Where downloaded videos are saved and how they are named
A downloaded video has two addresses: a folder and a file name. The app has two folders, and they are different. The name is built by a rule with macros. The default rule is <<title>> [<<code>>]. Below is what it consists of and why the code in the name is required.
Two folders, not one
| What is saved | Setting | Default value |
|---|---|---|
| The "ClipSave" window | "Folder to save videos to" in the window itself | The ClipSave subfolder inside the project's save folder |
| Sources | "Folder for downloaded videos" in the footer of the "Sources" section | Not selected |
When the project has no save folder of its own, the "ClipSave" window creates a ClipSave subfolder next to the app. This does not prevent downloading.
Sources behave differently. While no folder is selected, periodic export does not start at all. Before the start the app shows the line "No folder chosen for downloaded videos".
The sources folder is shared by all groups of the project. The app has no separate folder per group.
The file name rule
The "File name rule" line is in three places: in the wizard at the "Quality and file name" step, in the group edit window on the "Downloaded file name" card and in the "ClipSave" window in the "Blacklist and file name" section.
Under the field is a row of buttons labeled "Macros:". Each button inserts its macro at the typing position. Below, the app shows the line "The file will be named" with a ready example. Next to it is a counter like "34 of 240 path characters".
The default rule is <<title>> [<<code>>]. An empty field means the same.
| Macro | What it inserts | Example | Protects against name clashes |
|---|---|---|---|
<<title>> | The video title | How to film a video on a phone | no |
<<code>> | A short video code | w9WgXcQdQw4 | yes |
<<id>> | The video ID on the platform | dQw4w9WgXcQ | yes |
<<source>> | The platform: Youtube, TikTok | Youtube | no |
<<group>> | The source group name | Fishing channels | no |
A full example. The rule <<title>> [<<code>>] gives the file How to film a video on a phone [w9WgXcQdQw4].mp4. The rule <<source>> - <<title>> <<id>> gives the file Youtube - How to film a video on a phone dQw4w9WgXcQ.mp4.
There are no other macros. The <<group>> macro exists only for a source group. The "ClipSave" window has no button for it: there are no groups there.
Spaces inside the brackets are allowed. << title >> works the same as <<title>>.
Why <<code>> or <<id>> is required
A rule without one of these two macros is not saved. The app replies with a refusal: "Add <<code>> or <<id>>: without them two videos with the same title merge into one, and the second is lost.".
This is how the video download module behaves when names clash:
- The file on the disk is not overwritten. The video already there stays untouched.
- The second video is not downloaded at all. There is no request to the platform for it.
- The second video is added to the blacklist. From then on it counts as already taken.
While the record stays in the blacklist, the second video is not downloaded.
Two videos with the same title from one author are common. That is why the protective macro is required.
The mark can only be removed by hand. Please open "Downloaded videos" by right-clicking the group tile and delete the row you need. For the "ClipSave" window the "Clear the blacklist" button does the same.
Why the file name does not match the ID on the platform
The <<code>> macro inserts the same ID, but rearranged. The first four characters move to the end. The length does not change, and the protection against name clashes stays complete.
The rearrangement is deliberate. On platforms the start of an ID is often shared, and the tails differ. In a file list, names with different first characters are easy to tell apart at a glance, and names with a shared start are not.
It follows that you cannot search for a video on the platform by the code from the file name. Please put <<id>> in the rule if the file name must match the post address.
How many characters fit in a path
The overall path ceiling is 240 characters. It is below the Windows system limit with a margin.
Everything known in advance is subtracted from the ceiling: the folder path, the separator, the letters of the rule and the space for the macros. The reserves are:
| For what | Characters |
|---|---|
Video ID (<<id>> and <<code>>) | 32 |
Platform name (<<source>>) | 34 |
| Dot and extension | 6 |
The rest goes to the video title. The title is cut to the rest if it does not fit. The title is guaranteed at least 16 bytes even in a very deep folder.
The counter under the field shows how many characters are already taken: "34 of 240 path characters". The extension of the downloaded file is mp4.
The rule may not fit at all. Then the app replies with a refusal: "The rule is too long: the file name will not fit into the path in any folder. Shorten it.". Please remove extra macros and extra text from the rule. The other way is to choose a folder closer to the root of the disk.
File name rule refusals
These lines block saving.
| Refusal | What to do |
|---|---|
| "Set a file name rule." | The field is empty after editing. Type a rule or put back <<title>> [<<code>>] |
"There is no <<name>> macro. The list is in the "Macros" line under the field." | There is no such macro. Take the one you need with a button under the field |
"Add <<code>> or <<id>>: without them two videos with the same title merge into one, and the second is lost." | Add one of the two protective macros |
| "The rule is too long: the file name will not fit into the path in any folder. Shorten it." | Remove what is extra from the rule |
| "The rule contains a non-printing character, and the file will not be saved with it. Type the rule again." | This happens after pasting text from a document. Type the rule by hand |
| "A file name cannot start with NUL, CON, PRN, AUX, COM or LPT. Windows creates such a file in a special way, and the app will not find it. Start the rule differently." | Start the rule with another word or with a macro |
| "A slash creates a subfolder. Remove it from the rule." | Remove the / and \ characters |
"Angle brackets belong to macros only. Type the macro in full - for example, <<title>>." | A bracket was left without its pair. Finish the macro |
Two more remarks do not prevent saving:
- "The brackets stay in the name even if the macro inside them turns out empty."
- "The characters : ? * " | are not allowed in a file name - a hash sign will be used instead."
Service files in the folder
Next to the videos the folder has service files. You do not need to delete them.
| File | What it is |
|---|---|
downloaded.txt | The blacklist of the "ClipSave" window for this folder |
downloaded.<scope>.txt | The blacklist of a single source group |
session_files.<number>.txt | The list of files created in one work session. The app removes such files after a day |
Each source group has its own blacklist, and this is deliberate. Different groups download into one folder. A shared list would mean that a video of the first group counts as already taken for all the others.
Where the "already taken" mark is kept
For the "ClipSave" window the marks are in the downloaded.txt file. How to clear it is described on the Download by link page.
For sources it is different. The list is kept in the project database, not in a text file. The app rewrites the downloaded.<scope>.txt file from the database before every check. This has three consequences:
- deleting the file by hand does nothing: it reappears from the database;
- deleting a group does not erase the list;
- the last 2000 records are kept per source; earlier ones are deleted.
The limit of 2000 records means this. For a very active source the oldest records drop out of the list. Such a video may be downloaded a second time if it is still on the posts page.
You can delete a mark in the "Downloaded videos" window. It opens with a right click on the group tile. The window has four columns: "Platform", "Video", "Source link", "Downloaded". The date is written as dd.mm.yyyy hh:mm. There is a search with the hint "Search by link or video ID". The "Delete selected" button removes the mark from one row. The "Clear the entire list" button removes it from all rows at once.
What stays on the disk after copies are created
The footer of the "Sources" section has the "Delete downloaded videos after creating copies" switch. It is on by default. Then the app creates the copies and deletes the source file right away.
With the switch off, both files stay in the folder: what was downloaded and the copies. A week of continuous work means tens of gigabytes.
Stopping with the "Stop" button works differently. What happens to the files on stopping is described on the How long checking sources takes page.
Frequently asked questions
Why are there square brackets in the file name?
They are put there by the default rule <<title>> [<<code>>]. The brackets are plain text of the rule, not part of the macro. Remove them from the field if you do not need them.
Can files be sorted into subfolders?
No. A slash in the rule is not accepted: "A slash creates a subfolder. Remove it from the rule.". All files of one group are saved to one folder.
The video title is cut. Why?
The full name did not fit into 240 path characters. The app cut the title so that the file could be saved at all. Please choose a folder closer to the root of the disk or remove the <<source>> macro from the rule: it alone reserves 34 characters.
What does a hash sign in the file name mean?
In its place there was a character that Windows does not accept in a file name. These are the characters :, ?, *, " and |. The window has a remark about this: "The characters : ? * " | are not allowed in a file name - a hash sign will be used instead.".
One video was downloaded instead of two. Why is the second missing?
Most likely their file names matched. The second video was not downloaded, and a record about it was added to the blacklist. Please add the <<code>> or <<id>> macro to the rule. Then delete the record about this video in the "Downloaded videos" window. At the next check it is downloaded again.