I realized that in the examples folder there are examples e.g. for pyobjc and gtk, but none for the (plain) Windows API, i.e. no example that only uses ctypes/libffi in Windows (without depending on third-party modules like PyWin32). In case you want to add such an example, below a 1:1 port of the PyQt5 example pyqt5vlc.py to plain Windows API. Attached a screenshot of it running in Windows 11.
"""
A simple example for VLC python bindings using the plain Windows API.
Author: https://github.com/59de44955ebd, Berlin
Date: 25.08.2026
"""
from ctypes import *
from ctypes.wintypes import *
import sys
import vlc
########################################
# Additional used Windows API types
########################################
_is_64_bit = sys.maxsize > 2**32
LONG_PTR = c_longlong if _is_64_bit else c_long
UINT_PTR = WPARAM
WNDPROC = WINFUNCTYPE(LONG_PTR, HWND, UINT, WPARAM, LPARAM)
########################################
# Used Windows API structs
########################################
class MINMAXINFO(Structure):
_fields_ = [
("ptReserved", POINT),
("ptMaxSize", POINT),
("ptMaxPosition", POINT),
("ptMinTrackSize", POINT),
("ptMaxTrackSize", POINT),
]
class OPENFILENAMEW(Structure):
def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
super(OPENFILENAMEW, self).__init__(*args, **kwargs)
self.lStructSize = sizeof(OPENFILENAMEW)
_fields_ = (
("lStructSize", DWORD),
("hwndOwner", HWND),
("hInstance", HINSTANCE),
("lpstrFilter", LPWSTR),
("lpstrCustomFilter", LPWSTR),
("nMaxCustFilter", DWORD),
("nFilterIndex", DWORD),
("lpstrFile", LPWSTR),
("nMaxFile", DWORD),
("lpstrFileTitle", LPWSTR),
("nMaxFileTitle", DWORD),
("lpstrInitialDir", LPCWSTR),
("lpstrTitle", LPCWSTR),
("Flags", DWORD),
("nFileOffset", WORD),
("nFileExtension", WORD),
("lpstrDefExt", LPCWSTR),
("lCustData", LPARAM),
("lpfnHook", LPVOID), # LPOFNHOOKPROC, not used
("lpTemplateName", LPCWSTR),
("pvReserved", LPVOID),
("dwReserved", DWORD),
("FlagsEx", DWORD),
)
class WNDCLASSEXW(Structure):
def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
super(WNDCLASSEXW, self).__init__(*args, **kwargs)
self.cbSize = sizeof(self)
_fields_ = [
("cbSize", UINT),
("style", UINT),
("lpfnWndProc", WNDPROC),
("cbClsExtra", INT),
("cbWndExtra", INT),
("hInstance", HANDLE),
("hIcon", HANDLE),
("hCursor", HANDLE),
("hbrBackground", HANDLE),
("lpszMenuName", LPCWSTR),
("lpszClassName", LPCWSTR),
("hIconSm", HANDLE)
]
########################################
# Used Windows API functions
########################################
comdlg32 = windll.comdlg32
comdlg32.GetOpenFileNameW.argtypes = (POINTER(OPENFILENAMEW),)
gdi32 = windll.gdi32
gdi32.CreateFontW.argtypes = (INT, INT, INT, INT, INT, DWORD, DWORD, DWORD, DWORD, DWORD, DWORD, DWORD, DWORD, LPCWSTR)
gdi32.CreateFontW.restype = HFONT
gdi32.CreateSolidBrush.argtypes = (COLORREF,)
gdi32.CreateSolidBrush.restype = HBRUSH
user32 = windll.user32
user32.AppendMenuW.argtypes = (HWND, UINT, UINT_PTR, LPCWSTR)
user32.CreateWindowExW.argtypes = (DWORD, LPCWSTR, LPCWSTR, DWORD, INT, INT, INT, INT, HWND, HMENU, HINSTANCE, LPVOID)
user32.DefWindowProcW.argtypes = (HWND, UINT, WPARAM, LPARAM)
user32.DispatchMessageW.argtypes = (LPMSG,)
user32.EnableWindow.argytpes = (HWND, BOOL)
user32.GetMessageW.argtypes = (LPMSG, HWND, UINT, UINT)
user32.GetWindowRect.argtypes = (HWND, LPRECT)
user32.InvalidateRect.argtypes = (HWND, LPRECT, BOOL)
user32.IsDialogMessageW.argtypes = (HWND, LPMSG)
user32.IsDialogMessageW.restype = BOOL
user32.SendMessageW.argtypes = (HWND, UINT, LPVOID, LPVOID)
user32.SetWindowPos.argtypes = (HWND, LONG_PTR, INT, INT, INT, INT, UINT)
user32.TranslateMessage.argtypes = (LPMSG,)
########################################
# Used Windows API constants
########################################
ANSI_CHARSET = 0
BN_CLICKED = 0
CLIP_DEFAULT_PRECIS = 0
COLOR_3DFACE = 15
CS_HREDRAW = 2
CS_VREDRAW = 1
CW_USEDEFAULT = -2147483648
DEFAULT_PITCH = 0
DEFAULT_QUALITY = 0
FF_DONTCARE = 0
FW_DONTCARE = 0
IDC_ARROW = 32512
MAX_PATH = 260
MF_POPUP = 16
MF_STRING = 0
OFN_ENABLESIZING = 8388608
OFN_PATHMUSTEXIST = 2048
OUT_TT_PRECIS = 4
SWP_NOMOVE = 2
SWP_NOSIZE = 1
SW_SHOWNORMAL = 1
TBM_SETPAGESIZE = 1045
TBM_SETPOS = 1029
TBM_SETRANGE = 1030
TBM_SETRANGEMAX = 1032
TB_ENDTRACK = 8
TB_PAGEDOWN = 3
TB_PAGEUP = 2
WC_BUTTON = "Button"
WC_TRACKBAR = "msctls_trackbar32"
WM_CLOSE = 16
WM_COMMAND = 273
WM_GETMINMAXINFO = 36
WM_HSCROLL = 276
WM_SETFONT = 48
WM_SIZE = 5
WM_TIMER = 275
WS_CHILD = 1073741824
WS_DISABLED = 134217728
WS_OVERLAPPEDWINDOW = 13565952
WS_VISIBLE = 268435456
class Player():
"""A simple Media Player using VLC and Windows API"""
def __init__(self, master=None):
# Create a "menubar"
self.h_menu = user32.CreateMenu()
hmenu_child = user32.CreateMenu()
user32.AppendMenuW(self.h_menu, MF_POPUP, hmenu_child, "&File")
user32.AppendMenuW(hmenu_child, MF_STRING, 1, "Load Video")
user32.AppendMenuW(hmenu_child, MF_STRING, 2, "Close App")
# Create the main application window
def _window_proc_callback(hwnd, msg, wparam, lparam):
if msg == WM_CLOSE:
self.quit()
elif msg == WM_TIMER:
self.update_ui()
elif msg == WM_SIZE:
width, height = lparam & 0xFFFF, (lparam >> 16) & 0xFFFF
user32.SetWindowPos(self.hwnd_video_frame, 0, 0, 0, width, height - 70, SWP_NOMOVE)
user32.SetWindowPos(self.hwnd_button_play, 0, 10, height - 33, 0, 0, SWP_NOSIZE)
user32.SetWindowPos(self.hwnd_button_stop, 0, 100, height - 33, 0, 0, SWP_NOSIZE)
user32.SetWindowPos(self.hwnd_trackbar_position, 0, 7, height - 60, width - 14, 23, 0)
user32.SetWindowPos(self.hwnd_trackbar_volume, 0, width - 107, height - 33, 0, 0, SWP_NOSIZE)
# Our main window's class has no CS_HREDRAW/CS_VREDRAW class styles,
# because those would VLC make flicker when the window is resized.
# Therefor we have to invalidate the non-VLC part of the UI (bottom rect)
# manually to avoid visual artefacts.
user32.InvalidateRect(hwnd, byref(RECT(0, height - 70, width, height)), 1)
elif msg == WM_GETMINMAXINFO:
mmi = cast(lparam, POINTER(MINMAXINFO)).contents
mmi.ptMinTrackSize = POINT(320, 128)
return 0
elif msg == WM_HSCROLL:
if lparam == self.hwnd_trackbar_position:
lo, hi, = wparam & 0xFFFF, (wparam >> 16) & 0xFFFF
if lo == TB_ENDTRACK:
return 0
if lo in (TB_PAGEDOWN, TB_PAGEUP): # Click into slider
pt = POINT()
user32.GetCursorPos(byref(pt))
user32.MapWindowPoints(None, self.hwnd_trackbar_position, byref(pt), 1)
rc = RECT()
user32.GetWindowRect(self.hwnd_trackbar_position, byref(rc))
hi = int((pt.x - 10) / (rc.right - rc.left - 20) * 2000)
user32.SendMessageW(self.hwnd_trackbar_position, TBM_SETPOS, 1, hi)
self.set_position(hi)
elif lparam == self.hwnd_trackbar_volume:
lo, hi, = wparam & 0xFFFF, (wparam >> 16) & 0xFFFF
if lo == TB_ENDTRACK:
return 0
if lo in (TB_PAGEDOWN, TB_PAGEUP): # Click into slider
pt = POINT()
user32.GetCursorPos(byref(pt))
user32.MapWindowPoints(None, self.hwnd_trackbar_volume, byref(pt), 1)
rc = RECT()
user32.GetWindowRect(self.hwnd_trackbar_volume, byref(rc))
hi = int((pt.x - 10) / (rc.right - rc.left - 20) * 100)
user32.SendMessageW(self.hwnd_trackbar_volume, TBM_SETPOS, 1, hi)
self.set_volume(hi)
elif msg == WM_COMMAND:
command_id = WORD(wparam & 0xFFFF).value # LOWORD(wparam)
if lparam == 0:
if command_id == 1:
self.open_file()
elif command_id == 2:
self.quit()
elif lparam == self.hwnd_button_play:
if command_id == BN_CLICKED:
self.play_pause()
elif lparam == self.hwnd_button_stop:
if command_id == BN_CLICKED:
self.stop()
return user32.DefWindowProcW(hwnd, msg, wparam, lparam)
self.windowproc = WNDPROC(_window_proc_callback)
newclass = WNDCLASSEXW()
newclass.lpfnWndProc = self.windowproc
newclass.lpszClassName = "MediaPlayer"
newclass.hbrBackground = COLOR_3DFACE + 1
newclass.hCursor = user32.LoadCursorW(None, IDC_ARROW)
user32.RegisterClassExW(byref(newclass))
hwnd_desktop = user32.GetDesktopWindow()
rc = RECT()
user32.GetClientRect(hwnd_desktop, byref(rc))
cx, cy = 640, 480
x, y = (rc.right - cx) // 2, (rc.bottom - cy) // 2
self.hwnd = user32.CreateWindowExW(
0,
newclass.lpszClassName,
"Media Player",
WS_OVERLAPPEDWINDOW,
x, y, cx, cy,
0,
self.h_menu,
None, 0
)
# Create a basic vlc instance
self.instance = vlc.Instance(["--quiet", "--no-osd"])
self.media = None
# Create an empty vlc media player
self.mediaplayer = self.instance.media_player_new()
self.create_ui()
self.is_paused = False
# The media player has to be "connected" to our VideoFrame
self.mediaplayer.set_hwnd(self.hwnd_video_frame)
user32.ShowWindow(self.hwnd, SW_SHOWNORMAL)
def run(self):
msg = MSG()
while user32.GetMessageW(byref(msg), None, 0, 0):
if user32.IsDialogMessage(self.hwnd, byref(msg)):
continue
user32.TranslateMessage(byref(msg))
user32.DispatchMessageW(byref(msg))
return 0
def quit(self):
user32.PostQuitMessage(0)
def timer_start(self):
user32.SetTimer(self.hwnd, 1, 100, 0) # 1 is our timer id
def timer_stop(self):
user32.KillTimer(self.hwnd, 1)
def create_ui(self):
"""Set up the user interface"""
self.dummy_proc = WNDPROC(user32.DefWindowProcW)
newclass = WNDCLASSEXW()
newclass.lpfnWndProc = self.dummy_proc
newclass.lpszClassName = "VideoFrame"
newclass.hbrBackground = gdi32.CreateSolidBrush(0x000000)
newclass.hCursor = user32.LoadCursorW(None, IDC_ARROW)
user32.RegisterClassExW(byref(newclass))
self.hwnd_video_frame = user32.CreateWindowExW(
0,
newclass.lpszClassName,
"VideoFrame",
WS_CHILD | WS_VISIBLE,
0, 0, 0, 0,
self.hwnd,
None, None, 0
)
h_font_shell = gdi32.CreateFontW(
-11, 0, 0, 0, FW_DONTCARE, 0, 0, 0, ANSI_CHARSET, OUT_TT_PRECIS,
CLIP_DEFAULT_PRECIS, DEFAULT_QUALITY, DEFAULT_PITCH | FF_DONTCARE, "Segoe UI"
)
self.hwnd_button_play = user32.CreateWindowExW(
0,
WC_BUTTON,
"Play",
WS_CHILD | WS_VISIBLE,
0, 0, 80, 23,
self.hwnd,
None, None, 0
)
user32.SendMessageW(self.hwnd_button_play, WM_SETFONT, h_font_shell, 1)
self.hwnd_button_stop = user32.CreateWindowExW(
0,
WC_BUTTON,
"Stop",
WS_CHILD | WS_VISIBLE,
0, 0, 80, 23,
self.hwnd,
None, None, 0
)
user32.SendMessageW(self.hwnd_button_stop, WM_SETFONT, h_font_shell, 1)
self.hwnd_trackbar_position = user32.CreateWindowExW(
0,
WC_TRACKBAR,
"",
WS_CHILD | WS_VISIBLE | WS_DISABLED,
0, 0, 0, 0,
self.hwnd,
None, None, 0
)
user32.SendMessageW(self.hwnd_trackbar_position, TBM_SETRANGEMAX, 0, 2000)
user32.SendMessageW(self.hwnd_trackbar_position, TBM_SETPAGESIZE, 0, 1)
self.hwnd_trackbar_volume = user32.CreateWindowExW(
0,
WC_TRACKBAR,
"",
WS_CHILD | WS_VISIBLE,
0, 0, 100, 23,
self.hwnd,
None, None, 0
)
user32.SendMessageW(self.hwnd_trackbar_volume, TBM_SETRANGEMAX, 0, 100)
user32.SendMessageW(self.hwnd_trackbar_volume, TBM_SETPAGESIZE, 0, 1)
user32.SendMessageW(self.hwnd_trackbar_volume, TBM_SETPOS, 1, self.mediaplayer.audio_get_volume())
def play_pause(self):
"""Toggle play/pause status"""
if self.mediaplayer.is_playing():
self.mediaplayer.pause()
user32.SetWindowTextW(self.hwnd_button_play, "Play")
self.is_paused = True
self.timer_stop()
else:
if self.mediaplayer.play() == -1:
self.open_file()
return
self.mediaplayer.play()
user32.SetWindowTextW(self.hwnd_button_play, "Pause")
self.is_paused = False
self.timer_start()
user32.EnableWindow(self.hwnd_trackbar_position, 1)
def stop(self):
"""Stop player"""
self.mediaplayer.stop()
user32.SetWindowTextW(self.hwnd_button_play, "Play")
user32.EnableWindow(self.hwnd_trackbar_position, 0)
def open_file(self):
"""Open a media file in a MediaPlayer"""
file_buffer = create_unicode_buffer(MAX_PATH)
ofn = OPENFILENAMEW()
ofn.hwndOwner = self.hwnd
ofn.lpstrTitle = "Choose Media File"
ofn.lpstrFile = cast(file_buffer, LPWSTR)
ofn.nMaxFile = MAX_PATH
ofn.Flags = OFN_ENABLESIZING | OFN_PATHMUSTEXIST
if not comdlg32.GetOpenFileNameW(byref(ofn)):
return
filename = file_buffer[:].split("\0", 1)[0]
self.media = self.instance.media_new(filename)
# Put the media in the media player
self.mediaplayer.set_media(self.media)
# Parse the metadata of the file
self.media.parse()
# Set the title of the track as window title
user32.SetWindowTextW(self.hwnd, self.media.get_meta(0))
self.play_pause()
def set_volume(self, volume):
"""Set the volume"""
self.mediaplayer.audio_set_volume(volume)
def set_position(self, pos):
"""Set the movie position according to the position slider"""
# Set the media position to where the slider was dragged
self.timer_stop()
self.mediaplayer.set_position(pos / 2000.0)
self.timer_start()
def update_ui(self):
"""Update the user interface"""
# Set the slider"s position to its corresponding media position
media_pos = int(self.mediaplayer.get_position() * 2000)
user32.SendMessageW(self.hwnd_trackbar_position, TBM_SETPOS, 1, media_pos)
# No need for a timer if nothing is played
if not self.mediaplayer.is_playing():
self.timer_stop()
# After the video finished, the play button stills shows "Pause",
# which is not the desired behavior of a media player.
# This fixes that "bug".
if not self.is_paused:
self.stop()
def main():
"""Entry point for our simple vlc player"""
player = Player()
sys.exit(player.run())
if __name__ == "__main__":
main()
Hi,
I realized that in the examples folder there are examples e.g. for pyobjc and gtk, but none for the (plain) Windows API, i.e. no example that only uses ctypes/libffi in Windows (without depending on third-party modules like PyWin32). In case you want to add such an example, below a 1:1 port of the PyQt5 example
pyqt5vlc.pyto plain Windows API. Attached a screenshot of it running in Windows 11.Example
winapivlc.py