mediacurator 1.0.1 Release Notes

Highlights

This release introduces a major overhaul of the command-line interface (CLI) for mediacurator, improving usability, maintainability, and flexibility. The CLI now utilizes Python’s argparse library for enhanced user interaction and support for a broader range of formats.

Dropped Support

  • The project has been renamed from ‘MediaCurator’ to ‘mediacurator’ to standardize naming conventions (all lowercase).

  • The CLI API has undergone significant changes, resulting in a new command structure that is not compatible with the old format. The previous and new structures are as follows:

Before:

mediacurator [list,convert] [-del]
    [-in:any,avi,mkv,wmv,mpg,mp4,m4v,flv,vid,divx,ogm,webm]
    [-filters:fferror,old,lowres,hd,720p,1080p,uhd,mpeg,mpeg4,x264,wmv3,wmv]
    [-out:mkv/mp4,x265/av1]
    [-print:list,formated,verbose]
    [-dirs/-files:"/mnt/media/",,"/mnt/media2/"]

After:

mediacurator [list convert] [-del/--delete]
    [-i/--inputs any 3gp asf avi divx dv f4v flv gif m2ts m4v mkv mov mp4 mpeg mpg mts ogm ogv rm swf ts vid vob webm wmv]
    [-fl/--filters fferror old lowres hd 720p 1080p uhd mpeg mpeg4 x264 wmv3 wmv]
    [-o/--outputs mkv/mp4 x265/av1]
    [-p/--printop list formatted verbose]
    [-d/--dirs "/mnt/media/" "/mnt/media2/"]
    [-f/--files "file1.ext" "file2.ext"]

Compatibility Notes

  • This release includes breaking changes, necessitating the version bump from 0.0.13 to 1.0.1.

Python Support

  • mediacurator has been tested on Python 3.12.6.

FFMPEG Support

  • mediacurator has been tested to work with FFMPEG version 7.0.2.

OS Support

  • mediacurator has been tested to work on various GNU/Linux distributions as well as Windows.

New Features

  • Major CLI Overhaul: Refactored the command-line argument handling to use argparse, allowing structured command definitions, built-in help, validation, and error messages.

  • Expanded Format Support:
    • Input Formats: Added support for a broader range of input formats, including:

      • From: avi, divx, flv, m4v, mkv, mp4, mpg, ogm, vid, webm, wmv

      • To: any, 3gp, asf, avi, divx, dv, f4v, flv, gif, m2ts, m4v, mkv, mov, mp4, mpeg, mpg, mts, ogm, ogv, rm, swf, ts, vid, vob, webm, wmv

  • CRF Settings: Introduced CRF (Constant Rate Factor) settings for AV1 and x265 to provide better control over quality and file size.

  • Even Dimensions Handling: Implemented handling for odd pixel dimensions by adding black pixel padding to ensure even width and height.

  • Improved Output: Added line breaks in conversion output before each video to enhance readability.

Improvements

  • Standardized Metadata Handling: Standardized audio, subtitle, and metadata copying processes.

  • Enhanced Documentation: Revamped documentation for clarity and usability, ensuring all sections are consistent in formatting and structure.

  • Legacy Support: Maintained legacy commands in the updated documentation for backward compatibility.

  • Code Quality: Refactored redundant code sections and improved error handling for better user feedback.

Changes

  • Updated the README and documentation to reflect the new command-line interface and features.

  • Removed outdated screenshots and images, and organized legacy images in the documentation.

Deprecations

  • Deprecated legacy command options that are no longer compatible with the new CLI structure.

Future Changes

  • Plan to add more filters for enhanced media management.

  • Testing for AV1 support to ensure compatibility with new video codecs.

  • Preparing the API for potential GUI development.