Powershell and FFMPEG - FFMPEG not executing

Question

So I wrote a powershell script that recursively searches all video files above a certain size and then resizes them.

I feel like I'm missing something obvious here...because my script doesn't actually run FFMPEG, it just displays the command to run it on the screen. I'm sure I'll facepalm at the solution.

$SearchPath = "N:\baseball"

$oldVideos = Get-ChildItem -Include @("*.mkv", "*.mov", "*.mpg", "*.wmv", "*.avi") -Path $SearchPath -Recurse | where-object {$_.length -gt 500MB};

Set-Location -Path 'C:\Program Files\ffmpeg\bin';

foreach ($OldVideo in $oldVideos) 
{
    $outputfolder = "O:\resized"
    $oldname = Get-Item $oldvideo | Select-Object -ExpandProperty BaseName
    $suffix = "_resized.mp4"
    $newname = "$($oldname)_$($suffix)"
    $ffmpeg = ".'C:\Program Files\ffmpeg\bin\ffmpeg.exe'"
    $arguments = " -i `"$($OldVideo)`" -vf scale=720:trunc(ow/a/2)*2 -c:v libx264 -f mp4 `"$outputfolder\$newname`" -y"
    $ffmpeg + $arguments}

Here's the actual output to the screen when I run the script .'C:\Program Files\ffmpeg\bin\ffmpeg.exe' -i "N:\baseball\hitting\067.MOV" -vf scale=720:trunc(ow/a/2)*2 -c:v libx264 -f mp4 "O:\resized\067__resized.mp4" -y

That command should execute (it runs in a command window).

you just build some string variables. nowhere do you actually USE those variables. — Marc B
– Marc B, Commented Aug 4, 2016 at 21:13
When I run the command manually in powershell, it errors out. ow/a/2 : The term 'ow/a/2' is not recognized as the name of a cmdlet, function, script file, or operable program. Check the spelling of the name, or if a path was included, verify that the path is correct and try again. At line:1 char:121 — The Slayer
– The Slayer, Commented Aug 4, 2016 at 21:27

TheMadTechnician · Accepted Answer · 2016-08-04 21:30:02Z

2

Right now you're just combining two strings, so it outputs the combined string. It's doing exactly what you ask it to. Try changing it to this:

$SearchPath = "N:\baseball"

$oldVideos = Get-ChildItem -Include @("*.mkv", "*.mov", "*.mpg", "*.wmv", "*.avi") -Path $SearchPath -Recurse | where-object {$_.length -gt 500MB};

Set-Location -Path 'C:\Program Files\ffmpeg\bin';

foreach ($OldVideo in $oldVideos) 
{
    $outputfolder = "O:\resized"
    $oldname = Get-Item $oldvideo | Select-Object -ExpandProperty BaseName
    $suffix = "_resized.mp4"
    $newname = "$($oldname)_$($suffix)"
    $ffmpeg = "'C:\Program Files\ffmpeg\bin\ffmpeg.exe'"
    $arguments = " -i `"$($OldVideo)`" -vf scale=720:trunc(ow/a/2)*2 -c:v libx264 -f mp4 `"$outputfolder\$newname`" -y"
    & $ffmpeg $arguments}

answered Aug 4, 2016 at 21:30

TheMadTechnician

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2 Comments

The Slayer Over a year ago

Ok, on the right track. Now the issue is that the $OldVideo output is no longer quoted so the script aborts if the filename or directory name has spaces.

TheMadTechnician Over a year ago

it should still be quoted, that part should not have changed at all.

The Slayer · Accepted Answer · 2016-08-08 20:32:40Z

I finally got this working...I looked at a couple other scripts and how they were executing...seems like I made this overly complicated. EDIT: I added logging and additional functionality to delete the original and move it to the original location. I probably should add some error-handling to check to see if the movie length is identical...gotta figure that out first. NOTE: Logging doesn't quite work right...but the core part of the script (finding movies above 500MB, resizing, moving back to the original folder and deleting works). I also need to add 2 checks to the movie files. 1 to see if the resized movie is actually smaller and if the movie durations are identical.

 $env:Path += ";C:\Program Files\ffmpeg\bin\"

function Write-Log 
    { 
        param
        (
            [string]$strMessage
        )

            $LogDir = 'L:\conlogs\'
            $Logfile = "\Conversion-Log.txt"
            $Path = $logdir + $logfile
            [string]$strDate = get-date
            add-content -path $Path -value ($strDate + "`t:`t"+ $strMessage)
}

$SearchPath = "N:\baseball"

$oldVideos = Get-ChildItem -Include @("*.mkv", "*.mov", "*.mpg", "*.wmv", "*.avi","*.mp4") -Path $SearchPath -Recurse | where-object {$_.length -gt 500MB} | where-object {$_.Name -NotMatch "resized"};

foreach ($OldVideo in $oldVideos) 
{   $outputfolder = "O:\resized"
    $oldname = Get-Item $oldvideo | Select-Object -ExpandProperty BaseName
    $suffix = "resized.mp4"
    $newname = "$($oldname)_$($suffix)"
    ffmpeg.exe -i $oldvideo.FullName -vf "scale=720:trunc(ow/a/2)*2" -c:v libx264 -f mp4 -y "$outputfolder\$newname"

    $OriginalSize = (Get-Item $OldVideo).length 
    $ConvertedSize = (Get-Item $outputfolder\$Newname).length 

    If($ConvertedSize -le $OriginalSize)
    {
        Write-Log "$($NewVideo) has been successfully resized"
        Remove-Item $OldVideo

        If (Test-Path $OldVideo)
        {
            write-log "Unable to remove $($OldVideo)"
        }

        Else
        {
            write-log "Successfully removed $($OldVideo)"
        }
        Elseif
        {
            write-log "You dun goofed!"
        }

        $oldvidpath = [System.IO.Path]::GetDirectoryName($oldvideo)
        Move-Item "$outputfolder\$Newname" -Destination $oldvidpath

       If (Test-Path "$oldvidpath\$newname")
        {
            write-log "Unable to move $($newname)"
        }

        Else
        {
            write-log "Successfully moved $($OldVideo)"
        }

        Elseif
        {
            write-log "You dun goofed!"
        }
    }
}

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