About This File
This file includes all the source codes and a compiled .exe version of zPlayer, which is a stand-alone, simple, intuitive and easy-to-use, yet fully functional media player. I made this to suit my purpose and you can tweak it to your taste. The source code is only about 1300 lines and only standard #include files were used.
zPlayer was my first AutoIt project through which I was hoping to learn coding. A media player capable of playing back audio and video files was my initial goal, but video was beyond my capacity for my lack of coding experience. So zPlayer was born as an audio-only player and remained so up to Version 2.0.1.5.
Just recently I decided to add video function to zPlayer now that I had gained some experience. I thought it would be possible, but I didn't expect it to be this simple. I made minimal changes to the existing code and added only about 80 lines and, voila, I have an integrated audio and video player, starting from Version 3.0.0.1.
This player has the following features:
- Play back all formats of media files which can be played back by the Windows Media Player in your computer
- Depending on the file types specified by the user in zPlayer.ini file this player can be either audio only, video only or both.
- Video window is independent of other windows and, when it is maximized, increases the immersion of the user
- Graphical player similar to embedded Windows Media Player
- Forward, backward, pause, repeat, shuffle function
- Increase/decrease/mute sound volume
- Change folders and create playlist for all media files in that folder and its subfolders, and support for manually-made playlists
- Save play-back environment when terminating and resume that environment when restarting
- With one click, you can see internet search results for the file selected in playlist
- With a double-click, you can play back an item in the playlist
- Search strings in the playlist
- Option to see long file names including folder names
- Resize the playlist and video windows, and restore them to their default positions
- Very small footprint: very low CPU and memory usage, with only about 1MB when compiled
- You can even hide all the windows and manipulate the player with hotkeys only
Note: zPlayer is the name I used when I introduced the early version of this player in my blog back in early 2009 and, therefore, has nothing to do with the mobile media player of the same name which started marketing in 2015.
What's New in Version 3.0.0.4
Released
Hash values for compiled file of the latest version:
SHA256: F205332830AD4F1868802F8F8228CC3B521ED2AB3DD480B51FABA021129182D6
SHA1: 42B6F4A5BF229751A4A51DB990A83F975D11021A
Windows 10 Defender with latest Security Intelligence Update as of December 7, 2020 does not flag the compiled verion of this program.
Version 3.0.0.4 - December 7 2020
1. A minor error was found in "Rescan" function and corrected.
Version 3.0.0.3 - October 8 2020
1. The file extension was the basis for zPlayer to recognize a video file, but now the existence of video image in the file itself is the basis for recognition of a video file. As a result, there is no need to have two separate keys for audio and video file types to be defined in zPlayer.ini file. Now all audio and video file types are defined under one key named File Types.
Version 3.0.0.2 - August 10 2020
1. Added context menu in the playlist window with following submenus: Play this file, Delete from playlist, Copy file path, Go to this folder, Search internet
2. Added Reshuffle button to the playlist window. It reshuffles the current shuffled playlist. The button is disabled when the play mode is Sequential.
3. Used _GUICtrlListView_AddItem() instead of GUICtrlCreateListViewItem() to add playlist items, thus avoiding frequent re-creation of playlist window.
Version 3.0.0.1 - August 4, 2020
1. Added a video player
2. I found that some video files do not contain duration metadata. They can still be palyed but the progress slider does not work.
Version 2.0.1.5 - July 21, 2020
1. Made provisions to check integrity of playlist files before they are loaded for play-back
2. Made widths of all columns in playlist window self-adjust to the width of their contents
Version 2.0.1.4 - July 17, 2020
1. Fixed a procedural error that could happen when this program is run from a folder that has no zPlayer.ini file but has zPlayList.txt file.
Version 2.0.1.3 - July 13, 2020
1. Fixed a minor bug
Version 2.0.1.2 - July 10, 2020
1. Fixed the problem with getting and showing bitrates for ogg format files
2. Fixed the problem arising when the files in playlist do not exist in the folder
3. Changed all MsgBox() alerts to custom-designed GUI alerts
4. Volume control GUI revised to change volume continually if the mouse is clicked and held down
Version 2.0.1.1 - June 30, 2020
1. Streamlined resizing behaviour of playlist window
Version 2.0.1.0 - June 25, 2020
1. A rescan function was added to enable update of the current folder playlist reflecting changes in supported file types or folder contents.
2. A welcome message is shown when the program does not find zPlayer.ini file in the program directory.
3. Help menu was added to the main window.
4. Some redundant code lines were eliminated. ( June 26, 2020)
Version 2.0.0.7 - May 27, 2020
If the player does not find zPlayer.ini file in the same directory, the player assumes that it is being launched for the first time and displays the Help window.
Version 2.0.0.6 - Mar. 2, 2020
The Help was revised to elaborate on how to define file types supported by this player. Now it read:
This player can play back all audio file formats supported by Windows Media Player and addtioanl codecs installed. File formats supported initially by default are mp3, wma, asf, ogg, flac and ape. These are defined in zPlayer.ini file which is created after the first run of this player. Additional file formats you want to play back should be specified in File Types section of zPlayer.ini file.
Version 2.0.0.5 - Feb. 10, 2020
1. The movement of progress bar shuttle was fine-tuned. You can click the mouse anywhere on the slider and drag and drop the shuttle.
2. The tray menu items were revised to reflect correct states of windows.
3. A separate, non-modal Help window was created instead of a regular modal message box.
Version 2.0.0.4 - January 15, 2020
1. Revised the way the player detects bitrate of a file so that correct bitrate can be detected regardless of OS version
2. Revised MyDuck() function to use default browser to execute search
Version 2.0.0.3 - November 24, 2019
1. Fixed a few minor bugs.
2. When the player encounters an unplayable file, option is given to play the next file or to quit. Formerly the player moved to the next file by default.
Version 2.0.0.2 - August 21, 2019
1. Listview functions were revised to position current item in the center of the window when it is resized.
2. Files were divided into 2 packages: one containing source codes and the other to contain compiled exe file only.
Version 2.0.0.1 - May 15, 2019
Per @careca's recommendation, changed sound volume controls to work on program sound levels instead of system sound levels.
