A posix script that helps you find Youtube videos (with out API) and opens/downloads using mpv/youtube-dl.
- Thumbnails
- History support
- Download support
- Format selection (and default formats)
- Queue multiple tracks (using fzf multiselection)
Initially this used to be a single line script. But for portability and extensibility I am breaking my vow. If you still are here for the memes then use the line below.
#!/bin/sh
[ -z "$*" ] || curl "https://www.youtube.com/results" -s -G --data-urlencode "search_query=$*" | pup 'script' | grep "^ *var ytInitialData" | sed 's/^[^=]*=//g;s/;$//' | jq '..|.videoRenderer?' | sed '/^null$/d' | jq '.title.runs[0].text,.longBylineText.runs[0].text,.shortViewCountText.simpleText,.lengthText.simpleText,.publishedTimeText.simpleText,.videoId'| sed 's/^"//;s/"$//;s/\\"//g' | sed -E -n "s/(.{60}).*/\1/;N;s/\n(.{30}).*/\n\1/;N;N;N;N;s/\n/\t|/g;p" | column -t -s "$(printf "\t")" | fzf --delimiter='\|' --nth=1,2 | sed -E 's_.*\|([^|]*)$_https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=\1_' | xargs -r -I'{}' mpv {}- Now ytfzf can queue videos using fzf multiselect option. Press tab to select a video. All the videos will be lined up in mpv. Use
>and<to traverse them. - Make continuous queries with
-s - Thumbnails! Using Ueberzug. Inspired by fontpreview-ueberzup.
- added MacOS support
- Stdin can be taken by using
ytfzf -, for both fzf and external menu.
Usage: ytfzf <search query>
-h Show this help text
-t Show thumbnails (requires ueberzug)
Doesn't work with -H -D
-D Use external menu(default dmenu) instead of fzf
-H Choose from history
-x Delete history
-m <search query> Audio only (for music)
-d <search query> Download to current directory
-f <search query> Show available formats before proceeding
-a <search query> Auto play the first result, no selector
-r <search query> Auto play a random result, no selector
-n <link count> To specify number of videos to select with -a or -r
-l <search query> Loop: prompt selector again after video ends
-s <search query> After the video ends make another search
-L <search query> Prints the selected URL only, helpful for scripting
Use - instead of <query> for stdin
- To use dmenu with a custom width
YTFZF_EXTMENU_LEN=250 ytfzf -D- Videos can be selected using fzf, dmenu or rofi.
Watch to find videos (with out thumbnails)
ytfzf <query>
Watch to find videos with thumbnails
ytfzf -t <query>
- You can use multiple options together, here are some examples
Steam audio (music), and prompt as the music finishes
ytfzf -ml <query>
Download a video from your history
ytfzf -dH
Open using dmenu in a certain format
ytfzf -fD
If you started watching a video and you wish to change format then first hit Q to save position and quit mpv, then choose your format using
ytfzf -faH
- Use
ffor full screen - Use
Jfor subtitles (also works with audio, if the music video has subtitles) - Use
Lfor single-loop
- mpv
- youtube-dl
- fzf (Optional) - for menu
- jq - to parse json
- ueberzug (Optional) - for thumbnails
Fzf is optional, you can use external menu (like dmenu) with the
-Doption (no thumbnail support). Thumbnails only work with fzf and Ueberzug as of now.
sudo pacman -S jq mpv youtube-dl fzf
For thumbnails
sudo pacman -S ueberzug
sudo apt install jq mpv youtube-dl fzf
For thumbnails
pip install ueberzug
Note youtube-dl is usually outdated in debian repos, I suggest getting it from
brew install jq mpv youtube-dl fzf
git clone https://github.com/pystardust/ytfzf
cd ytfzfInstall with the Makefile
sudo make installUninstall with the Makefile
sudo make uninstallArch users can install ytfzf from the AUR
yay -S ytfzf-git
Defaults can be set by environmental variables.
Environment variables can be set in many ways. You can add them to you ~/.bashrc if you don't want to mention them every time
For one time settings you can specify the variables as shown
YTFZF_HIST=0 YTFZF_PREF="bestvideo[height<=?1080]+bestaudio/best" ytfzf <query>This will not include this video in your history and display it in a resolution no more than 1080p.
If you prefer to watch Youtube videos in certain option with out the prompting every single time.
export YTFZF_PREF="22" Documentation for ytdl formats
If the preferred format is not available then, it will go back to auto selection.
On by default. If you don't want history.
export YTFZF_HIST=00: history off, 1: history on
- This history will be stored in the cache directory as
ytfzf_hst
You can modify the file location by changing the cache directory
export YTFZF_CACHE=~/.cache/ytfzfOff by default. Can be turned on using option -l. Or setting
export YTFZF_LOOP=1This would return you to the video selection prompt after the video is exited/ends.
To quit the script you can press
ESCor^Cin the video selection prompt.
To use an external menu you will need to pass in the -D option
ytfzf -DBy default the external menu is set to dmenu dmenu -i -l 30. You can modify to this to rofy by
export YTFZF_EXTMENU=' rofi -dmenu -fuzzy -width 1500'I don't use rofi much, I would love to hear from any rofi user on better defaults.
You also may need to modify the width of the output that is being piped into external menu. Depending on you screen resolution and font size this may need to be modified.
export YTFZF_EXTMENU_LEN=180or
YTFZF_EXTMENU_LEN=180 ytfzf -DWARNING : dmenu doesn't behave well with some fonts. Expect it to be slow with fonts you don't have.
On by default. Stores the details of the currently playing track. Empty when nothing is playing. This could be used in status bar modules. To disable it
export YTFZF_CUR=0It will be stored in the ytfzf cache directory as ytfzf_cur
By default, ytfzf uses mpv. custom player should have the ability to launch youtube links.
# example: using devour
export FZF_PLAYER="devour mpv"
export YTFZF_PLAYER_FORMAT="devour mpv --ytdl-format="- Playlists
- Comments
- Icons
- dwm with swallow patch: Images don't render when looped (ie, option -l)