!BatchFFMPEG Alpha

There was a privat problem. A lot of private videos from various sources (Smartphones, Camera, what ever) in different formats. Have a hardware media player with a limited range of supported codecs.
I was searching a tool to convert a folder with videos to a supported format.
At the end I wrote a small frontend for ffmpeg. The first try is aviable now.
Works for me. ;-)

It create a obey with the ffmpeg options and start if [Convert] is pressed. If [Quit] is pressed, the Obey is only closed and BatchFFMPG ends.

FFMPEG should be in !Boot.Library.

Works only with newer hardware because any options of ffmpeg are changed.

!BatchFFMPEG is a part of a other unfinished fun project.

Feel free to download and try.

Feedback would be fine.

Nice :)

For me useful and my wife is happy ;-)

“New” version. Download

“Quit” is now “Cancel”. The output Obey in RAMDisc will be closed, all counter are set to zero.
“Quit” is only aviable via iconbarmenu.

Status: does not work for me:-(
I have tried dropping a directory containing mp4 and AVI files on to the dropzone. A directory named OUT is created as it says in the Help.
However, the Application then crashes and can’t be run again because you get a message saying !BatchFFMPEG is already running.

This is on a Raspberry Pi 3 with 5.23 Dec 17.
The ffmpeg and ffprobe are in Library as instructed.

Thanks for your feedback.
Can you tell me more about the crash? Any errormessages?

Have try with my Pi3 Pi-Top. Is working like it should.
I use 5.23 (10-Jan-18) and this version of ffmpeg.

Ahh… is it possible your RamDisc is not present? Have try without gives a uncommented crash.
The temporary created convert obey will save in the RAMDisc.

Can you try this version ? Is without using RAMDisc. Create the Obey in the <BatchFFMPEG$Dir>.

*unset BatchFFMPEG$Running set it “already not running”. After a unexpected exit it is not unset.

Can you try this version ? Is without using RAMDisc. Create the Obey in the <BatchFFMPEG$Dir>.

Success – thanks.
It probably failed before because my RAM discs are renamed for sharing.

Status: now works for me:-)

It probably failed before because my RAM discs are renamed for sharing.

cofirmed – with the following change original program works

REM RAM$=“RAM::RamDisc0.$.”

RAM$=“RAM::X6_RAM.$.”

Try RAM::0.$ which should work on everything (until someone decides that RAM disc is like a hard disc and should be numbered :4, but we’ll cross /that/ bridge when we come to it).

How about RAM:$ as it’s not as if there are multiple ‘drives’ to worry about?

How about RAM:$.

works for me:

Where ist the best place? !Scrap, RamDisc, <BatchFFMPEG$Dir>.Temp… ?
Is a Edit button to change the TaskObey after the collection has closed useful?

Where is the best place?

RAM is good – I always have the RAM disk open, and if you use the identifier :- RAM:$. it works on any machine. Please don’t use !Scrap. Also inside the App is not good as it is not normally visible.

Is a Edit button to change the TaskObey after the collection has closed useful?

Yes – good idea. It does not matter then where you put the obey file. In fact you could just open it by default for inspection and edit before execution.

RAM is good – I always have the RAM disk open,

And for those who don’t habitually have a RAMdisc open? ¹

Please don’t use !Scrap.

Why not? Isn’t that what Scrap is there for?

Maybe a compromise is required: Try to read the catalogue of RAM:$. If it works, use RAMdisc. If it fails, use !Scrap…?

¹ My mother knows to press Ctrl-Shift-F12 to perform an orderly shutdown of the system.² I have a prompt that asks if I wish to shutdown, restart, or cancel. I have a little NoError module to auto-cancel the pop up error box after five seconds (by faking pressing Esc). My shutdown prompt is designed in such a way that ESC press performs a shutdown.
As such, mom needs only press Ctrl-Shift-F12 and count to five for the system to perform an orderly shutdown. I’m also careful not to leave open TaskWindows or unsaved files.
RAMFS, however, prompts, should there be anything stored there, and dealing with this is not really possible as the prompt comes before the shutdown options. Why is this a problem? Because it would be good to have the Wimp ask if you want to shut down, restart, or cancel before notifying with a PreQuit. In that way, nothing happens if the user chooses Cancel. If I press Ctrl-Shift-F12 by mistake, I don’t need to find RAMFS wiped to avoid the message. But, alas, it’s the Ctrl-Shift-F12 that causes my shutdown options to appear, and thus RAMFS usually whinges about it first…
Mom knows what keys to press. Anything else is unknown territory. Thus, RAMFS is rarely used here.

² Which happens more than you might think due to the thunderstorms that bite.

Why not? Isn’t that what Scrap is there for?

Indeed. Scrap is the correct place. Inside the application folder is bad, as you’re assuming that it’s writable.

If you want to use the RAM disc, make it an option that users can turn on (default to off), and fall back to Scrap if the option is on but no RAM disc is present.

Why not? Isn’t that what Scrap is there for?

Scrap is best used for intermediate files that Application deletes when it closes.

The obey file that BatchFFmpeg creates may well be wanted for inspection and edit by the user. So I don’t think Scrap is a good place for it. It is not easy to access and is likely to not be deleted thus adding to the (S)crap that gets left in the !Boot directory.
If the application crashes – which is highly likely when trying to convert a batch of videos then again the file will not be deleted.

Of course if you have moved !Scrap out of !Boot and into RAM it does not matter.

Where is the best place?

Upon reflection. How about a pop-up Save dialogue box. Then it can be dragged dropped where it suits the user. I would always like to examine the generated commands before executing them.

Scrap is best used for intermediate files that Application deletes when it closes.

Except for the part where more than a few apps use it as cache space. Manga, PhotoDesk (clipboard), PlingStore (when it isn’t writing into itself!), NetSurf…
And then there are numerous log files stashed there as well. Pluto, ScanMod… There’s the RUfl_cache file too.

;-)

Perhaps better to say “Scrap is best used for intermediate files which are deleted after use, and transient/cache files whose deletion won’t cause software to break.”

[note: transient as in temporal, not as in utility]

If the application crashes – which is highly likely when trying to convert a batch of videos then again the file will not be deleted.

Fixed that for you.

Perhaps better to say “Scrap is best used for intermediate files which are deleted after use, and transient/cache files whose deletion won’t cause software to break.”

I always use WimpScrap$Dir in RAMFS. One advantage not quite so obvious, if FS corruption happens before the temp usage is over, you then only have a duff RAMFS.
I read the other day that Linux /tmp is done in RAM also.
I just copy RUfl etc to WimpScrap$Dir if not already done, in Netsurf.!Boot.
I guess if you wanted to keep logs for a longer period you would need to append them back to HD, still better than lots of little writes to harddrives. Logs required after a crash may have to be used in a permanent medium, but the idea of logging over the serial port sounds perfect for developmental work.

Except for the part where more than a few apps use it as cache space. Manga, PhotoDesk (clipboard), PlingStore (when it isn’t writing into itself!), NetSurf…
And then there are numerous log files stashed there as well. Pluto, ScanMod… There’s the RUfl_cache file too.

I’m sure there’s probably more that abuse the Scrap by treating the location for ephemeral files as a long term storage area.
I’ve long been of the opinion that the people that do that need a small amount of physical contact on or close to their ear.

I think I try something like this

At start it tells a “default place”, if anybody will change… drag the icon. Not sure if I should make a writable field. Maybe. But step by step. I not really know what I do. ;-)

I’m sure there’s probably more that abuse the Scrap by treating the location for ephemeral files as a long term storage area.

Interesting, a day later and I don’t a collection of irate programmers replying…

A new Version is available from here.
A lot of “try&error” ;-)

Main changes:
-Drag to the Iconbarmenu open the mainwindow
-If no job is activ you can change the temporary destination.
-“Close&Edit” close the temporary convert Obey and load it to a Editor
-If no new job was created, after edit you can start the job via “Convert” button. If a new job was created, all action in the mainwindow are for this.
-Cancel delete the last job, is the last job open in editor only the “Convert” button will be disabled

A new Download with any small changes is available now.