YouTube-DL for Pythonista - download YouTube videos on your iPhone/iPad!

youtube-dl.py

#!python3

'''
Directions:

    - install yt-dlp via Pip (e.g. using (StaSh)[https://github.com/ywangd/stash] - `pip install yt-dlp`)
    - add this script as a Share extension through Settings -> Share Extension Shortcuts
    - while watching a video in the YouTube site or app, just share the video to Pythonista and select this script
    - the video will download, and when it's done you can share the video file itself with any app (e.g. VLC)
Advanced usage:
    - if you specify -audio as the script argument, this script will download audio only
    - if you specify -stream as the script argument, this script will just grab the actual video URL and redirect you
    to VLC, which will stream the video (without interruptions or ads!)
'''

from __future__ import unicode_literals
import yt_dlp as youtube_dl
import appex
import console
import clipboard
import os
import sys

try:
    # We cannot use ffmpeg on iOS
    from yt_dlp.postprocessor import FFmpegPostProcessor
    FFmpegPostProcessor.available = False
except ImportError as e:
    pass

outdir = os.path.expanduser("~/Documents/Downloads")
try:
	os.mkdir(outdir)
except FileExistsError:
	pass
	
if appex.get_attachments():
	# e.g. share from YouTube app
	url = appex.get_attachments()[0]
elif appex.get_urls():
	# e.g. share from Safari
	url = appex.get_urls()[0]
elif appex.get_text():
	url = appex.get_text()
elif clipboard.get():
	url = clipboard.get()
	
print("URL: ", url)
if not url or not url.startswith("http"):
	url = input("No URL found - enter URL to download: ")
	
ydl_opts = {'outtmpl': os.path.join(outdir, '%(title)s.%(ext)s')}

if '--audio' in sys.argv[1:] or '-audio' in sys.argv[1:]:
	ydl_opts['format'] = 'bestaudio'
	
if '--stream' in sys.argv[1:] or '-stream' in sys.argv[1:]:
	with youtube_dl.YoutubeDL(ydl_opts) as ydl:
		info = ydl.extract_info(url, download=False)
		from objc_util import UIApplication, nsurl
		from urllib.parse import urlencode
		app = UIApplication.sharedApplication()
		params = urlencode({'url': info['formats'][-1]['url']})
		#app.openURL_(nsurl('vlc-x-callback://x-callback-url/stream?' + params))
		#app.openURL_(nsurl('infuse://x-callback-url/play?' + params))
		app.openURL_(nsurl(info['formats'][-1]['url']))
else:
	with youtube_dl.YoutubeDL(ydl_opts) as ydl:
		info = ydl.extract_info(url, download=True)
		filepath = ydl.prepare_filename(info)
		
	console.open_in(filepath)

Yes, unfortunately we cannot use ffmpeg as we can’t add native binaries on iOS. There may be third party apps that can merge and/or convert the video and audio file if downloaded separately.

Well understood! Appreciate your GREAT help and the script enlightens me A LOT!!! THANKS echos~~~

Hi, I was wondering if we could access the ~/Documents/Downloads folder somehow, is it just a temporary folder or a permanent one ? If permanent, then sharing the file to VLC would mean we have twice the file isn't it ?

Yes, it should be accessible directly in Pythonista, via the script library file browser under This iPhone. The file will be copied from here to VLC, but you may delete the copy in Pythonista afterwards.

How can you change the format to MP3 when using the -audio extension? Thank you! Great script!

Fyi I could not find a way to convert to mp3 (no support for ffmpeg on iOS) but if you replace bestaudio by m4a you get an mpeg4 audio file that worked for my use case.

Yeah, unfortunately we can't support ffmpeg, and as far as I understand it, YouTube does not encode their audio in MP3 format. Glad to hear that m4a worked for your case.

I've found the best format to send to VLC or Infuse is:

ydl_opts['format'] = 'bv+ba'