Using Python to Automate Video Playing on Ubuntu

# Note: there were many iteration of this script with other methods
# of determining whether video stream was playing and without errors (e.g. paused, frozen, out-of-memory, minimized). I've found that the only reliable method of detection is ImageGrab. Other methods (from PIL, autopygui.locateOnScreen, numpy, mss, etc) have deemed unreliable at the time of script generation. Although short, this script has taken much more efforts with prompting that meets the eyes.

import psutil
import subprocess
import time
import signal
import sys
import pyautogui  # Import PyAutoGUI for simulating mouse clicks
from PIL import ImageGrab, ImageChops

# Configure these variables
videoPath = "/home/kimconnect/Desktop/TESTVIDEO.mp4"
check_interval = 1  # Check VLC status every minute
play_interval = 1  # Click play button every minute(s) (adjust as needed)

# Global variable to hold the VLC process
vlc_process = None

def kill_all_vlc():
    """Kill all running instances of VLC."""
    for proc in psutil.process_iter(['pid', 'name', 'cmdline']):
        if proc.info['name'] == 'vlc':
            proc.kill()
            print(f"Killed VLC process with PID {proc.pid}")

def start_vlc_fullscreen():
    """Start VLC in fullscreen mode."""
    global vlc_process
    try:
        vlc_process = subprocess.Popen(["vlc", "--fullscreen", "--x11-display", ":0", "--loop","--repeat", videoPath], stdout=subprocess.DEVNULL, stderr=subprocess.DEVNULL)
        print("Started VLC in fullscreen mode with looping.")
    except Exception as e:
        print(f"Error starting VLC: {e}")

def is_vlc_running():
    """Check if VLC process is running."""
    for proc in psutil.process_iter(['pid', 'name', 'cmdline']):
        if proc.info['name'] == 'vlc':
            return True
    return False

def is_vlc_playing():
    def take_screenshot():
        # Capture screenshot of the entire screen (screen 0)
        screenshot = ImageGrab.grab()
        return screenshot

    def images_are_different(img1, img2):
        # Compare two images pixel by pixel
        diff = ImageChops.difference(img1, img2)
        # Check if there are any differences
        return diff.getbbox() is not None

    try:
        max_attempts=20
        for i in range(max_attempts):
            # Take initial screenshot
            baseline_screenshot = take_screenshot()
            print("Took baseline screenshot.")

            # Wait for 5 seconds
            time.sleep(2)

            # Take second screenshot
            after_screenshot = take_screenshot()
            print("Took differential screenshot number"+ str(i+1))

            # Compare images
            if images_are_different(baseline_screenshot, after_screenshot):
                print("Screenshots are different. Good.")
                return True
            elif i<max_attempts:
                print("Screenshots are identical on attempt number "+str(i+1))
            else:
                return False
            del baseline_screenshot
            del after_screenshot

    except KeyboardInterrupt:
        print("\nProcess interrupted.")
        return False

def restart_vlc():
    """Restart VLC and resume playing the video."""
    kill_all_vlc()
    start_vlc_fullscreen()

def click_fullscreen_button():
    try:
        pyautogui.press('f')
        print("Pressed the spacebar to play/pause VLC.")
    except Exception as e:
        print(f"Error pressing the spacebar: {e}")

def cleanup():
    """Cleanup function to terminate VLC if script is terminated."""
    global vlc_process
    if vlc_process:
        vlc_process.terminate()
        vlc_process.wait()
        print("Terminated VLC.")
    sys.exit(0)

# Register signal handlers
signal.signal(signal.SIGINT, lambda signum, frame: cleanup())
signal.signal(signal.SIGTERM, lambda signum, frame: cleanup())

if __name__ == "__main__":
    try:
        # Kill all running instances of VLC before starting
        kill_all_vlc()

        # Start VLC in fullscreen mode initially with looping
        start_vlc_fullscreen()

        #button_timer = time.time()

        while True:
            time.sleep(check_interval)
            if not is_vlc_running():
                print("VLC is not running. Restarting...")
                start_vlc_fullscreen()
            elif not is_vlc_playing():
                print("VLC is not playing. Restarting...")
                restart_vlc()

    except KeyboardInterrupt:
        print ("keyboard interruption detected")
        if not is_vlc_running():
            cleanup()