YT-DLP archive scripts

Personal yt-dlp workspace for scheduled-style archiving: three monthly batch drivers, one yt-dlp.conf, Netscape cookies.txt, and per-run logs under logs\archive_run_*. Archive Console is an optional 127.0.0.1 UI on top of the same files—not affiliated with YouTube, Google, or yt-dlp; you own installs, config, and compliance.

Primary entry points

Job	Batch file	Input	Download archive	Default output	Latest run pointer
Watch Later / playlists	monthly_watch_later_archive.bat	playlists_input.txt	playlists_downloaded.txt	playlists\	logs\latest_run.txt
Whole channel(s)	monthly_channels_archive.bat	channels_input.txt	channels_downloaded.txt	channels\	logs\latest_run_channel.txt
Video URL list	monthly_videos_archive.bat	videos_input.txt	videos_downloaded.txt	videos\	logs\latest_run_videos.txt
Single URL (UI or batch)	Archive Console One-off or oneoff_archive.bat	URL in UI / env	oneoff_downloaded.txt	oneoff\ (or override)	logs\latest_run_oneoff.txt
Gallery / image sites	Archive Console Galleries	URL in UI / env	(per gallery-dl)	galleries\ (or override)	logs\latest_run_galleries.txt

Work from the folder that contains yt-dlp.conf and the *_input.txt files (usually this scripts root).

Compatibility shims (archive_playlists_advanced.bat, archive_youtube_channels.bat, archive_videos.bat, archive_channels_robust.bat) forward to the matching monthly_* drivers. Prefer renaming Task Scheduler tasks to monthly_*.

Public / GitHub snapshots may include placeholder archive_playlists.bat, archive_playlists_robust.bat, archive_channels.bat that only print a message and exit /b 2—they are not real drivers. Use monthly_* or the shims above. Details: BAT_FILES.md, BAT_AUDIT.md.

What the drivers do

Each monthly_* batch invokes archive_playlist_run.py, archive_channel_run.py, or archive_video_run.py: shared manifest, verification (including merged outputs), deferred download-archive updates, and artifacts manifest.csv, issues.csv, summary.txt, report.html, run.log, rerun_urls.txt, plus separate latest_run*.txt pointers per pipeline.

• One shared yt-dlp.conf (cookies, formats, sleeps, EJS / --js-runtimes node, etc.).
• Optional pip self-upgrade unless SKIP_PIP_UPDATE=1; yt-dlp[default] upgrade each run unless SKIP_YTDLP_UPDATE=1 (Archive Console can mirror those toggles).
• youtube <id> rows are written to *_downloaded.txt only after verification on disk.

Rolling one-off history: logs\oneoff_report\ (summary.jsonl, report.html; retention from Console Settings).

Operator manual & env toggles

Deep cookie strategy, dry-run, and failure notes live in ARCHIVE_PLAYLIST_RUN_LOGS.txt—read it before changing yt-dlp.conf.

Variable	Effect
SKIP_PIP_UPDATE=1	Skip pip self-upgrade before yt-dlp.
SKIP_YTDLP_UPDATE=1	Skip yt-dlp[default] pip install.
ARCHIVE_DRY_RUN=1	yt-dlp --simulate (smoke test, not a full run).
ARCHIVE_PAUSE_ON_COOKIE_ERROR=1 (+ optional ARCHIVE_COOKIE_AUTH_POLL_*)	Pause on auth-like errors; see log doc.
ARCHIVE_CHANNEL_EXPAND_TABS=0	Channels only: do not auto-split bare channel URLs into /videos + /shorts.

Console colors (Windows TTY): drivers use virtual-terminal styling; logs\*\run.log stays plain. Disable: NO_COLOR=1, ARCHIVE_PLAIN_LOG=1, or non-TTY stdout. Monthly bats pass -q to pip unless ARCHIVE_PIP_VERBOSE=1. Implementation: archive_run_console.py, archive_print_role.py.

Tip: --verbose in yt-dlp.conf floods [debug] lines; comment it out if progress is hard to read.

Troubleshooting

Follow logs\latest_run.txt, latest_run_channel.txt, or latest_run_videos.txt into the linked logs\archive_run_*\ folder; use report.html, issues.csv, and run.log (COUNT_CHECK). Regenerate HTML: regenerate_report.bat or python regenerate_report.py <run_folder>.

Project layout

Path	Role
BAT_FILES.md	Full .bat inventory (PRIMARY vs shim vs launcher).
BAT_AUDIT.md	Line-level classification.
CLEANUP_PR.md	Record of prior cleanups / references.
ARCHIVE_PLAYLIST_RUN_LOGS.txt	Operator runbook.
archive_console/ARCHIVE_CONSOLE.md	Archive Console behavior (shutdown, tray, cookies, player, API).
yt-dlp.conf, gallery-dl.conf (optional)	Shared CLI config.
tools/publish_staging.py	Build anonymized tree for sharing (see Publishing below).

Archive Console

Local web app: start_archive_console.bat (from this root) creates archive_console\.venv, installs archive_console/requirements.txt (yt-dlp[default] + gallery-dl), and opens http://127.0.0.1:<port>/ (default 8756, persisted in archive_console/state.json). Python 3.10+ required on PATH.

Sidebar (typical): Run · One-off · Galleries (gallery-dl) · History & reports · Library (browse, player, duplicates, clip export) · Rename · Inputs & config (lists, cookies.txt, output-folder roots) · yt-dlp.conf (Tier A/B/C editor) · gallery-dl.conf (JSON, -c when present—upstream config) · Supported sites (local --list-extractors for yt-dlp + gallery-dl) · Settings.

Full behavior, SHUTDOWN stop, optional ARCHIVE_SHUTDOWN_TOKEN, and security boundaries: archive_console/ARCHIVE_CONSOLE.md.

Launch & exit

• Default: start_archive_console.bat → new Archive Console (uvicorn) window; browser opens if health is up.
• Tray (no console window): start_archive_console_tray.bat.
• Same terminal: set ARCHIVE_CONSOLE_ATTACHED=1 before start_archive_console.bat (Ctrl+C stops).
• Stop server: Settings → Danger zone → Stop (confirm SHUTDOWN), close uvicorn window, tray Quit, or archive_console\stop_server.ps1. Closing the browser tab does not stop the backend.

Port busy / wrong process: launcher may prompt to kill; or ARCHIVE_CONSOLE_REPLACE=1 / stop_server.ps1. Change port in Settings → state.json if another app needs the port.

Cookies

You maintain cookies.txt next to yt-dlp.conf. The Console does not export cookies from a browser. Manual Run can require confirming cookies.txt (HTTP 428 until you confirm; dry-run skips). Scheduled runs use banners / optional localhost-only tray notify—see ARCHIVE_CONSOLE.md. Reminder snoozes are short by design (no “ignore cookies for a week” promise).

Optional host tools

ffmpeg, mediainfo, exiftool for Library clips, media details, and Rename—set paths under Settings → General if not on PATH.

Screenshots

Dark UI, 1280×800 captures. Replace for a public fork if paths or editor content are too specific.

View	Role
Run	monthly_* + log
One-off	Single URL + rolling report
Galleries	gallery-dl preview / run
History & reports	Ledger, report.html links
Library	Browse, player, duplicates, clips
Rename	DeepL / ExifTool preview
Inputs & config	Output roots + tabbed files
yt-dlp.conf / gallery-dl.conf	Editors
Supported sites	Extractor lists
Settings	Port (loopback), allowlist, scheduler, retention

Publishing (sanitized copy)

From repo root:

python tools\publish_staging.py

Redacts typical machine paths, excludes cookies.txt, state.json, download trees. Default destination is a sibling folder (see --dest); PUBLISH_MANIFEST.md in the output lists what shipped. If rmtree fails on Windows (e.g. locked .git), publish to a fresh --dest and merge per STAGING_SYNC_CHECKLIST.md if you maintain one.

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Security (Console): loopback bind; path allowlist; cookies.txt not served as static reports; shutdown is intentional (SHUTDOWN) and may require a token—details in ARCHIVE_CONSOLE.md.

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Public snapshot notes

• Replace machine-specific roots with <ARCHIVE_ROOT> in your mind: working directory is the folder that contains yt-dlp.conf and the monthly_*.bat files.
• Copy *.sample.txt to channels_input.txt, playlists_input.txt, and videos_input.txt before running batch jobs.
• See CONTRIBUTING.md, PUBLISH_MANIFEST.md, and cookies.txt.example.

Third-party / disclaimer: this project is not affiliated with YouTube, Google LLC, or yt-dlp. You supply yt-dlp and obey site terms of service.