Configuration files

There are three configuration files that will be loaded if found:

• /etc/vcs.conf: System-wide configuration
• ~/.vcs.conf: User configuration ¹⁾
• ./vcs.conf: (i.e. vcs.conf in the current directory) Per-dir configuration

They're loaded in this order, and when a configuration option is present in more than one file the last file takes precedence.

Configuration files follow a simplified shell-like syntax:

• Lines starting with # are comments (and are ignored)
• Configuration options are set as OPTION=VALUE. Spaces in the value are allowed, the current version will display any quotes included.
• Options not recognised will be ignored

Certain options have no equivalent command-line option. They can be set from the command-line by using the special option -O (--override) followed by OPTION=VALUE. In general, customisation of the script shouldn't require any editing of the script itself.

Examples

• Setting background colour for the heading to blue: bg_heading=blue. Added to a configuration file or from the command-line: $ vcs -O 'bg_heading=blue' file.avi
• Output to JPEG by default: output_format=jpg. Added to a configuration file (the command-line option -j does the same for a single run).

Example configuration file

# Output to JPEG...
output_format=jpg
# ...with 90% quality
output_quality=90
# Sign as "myname"
user=myname
# Use "Snapshots grabbed by myname" instead of "Preview created by myname"
user_signature=Snapshots grabbed by

In a future version (probably 1.12) a cleanup of these options will be made, some will be renamed and maybe others removed. Those options will be marked as deprecated in the list below. The list of deprecated options and their replacements is not final.
Integer in Additional details means the value can only accept numeric values.

Option	Default	Description	Additional details	Deprecated?
Main behaviour options
DEFAULT_INTERVAL	300	Default capture interval	Integer: Seconds Does it take symbolic values?	Already. Use interval instead
DEFAULT_NUMCAPS	16	Default number of captures	Integer	Already. Use numcaps instead
DEFAULT_COLS	2	Default number of columns	Integer	Already. Use cols instead
HPAD	2	Padding between captures	Integer. Since 1.11
th_height		Height	Can be a fixed value or a percentage. By default same as input. Since 1.11
user_signature	“Preview created by”	Text before the user name in the signature
user	$(id -un) 2)	User name for signature.	See -u (--user) and -U (--fullname)
output_format	png	Sets the output format	Should match the extension of a format known by ImageMagick	Maybe
output_quality	92	Image quality for output in lossy formats	Integer, Only affects the final image
decoder	$DEC_FFMPEG	Controls which capturer to use by default	Symbolic: $DEC_FFMPEG ⇒ FFmpeg, $DEC_MPLAYER ⇒ MPlayer
timecode_from	$TC_INTERVAL	Selects between number of captures or interval mode	Symbolic: $TC_INTERVAL ⇒ interval mode, $TC_NUMCAPS ⇒ number of captures mode	Yes 3)
extended_factor	0	Set the extended factor.	0 disables extended mode. See extended_mode
DVD_MODE	0	Controls DVD mode	Set to 1 to enable. See also --dvd
DVD_TITLE	1	Default DVD title (track) to capture in DVD mode
DVD_FILE		Default DVD device or ISO
Colours 4)
bg_heading	#afcd7a 5)6)	Background for meta info (size, codec…)
bg_sign	SlateGray	Background for signature
bg_title	White	Background for the title (see -T)
bg_contact	White	Background for the captures
bg_tstamps	#000000aa	Background for the timestamps box
fg_heading	Black	Font colour for meta info box
fg_sign	Black	Font colour for signature
fg_tstamps	White	Font colour for timestamps
fg_title	Black	Font colour for the title
Fonts 7)
font_tstamps	DejaVu-Sans-Book 8)	Used for timestamps over the thumbnails
font_heading	DejaVu-Sans-Book 9)	Used for the meta info heading
font_sign	DejaVu-Sans-Book 10)	Used for the signature box
font_filename	$FF_DEFAULT	Picks filename font, set to $FF_MINCHO to use the alternate font	This variable only accepts the $FF_* constants
FONT_MINCHO		Font used for non-latin filenames.	See $font_filename and -I. Tries to pick automatically, can be set manually with -I	Partly 11)
font_title	DejaVu-Sans-Book 12)	Used for the title (see -T)
Font sizes 13)
pts_tstamps	14 14)	Used for the timestamps	Integer. This value is reduced for smaller captures
pts_meta	14 15)	Used for the meta info heading	Integer
pts_sign	10 16)	Used for the signature	Integer
pts_title	33 17)	Used for the title (see -T)	Integer
Low level options
GETOPT	getopt	Getopt command	The getopt command must be set correctly or the script won't work. Must be a version accepting GNU syntax. Can only be set in configuration files (i.e. not from the command-line).
DEBUG	0	Control debug mode default status	Integer: 0=Off, 1=On
shoehorned		Inserts additional parameters into ffmpeg or mplayer capture commands		Yes 18)
DEFAULT_END_OFFSET	60	Default value for end offset. See -E		Yes 19)
MIN_LENGTH_FOR_END_OFFSET	19m30s	End offset is only used if the video is at least this long		Yes 20)
safe_rename_pattern	%b-%N.%e	Pattern used for output files to avoid overwriting existing files.	%b: Basename %N: Incremental number %e: extension
verbosity	$V_ALL	Verbosity level	Available: $V_ALL, $V_NONE, $V_ERROR, $V_WARN, $V_INFO See also --quiet
plain_messages	0	Controls colour output 21) to console.	Set to 1 to disable colour
stdout	/dev/null	Standard output of decoder is sent here		Maybe 22)
stderr	/dev/null	Standard error of decoder is sent here		Maybe 23)