[Errno 36] File name too long. -o templates don't support long names

[Jimmm]

I think I've found a problem:
youtube-dl can't handle long templates.

Proof:
youtube-dl -o "02 Linear equations - 13 Evaluating expressions with unknown variables - 001 Evaluating expressions where individual variable values are unknown.mp4" TIwGXn4NalM
[youtube] Setting language
[youtube] TIwGXn4NalM: Downloading video webpage
[youtube] TIwGXn4NalM: Downloading video info webpage
[youtube] TIwGXn4NalM: Extracting video information
ERROR: unable to open for writing: [Errno 36] File name too long: '02 Linear equations - 13 Evaluating expressions with unknown variables - 001 Evaluating expressions where individual variable values are unknown.mp4.part'

[phihag]

This is a limitation of your filesystem (layer); typing

touch  "02 Linear equations - 13 Evaluating expressions with unknown variables - 001
Evaluating expressions where individual variable values are unknown.mp4.part"

should result in a similar error message.

By default, as a crude heuristic, youtube-dl limits titles (which typically account for the longest part in a filename) to 200 characters. What should we do when your filesystem does not support the name you want? Bear in mind that shortening is not a good idea in general, since that would break scripts that (rightfully) expect us not to silently change the file name.

[Xonshiz]

Isn't there any work around for this? I had a similar problem with a crunchyroll link 👍
http://www.crunchyroll.com/one-piece/episode-749-the-sword-technique-heats-up-law-and-zoro-finally-appear-715239?p360=1

[TRox1972]

@Xonshiz Specify a shorter output name using -o

[Xonshiz]

@TRox1972 I'm already following it.

-o "/Output/ %(title)s %(format)s.%(ext)s

[TRox1972]

@Xonshiz The title is too long to be included. You could e.g. use -o "/Output/%(id)s.%(ext)s" instead

[amosshi]

There is a parameter --restrict-filenames to get a shorter name could help.

[defead]

As it's using the python format , use '%(title).20s' to truncate a long title to 20 char limit.

Info: string format
Truncating long strings : https://pyformat.info/

[zz5678]

actually, I recommend such alias for fast downloading on youtuble-dl:

alias yt='youtube-dl --proxy http://127.0.0.1:1080 -o "$HOME/video/%(title).230s.%(ext)s"'

the filename limited to 230 characters, enough length for like:
https://twitter.com/ABC/status/1180190308509859840

errors occur if no such processing:

ERROR: unable to open for writing: [Errno 63] File name too long: '/Users/mm/temp/ABC News - Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg at climate strike in Iowa - “We teenagers and children shouldn’t have to take the responsibility. But right now, the world leaders keep acting like children, and somebody needs to be the adult in the room.”.mp4.part'

especially for those people in China mainland