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This page covers common issues you may encounter while using the Video Compressor application and their solutions.

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Missing videooutputs directory

The application requires a videooutputs directory to save compressed videos. This directory is not created automatically.

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Error symptoms

  • Compression fails with an error message
  • Application shows “Error: ENOENT: no such file or directory” in the output
  • Compressed videos are not saved

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Solution

Create the videooutputs directory in your project root before running the application: 
mkdir videooutputs
The directory must be created in the same location where you cloned the repository. The application saves compressed videos to this directory as specified in renderer.js:51.

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Video file selection issues

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No file selected error

If you click the “Compress” button without selecting a video file, you’ll see the message: 
Please select a video file.

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Solution

  1. Click the file input button in the application interface
  2. Select a valid video file from your system
  3. Click the “Compress” button
The application validates file selection in renderer.js:16-20 before attempting compression.

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Compression errors

Compression errors are caught and displayed in the application output area. These errors typically occur due to:

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Invalid video format

FFmpeg may not support certain video codecs or container formats.
Try converting your video to a widely supported format like MP4 before compression. Ensure the input file is not corrupted.

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Insufficient disk space

Compression requires temporary storage for processing.
Ensure you have sufficient disk space in both:
  • Your system’s temporary directory (used for processing)
  • The videooutputs directory (for the final compressed file)

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Error handling implementation

The application implements error handling in renderer.js:45-50: 
.on('error', (err) => {
  output.innerText = `Error: ${err.message}`;
  progressBar.style.width = '0%';
  console.error('Compression error:', err);
  fs.unlinkSync(tempPath); // Clean up temporary file
})
Error messages are displayed in the application’s output area and logged to the console for debugging.

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FFmpeg path issues

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FFmpeg not found error

If you see errors related to FFmpeg not being found, it may indicate an issue with the ffmpeg-static package.

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Solution

  1. Reinstall the dependencies:
npm install
  1. Verify the FFmpeg path is set correctly in renderer.js:7:
ffmpeg.setFfmpegPath(ffmpegPath);
The ffmpeg-static package should automatically provide the correct binary path for your operating system.

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Permission errors

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Cannot write to videooutputs directory

Permission errors may occur when the application tries to write compressed videos.

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Solution

Ensure the videooutputs directory has write permissions: On Linux/macOS: 
chmod 755 videooutputs
On Windows: Right-click the videooutputs folder, select Properties > Security, and ensure your user account has write permissions.

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Cannot read temporary files

The application writes temporary files to your system’s temp directory during compression.
Ensure your user account has read/write permissions for the system temporary directory:
  • Linux/macOS: /tmp
  • Windows: %TEMP% or C:\Users\[YourUsername]\AppData\Local\Temp

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Video loading issues

When viewing compressed videos in the application, you may encounter loading errors.

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Videos not displaying

This occurs when the application cannot read files from the videooutputs directory.

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Solution

Check the console for error messages (accessible via Developer Tools). The application logs video loading errors in renderer.js:71-73: 
videoElement.addEventListener('error', (e) => {
  console.error('Error loading video:', videoPath, e);
});
Open Electron’s Developer Tools by pressing Ctrl+Shift+I (Windows/Linux) or Cmd+Option+I (macOS) to view detailed error logs.

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Getting more help

If you encounter issues not covered here:
  1. Check the console logs for detailed error messages
  2. Verify all dependencies are installed correctly
  3. Ensure you’re using compatible Node.js and npm versions
  4. Review the Dependencies page for version requirements

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