LlibVLC 4.x AB-Loop API usage

New AB-Loop API was added in LibVLC 4.x.

To use this API as written, it requires that you invoke set "A" time/position and set "B" time/position while the media is playing.

I would like to be able to set the loop position before playing the media.

My use-case is something like selecting items from a media catalog, and using metadata from that catalog to automatically jump to a pre-defined position and loop.

So I am wondering if there were any particular technical/design reasons for the API being the way it is.

Alternatively if what I described I needed were feasible, I could have a go at implementing it.