Converting to MKV in python script being ignored.

[ankenyr]

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running things via python scripts on windows. I can confirm that I am on the latest.
(Pdb) print youtube_dl.version.__version__
2017.04.03

youtube-dl: error: You must provide at least one URL.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8KxkYgafaJnzyWz1pq_glg

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### Description of your *issue*, suggested solution and other information

So I have the following script

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from __future__ import unicode_literals

import datetime
import getpass
import json
import os
import sys
import youtube_dl

class MyLogger(object):
  def __init__(self, log_file):
    self.log_file = log_file
    self.errors = []

  def debug(self, msg):
    self.log_file.write(msg.encode('utf-8'))
    self.log_file.write('\n')

  def warning(self, msg):
    self.log_file.write(msg)
    self.log_file.write('\n')

  def error(self, msg):
    if 'YouTube said' in msg and msg not in self.errors:
        self.errors.append(msg)
        self.log_file.write('ERROR!')
        self.log_file.write('\n')
        self.log_file.write(msg)
        self.log_file.write('\n')

pwd = getpass.getpass()
timestamp = datetime.datetime.now()
timestamp = timestamp.strftime('%Y-%m-%d-%H-%M-%S')
log_file = open(timestamp+'log.txt', 'w', 0)

download_list = [
    {'name': 'curtis_lasam',
     'outtmpl': 'Z:/Media/Youtube/CurtisLasam/%(upload_date)s-%(title)s [%(id)s].%(ext)s',
     'download_link': ['https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8KxkYgafaJnzyWz1pq_glg']},
  ]
ydl_opts = {
  'noprogress': True,
  'ignoreerrors': True,
  'restrictfilenames': True,
  'nooverwrites': True,
  'writeinfojson': True,
  'writeannotations': True,
  'writedescription': True,
  'writesubtitles': True,
  'subtitleslangs': ['en'],
  'username': 'my_username',
  'password': pwd,
  'cookiefile': 'cookie.txt',
  #'ratelimit': '2M',
  'outtmpl': '',
  'recodevideo': 'mkv',
  'logger': MyLogger(log_file),
}
while True:
    for download_item in download_list:
      print download_item['name']
      ydl_opts['outtmpl'] = download_item['outtmpl']
      with youtube_dl.YoutubeDL(ydl_opts) as ydl:
        ydl.download(download_item['download_link'])
log_file.close()
------------------------------------

This ends up causing me some problems. I would like to have it download and convert everything to mkv. I believe I have it correct. Looking through the code recodevideo should set the [postprocessors correctly ](https://github.com/rg3/youtube-dl/blob/d212c93d16bbb6aeb8645f1dbb15a78f3d9414a8/youtube_dl/__init__.py#L257). The thing is when I use this script it seems to convert to other formats. See the following lines from my logs

[download] Downloading video 42 of 47
[youtube] jGnrRub3YzQ: Downloading webpage
[youtube] jGnrRub3YzQ: Downloading video info webpage
[youtube] jGnrRub3YzQ: Extracting video information
video doesn't have subtitles
[youtube] jGnrRub3YzQ: Searching for annotations.
[youtube] jGnrRub3YzQ: Downloading MPD manifest
[info] Writing video description to: Z:\Media\Youtube\CurtisLasam\20130202-Cube_Drone_-_Source_Control [jGnrRub3YzQ].description
[info] Writing video annotations to: Z:\Media\Youtube\CurtisLasam\20130202-Cube_Drone_-_Source_Control [jGnrRub3YzQ].annotations.xml
[info] Writing video description metadata as JSON to: Z:\Media\Youtube\CurtisLasam\20130202-Cube_Drone_-_Source_Control [jGnrRub3YzQ].info.json
[download] Destination: Z:\Media\Youtube\CurtisLasam\20130202-Cube_Drone_-_Source_Control [jGnrRub3YzQ].f137.mp4
[download] Download completed
[download] Destination: Z:\Media\Youtube\CurtisLasam\20130202-Cube_Drone_-_Source_Control [jGnrRub3YzQ].f140.m4a
[download] Download completed
[ffmpeg] Merging formats into "Z:\Media\Youtube\CurtisLasam\20130202-Cube_Drone_-_Source_Control [jGnrRub3YzQ].mp4"
Deleting original file Z:\Media\Youtube\CurtisLasam\20130202-Cube_Drone_-_Source_Control [jGnrRub3YzQ].f137.mp4 (pass -k to keep)
Deleting original file Z:\Media\Youtube\CurtisLasam\20130202-Cube_Drone_-_Source_Control [jGnrRub3YzQ].f140.m4a (pass -k to keep)
[download] Downloading video 43 of 47

I am wondering why this is happening. I imagine I am the problem. I looked through the code some. I also looked through the FAQs and the other issues and didn't see anything that is strictly related. I think this has to do with the fact it is picking the best quality and ignoring my request to convert it to mkv.

[dstftw]

There is no such option recodevideo. You should add postprocessor instead.