and python-vlc resorted to try and get the dll from the working directory.
Now, for some reason, the working directory as seen by the Python Interpreter is C:\Users\--\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python38\, and I'm honestly not sure why, might be my bad because of a missing chdir but I do remember testing this and concluding that was not necessary.

I would like to look a bit more into it, but I don't have my Windows computer with me at the moment.

In the meantime:

I have install vlc using pip install python-vlc

Please note that this command will not install VLC, but only this Python library, and you need to install VLC independently.

[kethan1]

Yes, I have installed vlc separately before I installed the vlc python module. I am running windows 10.

[kethan1]

Sorry, accidently closed issue.

[pjeanjean]

Can you check your registry?
The library is supposed to get the registry key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/Software/VideoLAN/VLC/InstallDir and use it to find libvlc.dll.
If this fails, it should look directly for "Program Files/VideoLan/VLC/libvlc.dll".

In your case, the registry key is not found, and the direct lookup also fails (where is VLC installed, and can you see the dll in the directory?)

[kethan1]

Hi, for me, it is located in "C:\Program Files (x86)\VideoLAN\VLC\libvlc.dll".
BTW, in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/Software, VideoLAN does not exist.

[pjeanjean]

Well, as a temporary workaround you could put the dll inside C:\Users\--\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python38 if you want to use the library anyway.

Last question (for now): did you install VLC through the official installer, or did you use some kind of package manager (Microsoft Store, choco, ...)?

I will try to reproduce this issue when I have access to my Windows computer.

(I guess that adding Program Files (x86) as a default location would make sense and fix the issue, but I at least want to check how to do it properly)

[kethan1]

I have used the official installer. It is not urgent, so I will wait for a bug fix.

[kethan1]

Any update on this? The error still happens. Do I need to upgrade python to Python 3.8.5 instead of Python 3.8.3.?

[pjeanjean]

Sorry, I forgot all bout this but I'll make a PR this evening to fix it.
Updating your Python version shouldn't change anything, we just need to add Program Files (x86) to the list of directories where VLC might be installed.

[kethan1]

Oh, okay, thank you so much.