player-ctl plugin that allows for Play, Pause, Next, Previous

[imprisonedmind]

Summary

Introduce a dedicated player-ctl Backslash plugin that exposes play, pause, next, and previous transport controls backed by the system playerctl CLI.

Motivation

Provide a first-party way to control any MPRIS-compatible media player directly from Backslash. This avoids having to alt-tab into the player, keeps focus in Backslash.

Changes

• add player-ctl plugin manifest and register the play/pause/next/previous commands.
• centralize playerctl command execution and error handling in player-ctl/utils.js, including dependency checks and “No media players running” toast handling.
• keep a failing status after showing the toast so users remain in Backslash long enough to see the message when no player is detected.
• clear command search context only when the playerctl command actually executes, ensuring no lingering errors when no player is active. Requires backslash-app/backslash#48
• and ensures we surface user-friendly toasts instead of crashing when no player is available. Requires backslash-app/backslash#48

Dependencies

• playerctl (system package; e.g., sudo apt install playerctl on Debian/Ubuntu.)

Demo