Unable to save subtitles on Linux

[devxpy]

The directory and the file, both are owned by me.

I ran a chown -R dev:dev /home/dev just to make sure.

This is the absolute path to file /home/dev/Downloads/Westworld.S01E10.avi

⋊ ~> vlc --version
VLC media player 3.0.2 Vetinari (revision 3.0.2-0-gd7b653cf14)
VLC version 3.0.2 Vetinari (3.0.2-0-gd7b653cf14)
Compiled by root on builder.solus-project.com (Apr 30 2018 13:00:12)
Compiler: gcc version 7.3.0 (Solus)

[suzanshakya]

I'm having the same issue on Arch linux (manjaro-i3).

[ThatLurker]

Seems like currently the only solution is to use the latest nightly version of vlc #214

[fpontef]

The nightly version of vlc have a different version of this same plugin.

While the latest version here is: https://github.com/exebetche/vlsub/blob/master/vlsub.lua local app_version = "0.10.2";

The real latest version is: https://github.com/videolan/vlc/blob/master/share/lua/extensions/VLSub.lua version = "0.11.0",

I tried to use the new plugin with older VLC but had some "vlc.io.names" errors, don't know how to fix, as the older uses "io.names" and just changing this won't work (VLC api changes maybe?). Didn't go further as I don't know Lua and missed where the "zip" changes from the old version.

[devxpy]

I really wish this was built on python, not Lua

[gilelias]

I had the same issue on ubuntu, I found out the the cache folder is missing. Creating the cache folder fixed the issue for me. mkdir ~/.cache/vlc

[devxpy]

I have the cache folder where it should be..

[gvorster]

@gilelias mkdir ~/.cache/vlc this did it for me on ubuntu 18

[devxpy]

⋊ ~> cd ~/.cache/vlc
⋊ ~/.c/vlc> ls
 art/
'Tomb.Raider.2018.720p.WEB-DL.H264.AC3-EVO (CHI).srt.gz'
 Tomb.Raider.2018.720p.WEB-DL.H264.AC3-EVO-HI.srt.gz
 Tomb.Raider.2018.720p.WEB-DL.H264.AC3-EVO.srt.gz
 Westworld.S02E08.720p.WEB.H264-DEFLATE.srt.gz
 Westworld.S02E09.720p.WEB.H264-DEFLATE.srt.gz

[hexion]

@gilelias worked like a charm, thanks!

[canf]

mkdir ~/.cache/vlc worked, thanks!

[itai590]

mkdir ~/.cache/vlc Worked like a magic thanks!

[sergiotca]

What about VLC snap installs? will it still makes sense to create a ~/.cache/vlc in the home folder?? I am a complete noob when it comes to snaps but for all I can see they do not follow the same installation route as regular deb packages, they seem to create its own strcture under the ~/snap folder

[MostafaMhmod]

Try to make the .cache folder in the snap folder inside the common in the vlc folder. mkdir ~/snap/vlc/common/.cache @sergiotca

[sergiotca]

Hi Mostafa, I did figure that out a few weeks ago. It does work btw. Thank you anyway.

[vagner-nascimento]

I have tried all alternatives above without susscess in Ubuntu 18.04... i'll still waiting for a definitive solution.

[thyagoleal]

@gilelias This worked for me on Ubuntu 18.04

[atay]

I came here because I had issues with downloading subtitles (some of them worked, some not, gz file was downloaded, but subtitles were not found).

I found out that VLSub 0.11 assumes that opensubtitles SubFormat must be same as file extension, which is not correct for many records in opensubtitles.

I prepared a version with fix that searches for a file instead of extension and it works perfectly for me. If someone has same issue as I had, feel free to replace VLSub.luac file (located in /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/vlc/lua/extensions/VLSub.luac on ubuntu) with that one: https://mega.nz/#F!jHIhUIBY!Dm0p-QGaUnBGhckEl9JxUw

Also lua file included in case if someone would like to check/compile that file by himself.

[rafiron]

The same is happening to me on mac. Can someone guide on how to get it fixed there.

[ThatLurker]

@rafiron try switching to Iina it works awesome on mac and has subtitle download build in with multiple providers to choose from

[agiratech-vigneshm]

Ubuntu 18, Cache folder in ~/.cache/vlc did the trick for me.

[alecco]

@gilelias VLC downloads the .srt.gz but to ~/.config/vlc but then it hangs. Like it can't gunzip and copy. Gentoo 2.4.1

[Jarshvor]

@gilelias Thanks for this. Was annoyed by this for a while and finally stopped being lazy and looked into it.

recreating the .cache/vlc directory fixed the issue for me on arch.

how did you think to look for the cache folder? did you see it complain it was missing somewhere? wished the error for this had been more verbose.

[pmaoui]

Like @Jarshvor, I'm very interested to learn how @gilelias managed to find out this solution (which also did the trick for me).

[gilelias]

@Jarshvor @poupougnac I was debugging vlsub code and checked where and why mess_save_fail appears. I just realized that I have older version of vlsub. I guess https://github.com/exebetche/vlsub/commit/b3513c539b154c039ef7be8c9f54f68f3d5bd870 should fix the issue.

[Jarshvor]

I see.. so pretty much under the hood. =) thanks for that and for the info. Will keep it in mind for next time I encounter something similar.

[iuliandonici]

In Lubuntu 18.0.4.1 LTS, guys, for some reason I don't fully understand, creating the "cache" folder under the "root" user, VLC still wasn't loading my subtitles. Yet, when I've exited and re-created it under the user I've installed Lubuntu initially, mkdir ~/.cache/vlc worked like a charm.

[Jarshvor]

@iuliandonici well, makes sense if you are running vlc from that user account no?

if you start vlc from your normal user account (which you should) then it will look for the .cache folder in your home directory. i.e: ~

[devxpy]

Looks like this is fixed now on 3.0.4

It still displays an error, but it loads the subtitle, regardless.

Big thanks to @xpaum for the fix!

[Appendix94]

@gilelias mkdir ~/.cache/vlc this did it for me on ubuntu 18

Also work for me on Fedora 27, vlc 3.0.5

[julian-alarcon]

I'm still getting this error with Ubuntu 18.04 and VLC from Snap version 3.0.4

darkhole@devolo:~$ snap info vlc
name:      vlc
summary:   The ultimate media player
publisher: VideoLAN✓
contact:   https://www.videolan.org/support/
license:   unset
description: |
  VLC is the VideoLAN project's media player.

  Completely open source and privacy-friendly, it plays every multimedia file
  and streams.

  It notably plays MKV, MP4, MPEG, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, DivX, MOV, WMV, QuickTime,
  WebM, FLAC, MP3, Ogg/Vorbis files, BluRays, DVDs, VCDs, podcasts, and
  multimedia streams from various network sources. It supports subtitles,
  closed captions and is translated in numerous languages.
commands:
  - vlc
snap-id:      RT9mcUhVsRYrDLG8qnvGiy26NKvv6Qkd
tracking:     stable
refresh-date: 2018-09-08
channels:                                        
  stable:    3.0.4                   (555) 204MB -
  candidate: 3.0.4                   (555) 204MB -
  beta:      3.0.4-224-gffb4ac0      (694) 212MB -
  edge:      4.0.0-dev-5362-gaf740a6 (695) 247MB -
installed:   3.0.4                   (555) 204MB -

VLsub, according to the window, is version 0.11.0

[efinley1272]

+1 ubuntu desktop 18.04.1 snap VLC 3.0.4 vlsub 0.11.0 ~/.cache/vlc exists and is owned by me, has rwx permissions ~/snap/vlc/common/.cache exists and is owned by me, has rwx permissions

still getting the "Error: Unable to save subtitles Click here to open the file"

EDIT: Also, just tried the edge: 4.0.0-dev-5377-g0667915 snap and still get the same issue.

[devxpy]

Ok will reopen this...

[PetriKoo]

I´ve noticed that the problem is getting file from opensubtitles server

[ghost]

I also missed the cache folder. Creating it fixed the issue on Kubuntu 18.10

But....had somebody reported that upstream? It has been 7 months since the bug was reported

[ghost]

I reported it upstream

[medjo]

+1 ubuntu desktop 18.04.1 snap VLC 3.0.4 vlsub 0.11.0 ~/.cache/vlc exists and is owned by me, has rwx permissions ~/snap/vlc/common/.cache exists and is owned by me, has rwx permissions still getting the "Error: Unable to save subtitles Click here to open the file" EDIT: Also, just tried the edge: 4.0.0-dev-5377-g0667915 snap and still get the same issue.

Same as this, even with vlc 3.0.5

Same as this with vlc 3.0.6

[indigopsy]

I had the same issue on ubuntu, I found out the the cache folder is missing. Creating the cache folder fixed the issue for me. mkdir ~/.cache/vlc

good workaround

this trick also helps on: Distributor ID: Ubuntu Description: Ubuntu 18.10 Release: 18.10 Codename: cosmic

[varunkamani]

I had the same issue on ubuntu, I found out the the cache folder is missing. Creating the cache folder fixed the issue for me. mkdir ~/.cache/vlc

Thanks

[thiagovilla]

In Lubuntu 18.0.4.1 LTS, guys, for some reason I don't fully understand, creating the "cache" folder under the "root" user, VLC still wasn't loading my subtitles. Yet, when I've exited and re-created it under the user I've installed Lubuntu initially, mkdir ~/.cache/vlc worked like a charm.

Worked for me!

[mads2]

Problem persist on a fresh Raspbian install followed by apt update & apt upgrade and apt install vlc. Raspbian 9 (stretch) 4.14.98-v7+ VLC 3.0.6 Vetinari

mkdir ~/.cache/vlc fixed it though.

[samomar]

For anyone still having problems if mkdir ~/.cache/vlc did not work with you.

try mkdir ~/snap/vlc/common/.cache/vlc

That worked for me since I installed VLC via snap, alternatively try to find where your VLC folder is and create a vlc folder inside the .cache folder.

Cheers

[pacho2]

The directory is present and I can see some .gz files there... but it seems they fail to be extracted and, hence, it still gets stuck

[sanderjo]

Happens with VLC 3.0.6 on Ubuntu 19.04

The workaround mkdir ~/.cache/vlc works! Thank you!

[subhant5]

For people who still have the issue, just goto home/snap/vlc/common/.cache folder and delete the vlc folder there and then make a new folder name it vlc. I hope that'll work. :)

[MitulPanchal]

Thanks works fine with: mkdir ~/snap/vlc/common/.cache/vlc

First i try this on my ubuntu 18.04 but didn't work. mkdir ~/.cache/vlc did not work with you

[sanderjo]

Thanks works fine with: mkdir ~/snap/vlc/common/.cache/vlc

First i try this on my ubuntu 18.04 but didn't work. mkdir ~/.cache/vlc did not work with you

So ... I guess you're running VLC as / from a snap package ... ?

[MitulPanchal]

@sanderjo yes i checked and it is from snap package

[ilansh]

For anyone still having problems if mkdir ~/.cache/vlc did not work with you.

try mkdir ~/snap/vlc/common/.cache/vlc

That worked for me since I installed VLC via snap, alternatively try to find where your VLC folder is and create a vlc folder inside the .cache folder.

Cheers

Worked for me, the missing part was to create vlc directory inside .cache

[jagzmz]

For anyone still having problems if mkdir ~/.cache/vlc did not work with you.

try mkdir ~/snap/vlc/common/.cache/vlc

That worked for me since I installed VLC via snap, alternatively try to find where your VLC folder is and create a vlc folder inside the .cache folder.

Cheers

This worked for me!

[stripathi669]

For anyone still having problems if mkdir ~/.cache/vlc did not work with you. try mkdir ~/snap/vlc/common/.cache/vlc That worked for me since I installed VLC via snap, alternatively try to find where your VLC folder is and create a vlc folder inside the .cache folder. Cheers

Worked for me, the missing part was to create vlc directory inside .cache

Ubuntu 18.04, vlc 3.0.6 - deleting and recreating worked for me.