Can you specify filename conforming pattern?

[johannesdedoper]

Hello Italy!

Hope your well!
Just noticed that sometimes files are not added to the queue.
Seems to be a filename issue.
Can you please give me the conforming_pattern?
eg. conforming_pattern='^[A-Za-z0-9_-.]+$' so I can make a small script checking this?
This way I can change the filenames that are not accepted.

Thanks in advance!
Cheers, J.

[jeanslack]

Hello!

I'm fine thanks, I hope the same for you!

Yes, files are not added when they have the following incompatibilities:

• illegal characters like: ^ ` ~ " # % & * : < > ? / \\ { | }
• File without extension.
• Files already imported in the File List.
• Directory import.
• File contains non-UTF-8 encoded characters ('utf-8' codec can't decode byte...). To solve this problem there is a workaround here Chars encoder #297 related to issue Files with encodings other than utf-8 unicode are not imported at all #294

In all these cases a window would be shown with the list of rejected files and the related error status. Can you confirm this please?

[johannesdedoper]

Thnx for your reply.

In all these cases a window would be shown with the list of rejected files and the related error status. Can you confirm this please?

Yes, you are correct! Sorry, I did see the popup but did not scroll to the right to look at the complete notification.
It does say illegal characters are: ^ ` ~ " # % & * : < > ? / \ { | }
Anyway, I now know what will work and what will not.
BTW, the manage queue files feature sounds a very nice addition.

Cheers,
J.

[Oakchris1955]

• illegal characters like: ^ ` ~ " # % & * : < > ? / \\ { | }

What is the purpose of filtering illegal file characters? Isn't that supposed to be the job of the filesystem?
I see that these are the characters that are forbidden in FAT filesystems, but on the other hand, most of them are allowed on other filesystems, like ext4.

[Oakchris1955]

• illegal characters like: ^ ` ~ " # % & * : < > ? / \\ { | }

What is the purpose of filtering illegal file characters? Isn't that supposed to be the job of the filesystem? I see that these are the characters that are forbidden in FAT filesystems, but on the other hand, most of them are allowed on other filesystems, like ext4.

@jeanslack I'd appreciate an answer

[jeanslack]

Hi,
Sorry but I had definitely forgotten about this post.

Mainly filtering illegal characters was necessary to proceed smoothly using the file concatenation function on Videomass, since the special characters must be escaped using the FFmpeg syntax, which is quite cumbersome.
To realize this do some tests using exactly the FFmpeg concat function: https://ffmpeg.org/ffmpeg-formats.html#concat

Secondly, Videomass has the possibility to be used also as a renamer of the files you intend to process, therefore the filtering of the path names was necessary.

[Oakchris1955]

Mainly filtering illegal characters was necessary to proceed smoothly using the file concatenation function on Videomass, since the special characters must be escaped using the FFmpeg syntax, which is quite cumbersome.

So, is that only reason this restriction is in place? If so, I could probably open a PR so that Videomass properly filters those special characters.

[jeanslack]

Come to think of it, it's not the only reason: For me, it's a very useful feature that allows proper interoperability in exchanging files between file systems, and it doesn't disrupt my life by leaving this feature as it is.

[Oakchris1955]

Why not turn it into an optional feature that is enabled by default?

[jeanslack]

I had already thought about this possibility, but there are too many side-effects that even if improved would make the application too cumbersome and possibly fragile.
For the moment I would leave this thing alone, in the meantime I will try to think about it anyway.