Podcast Downloader

The Python module for downloading files from given RSS feeds. It is not using database of any sort. It require configuration file.

The script is analyzing the directory where it put the previously downloaded files. It is compering the last added file with the rss feed, finding the missing ones, and downloading them.

As name suggested, the script is designed for podcasts. The files searched by default are mp3.

Setup

Installation from PyPI

pip install podcast_downloader

Running the script

After installation, the script is called as Python module.

python -m podcast_downloader

In action

Using the example above, the result will be:

[2020-06-16 19:54:35] Loading configuration (from file: "~/.podcast_downloader_config.json")
[2020-06-16 19:54:35] Checking "The Skeptic Guide"
[2020-06-16 19:54:35] Last downloaded file "skepticast2020-06-13.mp3"
[2020-06-16 19:54:39] The Skeptic Guide: Nothing new
[2020-06-16 19:54:39] ------------------------------
[2020-06-16 19:54:39] Finished

Configuration

The configuration file

The configuration file is placed in home directory.

The name: .podcast_downloader_config.json.

The format is: JSON.

The settings hierarchy

The script will replace default values by read from configuration file. Those will be cover by all values given by command line.

The main options

Property	Type	Required	Default	Note
`downloads_limit`	number	no	infinity
`if_directory_empty`	string	no	download_last	See In case of empty directory
`podcast_extensions`	key-value	no	`{".mp3": "audio/mpeg"}`	The file filter

Podcasts sub category

Podcasts is the part of configuration file where you provide the array of objects with fallowing content:

Property	Type	Required	Default	Note
`name`	string	yes	-	The name of channel (used in logger)
`rss_link`	string	yes	-	The URL of RSS channel
`path`	string	yes	-	The path to directory, for podcast files
`require_date`	boolean	no	`false`	Is date of podcast should be added into name of file
`disable`	boolean	no	`false`	This podcast will be ignored
`podcast_extensions`	key-value	no	`{".mp3": "audio/mpeg"}`	The file filter
`if_directory_empty`	string	no	download_last	See In case of empty directory

An example of configuration file

{
    "if_directory_empty": "download_from_4_days",
    "podcasts": [
        {
            "name": "The Skeptic Guide",
            "rss_link": "http://www.theskepticsguide.org/feed/rss.aspx",
            "path": "~/podcasts/SGTTU"
        }
    ]
}

Script arguments

The script accept following command line arguments:

Short version	Long name	Parameter	Default	Note
	`--downloads_limit`	number	infinity	The maximum number of downloaded mp3 files
	`--if_directory_empty`	string	`download_last`	The general approach on empty directory'

Adding date to file name

If RSS channel doesn't have single and constant name convention, it may causing the script to working incorrectly. The solution is force files to have common and meaningful prefix. The script is able to adding the date on beginning of downloaded file name.

How to turn on: set the require_date option to true.

File types filter

Podcasts are mostly stored as *.mp3 files. By default Podcast Downloader will look just for them.

If your podcast support other types of media files, you can precised your own podcast file filter, by providing extension for the file (like .mp3), and type of link in RSS feed itself (for mp3 it is audio/mpeg).

If you don't know the type of the file, you can check the RSS file. Seek for enclosure tags, should looks like this:

    <enclosure
        url="https://an.apple.supporter.page/podcast/episode23.m4a"
        length="14527149"
        type="audio/x-m4a" />

Notes: the dot on the file extension is require.

Example

  "podcast_extensions": {
    ".mp3": "audio/mpeg",
    ".m4a": "audio/x-m4a"
  }

In case of empty directory

If a directory for podcast is empty, the script needs to recognize what to do. Due to lack of database, you can:

download only the last episode
download all new episode from last n days

Only last

The script will download only the last episode from the feed. It is a good approach when you wish to start listening the podcast. It is also default approach of the script.

Set by download_last.

Download all from n days

The script will download all episodes which appear in last n days. I can be use when you are downloading on regular schedule. The n number is given within the setup value: download_from_n_days. For example: download_from_3_days means download all episodes from last 3 days.

Download all from feed

The script will download all episodes from the feed.

Set by download_all_from_feed.

The analyze of the RSS feed

The script is look through all the items nodes in RSS file. The item node can contain the enclosure node. Those nodes are used to passing the files. According to the convention the single item should contain only one enclosure, but script (as the library used under it) can handle the multiple files attached into podcast item.

bmilde/podcast-downloader