[FFmpeg-user] flame about confusing command line options.

Roger Pack rogerdpack2 at gmail.com
Tue Jan 5 15:04:11 CET 2016


As a note, I just had to get this off my chest, and I'll only say this
once.  Some of FFmpeg's command line syntax is *confusing* and *super
confusing* for beginners.

For instance this:

ffmpeg -r 30 -i input_file

specifies a framerate *override* for the input, however if you specify
it for the output, its just the "normal" output frame rate...:

ffmpeg -i input -r 10 output

and this:
ffmpeg -i input -f rawvideo -f nut output.nut

Using (or being able to use)  "-f"
typically using two "-f" s would be an override.  But in this case it
isn't.  In fact, its using "-f" to specify two entirely different
aspects of the output file.  It's hard to see, but to beginners, this
is *super* confusing.

Being able to specify global settings "in the middle of an input file"
is also confusing..

Not that much can be done, but just so you're aware...the command line
syntax is  confusing to people just getting started with FFmpeg.
After using FFmpeg for like 5 years I'm only finally figuring it out
myself LOL.
Cheers, no offense intended of course, just a gripe.
-roger-


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