PowerShell command for ffmpeg to process items in a folder recursively

Question

I'm trying to figure out what PowerShell command [or script if necessary] might allow ffmpeg to recursively traverse a directory, pull stills via the -vf flag, and put all the stills into a folder without any filename conflicts that would cause overwriting.

So I know that this works fine for an individual file:

ffmpeg -i input.mov -vf fps=10/60 still%04d.jpg

The files generated start from still0001.jpg and count up to still0002.jpg, still0003.jpg, etc.

I have a directory that looks like this, with video files at different levels:

• topFolder1
  • midFolder1
    • video1.mov
    • video2.mov
  • midFolder2
    • video3.mov
    • video4.mov

I'm trying to use a PowerShell command that can pull stills from all the videos video1.mov, video2.mov, video3.mov, and video4.mov and drop them into one folder.

I found a PowerShell command that purports to have ffmpeg traverse a directory recursively, but when I try to adapt it, it's not working.

I run:

PS T:\Exports\1 - Dailies\stills test> for /F "tokens=*" "%G" IN ('dir "T:\Exports\1 - Dailies" *.mov') do ffmpeg -i "%G" -vf fps=10/60 still%05d.jpg

But I get this error:

At line:1 char:4
+ for /F "tokens=*" "%G" IN ('dir "T:\Exports\1 - Dailies" *.mov') do f...
+    ~
Missing opening '(' after keyword 'for'.
    + CategoryInfo          : ParserError: (:) [], ParentContainsErrorRecordException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : MissingOpenParenthesisAfterKeyword

Where am I going wrong?

Solution

Here's an example of a powershell command for converting all files in a directory to mp4 and resizing to 1280x720:

dir *.* | foreach-object { $newname = $_.Name.Remove($_.Name.Length - $_.Extension.Length) + ".mp4"; .\ffmpeg.exe -i "$_" -s 1280x720 $newname }

Comments

[sean christe]

The command that you are running is intended for cmd.exe or batch file execution. Not powershell. To convert this to powershell research these commands: Get-ChildItem, foreach, and Invoke-Expression among others.

[user260467]

@EBGreen OK. Running it in cmd.exe returns: "%G" was unexpected at this time.. Any ideas?

[sean christe]

The link that you provided literally says that you need to double the % symbols. The command in that link is also quoted differently than the command that you are running.

[Vomit IT - Chunky Mess Style]

@user260467 Try to convert your iteration routine logic to run via PS commands, edit your question with what you are trying code wise, to potentially help draw more attention for some assistance as you need. Simply, take a few minutes, and tag me back afterwards. Otherwise run your looped command from cmd.exe and not powershell.exe and see what happens because at least error At line:1 char:4 should not occur.

[user260467]

@EBGreen Yes, this is not a batch .bat file. Also, I am trying a different command.

[MagTun]

if needed, set your working directory like that Set-Location -Path "C:\Users\user". Also I had to add a line break instead of the ; .` in ".mp4"; .\ffmpeg.exe and remove the .exe