pip_plugin

pip_plugin

⚠️ Experimental
A Flutter plugin that enables a customizable Picture-in-Picture window displaying text.

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Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Preview
• Installation
• Platform-specific Setup
  • Android
    • AndroidManifest.xml
    • Enabling PiP Callbacks
      • 1. Activity Wrapper (Recommended)
      • 2. Callback Helper
  • iOS
  • Other Platforms
• Usage
  • Showing Text in PiP
  • Plugin API
• Platform Support

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Introduction

pip_plugin is an experimental Flutter plugin that lets you display text overlays in Picture-in-Picture mode on Android, iOS, Web, and Desktop. It exposes a simple Dart API to configure the PiP window’s appearance and control its lifecycle.

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Preview

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Installation

Add the plugin to your pubspec:

dependencies:
  pip_plugin: ^<latest_version>

Then run:

flutter pub get

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Platform-specific Setup

Android

1. In your AndroidManifest.xml, enable PiP support:

   <application
       android:supportsPictureInPicture="true"
       …>
       …
   </application>
   

2. Enable PiP callbacks there are two approaches:

1. Activity Wrapper (Recommended)

Wrap your main activity with the provided helper—this is the simplest integration.

• Kotlin

  import cl.puntito.simple_pip_mode.PipCallbackHelperActivityWrapper
  
  class MainActivity: PipCallbackHelperActivityWrapper() {
      // No additional code needed
  }
  

• Java

  import cl.puntito.simple_pip_mode.PipCallbackHelperActivityWrapper;
  
  public class MainActivity extends PipCallbackHelperActivityWrapper {
      // No additional code needed
  }
  

Once inherited, PiP callbacks and the PiP widget become available automatically.

2. Callback Helper

If you prefer not to subclass your activity, you can manually wire up the callbacks:

• Kotlin

  import cl.puntito.simple_pip_mode.PipCallbackHelper
  import io.flutter.embedding.engine.FlutterEngine
  import io.flutter.embedding.android.FlutterActivity
  import android.content.res.Configuration
  
  class MainActivity: FlutterActivity() {
    private val pipHelper = PipCallbackHelper()
  
    override fun configureFlutterEngine(flutterEngine: FlutterEngine) {
      super.configureFlutterEngine(flutterEngine)
      pipHelper.configureFlutterEngine(flutterEngine)
    }
  
    override fun onPictureInPictureModeChanged(
      isInPipMode: Boolean,
      newConfig: Configuration?
    ) {
      super.onPictureInPictureModeChanged(isInPipMode, newConfig)
      pipHelper.onPictureInPictureModeChanged(isInPipMode)
    }
  }
  

• Java

  import cl.puntito.simple_pip_mode.PipCallbackHelper;
  import io.flutter.embedding.engine.FlutterEngine;
  import io.flutter.embedding.android.FlutterActivity;
  import android.content.res.Configuration;
  
  public class MainActivity extends FlutterActivity {
      private final PipCallbackHelper pipHelper = new PipCallbackHelper();
  
      @Override
      public void configureFlutterEngine(@NonNull FlutterEngine flutterEngine) {
          super.configureFlutterEngine(flutterEngine);
          pipHelper.configureFlutterEngine(flutterEngine);
      }
  
      @Override
      public void onPictureInPictureModeChanged(
        boolean isInPipMode,
        Configuration newConfig
      ) {
          super.onPictureInPictureModeChanged(isInPipMode, newConfig);
          pipHelper.onPictureInPictureModeChanged(isInPipMode);
      }
  }
  

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iOS

In your Info.plist, add PiP to the background modes:

<key>UIBackgroundModes</key>
<array>
  <string>audio</string>
  <string>airplay</string>
  <string>picture-in-picture</string>
</array>

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Other Platforms

• Web and Desktop: No extra configuration.

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Usage

Plugin API

Import the main plugin class and manage PiP mode:
⚠️ Initialize first: call setupPip(...) before using other PiP methods.

/// Prepares PiP with an optional title and configuration.
Future<bool> setupPip({
  /// On desktop platforms, you can optionally set a `windowTitle`.
  String? windowTitle,
  PipConfiguration? configuration,
});

/// Enters Picture-in-Picture mode.
Future<bool> startPip();

/// Exits Picture-in-Picture mode.
/// (On Android this is a no-op, as PiP closes automatically.)
Future<bool> stopPip();

/// Returns whether PiP is supported on the current platform.
Future<bool> isPipSupported();

/// Dynamically updates the PiP window’s appearance:
/// - backgroundColor, textColor, textSize, textAlign, ratio
Future<bool> update({
  Color? backgroundColor,
  Color? textColor,
  double? textSize,
  /// Only `left`, `right`, and `center` are supported.
  TextAlign? textAlign,
  /// ignored on Web platforms.
  (int, int)? ratio,
});

/// Changes the displayed text in PiP.
Future<bool> updateText(String text);

/// Emits `true`/`false` whenever PiP becomes active/inactive.
Stream<bool> get pipActiveStream;

/// Whether the plugin has been initialized.
bool get isInitialized;

/// Releases any resources held by the plugin.
void dispose();

Showing Text in PiP

• Android: Wrap your UI with the built-in TextPipWidget to render the PiP text overlay, then drive it with the plugin API.
• All other platforms: No widget required—just invoke the PipPlugin methods directly.

Android Example

import 'package:flutter/material.dart';
import 'package:pip_plugin/pip_plugin.dart';
import 'package:pip_plugin/text_pip_widget.dart';

class HomePage extends StatefulWidget {
  const HomePage({super.key});

  @override
  State<HomePage> createState() => _HomePageState();
}

class _HomePageState extends State<HomePage> {
  final pip = PipPlugin();

  @override
  void initState() {
    super.initState();
    _initPlugin();
  }

  void _initPlugin() async {
    final supported = await pip.isPipSupported();
    if (supported) {
      await pip.setupPip();
      await pip.updateText('inside PiP');
    }
  }

  @override
  Widget build(BuildContext context) {
    return TextPipWidget(
      child: Scaffold(
        body: const Center(child: Text('outside PiP')),
        floatingActionButton: FloatingActionButton(
          onPressed: () async {
            await pip.startPip();            
          },
          child: const Icon(Icons.picture_in_picture),
        ),
      ),
    );
  }
}

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Platform Support

Platform	Minimum Version / Notes
Android	API 26+
iOS	iOS 15+ (for Simulator testing, use an iPad simulator)
Web	Follows the Document Picture-in-Picture API.
Desktop	All major versions (macOS, Windows, Linux)