Control your Kodi instance(s) via the commandline
Project description
kodi-cli
Command Line Interface for Kodi
This tool can be used from the command line to execute commands against a target Kodi host via the RPC interface defined at https://kodi.wiki/view/JSON-RPC_API/v12.
The available commands are defined via a json file (kodi_namespaces.json) which describes all the namespaces, methods and parameters available for managing the kodi device remotely.
Note
- Not all the commands are fully defined, further iterations of the code will include updates to this json file to make more commands available.
- Namespace and Methods are case-sensitive. Use help parameter or refer to the Kodi RPC page for proper capitalization.
- An entrypoint is created on install that allows the script to be run without specifying python kodi_cli.py, simply type kodi-cli to execute the script.
Some terms:
Term | Description |
---|---|
namespace | The data model is split into namespace components which can be called via the API |
methods | Each namespace has a number of methods which perform some function within that namespace |
command | A command is a namespace method combiniation used to control Kodi function (fmt: Namespace.Method) |
usage:
kodi_cli.py [-h] [-H HOST] [-P PORT] [-u USER] [-p PASSWORD] [-c CONFIG] [-C] [-f] [-v] [command [param ...]]
Overall Description
Commands are based on Kodi namespaces and methods. Each namespace (i.e. Application, System,...) has a set of pre-defned methods. When executing a command you supply the Namespace.Method parameter(s) (case-sensitive).
For example, to display the mute and volume level settings on host kodi001, the command is constructed as follows:
python kodi_cli.py -H kodi001 -f Application.GetProperties properties=[muted,volume]
- -H kodi001 identifies the target host
- -f indicates the output should be formatted
- Application.GetProperties is the command
- Application is the namespace
- GetProperties is the method
- properties=[muted,volume] are the parameters
The output of the tool is the json response from the Kodi endpoint the command was targeted to.
{
"id": 1,
"jsonrpc": "2.0",
"result": {
"muted": false,
"volume": 100
}
}
TIPS - When calling the script:
action | description |
---|---|
add -h option | to display script syntax and list of option parameters |
enter help | as a parameter for help on namespace or namespace.method |
add -C | to create a config file for paraneter defaults |
add -f | to format the json output into a friendly format |
To create a configfile:
- Compose the command line with all the values desired as defaults
- Append a -C to command line, the file will be created (if it does not already exist)
- Any future runs will use the defaults, which can be overridden if needed.
Help commands:
action | example |
---|---|
list of namespaces | python kodi_cli.py help |
Methods for Namespace | python kodi_cli.py Application help |
Parameters for Method | python kodi_cli.py Application.GetProperties help Note, to get the detailed calling signature add -v |
Details for namespaces, methods and parameters may be found at https://kodi.wiki/view/JSON-RPC_API/v12
Prerequsites:
Python 3.7+
Python packages
- requests package
Code can be installed via pip or pipx: - pip install kodi-cli [--user] - pipx install kodi-cli
Kodi configuration
- Remote control via HTTP must be enabled.
- Enable in Kodi UI - Settings -> Services -> Control
Usage
usage:
kodi_cli.py [-h] [-H HOST] [-P PORT] [-u USER] [-p PASSWORD] [-C] [-l] [-f] [-v] [command [command ...]]
positional arguments:
command RPC command namespace.method (help namespace to list)
optional arguments:
-h, --help show this help message and exit
-H HOST, --host HOST Kodi hostname
-P PORT, --port PORT Kodi RPC listen port
-u USER, --user USER Kodi authenticaetion username
-p PASSWORD, --password PASSWORD
Kodi autentication password
-C, --create_config Create empty config
-l, --list List defaults to console
-f, --format_output Format json output
-v, --verbose Verbose output, -v = INFO, -vv = DEBUG
NOTE: the install also creates an entrypoint, so code can be called simply by typing kodi-cli
You can get help from the command line to view namespaces, namespace methods and calling requirements.
Help Examples
To | Command |
---|---|
List Namespaces | python kodi_cli.py help |
List Namespace methods | python kodi_cli.py <Namespace> help |
List Namespace method calling requirements | python kodi_cli.py <Namespace.Method> help [-v] |
Examples
Create a config file to store defaults
To minimize command-line entry, you can store defaults in a config file which will default values on startup. The values can be over-ridded at run-time by provideing the optional argument.
To create a default config file, type your standard defaults as if you were going to execute the CLI and add -C at the end. The config file will be written with the values.
SYNTAX:
python kodi_cli.py -u myId -p myPassword -P 8080 -C
OUTPUT:
a file (kodi_cli.cfg will be written as:
{
"host": "localhost",
"port": 8080,
"user": "myId",
"password": "myPassword",
"format_output": false
}
List all namespaces
Namespaces are modules in Kodi, each namespace manages differ aspects of the Kodi interface
SYNTAX:
python kodi_cli.py help
OUTPUT:
Kodi namespaces -
Namespace Methods
--------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
AddOns ExecuteAddon, GetAddonDetails, GetAddons, SetAddonEnabled
Application GetProperties, Quit, SetMute, SetVolume
AudioLibrary Clean, GetAlbumDetails, GetAlbums, GetArtistDetails,
GetArtists, Scan
Favorites AddFavorite, GetFavorites
GUI ActivateWindow, ShowNotification
Input Back, ButtonEvent, ContextMenu, Down, ExecuteAction,
Home, Info, Left, Right, Select, SendText,
ShowCodec, ShowOSD, ShowPlayProcessInfo, Up
...
List all namespace methods
Each namespace has a number of methods that can be called.
To get a list of supported of supported methods for the Application namespace
SYNTAX:
python kodi_cli.py Application help
or
python kodi_cli.py Application
OUTPUT:
Application Namespace Methods:
Method Description
------------------------- --------------------------------------------
Application.GetProperties Retrieves the values of the given properties
Application.Quit Quit application
Application.SetMute Toggle mute/unmute
Application.SetVolume Set the current volume
List the method calling signature for a namespace method
List the sytax for the Application.SetMute command
SYNTAX:
python kodi_cli.py Application.SetMute help
OUTPUT:
Syntax: Application.SetMute
------------------------------------------------------
{
"description": "Toggle mute/unmute",
"params": [
{
"$ref": "Global.Toggle",
"name": "mute",
"required": true
}
],
"permission": "ControlPlayback",
"returns": {
"description": "Mute state",
"type": "boolean"
},
"type": "method"
}
Command Execution Examples
Toggle Mute on/off
To toggle the mute on, then off
First call will toggle mute on, 2nd call will toggle mute off.
SYNTAX:
python kodi_cli.py -H ServerName Application.SetMute mute=toggle
OUTPUT:
python kodi_cli.py -H MyKodiServer Application.SetMute mute=toggle
{"id":1,"jsonrpc":"2.0","result":true}
python kodi_cli.py -H MyKodiServer Application.SetMute mute=toggle
{"id":1,"jsonrpc":"2.0","result":false}
Retrieve Application Properties
To retrieve the muted status and volume level for server kodi001
SYNTAX:
python kodi_cli.py -H kodi001 Application.GetProperties properties=[muted,volume] -f
OUTPUT:
{
"id": 1,
"jsonrpc": "2.0",
"result": {
"muted": false,
"volume": 100
}
}
Display a notification on Kodi UI
To display a warning message on Kodi running on kodi001 for 5 seconds
SYNTAX:
python kodi_cli.py -H kodi001 GUI.ShowNotification title="Dinner Time" message="Time to eat!" image="warning" displaytime=5000
OUTPUT:
{"id":1,"jsonrpc":"2.0","result":"OK"}
Still TODO:
- Build out kodi_namespaces.json with additional definitions.
- Edit parameters prior to call to avoid runtime error.
- Provide additional help/runtime detail on parameters (i.e. enum values)
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