<p>The <a href="https://ffmpeg.org/ffmpeg-formats.html#image2-2" rel="noreferrer">image sequence muxer</a> has a <a href="https://ffmpeg.org/ffmpeg-formats.html#Options-5" rel="noreferrer">start number option</a>, so</p>

<pre><code>ffmpeg -i video.webm -start_number 98 image-%03d.png
</code></pre>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-17T06:52:53.940Z
Does this still work? The arg is being ignored for me
jameslol
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-17T07:46:25.303Z
Share full log.
Gyan
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-01-28T16:30:14.560Z
I had to put the `-start_number` flag before the `-i` flag for it to get parsed.
shockburner
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-03-09T03:07:29.593Z
Moving it before `-i` results in an error: `Option start_number not found.` after `-i` it just gets ignored.
mashuptwice
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-12-09T06:10:26.750Z
@shockburner Simply reordering the arguments actually made it work on ffmpeg 4.4.2 built with Apple clang-1300.0.29.30, kudos!
Anton Strogonoff
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-07-25T11:41:49.450Z
Everyone should be aware that this is not, *by far*, the only occurrence of position-sensitive `ffmpeg` arguments. It's kind of its thing.
Glenn Slayden
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-10-05T15:27:22.597Z
2016-10-06T15:40:44.830Z
2016-10-06T15:40:44.830Z
Gyan
<p>I am using <a href="https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/FFMPEG_An_Intermediate_Guide/image_sequence" rel="noreferrer">ffmpeg to convert from video to an image sequence</a> as follows:</p>

<pre><code>ffmpeg -i video.webm image-%03d.png
</code></pre>

<p>The first image is labelled <code>001</code>, but I want it to be labelled <code>098</code>. Is it possible to set that value in the ffmpeg invocation?</p>

<video><ffmpeg><conversion>
Can I set the start number for image sequence output?
lofidevops
# Can I set the start number for image sequence output?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2016-10-05)

I am using ffmpeg to convert from video to an image sequence as follows:
ffmpeg -i video.webm image-%03d.png

The first image is labelled 001, but I want it to be labelled 098. Is it possible to set that value in the ffmpeg invocation?

**Tags:** video, ffmpeg, conversion


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2016-10-05. Score: 32 | Accepted answer

The image sequence muxer has a start number option, so
ffmpeg -i video.webm -start_number 98 image-%03d.png

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: Does this still work? The arg is being ignored for me  
> **username_1**: Share full log.  
> **username_3**: I had to put the `-start_number` flag before the `-i` flag for it to get parsed.  
> **username_4**: Moving it before `-i` results in an error: `Option start_number not found.` after `-i` it just gets ignored.  
> **username_5**: @username_3 Simply reordering the arguments actually made it work on ffmpeg 4.4.2 built with Apple clang-1300.0.29.30, kudos!  
> **username_6**: Everyone should be aware that this is not, *by far*, the only occurrence of position-sensitive `ffmpeg` arguments. It's kind of its thing.  

---

