File encoding LC_ALL warning

[mxschmitt]

Please follow the guide below

Make sure you are using the latest version: run youtube-dl --version and ensure your version is 2017.05.23. If it's not read this FAQ entry and update. Issues with outdated version will be rejected.

• I've verified and I assure that I'm running youtube-dl 2017.05.23

Before submitting an issue make sure you have:

• At least skimmed through README and most notably FAQ and BUGS sections
• Searched the bugtracker for similar issues including closed ones

What is the purpose of your issue?

• Bug report (encountered problems with youtube-dl)
• Site support request (request for adding support for a new site)
• Feature request (request for a new functionality)
• Question
• Other

---

If the purpose of this issue is a bug report, site support request or you are not completely sure provide the full verbose output as follows:

Add -v flag to your command line you run youtube-dl with, copy the whole output and insert it here. It should look similar to one below (replace it with your log inserted between triple ```):

[root@78d45512bea5 ~]# youtube-dl -U
WARNING: Assuming --restrict-filenames since file system encoding cannot encode all characters. Set the LC_ALL environment variable to fix this.
youtube-dl is up-to-date (2017.05.23)
[root@78d45512bea5 ~]# youtube-dl -U -v
[debug] System config: []
[debug] User config: []
[debug] Custom config: []
[debug] Command-line args: [u'-U', u'-v']
WARNING: Assuming --restrict-filenames since file system encoding cannot encode all characters. Set the LC_ALL environment variable to fix this.
[debug] Encodings: locale ANSI_X3.4-1968, fs ANSI_X3.4-1968, out ANSI_X3.4-1968, pref ANSI_X3.4-1968
[debug] youtube-dl version 2017.05.23
[debug] Python version 2.6.6 - Linux-3.16.0-4-amd64-x86_64-with-centos-6.9-Final
[debug] exe versions: none
[debug] Proxy map: {}
youtube-dl is up-to-date (2017.05.23)

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Description of your issue, suggested solution and other information

I've reproduced the error on following fresh installed docker based systems:

• debian
• centos:latest
• centos:centos6
• ubuntu:latest

(additional the error was reproduced on about 5 separate other systems which are using a software which has youtube-dl support, same warning with the same parameter like above)

The error is that the warning:
WARNING: Assuming --restrict-filenames since file system encoding cannot encode all characters. Set the LC_ALL environment variable to fix this. is displayed.

I've no idea how I can fix this and think this is an youtube-dl issue because of the fresh new installed systems.

Edit

After generating the locales and set the LC_ALL environment variable it works fine.
But are you sure, that you always want to show this warning when the env var is not set?

[yan12125]

But are you sure, that you always want to show this warning when the env var is not set?

That's a limitation of CPython. Without LC_ALL, Python can't handle non-ASCII characters reliably on Linux, and non-ASCII characters so common in youtube-dl that removing the warning will bring more confusion for youtube-dl users. See http://bugs.python.org/issue28180 for CPython's solution for such scenarios.

Update 2018/01/11: CPython 3.7a4 has almost done UTF-8 handling without LC_ALL.

[xorenio]

for Debian/ubuntu systems (tested and works)

Run command
$ dpkg-reconfigure locales

Now Press the spacebar to select the box, in the Box should now be a "X" press the TAB Button and select Ok.

make sure to choose a default location e.g. gd_GB.UTF-8

[yan12125]

Thanks for sharing this. The key is choosing a locale with ".UTF-8". Other kinds of locales may work but no guarantee.

[wantt]

fix problem with
vim download.sh

line 14
change from:
youtube-dl https://youtube.com/watch?v=$1 \

to:
LC_ALL=en_US.UTF-8 youtube-dl https://youtube.com/watch?v=$1 \

[senkron24]

I using ubuntu 18 and have this problem

WARNING: Assuming --restrict-filenames since file system encoding cannot encode all characters. Set the LC_ALL environment variable to fix this.

pls how to fix this on ubuntu server..?

[HiddenPirates]

fix problem with
vim download.sh

line 14
change from:
youtube-dl https://youtube.com/watch?v=$1 \

to:
LC_ALL=en_US.UTF-8 youtube-dl https://youtube.com/watch?v=$1 \

Thanks bro! It solved my problem.

[souhaib2000]

i cant find file download.sh