<p>Use <code>-filter_script:v</code> for video.</p>
<p>Ref: <a href="https://ffmpeg.org/ffmpeg-all.html#Generic-options" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://ffmpeg.org/ffmpeg-all.html#Generic-options</a></p>
<pre><code>-filter_script[:stream_specifier] filename (output,per-stream)
</code></pre>
<p>PS: I just discovered (right now), that you can also use <code>filter_complex_script</code> (<code>:v</code> not needed). <code>-filter_complex_script</code> seems the more advanced approach.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-03-21T23:47:23.357Z
2021-03-26T17:10:32.907Z
2021-03-26T17:10:32.907Z
markfilipak
<p>I found an answer that worked for me. I was trying to use the <code>-map [v]</code> syntax, but it turned out that wasn't necessary and I could just use the filtergraph I made as is. I did use filter_complex_script, which Gyan pointed out is the correct command, but I'm still not quite sure what the difference between the two is after looking through the documentation.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-14T20:15:00.573Z
2020-07-14T20:15:00.573Z
Alexander Wilkinson
<ol>
<li><p>When using <code>ffmpeg -i input1 -i input2 ... -filter_script filter_complex.txt output.mkv</code> I can't seem to get the stream from the filter_complex.txt file to be recognized by ffmpeg. If I add <code>-map [v]</code>, then it doesn't recognize the <code>[v]</code> like it would normally and says there's an unconnected output.</p>
</li>
<li><p>This is less important, but I haven't found a way to do something like <code>ffmpeg -i inputs.txt ...</code> to avoid the character limit yet, so if you know a way to do that, that would be nice.</p>
</li>
</ol>
<p>Reason: I'm trying to use ffmpeg to overlay many images (~100) onto a video at various points and need to use files so I'm not going over the command line limit of 2k-8k characters in windows.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-14T18:53:35.497Z
For complex graphs, it's `-filter_complex_script`
Gyan
<ffmpeg><command-line>
filter_script usage with ffmpeg and replacing inputs with a file
Alexander Wilkinson
# filter_script usage with ffmpeg and replacing inputs with a file

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-07-14)

1. When using `ffmpeg -i input1 -i input2 ... -filter_script filter_complex.txt output.mkv` I can't seem to get the stream from the filter\_complex.txt file to be recognized by ffmpeg. If I add `-map [v]`, then it doesn't recognize the `[v]` like it would normally and says there's an unconnected output.
2. This is less important, but I haven't found a way to do something like `ffmpeg -i inputs.txt ...` to avoid the character limit yet, so if you know a way to do that, that would be nice.

Reason: I'm trying to use ffmpeg to overlay many images (~100) onto a video at various points and need to use files so I'm not going over the command line limit of 2k-8k characters in windows.

**Tags:** ffmpeg, command-line

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: For complex graphs, it's `-filter_complex_script`  

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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2021-03-21. Score: 1

Use -filter_script:v for video.
Ref: https://ffmpeg.org/ffmpeg-all.html#Generic-options
-filter_script[:stream_specifier] filename (output,per-stream)

PS: I just discovered (right now), that you can also use filter_complex_script (:v not needed). -filter_complex_script seems the more advanced approach.


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### Answer by username_0 on 2020-07-14. Score: 0

I found an answer that worked for me. I was trying to use the `-map [v]` syntax, but it turned out that wasn't necessary and I could just use the filtergraph I made as is. I did use filter\_complex\_script, which username_1 pointed out is the correct command, but I'm still not quite sure what the difference between the two is after looking through the documentation.


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