<p>Since the implementation of the new decode API, ffprobe's readout for MP4 files takes much longer to be printed, and depends on the duration of the video. Switch to a version earlier than April 2017.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-04-12T14:21:49.243Z
Yes. I switched to 3.2.4 and it returned results instantly!  Thanks!
sugardaddy
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-04-12T04:47:22.127Z
2017-04-12T04:47:22.127Z
Gyan
<p>Just learned about ffprobe yesterday, and I was able, after much googling, to assemble a command line BAT file to get the meta info I want.  Then, it turns out that it only works about half the time.  After some experimentation, it seems that it's working only on MKV files.  </p>

<p>I don't know if there's a bug going on here, or if my command line needs improvement.  Maybe ffProbe only works on certain files, but I was assuming it would work on most popular vid formats.</p>

<p>I'm using AutoHotKey to create a BAT file, which I then launch.  So we really just need to look at the BAT file.</p>

<p>Here's my BAT script...</p>

<pre><code>C:\PROGRA~1\ffmpeg\bin\ffprobe.exe -pretty -select_streams v \
-show_entries \
format=filename,size,duration,bit_rate:stream=codec_name,codec_type,bit_rate,width,height,display_aspect_ratio \
-of ini \
"S:\myTVshows\SampleName - S01E01 - SampleTitle.mp4"
</code></pre>

<p>After this is run, the console outputs only the <code>#ffprobe output</code> header and then hangs.  If it runs on an mkv file, then it instantly outputs all the data I want, as expected.</p>

<p>Update: when I add <code>-report</code> as a parameter, I get the report log file, of course... but I also get the output I want (instead of it hanging as before).  I wonder if it means this is a bug.</p>

<p>Notes</p>

<ul>
<li>I reduced the path for ffprobe to 8.3 format so I wouldn't have to worry about quotes around that part.</li>
<li>I'm working with a very current install of ffmpeg/ffprobe (ffmpeg-20170404-1229007-win64-static).</li>
</ul>

<p>Below is the console outupt...</p>

<pre><code>ffprobe version N-85266-g1229007 Copyright (c) 2007-2017 the FFmpeg developers
built with gcc 6.3.0 (GCC)
configuration: --enable-gpl --enable-version3 --enable-cuda --enable-cuvid --e
nable-d3d11va --enable-dxva2 --enable-libmfx --enable-nvenc --enable-avisynth --
enable-bzlib --enable-fontconfig --enable-frei0r --enable-gnutls --enable-iconv
--enable-libass --enable-libbluray --enable-libbs2b --enable-libcaca --enable-li
bfreetype --enable-libgme --enable-libgsm --enable-libilbc --enable-libmodplug -
-enable-libmp3lame --enable-libopencore-amrnb --enable-libopencore-amrwb --enabl
e-libopenh264 --enable-libopenjpeg --enable-libopus --enable-librtmp --enable-li
bsnappy --enable-libsoxr --enable-libspeex --enable-libtheora --enable-libtwolam
e --enable-libvidstab --enable-libvo-amrwbenc --enable-libvorbis --enable-libvpx
--enable-libwavpack --enable-libwebp --enable-libx264 --enable-libx265 --enable
-libxavs --enable-libxvid --enable-libzimg --enable-lzma --enable-zlib
libavutil      55. 59.100 / 55. 59.100
libavcodec     57. 90.100 / 57. 90.100
libavformat    57. 72.100 / 57. 72.100
libavdevice    57.  7.100 / 57.  7.100
libavfilter     6. 83.100 /  6. 83.100
libswscale      4.  7.100 /  4.  7.100
libswresample   2.  8.100 /  2.  8.100
libpostproc    54.  6.100 / 54.  6.100
# ffprobe output
</code></pre>

<p><a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/ay1xg2q99uya1jr/ffprobe-20170411-105930.log?dl=0" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Link to Log file when '-report' param was added</a></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-04-10T18:08:24.053Z
Run the command manually on a MP4 and show the console output.
Gyan
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-04-10T22:09:17.620Z
done.  hope it helps!
sugardaddy
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-04-11T05:22:20.327Z
Add -`report` to the command and run. Share the report file.
Gyan
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-04-11T17:45:30.197Z
Okay. Two things happened. 1) I got the log file, and 2) I actually got the output I wanted, instead of it hanging up. And thanks for the help! Here's the log (which is in the post as well)...
[Link to log file produced when `-report` was added](https://www.dropbox.com/s/ay1xg2q99uya1jr/ffprobe-20170411-105930.log?dl=0)
sugardaddy
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-04-11T18:12:45.613Z
It' s a bug, which delays the output of ffprobe, depending on duration of MP4. Looks like it was introduced alongwith the decode API.
Gyan
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-04-11T19:19:18.263Z
Well, it sure is nice to have an answer. 
Any work-arounds that you know of?  Or some other technique that would provide me with this basic info about videos?
sugardaddy
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-04-11T19:36:21.140Z
Use an older version, say, 2 weeks or more. Mediainfo will also provide some info.
Gyan
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-04-12T01:05:39.763Z
The older version worked just fine.  Thanks!  Would you like to put your comments down below as an answer and I'll mark it so that you get credit?
sugardaddy
<video><ffmpeg><software><windows>
My ffProbe script only seems to work with MKV files
sugardaddy
# My ffProbe script only seems to work with MKV files

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-04-10)

Just learned about ffprobe yesterday, and I was able, after much googling, to assemble a command line BAT file to get the meta info I want.  Then, it turns out that it only works about half the time.  After some experimentation, it seems that it's working only on MKV files.  
I don't know if there's a bug going on here, or if my command line needs improvement.  Maybe ffProbe only works on certain files, but I was assuming it would work on most popular vid formats.
I'm using AutoHotKey to create a BAT file, which I then launch.  So we really just need to look at the BAT file.
Here's my BAT script...
C:\PROGRA~1\ffmpeg\bin\ffprobe.exe -pretty -select_streams v \
-show_entries \
format=filename,size,duration,bit_rate:stream=codec_name,codec_type,bit_rate,width,height,display_aspect_ratio \
-of ini \
"S:\myTVshows\SampleName - S01E01 - SampleTitle.mp4"

After this is run, the console outputs only the #ffprobe output header and then hangs.  If it runs on an mkv file, then it instantly outputs all the data I want, as expected.
Update: when I add -report as a parameter, I get the report log file, of course... but I also get the output I want (instead of it hanging as before).  I wonder if it means this is a bug.
Notes

I reduced the path for ffprobe to 8.3 format so I wouldn't have to worry about quotes around that part.
I'm working with a very current install of ffmpeg/ffprobe (ffmpeg-20170404-1229007-win64-static).

Below is the console outupt...
ffprobe version N-85266-g1229007 Copyright (c) 2007-2017 the FFmpeg developers
built with gcc 6.3.0 (GCC)
configuration: --enable-gpl --enable-version3 --enable-cuda --enable-cuvid --e
nable-d3d11va --enable-dxva2 --enable-libmfx --enable-nvenc --enable-avisynth --
enable-bzlib --enable-fontconfig --enable-frei0r --enable-gnutls --enable-iconv
--enable-libass --enable-libbluray --enable-libbs2b --enable-libcaca --enable-li
bfreetype --enable-libgme --enable-libgsm --enable-libilbc --enable-libmodplug -
-enable-libmp3lame --enable-libopencore-amrnb --enable-libopencore-amrwb --enabl
e-libopenh264 --enable-libopenjpeg --enable-libopus --enable-librtmp --enable-li
bsnappy --enable-libsoxr --enable-libspeex --enable-libtheora --enable-libtwolam
e --enable-libvidstab --enable-libvo-amrwbenc --enable-libvorbis --enable-libvpx
--enable-libwavpack --enable-libwebp --enable-libx264 --enable-libx265 --enable
-libxavs --enable-libxvid --enable-libzimg --enable-lzma --enable-zlib
libavutil      55. 59.100 / 55. 59.100
libavcodec     57. 90.100 / 57. 90.100
libavformat    57. 72.100 / 57. 72.100
libavdevice    57.  7.100 / 57.  7.100
libavfilter     6. 83.100 /  6. 83.100
libswscale      4.  7.100 /  4.  7.100
libswresample   2.  8.100 /  2.  8.100
libpostproc    54.  6.100 / 54.  6.100
# ffprobe output

Link to Log file when '-report' param was added

**Tags:** video, ffmpeg, software, windows

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Run the command manually on a MP4 and show the console output.  
> **username_0**: done.  hope it helps!  
> **username_1**: Add -`report` to the command and run. Share the report file.  
> **username_0**: Okay. Two things happened. 1) I got the log file, and 2) I actually got the output I wanted, instead of it hanging up. And thanks for the help! Here's the log (which is in the post as well)... [Link to log file produced when `-report` was added](https://www.dropbox.com/s/ay1xg2q99uya1jr/ffprobe-20170411-105930.log?dl=0)  
> **username_1**: It' s a bug, which delays the output of ffprobe, depending on duration of MP4. Looks like it was introduced alongwith the decode API.  
> **username_0**: Well, it sure is nice to have an answer.  Any work-arounds that you know of?  Or some other technique that would provide me with this basic info about videos?  
> **username_1**: Use an older version, say, 2 weeks or more. Mediainfo will also provide some info.  
> **username_0**: The older version worked just fine.  Thanks!  Would you like to put your comments down below as an answer and I'll mark it so that you get credit?  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2017-04-12. Score: 0 | Accepted answer

Since the implementation of the new decode API, ffprobe's readout for MP4 files takes much longer to be printed, and depends on the duration of the video. Switch to a version earlier than April 2017.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Yes. I switched to 3.2.4 and it returned results instantly!  Thanks!  

---

