Unable To Run Downloader

[deadbeatdandylyon]

I have always been able to use the Fansly Scraper but it seems that now after the update I can no longer run the downloader, The following are the steps I've taken so far.

1) In my original download directory where the fansly scraper was it did mention I needed to run the update, So I ran the update, updated the auto configuration application, updated the user name of the creator and then went to select "Fansly Downloader" the cmd window just opened and closed after a few seconds so I thought I was doing something wrong.

2) the next thing I did was visit this page and downloaded the "Fansly_Downloader_0.4-Windows" download and unzipped it in another directory updated the configuration file with the correct information and the cmd window again just opened and closed.

I was able to get a screen shot of the error when I use the "Fansly Downloader" application

However I did test and the only way I was able to run it was using the older "Fansly Scraper" Application.

My question which downloader SHOULD I be using? or does it not matter? or is the "Fansly Downloader" application only if I were to have went with the python setup route?

[Avnsx]

What version of windows are you using?

From your screenshot I can see it's Windows 11. What exact version is it though? Home? 64 bit or 32 bit?

[deadbeatdandylyon]

Windows 11 Home 64bit version 22H2

[Avnsx]

I did a little bit of research and it turns out it might be a issue with me compiling the 0.4 version of Fansly Downloader using Python 3.8.10.

Based on the information provided in this issue ticket (https://github.com/pyinstaller/pyinstaller/issues/7309#issuecomment-1340750097), it appears that there is a bug related to PyAV in earlier versions of Python. Even though the individual who raised the issue mentions that they are using Python supplied by Anaconda, which they believe is the underlying cause of the problem. Regardless to potentially resolve this issue and any future occurrences, it might be worth considering compiling Fansly Downloader with the latest version of Python, specifically Python 3.11.2. However, it's important to note that this would make Windows 7 incompatible with Fansly Downloader.

Here's a version of Fansly Downloader that was compiled with Python 3.11.2 on Windows 11, let me know if this version works properly for you: https://github.com/Avnsx/test-repository/releases/download/v0.4/Fansly_Downloader_0.4-Windows_python3.11.2.zip

[deadbeatdandylyon]

Well as I have mentioned before the older "Fansly Scraper" application before the change that updater/scraper are working perfectly fine.

So with that being said I guess whats important to know is going forward will I still be able to use Fansly Scraper.exe as it is working or will I at some point have to switch over to the Fansly Downloader.exe

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okay so with the new exe that you sent me. I downloaded and uzipped this time I did notice that Norton caught it and deleted however I did restore and exclude it from being detected by norton, re downloaded and re-uzipped just to be safe. I tried to run the updater.exe again and proceeded to give the same error as above also the same error happens when I run the Fansly Downloader.exe

[Avnsx]

Well as I have mentioned before the older "Fansly Scraper" application before the change that updater/scraper are working perfectly fine.

The older version is working fine, because at the time of developing that version there was no point for me to introduce the usage of the python module PyAV, which is currently used in the new version of fansly downloader to stay compatible (transcode the recently introduced video file format .m3u8, to .mp4) with fanslys may 2023 update, in which they introduced the .m3u8 file format for videos. Specifically when it errors for you, it mentions failing to import the PyAV file core.py, which is the root of this issue.

So with that being said I guess whats important to know is going forward will I still be able to use Fansly Scraper.exe as it is working or will I at some point have to switch over to the Fansly Downloader.exe

There's no way you would want to stay on the old 0.3.5 version "Fansly Scraper.exe", as it's heavily outdated. Yes, you do have to switch over to the new 0.4 version named "Fansly Downloader.exe", which is why I am trying to make it compatible with your and other users systems, that might have the same issue.

It's really hard for me to debug this, because I personally can not re-produce this issue neither on Windows 10 nor on Windows 11. So I am really dependant on your help here.

I think I need to pass this issue on to pyinstaller / pyav repositories and see if I can get any help there, because I personally ran out of ideas on how to fix this compiling issue.

Note: I shortened down this issue ticket, to the only important parts, to provide better overview to other people having to read through this, to help me debug this issue.

[deadbeatdandylyon]

Well if it would help I can try to screen record each step I take if that will help?

With the .exe download is there anything else that I have to do aside from unzip - run the updater - and do the config file?

[Avnsx]

The only thing that would help right now, is knowing if you are even able to run the bare python code of Fansly Downloader version 0.4, which also utilises PyAV.

Here's a tutorial on how to set it up: https://github.com/Avnsx/fansly-downloader#python-version-requirements

Additionally I wonder if after installing PyAV through python, randomly maybe the executable versions of Fansly Downloader start working for you?

[deadbeatdandylyon]

So I was able to install all the requirements, however still getting the same error message when either running the updater.exe or fansly downloader.exe

[Avnsx]

That's not a error message, that just says that the requirements for the python version were properly installed. Now all you've to do is click on fansly_downloader.py, which you should've installed by clicking on the text download the repository & unzipped afterwards

[deadbeatdandylyon]

That's what I'm saying is that when I go to click on FanslyDownloader.exe - i get the same error of white text that i posted earlier I also verified the config file was setup correctly

[Avnsx]

I understand that, but I am refering to the python file "fansly_downloader.py", I am wondering if you can run the bare python file, not the executable .exe files.

[deadbeatdandylyon]

What is interesting though is I opened up my VMware windows 11, and I was able to run the updater with no issue.

[deadbeatdandylyon]

I have python version 3.11 installed, together with all the requirements.

Now if I try to open the python version fansly_downloader.py trough cmd I get the following message:

Which is basically the same error as the one I was getting in the executable version of Fansly Downloader

[deadbeatdandylyon]

okay so to provide an update. I rebooted my PC and I was then able to redownload everything and run the python downloader and everything worked with the python route, I did also disable my Norton auto protect and firewall, I re enabled my auto protect and firewall and ran the python script again and it worked, I also downloaded the exe and ran that and everything worked. so a simple reboot and everything is working,

Sorry for the run around and thank you for the help you did provide.

[Avnsx]

Are you sure that rebooting helped, because that makes absolutely no sense. And finding the root of this issue is really important, as other people might have the same issue in the future. Also which compiled executable even worked for you the python 3.8.10 one or the 3.11.2 one?

Also this seems to be a PyAV exclusive bug, that's happening for you on both the python and on the executable versions of Fansly Downloader.

According to this issue ticket, which also looks very similar to your problem it looks like people managed to solve the issue by installing a older version of PyAV. But the version they're referring to is a version that needs to be self-built with Microsoft Visual C++ 14.0 first, which makes it not a acceptable solution, for the purpose I am trying to achieve by introducing PyAV to fansly downloader.

Now I am wondering if maybe on your main, real OS (not VM) you've some path in your systems environment path, that influences this issue?

Honestly I don't want to bother either, if this is a wide spread issue, someone else will probably open a similar issue ticket or respond to this issue ticket and then I'll just pass this on to PyAV maintainers, as this is out of boundaries for me to fix.

[deadbeatdandylyon]

also make note that I only used VM to test once, haven't used it after i verified it worked that one time.

Okay so after I rebooted my computer

1) first thing I did was go here - https://github.com/Avnsx/fansly-downloader 2) the next step i did is clicked on the green icon that says "code" and selected download zip 3) unzipped the file. 4) double checked the requirements were still installed 5) open CMD in administration went to the directory of where the fansly_downloader.py is located 6) type into cmd "Fansly_downloader.py"

Then I received the following prompts to enter username and to type the yes or not

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Then I attempted the fansly downloader.exe so I downloaded that by going here - https://github.com/Avnsx/fansly-downloader/releases/tag/v0.4 and downloading the zip file at the bottom and then unzipped, and then doubled clicked on the fansly downloader.exe and it was also able to download without any issues.

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The only thing that I have noticed and it just may be a setting is when I copied the files for the fansly downloader.exe folder and moved it into another drive and directory that had already containing files of the same creator it seems to be stuck