ffmpeg: unrecognized option '-album'

[jimav]

Binary package hint: ffmpeg

ffmpeg -i input.wav -acodec alac -album MyAlbumTitle output.alac
says:
   ffmpeg: unrecognized option '-album'

The -title, -auth, -album, -year and mayboth other such tag options which
are documented on the man page do not seem to work, at least when
using the alac audio encoder.

ProblemType: Bug
Architecture: amd64
Date: Wed Dec 30 12:14:57 2009
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 9.10
NonfreeKernelModules: fglrx
Package: ffmpeg 4:0.5+svn20090706-2ubuntu2
ProcEnviron:
 PATH=(custom, user)
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.31-16.53-generic
SourcePackage: ffmpeg
Uname: Linux 2.6.31-16-generic x86_64

[llogan (loul)]

This is normal behavior and the options you are describing are outdated. FFmpeg uses the -metadata option. Example:

-metadata title="The Title" -metadata author="Foo" -metadata year="1999"

"ffmpeg -h" is generally more up to date than "man ffmpeg".

[jimav (james-avera)]

Can you point to where the valid tag names documented?

[jimav (james-avera)]

Also, can you clarify why this bug was marked "invalid"? The documentation (man page) is incorrect, which is a bug. Wrong documentation is a bug just like wrong code, and effectively blocks ordinary people from using the program.

Would you prefer a new bug be opened for the incorrect man page?

[llogan (loul)]

Attached is a patch that updates the FFmpeg man page and makes it current with "ffmpeg -h", including the metadata options.

[jimav (james-avera)]

Thanks, LouL, for the patch to the documentation!

Can a list be included of all the valid (or conventional) tag names?
Alternatively, if there a document somewhere which defines them then a reference could be given.

For example, users of -acodec alac will need to know how to spell tags recognized by iPods.

________________________________
From: LouL <email address hidden>
To: <email address hidden>
Sent: Sun, January 24, 2010 10:46:55 PM
Subject: [Bug 501729] Re: ffmpeg: unrecognized option '-album'

Attached is a patch that updates the FFmpeg man page and makes it
current with "ffmpeg -h", including the metadata options.

** Attachment added: "501729.patch"
  http://launchpadlibrarian.net/38351752/501729.patch

--
ffmpeg: unrecognized option '-album'
https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/501729
You received this bug notification because you are a direct subscriber
of the bug.

Status in “ffmpeg” package in Ubuntu: Invalid

Bug description:
Binary package hint: ffmpeg

ffmpeg -i input.wav -acodec alac -album MyAlbumTitle output.alac
says:
   ffmpeg: unrecognized option '-album'

The -title, -auth, -album, -year and mayboth other such tag options which
are documented on the man page do not seem to work, at least when
using the alac audio encoder.

ProblemType: Bug
Architecture: amd64
Date: Wed Dec 30 12:14:57 2009
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 9.10
NonfreeKernelModules: fglrx
Package: ffmpeg 4:0.5+svn20090706-2ubuntu2
ProcEnviron:
PATH=(custom, user)
LANG=en_US.UTF-8
SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.31-16.53-generic
SourcePackage: ffmpeg
Uname: Linux 2.6.31-16-generic x86_64

To unsubscribe from this bug, go to:
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/ffmpeg/+bug/501729/+subscribe

[llogan (loul)]

You can see a list of at least some of the tag names here:

http://git.ffmpeg.org/?p=ffmpeg;a=blob;f=libavformat/metadata_compat.c

[Reinhard Tartler (siretart)]

I've added a very similar patch to the 0.5 branch upstream, will enter
lucid after feature freeze.

[Reinhard Tartler (siretart)]

fixed in 0.5.1-1ubuntu1