[Live-devel] RTSPClient::describeURL authentication problems

[Ross Finlayson]

>On 19/02/07, Ross Finlayson <finlayson at live555.com> wrote:
>>  Yes - I will shortly be updating the LIVE555 code to add a 'kasenna'
>>  flag to "describeWithPassword()", and then submit a patch to VLC to
>>  use "describeWithPassword()" instead of "describeURL()" (if there are
>>  already username,password strings), and to not pass its own
>>  'authenticator' object.
>
>Today I figured out that describeWithPassword() would not work when
>VLC provides own authentication dialog box. In that case one wants to
>show the dialog only when the server replied to DECRIBE and supplied
>realm. Then one needs to repeat the describe generating proper
>authentication header based on realm and just entered
>username/password. But describeWithPassword() does not allow that.

Actually it does, by first sending a "DESCRIBE", that will probably 
fail (but with a realm included in the response), and then by sending 
another "DESCRIBE" with the updated authenticator (that includes the 
realm).

I.e., when used with VLC, it the user doesn't supply a 
(username,password) in advance, then *three* RTSP "DESCRIBE"s will be 
sent: one initially (which will fail triggering VLC to pop up its 
dialog box to ask for the (username,password)), and then two more 
afterwards (to implement "describeWithPassword()").  This is slightly 
inefficient, but it should work.
-- 

Ross Finlayson
Live Networks, Inc.
http://www.live555.com/