ytfzf

A posix script that helps you find Youtube videos (with out API) and opens/downloads using mpv/youtube-dl.

• History support
• Download support
• Format selection (and default selection)

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 {}

Update log

• added MacOS support
• Better fzf formatting
• Stdin can be taken by using ytfzf -, for both fzf and external menu.

Usage

Usage: ytfzf <search query>
     -h                    Show this help text
     -D                    Use external menu(default dmenu) instad 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
     -l  <search query>    Loop: prompt selector again after video ends
  Use - instead of <query> for stdin

• To use dmenu with a custom width

YTFZF_EXTMENU_LEN=250 ytfzf -D

• Videoes can be selected using fzf (default) or dmenu.

Examples

Watch video

ytfzf <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

Useful mpv keybindings to keep in mind

• Use J for subtitles (also works with audio, if the music video has subtitles)
• Use L for single-loop

Dependencies

• mpv
• youtube-dl
• fzf - for menu
• jq - to parse json

fzf is optional. You can use external menu (like dmenu) with the -D option.

Arch based

sudo pacman -S jq mpv youtube-dl fzf 

Debian based

sudo apt install jq mpv youtube-dl fzf 

Note youtube-dl is usually outdated in debian repos, I suggest getting it from

• youtube-dl github

MacOS

brew install jq mpv youtube-dl fzf gsed

You have to install the GNU version of sed (gsed) because they are slightly different

Installation

git clone https://github.com/pystardust/ytfzf
cd ytfzf
chmod +x ytfzf

Copy it to your path

sudo cp ytfzf /usr/local/bin/

Arch users can install ytfzf from the AUR

yay -S ytfzf-git

Defaults

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.

Format

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.

History

On by default. If you don't want history.

export YTFZF_HIST=0

0: 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/ytfzf

Loop menu prompt

Off by default. Can be turned on using option -l. Or setting

export YTFZF_LOOP=1

This would return you to the video selection prompt after the video is exited/ends.

To quit the script you can press ESC or ^C in the video selection prompt.

External menu command (DMENU / ROFI)

To use an external menu you will need to pass in the -D option

ytfzf -D

By 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=180

or

YTFZF_EXTMENU_LEN=180 ytfzf -D

WARNING : dmenu doesn't behave well with some fonts. Expect it to be slow with fonts you don't have.

Currently Playing

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=0

It will be stored in the ytfzf cache directory as ytfzf_cur

Todo

• Playlists
• Icons - Coming soon