ERROR: Automatic signature extraction failed

[Veek]

deathstar> youtube-dl --verbose https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7pH8JUdWsU
[debug] System config: []
[debug] User config: []
[debug] Command-line args: ['--verbose', 'https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7pH8JUdWsU']
[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 2014.07.21
[debug] Python version 2.7.3 - Linux-3.2.0-4-amd64-x86_64-with-debian-7.6
[debug] Proxy map: {}
[youtube] Setting language
[youtube] v7pH8JUdWsU: Downloading webpage
[youtube] v7pH8JUdWsU: Downloading video info webpage
[youtube] v7pH8JUdWsU: Extracting video information
[youtube] v7pH8JUdWsU: Encrypted signatures detected.
[youtube] encrypted signature length 84 (28.55), itag 22, html5 player en_US-vflCGk6yw/html5player
ERROR: Automatic signature extraction failed: Traceback (most recent call last):
File "./youtube-dl/youtube_dl/extractor/youtube.py", line 469, in _decrypt_signature
video_id, player_url, len(s)
File "./youtube-dl/youtube_dl/extractor/youtube.py", line 351, in _extract_signature_function
player_type = id_m.group('ext')
AttributeError: 'NoneType' object has no attribute 'group'
; please report this issue on https://yt-dl.org/bug . Be sure to call youtube-dl with the --verbose flag and include its complete output. Make sure you are using the latest version; type youtube-dl -U to update.
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "./youtube-dl/youtube_dl/extractor/youtube.py", line 469, in _decrypt_signature
video_id, player_url, len(s)
File "./youtube-dl/youtube_dl/extractor/youtube.py", line 351, in _extract_signature_function
player_type = id_m.group('ext')
AttributeError: 'NoneType' object has no attribute 'group'
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "./youtube-dl/youtube_dl/YoutubeDL.py", line 516, in extract_info
ie_result = ie.extract(url)
File "./youtube-dl/youtube_dl/extractor/common.py", line 169, in extract
return self._real_extract(url)
File "./youtube-dl/youtube_dl/extractor/youtube.py", line 845, in _real_extract
encrypted_sig, video_id, player_url, age_gate)
File "./youtube-dl/youtube_dl/extractor/youtube.py", line 479, in _decrypt_signature
u'Automatic signature extraction failed: ' + tb, cause=e)
ExtractorError: Automatic signature extraction failed: Traceback (most recent call last):
File "./youtube-dl/youtube_dl/extractor/youtube.py", line 469, in _decrypt_signature
video_id, player_url, len(s)
File "./youtube-dl/youtube_dl/extractor/youtube.py", line 351, in _extract_signature_function
player_type = id_m.group('ext')
AttributeError: 'NoneType' object has no attribute 'group'
; please report this issue on https://yt-dl.org/bug . Be sure to call youtube-dl with the --verbose flag and include its complete output. Make sure you are using the latest version; type youtube-dl -U to update.

[phihag]

Make sure you are using the latest version; type youtube-dl -U to update.

[phihag]

Can you give us some hints where you did look for the solution? We try to include it right in the error message, but apparently, many users miss that. We this happen regularly: A service changes its interface, we fix it, but get bug reports for the next months from people using outdated versions.

[Elite]

Since this is the no 1 reason filling the issue logs, a possible solution could be to make youtube-dl automatically check the most current version "on fail" and if outdated version is found offer instructions or auto-upgrade. A simple text file on github.io could hold the version string for check.

[phihag]

@Elite Yes, that's what I'm planning as well (I've already set up the versions file). The problem is that this must be absolutely fool-proof in order to not cause any more errors. For example, if the user is offline, it should still work. I'll see what I can do.