VDM - Video Download Manager

VDM is a frontend downloader for youtube-dlp. Coded using python & flask with mongodb as the database. Json files saving as a support backup.

This is still in early development and not all features have been implemented. Expect slow updates as I work, have a life, need entertainment time, etc...

Main is typically up to date and the latest as found on my instance of VDM (unless some big changes are coming).

Ideally, don't use mine as I don't have that much HD space and I'll end up deleting your [unwanted] data.

Requirements

• docker
• • cookies.txt file (optional, may become a requirement in the future)

Installation

1) CD to your target install directory and clone: git clone https://github.com/samstarnes/vdm.git

Or install to current directory after CDing to target install directory git clone https://github.com/samstarnes/vdm.git .

2) (optional) Modify the cookies.txt file in netscape format with your cookies.

Recommended method: yt-dlp --cookies-from-browser chrome --cookies cookies.txt

Alternative method: There are tools, addons and extensions to grab these.

This is only required for sites that require a login otherwise do not change the file.

Sites such as Twitter (when it once required a login to download content) or videos locked behind age verifications or subscriptions will require this (but yt-dlp might fail, ymmv).

Note that the cookies file must be in Mozilla/Netscape format and the first line of the cookies file must be either:

# HTTP Cookie File or # Netscape HTTP Cookie File.

Make sure you have correct newline format in the cookies file and convert newlines if necessary to correspond with your OS, namely CRLF (\r\n) for Windows and LF (\n) for Unix and Unix-like systems (Linux, macOS, etc.). HTTP Error 400: Bad Request when using --cookies is a good sign of invalid newline format.

3) Edit your .env file for your keys

If you'd like you can change your container names and external ports.

To generate keys (random 64 character):

For Linux you can run:

openssl rand -hex 32

For Windows in PowerShell, see below:

$randomKeyBytes = New-Object byte[] 32
[Security.Cryptography.RandomNumberGenerator]::Create().GetBytes($randomKeyBytes)
$randomKeyHex = -join ($randomKeyBytes | ForEach-Object { $_.ToString("X2") })
Write-Host $randomKeyHex

4) Build and run docker container: docker-compose up --build

• Or for a detached container docker-compose up -d --build

Warning

The security and safety of your server cannot be guaranteed. I am unable to secure all aspects independently.
Running this application locally is generally safe (no open ports, no reverse proxy, and not exposed to the internet), provided you trust users on your local area network (LAN).

As of October 31, 2024, a significant security breach was attempted; however, due to the nature of the attack, the intruder was unable to escape the container.

The attacker exploited a vulnerability in an outdated ffmpeg binary, enabling remote code execution (RCE) through base64-encoded commands embedded in an .mkv video file. Importantly, no modifications were made to my production server—only four additional files (including one .mkv video) were added.

The ffmpeg and ffprobe binaries have been updated to 6.1. Overall, the system remains secure. (24.11.02)

Features not included yet

• Admin page (coming soon!)
• Calender filter for searching between dates
• Configurable:
  • Cookie file (coming soon!)
  • Items ordered by duration, size, download date (ID), posted date
  • Option of JSON saving (metadata is managed by mongoDB and I'm making that a requirement, for now) (coming soon!)
  • Public item automatic deletion (finished but disabled, needs light work)
  • Normal vs reverse order
  • Other database options (like postgreSQL and RethinkDB, perhaps others)
  • Public vs private view (and mixed of both) for videos (coming soon-ish!)
  • Themes (coming soon!)
• Download comments | requested by /u/ECrispy
• Download playlists | requested by /u/barry_flash-
• Filter function
• Have the output & cutout work for only a single URL
  • [I might just remove this altogether and provide an alternative method]
• Move installation location (files, directories, requires updates to mongodb) (coming soon!)
  • [this comes next as additional volumes available for storage is necessary now]
• Multi-user login & registration & login/registration page (coming soon-ish!)
• Repair mongoDB with JSON files as backup (coming soon-ish!)
  • (just had to do this, don't updateMany with no sleep)
• Search is IN but I've got some ideas to tweak it and make it better (tags)
• Video player page (it looks terrible right now and honestly requires chunked videos with HLS to function properly) (coming soon!)
  • [FINISHED however this is doubling the amount of data being saved hence the requirement for additional volumes and automatic deletion of original video copies. A command to convert and download will be made available.]
  • [This is also why I have not updated in quite some time.]
• Volume management system to add additional hard drives for extra storage
  • [This will include round-robin and high-watermarking as methods of saving.]

Known Issues

• High Priority
  • Some videos will fail to download if presented with multiple videos on a page. Twitter for example will provide a grid of multiple videos and/or pictures included and the link will fail to complete.
    • [This works now, I think? But you will have to manually select each video of the grid to download them all or else the first one is downloaded.]
• Low Priority:
  • Currently using the cutout time or renaming of a file is not recommended as I've done zero testing using it nor will it work with multiple URLs. I do not recommend using it at all.
  • Leaving a newline \n in the text box with an array of URLs will cause a failure on the empty newline.
• Cosmetic Issues:
  • Data stream from yt-dlp when returning the ETA rapidly changes in time, looking into a way of making a more accurate ETA return.
  • Progress begins with the download but then merges the audio and video so it resets the progress bar to 0%, goes back to 100%.
  • Sometimes the progress bugs out a little and stops updating (looking into this).
  • SSE seems to unexpectedly close after some time (need to determine if it can be reopened).

Possible Issues

• N/A

Personal Note

I've already used this for over 3500+ videos and it's worked so far. There may be changes in the future with the data structure so it may not work from one version to another (highly unlikely). I will attempt to include all changes and commands available to update the data if breaking changes are necessary.