Add source group wizard: six steps
The "Add group" button opens the "New source group" window. The window has six steps. In them you set everything the group needs to work. The "Skip" button is on three of the six steps. What a source and a group are is described on the Sources page.
What is set at each step
| Step | Step title | "Skip" button |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Source links" | no |
| 2 | "Access" | yes |
| 3 | "Source type check" | no |
| 4 | "Video filters" | no |
| 5 | "Quality and file name" | yes |
| 6 | "How often to check" | yes |
The wizard has no group name. The app names a new group by itself. You can rename the group later, in its edit window.
Step 1. "Source links"
The step hint says: "Paste the links - one per line.".
The field is empty. It shows a sample:
https://www.youtube.com/@example/videos
https://www.youtube.com/@example/shorts
https://www.tiktok.com/@example
A link to a single video will not do:
a page with posts is needed.
Under the field there is a counter. While the field is empty, it says "No links added yet". A large list is not parsed at once, and during that time the counter shows "Checking the list...". Then it shows the number of sources. The app counts repeats separately and does not take them into the group.
Not every line is accepted. The app writes two kinds of refusal right under the field.
| Refusal | What to do |
|---|---|
| "Line 4: a link is needed, not plain text. Check whether a file path got in there." | The line is not an address. Copy the link from the browser address bar |
| "Line 4: a page with posts is needed, not a single video. Open the video on the platform and take the link to the page where it is published." | The link leads to a single video. Take the address of the page where it is published |
Line numbers are always given. When several lines are refused at once, the refusal starts with the word "Lines".
The step limits: up to 500 sources in one group, up to 2000 characters in one link.
The folder for files is asked for right here, but only once. This happens while the project has no folder for downloaded videos. Then the step shows the label "Folder for downloaded videos" and the request "Choose a folder.". The button on the right opens the folder choice; its tooltip is "Choose a folder for downloaded videos.". Without a folder, periodic export will not start.
The step is required. It has no "Skip" button.
Step 2. "Access"
The step hint says: "Everything at this step is optional. These settings can be set later as well.".
The step has four settings:
- "Proxy". The input is hidden. The button with an eye icon shows and hides the line. Its tooltips are "Show the proxy." and "Hide the proxy.".
- "Cookie file". A file in Netscape format is needed. The tooltip of the select button is "Choose a cookie file for this group.".
- The "Use browser string" switch. For a source group it is on by default. In the "ClipSave" window the same switch is off by default.
- The "Browser string (User-Agent)" field.
All four settings apply to every link of the group at once. Why a cookie file is needed and where to get it is described on the Download by link page.
The order of the steps is deliberate. The check at the next step contacts the platform with the same proxy and cookie file as a normal download. It is better to set them before it.
Step 3. "Source type check"
The step hint says: "Checking what each page type can give. Once per type.".
The step finds out what information about posts the platform gives. The set of information depends on the kind of page, not on the platform. A channel feed, the Shorts tab and a TikTok profile give different sets of fields. So the question is asked once per kind of page, not for every link. Twenty links to two kinds of pages make two requests, not twenty.
| What | Value |
|---|---|
| Posts looked at per kind of page | 3 |
| Attempts when the platform refuses | 3 |
| Pause between attempts | 2 seconds |
| Time limit for one attempt | 45 seconds |
| Wait for a free place in the queue to the platform | up to 90 seconds |
| Cap on the reply size | 8 MB |
Kinds of pages are checked strictly one at a time. So the step takes from a few seconds to a few minutes. Until the check is over, the "Next" button is unavailable.
Each row of the step has its own state label.
| Label | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| "queued" | This kind of page has not been checked yet | Wait |
| "checking..." | The request to the platform is running now | Wait |
| "done" | The reply was received and parsed | Nothing |
| "failed" | The reply could not be parsed, the time limit ran out, or the video download module did not start | Repeat the check with the arrow above the list. If the video download module did not start, do what the remark below the list says |
| "no videos" | The app found no posts at the link | If there are videos at the link, set a link to the channel or profile instead |
| "videos not received" | The videos did not reach the app: the posts were named but their details did not arrive, or the video download module ended with an error | Repeat the check. This outcome often alternates with success |
| "sign-in needed" | The platform gives these posts only after signing in to an account | Go back to the "Access" step and set a cookie file |
The arrow above the list repeats the check. Its tooltip is "Repeat the source type check.".
The result of the step is written as a line like "Checked 2 page types, 2 requests on 20 sources.".
Below it the app shows a remark.
| Remark | What to do |
|---|---|
| "The video list could not be received. Please repeat the check with the circular arrow next to the step title." | Press the circular arrow to the right of the "Source type check" title. You can also continue: filters can be set up without this reply |
| "The video download module did not start. Continue, then update it with the circular arrow at the bottom of the "Sources" section." | The module file is not in the app folder. Press "Continue without checking" and create the group. Then in the "Sources" section press the circular arrow at the bottom, next to the "Video download module" caption. Without the module the group downloads no videos |
| "The video download module did not start. Please allow it to run in your antivirus software or reinstall the app." | The module file is in place, but it does not start: an antivirus blocked it, or the file is damaged, for example not fully downloaded during an update. The circular arrow in the "Sources" section will not help here. Allow the module to run in your antivirus or reinstall the app: the installer restores the module file |
| "Signing in to the account is needed. Please set a cookie file at the "Access" step." | Press "Back" and set a cookie file |
| "The app found no videos at the link marked "no videos". If there are some, please enter a channel or profile." | If the page has videos, go back to the "Source links" step and replace the link with this mark with a link to a YouTube channel or a TikTok profile. If it has no videos, you can press "Continue without checking": the group will download new videos when they appear |
| "The app did not receive videos at the link marked "videos not received". Please repeat the check." | Repeat the check with the arrow above the list |
When the check fails, the "Next" button is called "Continue without checking". The group is created and the filters work. Only the coverage stays unknown. Coverage answers the question of how many sources give views, duration and date.
Step 4. "Video filters"
The step has the same four cards and twelve conditions as the group edit window. All conditions are off by default, so "Next" is available right away. There is no "Skip" button at this step, but there is nothing to skip.
What sets the wizard apart from other windows is the coverage lines. They are under the conditions for views, duration and date.
| Line | What it means |
|---|---|
| "Will apply to all 20 sources." | All sources of the group give the numbers needed |
| "Will apply to 12 of 20. Without this data:" | Below are the sources that lack these numbers. The condition does not apply to them, and the "If data is missing" rule takes effect |
| "Coverage is unknown: the type check did not pass." | Step 3 gave no answer |
What each of the twelve conditions does is described on the Filters page.
Step 5. "Quality and file name"
- "Video quality": "Maximum", "1440p", "1080p", "720p", "480p". The default is "Maximum".
- The "Exact quality only" switch. It is off by default. It skips videos without the needed track; a record of the skip stays in the app log. The setting is covered on the Filters page.
- The "File name rule" line. By default the name is built by the rule
<<title>> [<<code>>]. The macros are covered on the File name page.
The step can be skipped.
Step 6. "How often to check"
- "How often to check, %". Values from 1 to 100; the arrows change the value by 5. The default is 100.
- "Videos per link per check, at most". Values from 1 to 50, the default is 5. The count is kept for each link separately, not for the whole group.
Under the counter there is an explanation. At 100% it says "The group takes part in every check.". At a smaller value the text is different: "The group takes part in 1 of every 4 checks.".
The step can be skipped. The "Next" button on it is called "Create group".
What the buttons at the bottom of the window do
| Button | What it does |
|---|---|
| "Back" | Returns to the previous step. There is no such button on the first step |
| "Skip" | Moves on. It is on steps 2, 5 and 6. It does not erase what is typed in the fields |
| "Next" | Goes to the next step |
| "Create group" | The same place on the sixth step. Creates the group |
| "Continue without checking" | The same place on the third step when the check failed |
If you close the window with links typed in, the app asks again. It shows the "Unsaved changes" window. It has two lines: "The group has not been created yet." and "If you close the window, the links you entered will be lost.". The buttons are "Don't create" and "Back to editing".
What the group tile shows
After it is created, the group is shown as a tile in the "Sources" section.
The first row shows the group name, the "20 sources" counter, the "Open" button and a switch. The switch tooltip is "Check the sources of this group". The button tooltip is "Open the group settings: access, quality, check pace and the list of links.".
The second row has the state label. During a check, the same place shows a bar and a counter like "3 / 20". The third row is visible only during a search: "Matched 2 of 20".
| State label | When it appears | In red |
|---|---|---|
| "Not checked yet" | The group has just been created | no |
| "Checking is off" | The group switch is off | no |
| "Account sign-in needed" | The platform requires a cookie file | yes |
| "Retry at 14:30" or "Retry later" | The platform limited the requests | no |
| "The check failed" | A refusal | yes |
| "Check partly succeeded" | Some of the sources replied | no |
| "The check was stopped" | The "Stop" button was pressed | no |
| "Next check in {N} min" | Waiting for the interval | no |
| "Next check any moment now" | Less than a minute is left to wait | no |
| "Next check on schedule" | The time is not known yet | no |
Below it the app adds the result of the last check: "Last time: 5 new" or "Last time: nothing new".
On the tile the reason for a refusal is written shorter than in the "ClipSave" window: "No video found at the link", "The platform is unavailable", "The proxy does not respond", "No network connection", "This page no longer exists", "The platform limited the requests", "The video download module did not start", "The video download module is damaged", "No space left on the disk", "The save folder is unavailable", "No answer for several minutes", "The download is not moving", "The check took too long", "Not a single video was downloaded", "The posts contain no videos", "No new videos", "Not all videos were downloaded", "The check broke off".
Five more labels are written by the source check itself:
- "Nothing new: 12 rejected by filters". There were posts, but the group conditions filtered them out. This is different news from "No new videos";
- "Stopped by a limit; the next round will try again";
- "Skipped: the platform is still limiting the requests";
- "The source check did not finish in the time allowed";
- "The check could not be started; the next round will try again".
A right click on the tile opens a menu: "Open", "Downloaded videos", "Duplicate", "Delete". A double click on the tile is the same as the "Open" button.
How the group edit window differs from the wizard
The edit window is one form with scrolling. At the bottom are "Cancel" and "Save". Its cards are:
- "Name" with the "Group name" field. The wizard has no such block. The name can be up to 120 characters long.
- "Group access". The card tooltip is "The proxy, the cookie file and the browser string apply to every link of this group at once.".
- "How to check". This gathers what the wizard spreads over steps 5 and 6. The order of the counters is the reverse of the wizard. The card tooltip is "Quality and the number of videos are about downloading only. Copies are created by the project settings.".
- "Downloaded file name" is a separate card.
- "Video filters" are the same conditions, but without the coverage lines.
- "Source links". The tooltip is "One link per line.". Next to it is the "Downloaded videos" button with the tooltip "See which videos of this group the app has already taken.".
The file name rules in the wizard and in the edit window are in different places, but it is one and the same setting. The edit window has no folder choice: the folder is set in the section footer and is shared by all groups.
When you remove links from a finished group, the app asks again with the "Remove links from the group?" window and the "Delete" button.
Frequently asked questions
Why are there fewer requests than links?
The app contacts the platform once per kind of page. The feeds of twenty YouTube channels are built the same way, so one request is enough. A TikTok profile is a different kind of page, so a second request is needed. That is exactly how the step result is written: "Checked 2 page types, 2 requests on 20 sources.".
Can I skip waiting for the type check?
While the check is running, the "Next" button is unavailable. When the check fails, the button is called "Continue without checking". It creates the group without the platform's reply. The filters still work. Only the coverage stays unknown, that is, the number of sources that give the numbers needed.
What happens if I close the wizard halfway?
The group is not created, and the links are lost. The app asks again with the "Unsaved changes" window. Please press "Back to editing" if you closed the window by accident.
How do I rename a group?
The app names a new group by itself. Please press "Open" on the group tile. The "Name" card has the "Group name" field. The name can be up to 120 characters long.
How many sources fit in one group?
Up to 500 links in a group and up to 500 groups in a project. A project holds up to 10,000 sources in total. Such a list cannot be typed by hand, so it is imported from a file. How this is done is described on the Sources page.