Skip to content
New issue

Have a question about this project? Sign up for a free GitHub account to open an issue and contact its maintainers and the community.

By clicking “Sign up for GitHub”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy statement. We’ll occasionally send you account related emails.

Already on GitHub? Sign in to your account

Fix markdowns and typos #20

Open
wants to merge 1 commit into
base: master
Choose a base branch
from
Open
Show file tree
Hide file tree
Changes from all commits
Commits
File filter

Filter by extension

Filter by extension

Conversations
Failed to load comments.
Loading
Jump to
Jump to file
Failed to load files.
Loading
Diff view
Diff view
148 changes: 99 additions & 49 deletions README.md
Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
@@ -1,121 +1,151 @@
# 📺 Control Chromecasts from Linux
`cast_control` is [a daemon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daemon_(computing)) utility that allows you to control media playback on casting devices from the Linux desktop.

`cast_control` is [a daemon](<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daemon_(computing)>) utility that allows you to control media playback on casting devices from the Linux desktop.

While this service runs, it collects data about the media and apps playing on your casting devices and displays it on your computer.

### Integrations
`cast_control` controls Chromecasts and casting devices via D-Bus and [MPRIS media player controls](https://specifications.freedesktop.org/mpris-spec/2.2/).
## Integrations

`cast_control` controls Chromecasts and casting devices via D-Bus and [MPRIS media player controls](https://specifications.freedesktop.org/mpris-spec/2.2/).

MPRIS is the standard media player interface on Linux desktops.
MPRIS is the standard media player interface on Linux desktops.

MPRIS integration is [enabled by default](https://github.com/KDE/plasma-workspace/tree/master/applets/mediacontroller) in Plasma Desktop, and, along with GNOME's volume control widget, [there are widgets for GNOME](https://extensions.gnome.org/extension/1379/mpris-indicator-button/), too. [`playerctl` provides a CLI](https://github.com/altdesktop/playerctl) for controlling media players through MPRIS.

Check out [▶️mpris_server](https://github.com/alexdelorenzo/mpris_server) if you want to integrate MPRIS support into your media player.

## Screenshots

Controlling a Chromecast via Plasma Desktop's Media Player widget:

<img src="https://github.com/alexdelorenzo/chromecast_mpris/raw/name_change/cast_control/assets/mpris_widget.png" height="225" /> <img src="https://github.com/alexdelorenzo/chromecast_mpris/raw/name_change/cast_control/assets/mpris_plasma.png" height="225" />

## Features
* [x] Control music and video playback
* [x] Control app playback
* [x] View playback information in real-time
* [x] Display thumbnail and title
* [x] Display playback position and media length
* [x] Seek forward and backward
* [x] Play, pause, and stop playback
* [x] Volume up and down
* [x] Play next and previous
* [x] Quit casted app
* [x] Open media from D-Bus
* [x] Play YouTube videos
* [ ] Playlist integration

- [x] Control music and video playback
- [x] Control app playback
- [x] View playback information in real-time
- [x] Display thumbnail and title
- [x] Display playback position and media length
- [x] Seek forward and backward
- [x] Play, pause, and stop playback
- [x] Volume up and down
- [x] Play next and previous
- [x] Quit casted app
- [x] Open media from D-Bus
- [x] Play YouTube videos
- [ ] Playlist integration

## Installation

### Requirements
- Linux / *BSD / [macOS](https://github.com/zbentley/dbus-osx-examples)
- [D-Bus](https://www.freedesktop.org/wiki/Software/dbus/)
- Python >= 3.7
- [PyGObject](https://pypi.org/project/PyGObject/)
- `requirements.txt`


- Linux / \*BSD / [macOS](https://github.com/zbentley/dbus-osx-examples)
- [D-Bus](https://www.freedesktop.org/wiki/Software/dbus/)
- Python >= 3.7
- [PyGObject](https://pypi.org/project/PyGObject/)
- `requirements.txt`

#### Installing PyGObject
On Debian-derived distributions like Ubuntu, install `python3-gi` with `apt`.

On Debian-derived distributions like Ubuntu:

```bash
sudo apt install python3-gi
```

On Arch, you'll want to install `python-gobject`, or install `cast_control` [directly from the AUR](https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/cast_control/).

On macOS, install [`pygobject3`](https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/pygobject3) via `brew`.

On macOS, install [`pygobject3`](https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/pygobject3) via `brew`:

```bash
brew install pygobject3
```

Use `pip` to install `PyGObject>=3.34.0` if there are no installation candidates available in your vendor's package repositories.

### PyPI

```bash
$ python3 -m pip install cast_control
python3 -m pip install cast_control
```

You'll get a `cast_control` executable added to your `$PATH`.

### GitHub

Check out [the releases page on GitHub](https://github.com/alexdelorenzo/cast_control/releases) for stable releases.

If you'd like to use the development branch, clone the repository.

Once you have a source copy, run `python3 -m pip install -r requirements.txt`, followed by `python3 setup.py install`.
Once you have a source copy, run `python3 -m pip install -r requirements.txt`, followed by `python3 setup.py install`.

You'll get a `cast_control` executable added to your `$PATH`.

### AUR

If you're on Arch, you can install `cast_control` [directly from the AUR](https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/cast_control/). Thanks, [@yochananmarqos](https://github.com/yochananmarqos)!

```bash
$ yay -S cast_control
yay -S cast_control
```

### Upgrades

Stable releases are uploaded to PyPI. You can upgrade your `cast_control` installation like so:

```bash
$ python3 -m pip --upgrade cast_control
python3 -m pip --upgrade cast_control
```

See the [releases page](https://github.com/alexdelorenzo/cast_control/releases) on GitHub.

## Usage

You'll need to make sure that your computer can make network connections with your casting devices. It also helps to know the names of the devices in advance.

### Launch

Installing the package via PyPI, GitHub or the AUR will add `cast_control` to your `pip` executables path:

```bash
$ which cast_control
$ which cast_control
~/.local/bin/cast_control
```

If you have your `pip` executables path added to your shell's `$PATH`, you can launch `cast_control` like so:

```bash
$ cast_control --help
cast_control --help
```

Or, using the short name launcher `castctl`:

```bash
$ castctl --help
castctl --help
```

You can also launch `cast_control` via its Python module. This can be useful if your `$PATH` doesn't point to your `pip` executables.

```bash
$ python3 -m cast_control --help
python3 -m cast_control --help
```

### Help

#### Shell completion

To enable Bash completion for `cast_control`, add the following to your `~/.bashrc`:

```bash
eval "$(_CAST_CONTROL_COMPLETE=bash_source cast_control)"
```

For the `zsh` and `fish` shells, check out [the documentation here](https://click.palletsprojects.com/en/8.0.x/shell-completion/#enabling-completion).

#### Help text

```bash
$ cast_control --help
Usage: cast_control [OPTIONS] COMMAND [ARGS]...
Expand All @@ -138,6 +168,7 @@ Commands:
```

##### `connect` command

```bash
$ cast_control connect --help
Usage: cast_control connect [OPTIONS]
Expand All @@ -164,6 +195,7 @@ Options:
```

##### `service` command

```bash
$ cast_control service --help
Usage: cast_control service [OPTIONS] COMMAND [ARGS]...
Expand All @@ -182,6 +214,7 @@ Commands:
```

###### `service connect` command

```bash
$ cast_control service connect --help
Usage: cast_control service connect [OPTIONS]
Expand All @@ -208,78 +241,95 @@ Options:
```

### Connect to a device

Connect to a device named "My Device":

```bash
$ cast_control connect --name "My Device"
cast_control connect --name "My Device"
```

Connect to a device named "My Device" and run `cast_control` in the background:

```bash
$ cast_control service connect --name "My Device"
cast_control service connect --name "My Device"
```

After launching `cast_control`, you can use any MPRIS client to interact with it. MPRIS support is built in directly to Plasma Desktop and GNOME 3, and you can use `playerctl` on the command-line.
After launching `cast_control`, you can use any MPRIS client to interact with it. MPRIS support is built in directly to Plasma Desktop and GNOME 3, and you can use `playerctl` on the command-line.

### Retry until a Chromecast is found

You can use the `-w/--wait` flag to specify a waiting period in seconds before `cast_control` will try to find a casting device again if one is not found initially.

For example, if you want to wait 60 seconds between scans for devices, you can run the following:

```bash
$ export SECONDS=60
$ cast_control connect --wait $SECONDS
export SECONDS=60
cast_control connect --wait $SECONDS
# or
$ cast_control service connect --wait $SECONDS
cast_control service connect --wait $SECONDS
```

This is useful if you'd like to start `cast_control` at login, and there is a chance that your device isn't on, or you're on a different network.
This is useful if you'd like to start `cast_control` at login, and there is a chance that your device isn't on, or you're on a different network.

### Reconnect or disconnect the background service

If the background service is running, you can force it to reconnect and restart, or disconnect it entirely.

```bash
$ cast_control service reconnect
cast_control service reconnect
# or
$ cast_control service disconnect
cast_control service disconnect
```

### Open a URI on a Chromecast
Get the D-Bus name for your device using `playerctl`.

Get the D-Bus name for your device using `playerctl`.

```bash
$ playerctl --list-all
My_Device
```

Use the D-Bus name to issue commands to it.

```bash
$ export URL="http://ccmixter.org/content/gmz/gmz_-_Parametaphoriquement.mp3"
$ playerctl --player My_Device open "$URL"
export URL="http://ccmixter.org/content/gmz/gmz_-_Parametaphoriquement.mp3"
playerctl --player My_Device open "$URL"
```

This will play a song on your device.

### Open a YouTube video

You can cast YouTube videos the same way you can cast a generic URI.

```bash
$ export VIDEO="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4nkgJdVZFA"
$ playerctl --player My_Device open "$VIDEO"
export VIDEO="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4nkgJdVZFA"
playerctl --player My_Device open "$VIDEO"
```

### Logs

You can set the log level using the `-l/--log-level` flag with the `connect` or `service connect` commands:

```bash
$ cast_control connect --log-level debug
cast_control connect --log-level debug
```

Here's a [list of log levels supported by `cast_control`](https://docs.python.org/3/library/logging.html#logging-levels).

You can view the background service's log file with the `service log` command:

```bash
$ cast_control service log
cast_control service log
```

## Support

Want to support this project and [other open-source projects](https://github.com/alexdelorenzo) like it?

<a href="https://www.buymeacoffee.com/alexdelorenzo" target="_blank"><img src="https://cdn.buymeacoffee.com/buttons/v2/default-blue.png" alt="Buy Me A Coffee" height="60px" style="height: 60px !important;width: 217px !important;max-width:25%" ></a>

## License

See `LICENSE`. If you'd like to use this project with a different license, please get in touch.
2 changes: 1 addition & 1 deletion cast_control/assets/icon/authors.yml
Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
cc-black.svg:
Author: Y2kcrazyjoker4
For: Wikpedia
For: Wikipedia

cc-white.svg:
Author: Me
Expand Down
2 changes: 1 addition & 1 deletion cast_control/assets/icon/licenses.yml
Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
cc-black.svg:
Author: Y2kcrazyjoker4
License: CC-BY 3.0 Unported
License: CC-BY 3.0 Unported
Link: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Chromecast_cast_button_icon.svg#Licensing

cc-white.svg:
Expand Down