Enhanced Download Management and Custom Folder Support

akashsriramganapathy commented 2 weeks ago

Describe your suggested feature

Description:

The built-in mechanism for downloading offline content works perfectly, organizing downloads by audio, video, thumbnails, and subtitles into separate folders within the default Android data directory. However, to improve flexibility and ease of use, I propose two enhancements that would significantly improve the offline download experience:

Embedded Data Output:
- Currently, the downloader saves content in a segmented format (audio, video, etc.) into individual folders. If we implement a mechanism to embed all the downloaded data into one final output file, users could directly access and manage their downloaded content more efficiently.
- This would be especially useful for users looking to use the tool as a complete downloader, offering an all-in-one solution without the need for third-party tools. With built-in piped functionality, it helps bypass region restrictions, making the built-in downloader a compelling option compared to external downloaders.
Custom Download Folder Support:
- Allow users to define their own custom download folder where offline files are stored. This feature would give users the flexibility to organize their files in preferred locations (e.g., external storage) and manage storage more efficiently.
- By letting users choose the download destination, it will be easier for those with limited internal storage to store large media files elsewhere, such as on an external SD card.

Other details

No response

Acknowledgements

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Notesuree commented 2 weeks ago

It's fine if custom folder support isn't added. This violates security. Also, LibreTube is more of a Player than a downloader. Please use YTDLnis, with many functions

akashsriramganapathy commented 2 weeks ago

I don’t believe that accessing storage is a violation of security—many apps access external storage without issue. Previous closed issues and comments from developer suggest they prefer to keep the app as just a player, avoiding storage permissions. While that's their choice, it’s worth noting that YTDLins doesn’t support geo-restricted piped videos. Embedding data into a single file could also offer a more complete output. Some great features exist, but a few enhancements would make the app even better.

For example, in earlier versions, there was an option to access storage, as seen in this issue: LibreTube #1282. In this issue #2041, the developer explains their stance against adding storage support.

The app has come a long way since 2022—many crashes and bugs have been fixed, and it’s more stable now. The developer’s comment about storage permissions reads: "That would require adding storage permissions to LibreTube, which is not going to happen. I've put a lot of effort into removing these, as I believe a video player app shouldn't require storage permissions. Apart from that, not using such permissions makes it easier for users to trust the app."

With the progress made, it might be worth revisiting this feature.

Bnyro commented 1 week ago

My reasonings are still the same as https://github.com/libre-tube/LibreTube/issues/3572#issuecomment-1518614176 and they likely won't ever change.

libre-tube / LibreTube