Automating ffmpeg using Automator Service

applescriptautomatorfinderterminalvideo

I often use ffmpeg off the command line to convert video files into mp4 on my Mac (running Mavericks). Do note, however, that I am NOT re-encoding my videos; am just changing the container from an avi or an mkv to an mp4. The exact command I run on Terminal is as follows:

/Users/Amit/Documents/Scripts/ffmpeg -i /input.mkv -c:v copy -c:a copy /output.mp4

As can be seen, this involves a lot of typing (for example, the entire path for ffmpeg and the source and target videos) and since I do a lot of such conversions, it would be great to have some Automator help here.

So, how can one go about creating a Finder Service that automates this activity? I would prefer a Finder Service instead of a standalone app or menu item.

Best Answer

Automator Service

You can use Automator to create a new service or droplet:

Launch Automator.app
Create a new service with service receives files or folders in any application
Add a Run Shell Script action
Set Pass input: to as arguments
Within the script, replace echo with the script below.
Save your workflow as a service.

Shell Script

for f in "$@"
do
    /Users/Amit/Documents/Scripts/ffmpeg -i "$f" -c:v copy -c:a copy "${f%.*}.mp4"
done

Automator ffmpeg

To learn more about using Automator, see Apple's Mac Basics: Automator.

Conversion by QuickTime Player

QuickTime Player may be swiftly converting the file on opening using OS X's new AVFoundation. This would explain why it can play the file but not QuickLook or iTunes.

QuickTime conversion on opening

It is likely the movie is not in an ideal format for QuickTime Player on OS X 10.9, thus the conversion. With OS X 10.9, Apple dropped native support for many video formats and containers. Where possible legacy formats are converted on opening.

Supported MPEG-4

You may have a valid MPEG-4 container but the contents are not natively supported without conversion.

Have you confirmed the movie's encoding using the Finder's Get Info panel?

Get Info on a movie file

Re-Encoding

It is highly likely you will need to re-encode the movie, as suggested in MP4 movie does play in QuickTime but not in iTunes, if you want iTunes for playback.

This questions suggests a slightly different set of flags for ffmpeg to gain iTunes support, Convert a bunch of MKV files to MP4 to read them in iTunes:

./ffmpeg -i <filename>.mkv -c:v copy -c:a aac -b:a 384k -strict -2 <filename>.mp4

Alternatives to iTunes

If you wish to avoid re-encoding to gain iTunes support, consider looking for alternatives to iTunes. VLC and XMBC are both worthy alternatives; they both handle a wide range of video formats.

MacOS – Automator service for FTP

Why use Automator when you can stay in bash?

I found a really cool little script called appify that will instantly turn other scripts into actual applications. You can try it a few times to observe its behavior. Since you already use bash, I am hoping that this answer as an alternative to exactly what you are asking for is acceptable.

The idea is to split your script into 3 distinct scripts:

1: start ftp service on preferred network interface only

 #!/bin/bash
 #start ftp service
 #sudo="/usr/bin/sudo"
 #launchctl="/bin/launchctl"
 say="/usr/bin/say"
 networksetup="/usr/sbin/networksetup"
 tail="/usr/bin/tail"
 head="/usr/bin/head"
 cut="/usr/bin/cut"
 curl="/usr/bin/curl"
 currentInterface=$(networksetup -listnetworkserviceorder |tail +2 |head -n1 |cut -c5-12)
 getExternaladdress=$(curl ipecho.net/plain)
 SiriSays="say -v Samantha"
 #sudo -s launchctl load -w /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/ftp.plist 
 #your command will start ftp on all network interfaces
 if [ "$currentInterface" = "Airport" ]; 
      then
           networksetup -setpassiveftp Airport on
      else
           networksetup --setpassiveftp Ethernet on
 fi
 $SiriSays "ftp service has been initiated for the"
 echo $currentInterface |$SiriSays; $SiriSays "interface"
 $SiriSays "Your external IP address is"
 echo $getExternaladdress | $SiriSays
 exit

2: stop ftp service

 #!/bin/bash
 #stop ftp service
 #sudo="/usr/bin/sudo"
 #launchctl="/bin/launchctl"
 networksetup="/usr/sbin/networksetup"
 say="/usr/bin/say"
 tail="/usr/bin/tail"
 head="/usr/bin/head"
 cut="/usr/bin/cut"
 currentInterface=$(networksetup -listnetworkserviceorder |tail +2 |head -n1 |cut -c5-12)
 SiriSays="say -v Samantha"
 #sudo -s launchctl unload -w /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/ftp.plist
 #your command requires sudo
 if [ "$currentInterface" = "Airport" ]; 
      then
           networksetup -setpassiveftp Airport off
      else
           networksetup -setpassiveftp Ethernet off
 fi
 $SiriSays "ftp service has been terminated"
 exit

3: check ftp service status

 #!/bin/bash
 #check ftp service status
 networksetup="/usr/sbin/networksetup"
 say="/usr/bin/say"
 tail="/usr/bin/tail"
 head="/usr/bin/head"
 cut="/usr/bin/cut"
 currentInterface=$(networksetup -listnetworkserviceorder |tail +2 |head -n1 |cut -c5-12)
 SiriSays="say -v Samantha"
 if [ "$currentInterface" = "Airport" ]; 
      then
           networksetup -getpassiveftp Airport |$SiriSays
      else
           networksetup -getpassiveftp Ethernet |$SiriSays
 fi
 exit

Then apply the appify script to them

What you're left with is three little apps to put in your dock that, when launched, will start or stop the ftp service on your preferred network interface, or tell you what's up with ftp, respectively, and should not require any admin password. I only had time to test the first one, so if they don't work as I hope they do, then you can comment out or delete my logic and use your launchctl method.