📥 yt-dlp Manager --- Workflow Documentation

This project is a modular YouTube/media downloader built around yt-dlp.
It provides a menu-driven console interface, supports categories, format selection, parallel downloads, subtitles, thumbnails, and more.

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🗂️ File Overview

1. category_manager.py

• Manages download categories and base paths.
• Handles config (config.yml) with:
  • download_path → default folder.
  • categories → user-defined named paths (Music, Movies, etc.).
  • default_category → preselected category for runs.
  • retries, max_parallel_downloads.
• Features:
  • Add, rename, delete categories.
  • Set default category.
  • Folder picker popup (Tkinter).
  • Sound alert on folder selection.
  • Returns path to be used in main script.

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2. format_manager.py

• Handles format selection and subtitles.
• Fetches available formats from yt-dlp.
• Combines video, audio, and conversion options into a single table.
• Columns: ID, extension, resolution/note, vcodec, acodec, bitrate, fps, size.
• Always merges video + audio (avoids separate raw streams).
• Conversion options:
  • mp3, m4a, opus (via postprocessor).
• Subtitles:
  • Ask user → language codes (default en).
  • Download auto-subs + normal subs as .srt.

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3. Yt_downloader.py

• The main entry point of the project.
• Handles update-check for yt-dlp, rich, PyYAML, plyer.
• Features:
  1. Menu system
     • Manage categories
     • Start downloading
     • Exit (only when user confirms)
  2. Link collection
     • Option 1 → Paste URLs one by one.
     • Option 2 → File picker popup to choose a .txt file (plays system sound when dialog opens).
     • Handles playlists (extracts entries).
  3. Target selection
     • Base path, category, or custom folder.
     • Saves last_used_path.
  4. Format selection
     • Calls format_manager.choose_format_and_postprocessors.
     • User picks best/custom/index.
  5. Subtitle options
     • Prompted once per session.
  6. Thumbnail options
     • Y = normal thumbnail.
     • H = best quality thumbnail.
     • N = skip thumbnails.
  7. Download execution
     • Parallel downloads (ThreadPoolExecutor).
     • Progress bars (rich.progress).
     • Each video = one unique progress bar showing the title (instead of URL).
     • Auto-resume partial downloads.
  8. Notifications
     • Desktop notification when all downloads finish.
  9. Post-actions
     • Auto-open folder after downloads.
     • Script does not close → loops back to menu so user can run another batch.

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🔄 Typical Workflow

1. Run Yt_downloader.py

   python Yt_downloader.py

2. Menu → Choose option:

   • [1] Manage categories\
   • [2] Start downloading\
   • [3] Exit

3. Target Path Selection

   • Pick a category, custom folder, or default path.

4. Paste Links

   • Paste URLs one by one, or drag-drop a .txt file containing URLs.\
   • Playlists auto-expanded into individual items.

5. Format Selection

   • Unified format table shown.\
   • Options: Best, Index, Custom code, Back.

6. Subtitles

   • Choose Y/N/B.\
   • Input subtitle language codes (e.g., en,hi).

7. Thumbnails

   • Choose Y (normal), H (best quality), or N (skip).

8. Download Execution

   • Progress bars shown for each URL.\
   • Resume supported (--continuedl).\
   • Parallel downloads based on config (max_parallel_downloads).

9. Completion

   • Desktop notification pops up.\
   • Target folder auto-opened.

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⚙️ Config (config.yml)

Example:

# yt-dlp Manager Downloader Config (config.yml)
download_path: "E:/Downloads"
max_parallel_downloads: 2
categories:
  Music: "E:/Media/Music"
  Movies: "E:/Media/Movies"
default_category: Music
retries: 3

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✅ Key Improvements Added

• Unified format table (video + audio + conversions).
• Bitrate, fps, file size estimation.
• Always merges video + audio.
• Resume failed downloads.
• Queue .txt file support (drag & drop friendly).
• Desktop notifications.
• Optional thumbnail download (normal / best / none).
• Unique progress bars (no more duplicates).

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🖥️ Requirements

• Python 3.8+
• Packages auto-installed:
  • yt-dlp\
  • rich\
  • PyYAML\
  • plyer

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🚀 Usage Summary

• Flexible: works with videos, playlists, audio extraction.\
• Configurable: categories, retries, parallelism.\
• User-friendly: colored console UI, progress bars, notifications.