Feature Request: Full Projector Window Control via WebSocket – Open by Scene, List & Close Support Needed

[prcris]

Feature Request Type

RPC Request

Feature Request Type (Other)

No response

Requested Feature

I propose enhancements to the OBS WebSocket protocol to allow full control over projector windows.

Currently, we can open projectors using only fixed types like Preview, Program, and Multiview. However:

• We cannot close a projector window via WebSocket
• We cannot list currently open projector windows
• We cannot open a projector based on a specific scene
• The OpenVideoMixProjector command does not return any identifier for the opened window

Suggested improvements:

1. Accept a scene name as a valid option in the OpenVideoMixProjector command

2. Return a projector window ID when a projector is opened

3. Provide a command to list all open projector windows, including:

   • Type (Preview, Program, Multiview, or Scene)
   • Display or monitor index
   • Unique window ID

4. Provide a command to close a projector window using its ID or by specifying its scene/type

These additions would enable better automation workflows and remote control of OBS in production setups.

Requested Feature Usage Scenario

In church services and automated event productions, it's common to open full-screen projectors on multiple displays to show different scenes, like a countdown, lyrics, or background videos.

Right now, we must interact manually with the OBS UI to do this, which limits automation.

With the proposed changes:

• We could open a projector window for any scene, not just Preview or Program
• We could list and track projector windows to know what is currently active and on which display
• We could close unused projector windows through automation

This would allow tools like Holyrics or other media controllers to fully manage projector behavior remotely, without needing to access the OBS interface.

[prcris]

💬 Additional Comment

As a temporary workaround, I developed a project called obs-projector-control, which integrates OBS Studio with Holyrics (a media controller widely used in churches and live events).

Since the current WebSocket protocol doesn't provide full projector control, I had to implement:

• A Lua script to map scenes and create custom hotkeys in OBS
• A JavaScript module for Holyrics that triggers those hotkeys remotely
• An external executable written in Pascal (via Lazarus) to force close projector windows by identifying their handles at OS level

Although this solution works, it depends on scripting and external binaries, which adds complexity and limits portability.

Having native support in the OBS WebSocket protocol for:

• Opening projector windows based on any scene
• Getting a window ID in return
• Listing active projector windows
• Closing them programmatically

...would eliminate the need for these workarounds and enable cleaner, safer, and more portable automation workflows.

This would especially benefit media teams in churches and live event settings, where remote control and precision are essential, and manual UI interaction is not always feasible.

Thanks for considering this improvement!