Annoying download problem

[Andy Bircumshaw]

On 8/1/2011, at 12:45am, fs ck wrote:
> On Fri, Jan 7, 2011 at 5:19 PM, Andy Bircumshaw <andy at networkned.co.uk> wrote:
> ...
>> You can then download the show using "--pid" if you want to, but you usually don't. Use of "--pid" implies "--get" - i.e.
>> combining `get_iplayer --info --pid b00wvjdq` will cause the programme to download, rather than just provide the full
>> information. Phil once indicated to me this was his intended behaviour, but to me it's a bug.
> 
> From get_iplayer --help:
> 
> "--pid <pid>   Record an arbitrary pid that does not necessarily
> appear in the index."
> 
> I believe the documentation says pretty much the same thing.
> 
> Maybe you wanted to use:
> 
> get_iplayer --info --fields=pid <pid>

This is just ugly, though.

I said already: I *know* it's the way Phil intended it. That doesn't mean I agree with him that it's the way it *should* be.

This is get_iplayer's behaviour using a word search:

get_iplayer triffids # lists all programmes (title, episode name, &c) with "triffids" in the title
get_iplayer -i triffids # gives full information on all programmes with "triffids" in the title
get_iplayer -g triffids # fetches all programmes with "triffids" in the title
get_iplayer --pvr-queue triffids # queues all programmes with "triffids" in the title for downloading next time "--pvr" is used

This is the behaviour using "local cache index number":

get_iplayer 324 # shows title, episode name, &c for programme 324
get_iplayer -i 324 # gives full information on programme 324
get_iplayer -g 324 # fetches programme 324
get_iplayer --pvr-queue 324 # queues programme 324 for downloading next time "--pvr" is used

IMO, this is the desired behaviour, the behaviour that I would have expected from intuitive use, for --pid:

get_iplayer --pid b00wh73v # shows title, episode name, &c name for programme b00wh73v
get_iplayer -i --pid b00wh73v # gives full information on programme b00wh73v
get_iplayer -g --pid b00wh73v # fetches programme b00wh73v
get_iplayer --pvr-queue --pid b00wh73v # queues programme b00wh73v for downloading next time "--pvr" is used

This is the actual behaviour for --pid:

get_iplayer --pid b00wh73v # downloads programme b00wh73v
get_iplayer -i --pid b00wh73v # downloads programme b00wh73v
get_iplayer -g --pid b00wh73v # downloads programme b00wh73v
get_iplayer --pvr-queue --pid b00wh73v # throws an error (good job I checked my copy & paste, huh?)

Basically, the get_iplayer argument "--pid" is about 3 or 4 times *less useful* than other, more commonly used, arguments. And, more to the point, 3 or 4 times less useful than it could (easily) be.

Note that the behaviour "download an arbitrary pid that does not necessarily appear in the index" could equally well be achieved with `get_iplayer -g --pid`.

I don't want to be religious about this, so if I'm overlooking a really good reason for "--pid" to behave in this way, then I'd be glad to hear it. It seems more by accident than design - a "we wrote the code wrong" bug, rather than a "the code broke" bug. I don't mean to disrespect Phil by this statement, BTW.

I was unaware of the "--fields" option - it seems potentially quite useful, but considering the amount of use it likely gets, arguably illustrative of how get_iplayer is too complex and tries to do too much. (You could say the same about "--email", but OTOH, that's *my* precious feature). 

aB.