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Usage Guide

Overview​

This guide walks you through the complete workflow of using the YouTube download toolkit, from collecting video links with the Chrome extension to downloading them with the Java application. The process is designed to be simple and efficient for managing large collections of YouTube videos.

Complete Workflow​

Phase 1: Collection (Chrome Extension)​

The first phase involves browsing YouTube and collecting videos you want to download later.

Step 1: Set Up Categories​

  1. Open the Extension Popup

    • Click the YouTube Links Copy icon in your Chrome toolbar
    • The popup window will display the extension interface

  2. Define Your Categories In the "Params" text area, enter your desired categories, one per line:

    music
    tutorials
    programming
    entertainment
    documentaries
    lectures

  3. Save Categories

    • Click the "Save All" button
    • Your categories are now available in right-click context menus

Step 2: Collect Videos​

  1. Browse YouTube

  2. Categorize Videos

    • Right-click on any video thumbnail
    • Select the appropriate category from the context menu
    • The video is automatically added to your collection

  3. Visual Feedback

    • Videos you've previously collected will show a green overlay square
    • This helps avoid collecting the same video multiple times

Step 3: Review Collection​

  1. Open Extension Popup

    • Click the extension icon to view your collected videos

  2. Review Organized List The "List Links" area shows your videos organized by category:

    entertainment
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHg5SJYRHA0

    music
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJQP7kiw5Fk
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_jWHffIx5E

  3. Manual Editing (Optional)

    • You can manually edit the list in the text area
    • Add quality preferences: f=music;q=720 before URLs
    • Remove unwanted videos by deleting lines

Phase 2: Export (Chrome Extension)​

Step 4: Export for Download​

  1. Copy Collection

    • Click the "Copy Links" button in the extension popup
    • The formatted list is copied to your clipboard
    • A green "Copy success!" message confirms the action

  2. Create Download File

    • Open a text editor (Notepad, VS Code, etc.)
    • Paste the copied content
    • Save as a .txt file (e.g., my-videos.txt)

  3. Add Quality Preferences (Optional) You can enhance the exported list with quality settings:

    f=music;q=360
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIDEO1
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIDEO2
    f=tutorials;q=1080
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIDEO3

Phase 3: Download (Java Application)​

Step 5: Configure Download Settings​

  1. Launch the Application

    java -jar YoutubeDownloader.jar

    Or double-click run.bat on Windows

  2. Review Configuration The application displays current settings:

    Configuration settings
    destinationFolderName: C:\Downloads\YouTube\
    downloadedFileName: %(channel)s-%(upload_date)s-%(title)s-%(resolution)s.%(ext)s

  3. Modify Settings (if needed)

    • Choose option 5 (Change Configuration Settings)
    • Update download directory or file naming template
    • Save and return to main menu

Step 6: Download Videos​

  1. Select Download Option Choose option 4: "Download list of videos from text file and choose resolution"

  2. Specify File Path

    [Default = list.txt]Enter file path of youtube list: my-videos.txt
    • Enter the path to your exported file
    • Press Enter to use the default file if it exists

  3. Choose Quality

    Enter resolution : 360?480?720?1080?best? ; best for faster download : 720
    • Enter your preferred resolution
    • "best" downloads the highest available quality fastest

  4. Monitor Progress The application will:

    • Process each video in the list
    • Create folders based on categories
    • Download videos with progress indicators
    • Skip previously downloaded videos (if configured)

Advanced Usage Scenarios​

Scenario 1: Mixed Quality Downloads​

For different quality needs per category:

f=music;q=360
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUSIC_VIDEO1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUSIC_VIDEO2

f=tutorials;q=1080
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUTORIAL_VIDEO1

f=entertainment;q=720
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENTERTAINMENT_VIDEO1

Result:

  • Music videos: 360p (smaller files for audio focus)
  • Tutorials: 1080p (high quality for detail)
  • Entertainment: 720p (balanced quality/size)

Scenario 2: Playlist Processing​

  1. Collect Playlist Videos

    • Navigate to a YouTube playlist
    • Right-click individual videos to categorize them
    • Or use option 3 in the Java app for entire playlists

  2. Bulk Categorization

    f=course_materials;q=720
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIDEO1
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIDEO2
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIDEO3

Scenario 3: Audio-Only Downloads​

For podcasts or music:

  1. Use the Java Application Directly

    • Choose option 2 (MP3 format)
    • Enter YouTube URLs one by one

  2. Or Modify the List Format

    f=podcasts;q=best
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PODCAST_VIDEO

    Then manually convert using the MP3 option

Tips and Best Practices​

Collection Tips​

  1. Organize as You Go

    • Set up meaningful categories before browsing
    • Use consistent naming (lowercase, no spaces)
    • Consider your storage and bandwidth when choosing categories

  2. Use Descriptive Categories

    # Good categories
    programming-tutorials
    cooking-recipes
    workout-videos

    # Less helpful
    stuff
    videos
    misc

  3. Regular Cleanup

    • Periodically review your collected links
    • Remove videos you no longer want
    • Clear the collection after downloading

Download Tips​

  1. Quality Selection Strategy

    • 360p: Good for audio-focused content, mobile viewing
    • 720p: Balanced quality for most content
    • 1080p: High quality for detailed tutorials, movies
    • best: Fastest download, highest available quality

  2. Folder Organization

    • Use clear, hierarchical folder names
    • Consider date-based organization: tutorials-2024
    • Keep folder names filesystem-friendly (no special characters)

  3. Batch Processing

    • Collect videos over time, download in batches
    • Process during off-peak hours for better speeds
    • Monitor disk space before large downloads

Performance Optimization​

  1. Network Considerations

    • Download during off-peak hours for better speeds
    • Use "best" quality for fastest downloads
    • Consider bandwidth limits if on metered connection

  2. Storage Management

    • Regularly clean up downloaded videos
    • Use appropriate quality settings for your needs
    • Monitor available disk space

  3. System Resources

    • Close unnecessary applications during large downloads
    • Ensure stable internet connection
    • Don't interrupt downloads in progress

Troubleshooting Common Issues​

Extension Issues​

Videos not appearing in collection:

  • Ensure you're right-clicking on video thumbnails
  • Check that the extension is enabled
  • Refresh the YouTube page and try again

Categories not showing in context menu:

  • Verify categories are saved (click "Save All")
  • Check for typos in category names
  • Restart Chrome if issues persist

Download Issues​

"Video already downloaded" messages:

  • Check the downloadOnlyNewVideos setting
  • Review the ids.txt history file
  • Delete history file to re-download all videos

Download failures:

  • Verify internet connection
  • Update youtube-dl: youtube-dl -U
  • Check if videos are region-restricted or private
  • Try with a different video to isolate the issue

Quality not available:

  • The application automatically selects the best available quality
  • Some videos may not have your requested resolution
  • Use "best" for most reliable downloads

Workflow Variations​

Quick Single Video Download​

For immediate downloads without collection:

  1. Copy YouTube URL
  2. Open Java Application
  3. Choose Option 1 (One video MP4 format)
  4. Paste URL and select quality

Playlist Bulk Download​

For entire playlists:

  1. Copy Playlist URL
  2. Choose Option 3 (Download full playlist)
  3. Select quality for all videos

Audio-Only Workflow​

For music or podcasts:

  1. Collect videos normally with extension
  2. Use Option 2 in Java app for individual MP3 downloads
  3. Or use external tools for batch MP3 conversion

This comprehensive workflow ensures efficient collection, organization, and downloading of YouTube videos while maintaining quality control and avoiding duplicates.