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| 1 | +# YT Audio Workbench — Help |
| 2 | +Welcome to the help documentation for YT Audio Workbench. This guide will walk you through the main features and options available in the application. |
| 3 | + |
| 4 | +## Table of Contents |
| 5 | +- [Getting Started](#getting-started) |
| 6 | +- [Main Window Explained](#main-window-explained) |
| 7 | + - [URL & Output](#url--output) |
| 8 | + - [Cookies](#cookies) |
| 9 | + - [Download & Formatting](#download--formatting) |
| 10 | + - [Filename & Options](#filename--options) |
| 11 | + - [Joining](#joining) |
| 12 | + - [System Dependencies](#system-dependencies) |
| 13 | + - [Controls & Log](#controls--log) |
| 14 | +- [Troubleshooting](#troubleshooting) |
| 15 | + - [Tool Not Found (ffmpeg, mp3gain)](#tool-not-found-ffmpeg-mp3gain) |
| 16 | + - [Downloads are Slow or Failing](#downloads-are-slow-or-failing) |
| 17 | + - [Private/Members-Only Videos Not Working](#privatevideos) |
| 18 | + |
| 19 | +## Getting Started <a name="getting-started"></a> |
| 20 | +The primary purpose of this tool is to create high-quality, consistent MP3 backups from a YouTube URL (either a single video or a playlist). |
| 21 | + |
| 22 | +**Basic Workflow:** |
| 23 | +1. Paste a YouTube URL into the top field. |
| 24 | +2. Select an Output folder where the files will be saved. |
| 25 | +3. Choose your desired Bitrate and Sample Rate. |
| 26 | +4. Click Run. |
| 27 | + |
| 28 | +## Main Window Explained <a name="main-window-explained"></a> |
| 29 | + |
| 30 | +### URL & Output <a name="url--output"></a> |
| 31 | +**Playlist or video URL:** The source URL from YouTube. |
| 32 | +**Output folder:** The main directory where all files and logs will be saved. |
| 33 | +**Use per-run subfolder:** (Recommended) When checked, each time you click "Run", a new subfolder with a timestamp (e.g., `run_20250824_193000`) will be created inside your output folder. This is the safest way to keep download sessions separate and ensures the "Join" feature works correctly. |
| 34 | + |
| 35 | +### Cookies <a name="cookies"></a> |
| 36 | +**Cookies file:** You can provide a `cookies.txt` (Netscape format) or a `.json` file exported from a browser extension like "Cookie-Editor". The application will automatically convert `.json` files. |
| 37 | +**Use browser cookies:** Alternatively, select a browser and the application will attempt to use its live cookie data. |
| 38 | + |
| 39 | +### Download & Formatting <a name="download--formatting"></a> |
| 40 | +**Sample rate:** Enforces a consistent audio sample rate for all files. `44100 Hz` is standard for CD quality, while `48000 Hz` is common for video. |
| 41 | +**Bitrate (kbps):** Sets the quality of the MP3 file. `192` is good quality, `320` is the highest quality for MP3. |
| 42 | +**Delay between items (s):** A pause between downloading each item in a playlist to avoid being rate-limited by the server. |
| 43 | +**Playlist format:** Creates a playlist file (`.m3u` or `.m3u8`) of the downloaded tracks for easy playback. |
| 44 | + |
| 45 | +### Filename & Options <a name="filename--options"></a> |
| 46 | +**Add numbering:** Prefixes filenames with a number (e.g., `001 - ...`, `002 - ...`). |
| 47 | +**Include YouTube ID in filename:** Appends the unique YouTube video ID in brackets (e.g., `... [dQw4w9WgXcQ].mp3`). *Note:* Brackets can cause issues with some older media players. |
| 48 | +**Sanitize filenames:** (Recommended) Removes special characters from filenames that can cause problems with playlists or scripts. |
| 49 | +**Use download archive:** The app will keep a record of downloaded files in `download_archive.txt`. If you run the same playlist again, it will skip any files it has already downloaded. |
| 50 | +**Normalize with MP3Gain:** Uses the mp3gain tool to adjust the volume of all tracks to a standard level without losing quality. |
| 51 | +**De-duplicate artist in filename:** Removes duplicated artist names from filenames (e.g., `Artist - Artist - Title` → `Artist - Title`). |
| 52 | +**Validate with ffprobe:** Validates sample rate/format using `ffprobe` after conversion. |
| 53 | +**Verbose yt-dlp logging:** Runs yt-dlp in verbose mode for troubleshooting. |
| 54 | +**Fallback to progressive:** If standard DASH download yields no audio, retry with progressive HTTP streams. |
| 55 | + |
| 56 | +### Joining <a name="joining"></a> |
| 57 | +**Join into one MP3:** Enables joining to combine all downloaded MP3s into a single large file. |
| 58 | +**Name:** Filename for the final combined MP3. |
| 59 | +**Write CUE for joined file:** Creates a `.cue` file with accurate `INDEX 01` markers. |
| 60 | +**Embed ID3 chapters:** Embeds chapter markers directly into the joined MP3 (requires `mutagen`). |
| 61 | +**Randomize order when joining:** Shuffles the playlist before combining. |
| 62 | +**Keep temp WAVs:** Keep intermediate WAVs from the join pipeline (useful for debugging). |
| 63 | +**Write VLC segment playlist:** Creates an `.m3u` playlist that points to chapter start/stop times inside the joined MP3 for VLC. |
| 64 | + |
| 65 | +### System Dependencies <a name="system-dependencies"></a> |
| 66 | +**Verify Tools:** Checks if `yt-dlp`, `ffmpeg`, `ffprobe`, and `mp3gain` are installed and accessible. |
| 67 | +**Check & Install System Deps:** Attempts automatic installation (Windows: `winget`; macOS: `brew`; Linux: `apt/dnf/pacman`). |
| 68 | + |
| 69 | +### Controls & Log <a name="controls--log"></a> |
| 70 | +**Run/Cancel:** Starts or stops the current process. |
| 71 | +**Progress Bar:** Shows determinate progress during downloads and joining. |
| 72 | +**Log Window:** Displays detailed information about the ongoing process. Right-click to copy or clear the log. |
| 73 | + |
| 74 | +## Troubleshooting <a name="troubleshooting"></a> |
| 75 | +### Tool Not Found (ffmpeg, mp3gain) <a name="tool-not-found-ffmpeg-mp3gain"></a> |
| 76 | +If the log reports a tool is "missing" even after you've installed it, try restarting the application so PATH changes are picked up. |
| 77 | + |
| 78 | +### Downloads are Slow or Failing <a name="downloads-are-slow-or-failing"></a> |
| 79 | +Try increasing the **Delay between items** to 5 seconds or more. Check your internet connection. The video may have been removed or be region-locked. |
| 80 | + |
| 81 | +### Private/Members-Only Videos Not Working <a name="privatevideos"></a> |
| 82 | +This almost always means there is an issue with your cookies. Ensure you are logged into YouTube in your browser. Use a browser extension like "Cookie-Editor" to export your YouTube cookies to a `.json` file. Select that `.json` file in the "Cookies" section of the app and try again. |
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