VideoTools/docs/INSTALL_WINDOWS.md

VideoTools Installation Guide for Windows

This guide provides step-by-step instructions for installing VideoTools on Windows 10 and 11.

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Method 1: Automated Installation (Recommended)

This method uses a script to automatically download and configure all necessary dependencies.

Step 1: Download the Project

If you haven't already, download the project files as a ZIP and extract them to a folder on your computer (e.g., C:\Users\YourUser\Documents\VideoTools).

Step 2: Run the Setup Script

1. Open the project folder in File Explorer.
2. Find and double-click on setup-windows.bat.
3. A terminal window will open and run the PowerShell setup script. This will:
   • Download FFmpeg: The script automatically fetches the latest stable version of FFmpeg, which is required for all video operations.
   • Install Dependencies: It places the necessary files in the correct directories.
   • Configure for Portability: By default, it sets up VideoTools as a "portable" application, meaning all its components (like ffmpeg.exe) are stored directly within the project's scripts/ folder.

Note: If Windows Defender SmartScreen appears, click "More info" and then "Run anyway". This is expected as the application is not yet digitally signed.

Step 3: Run VideoTools

Once the script finishes, you can run the application by double-clicking run.bat in the main project folder.

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Method 2: Manual Installation

If you prefer to set up the dependencies yourself, follow these steps.

Step 1: Download and Install Go

1. Download: Go to the official Go website: go.dev/dl/
2. Install: Run the installer and follow the on-screen instructions.
3. Verify: Open a Command Prompt and type go version. You should see the installed Go version.

Step 2: Download FFmpeg

FFmpeg is the engine that powers VideoTools.

1. Download: Go to the recommended FFmpeg builds page: github.com/BtbN/FFmpeg-Builds/releases
2. Download the file named ffmpeg-master-latest-win64-gpl.zip.

Step 3: Place FFmpeg Files

You have two options for where to place the FFmpeg files:

Option A: Bundle with VideoTools (Portable)

This is the easiest option.

1. Open the downloaded ffmpeg-...-win64-gpl.zip.
2. Navigate into the bin folder inside the zip file.
3. Copy ffmpeg.exe and ffprobe.exe.
4. Paste them into the root directory of the VideoTools project, right next to VideoTools.exe (or main.go if you are building from source).

Your folder should look like this:

\---VideoTools
    |   VideoTools.exe  (or the built executable)
    |   ffmpeg.exe      <-- Copied here
    |   ffprobe.exe     <-- Copied here
    |   main.go
    \---...

Option B: Install System-Wide

This makes FFmpeg available to all applications on your system.

1. Extract the entire ffmpeg-...-win64-gpl.zip to a permanent location, like C:\Program Files\ffmpeg.
2. Add the FFmpeg bin directory to your system's PATH environment variable.
   • Press the Windows key and type "Edit the system environment variables".
   • Click the "Environment Variables..." button.
   • Under "System variables", find and select the Path variable, then click "Edit...".
   • Click "New" and add the path to your FFmpeg bin folder (e.g., C:\Program Files\ffmpeg\bin).
3. Verify: Open a Command Prompt and type ffmpeg -version. You should see the version information.

Step 4: Build and Run

1. Open a Command Prompt in the VideoTools project directory.
2. Run the build script: scripts\build.bat
3. Run the application: run.bat

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Troubleshooting

• "FFmpeg not found" Error: This means VideoTools can't locate ffmpeg.exe. Ensure it's either in the same folder as VideoTools.exe or that the system-wide installation path is correct.
• Application Doesn't Start: Make sure you have a 64-bit version of Windows 10 or 11 and that your graphics drivers are up to date.
• Antivirus Warnings: Some antivirus programs may flag the unsigned executable. This is a false positive.