diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 9f8376f592..d4f436d926 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -1424,6 +1424,7 @@ While these options still work, their use is not recommended since there are oth
--all-formats -f all
--all-subs --sub-langs all --write-subs
+ --print-json -j --no-simulate
--autonumber-size NUMBER Use string formatting. Eg: %(autonumber)03d
--autonumber-start NUMBER Use internal field formatting like %(autonumber+NUMBER)s
--metadata-from-title FORMAT --parse-metadata "%(title)s:FORMAT"
diff --git a/yt_dlp/YoutubeDL.py b/yt_dlp/YoutubeDL.py
index 5038087272..acd85af05e 100644
--- a/yt_dlp/YoutubeDL.py
+++ b/yt_dlp/YoutubeDL.py
@@ -198,7 +198,8 @@ class YoutubeDL(object):
(or video) as a single JSON line.
force_write_download_archive: Force writing download archive regardless
of 'skip_download' or 'simulate'.
- simulate: Do not download the video files.
+ simulate: Do not download the video files. If unset (or None),
+ simulate only if listsubtitles, listformats or list_thumbnails is used
format: Video format code. see "FORMAT SELECTION" for more details.
allow_unplayable_formats: Allow unplayable formats to be extracted and downloaded.
ignore_no_formats_error: Ignore "No video formats" error. Usefull for
@@ -706,7 +707,7 @@ class YoutubeDL(object):
def save_console_title(self):
if not self.params.get('consoletitle', False):
return
- if self.params.get('simulate', False):
+ if self.params.get('simulate'):
return
if compat_os_name != 'nt' and 'TERM' in os.environ:
# Save the title on stack
@@ -715,7 +716,7 @@ class YoutubeDL(object):
def restore_console_title(self):
if not self.params.get('consoletitle', False):
return
- if self.params.get('simulate', False):
+ if self.params.get('simulate'):
return
if compat_os_name != 'nt' and 'TERM' in os.environ:
# Restore the title from stack
@@ -1616,7 +1617,7 @@ class YoutubeDL(object):
return merger.available and merger.can_merge()
prefer_best = (
- not self.params.get('simulate', False)
+ not self.params.get('simulate')
and download
and (
not can_merge()
@@ -2218,20 +2219,22 @@ class YoutubeDL(object):
info_dict, _ = self.pre_process(info_dict)
- list_only = self.params.get('list_thumbnails') or self.params.get('listformats') or self.params.get('listsubtitles')
+ if self.params.get('list_thumbnails'):
+ self.list_thumbnails(info_dict)
+ if self.params.get('listformats'):
+ if not info_dict.get('formats'):
+ raise ExtractorError('No video formats found', expected=True)
+ self.list_formats(info_dict)
+ if self.params.get('listsubtitles'):
+ if 'automatic_captions' in info_dict:
+ self.list_subtitles(
+ info_dict['id'], automatic_captions, 'automatic captions')
+ self.list_subtitles(info_dict['id'], subtitles, 'subtitles')
+ list_only = self.params.get('simulate') is None and (
+ self.params.get('list_thumbnails') or self.params.get('listformats') or self.params.get('listsubtitles'))
if list_only:
+ # Without this printing, -F --print-json will not work
self.__forced_printings(info_dict, self.prepare_filename(info_dict), incomplete=True)
- if self.params.get('list_thumbnails'):
- self.list_thumbnails(info_dict)
- if self.params.get('listformats'):
- if not info_dict.get('formats'):
- raise ExtractorError('No video formats found', expected=True)
- self.list_formats(info_dict)
- if self.params.get('listsubtitles'):
- if 'automatic_captions' in info_dict:
- self.list_subtitles(
- info_dict['id'], automatic_captions, 'automatic captions')
- self.list_subtitles(info_dict['id'], subtitles, 'subtitles')
return
format_selector = self.format_selector
@@ -2455,7 +2458,7 @@ class YoutubeDL(object):
# Forced printings
self.__forced_printings(info_dict, full_filename, incomplete=('format' not in info_dict))
- if self.params.get('simulate', False):
+ if self.params.get('simulate'):
if self.params.get('force_write_download_archive', False):
self.record_download_archive(info_dict)
diff --git a/yt_dlp/__init__.py b/yt_dlp/__init__.py
index 532d004c3f..7d08120790 100644
--- a/yt_dlp/__init__.py
+++ b/yt_dlp/__init__.py
@@ -550,7 +550,7 @@ def _real_main(argv=None):
'forcejson': opts.dumpjson or opts.print_json,
'dump_single_json': opts.dump_single_json,
'force_write_download_archive': opts.force_write_download_archive,
- 'simulate': opts.simulate or any_getting,
+ 'simulate': (any_getting or None) if opts.simulate is None else opts.simulate,
'skip_download': opts.skip_download,
'format': opts.format,
'allow_unplayable_formats': opts.allow_unplayable_formats,
diff --git a/yt_dlp/options.py b/yt_dlp/options.py
index e704712825..55c2b9aa3e 100644
--- a/yt_dlp/options.py
+++ b/yt_dlp/options.py
@@ -190,15 +190,15 @@ def parseOpts(overrideArguments=None):
general.add_option(
'--dump-user-agent',
action='store_true', dest='dump_user_agent', default=False,
- help='Display the current browser identification')
+ help='Display the current browser identification and exit')
general.add_option(
'--list-extractors',
action='store_true', dest='list_extractors', default=False,
- help='List all supported extractors')
+ help='List all supported extractors and exit')
general.add_option(
'--extractor-descriptions',
action='store_true', dest='list_extractor_descriptions', default=False,
- help='Output descriptions of all supported extractors')
+ help='Output descriptions of all supported extractors and exit')
general.add_option(
'--force-generic-extractor',
action='store_true', dest='force_generic_extractor', default=False,
@@ -532,7 +532,7 @@ def parseOpts(overrideArguments=None):
video_format.add_option(
'-F', '--list-formats',
action='store_true', dest='listformats',
- help='List all available formats of requested videos')
+ help='List available formats of each video. Simulate unless --no-simulate is used')
video_format.add_option(
'--list-formats-as-table',
action='store_true', dest='listformats_table', default=True,
@@ -583,7 +583,7 @@ def parseOpts(overrideArguments=None):
subtitles.add_option(
'--list-subs',
action='store_true', dest='listsubtitles', default=False,
- help='List all available subtitles for the video')
+ help='List available subtitles of each video. Simulate unless --no-simulate is used')
subtitles.add_option(
'--sub-format',
action='store', dest='subtitlesformat', metavar='FORMAT', default='best',
@@ -788,8 +788,12 @@ def parseOpts(overrideArguments=None):
help='Ignore warnings')
verbosity.add_option(
'-s', '--simulate',
- action='store_true', dest='simulate', default=False,
+ action='store_true', dest='simulate', default=None,
help='Do not download the video and do not write anything to disk')
+ verbosity.add_option(
+ '--no-simulate',
+ action='store_false', dest='simulate',
+ help='Download the video even if printing/listing options are used')
verbosity.add_option(
'--ignore-no-formats-error',
action='store_true', dest='ignore_no_formats_error', default=False,
@@ -809,8 +813,8 @@ def parseOpts(overrideArguments=None):
action='callback', dest='forceprint', type='str', default=[],
callback=_list_from_options_callback, callback_kwargs={'delim': None},
help=(
- 'Simulate, quiet but print the given fields. Either a field name '
- 'or similar formatting as the output template can be used'))
+ 'Quiet, but print the given fields for each video. Simulate unless --no-simulate is used. '
+ 'Either a field name or same syntax as the output template can be used'))
verbosity.add_option(
'-g', '--get-url',
action='store_true', dest='geturl', default=False,
@@ -846,17 +850,17 @@ def parseOpts(overrideArguments=None):
verbosity.add_option(
'-j', '--dump-json',
action='store_true', dest='dumpjson', default=False,
- help='Simulate, quiet but print JSON information. See "OUTPUT TEMPLATE" for a description of available keys')
+ help='Quiet, but print JSON information for each video. Simulate unless --no-simulate is used. See "OUTPUT TEMPLATE" for a description of available keys')
verbosity.add_option(
'-J', '--dump-single-json',
action='store_true', dest='dump_single_json', default=False,
help=(
- 'Simulate, quiet but print JSON information for each command-line argument. '
- 'If the URL refers to a playlist, dump the whole playlist information in a single line'))
+ 'Quiet, but print JSON information for each url or infojson passed. Simulate unless --no-simulate is used. '
+ 'If the URL refers to a playlist, the whole playlist information is dumped in a single line'))
verbosity.add_option(
'--print-json',
action='store_true', dest='print_json', default=False,
- help='Be quiet and print the video information as JSON (video is still being downloaded)')
+ help=optparse.SUPPRESS_HELP)
verbosity.add_option(
'--force-write-archive', '--force-write-download-archive', '--force-download-archive',
action='store_true', dest='force_write_download_archive', default=False,
@@ -1127,7 +1131,7 @@ def parseOpts(overrideArguments=None):
thumbnail.add_option(
'--list-thumbnails',
action='store_true', dest='list_thumbnails', default=False,
- help='Simulate and list all available thumbnail formats')
+ help='List available thumbnails of each video. Simulate unless --no-simulate is used')
link = optparse.OptionGroup(parser, 'Internet Shortcut Options')
link.add_option(