-batch command processes multiple files at once. It recursively scans a directory, identifies all Profile 7 files, and converts them in sequence. This is ideal for processing large media libraries.
How batch processing works
When you run-batch:
- Scans the directory recursively for MKV files
- Analyzes each file to identify Profile 7 content and FEL status
- Displays a summary showing what will be converted
- Asks for confirmation before proceeding
- Converts eligible files one by one
Non-Profile 7 files are skipped automatically. You don’t need to filter your directory first.
Basic usage
Process all Profile 7 files in the current directory:Set recursive depth
Control how deep the scan goes into subdirectories:Safety behavior
Batch processing follows the same safety rules as single-file conversion:| File type | Default behavior |
|---|---|
| MEL | Converted automatically |
| Simple FEL | Pauses for confirmation |
| Complex FEL | Skipped entirely |
Handling Simple FEL files
By default, batch processing stops when it encounters Simple FEL files and asks if you want to include them:Automation options
Auto-confirm (-y)
Skip the initial confirmation prompt:
The
-y flag skips the “Start batch?” prompt but still pauses on Simple FEL files. This prevents accidental processing of files you might want to verify first.Include Simple FEL (-include-simple)
Treat Simple FEL files the same as MEL - process them without pausing:
-yskips the start confirmation-include-simpleskips the Simple FEL confirmation
Force Complex FEL (-force)
Include Complex FEL files in the batch:
Forcing conversion on Complex FEL files produces incorrect results. Use this only if you understand and accept that some files will have incorrect tone mapping.
Permanent deletion (-delete)
Remove original files immediately after each successful conversion, skipping the backup step entirely:
This is irreversible. Your original Profile 7 files are gone permanently. Only use this if storage space is a concern and you’re confident in the conversion results.
If storage is a concern but you want a safety net, run the batch without
-delete, verify your results, then use -cleanup to remove backups selectively.Batch summary
After scanning, dovi_convert shows a summary:Cleaning up backups
After batch processing, you will have.bak.dovi_convert backup files. These are the backups of your original files. If you don’t want to keep them, you can remove them using the -cleanup command.
This is irreversible. Your original Profile 7 files are gone permanently. Only use this if storage space is a concern and you’re confident in the conversion results.
Basic cleanup
Remove backup files in the current directory:Recursive cleanup
Remove backups from subdirectories:Auto-confirm cleanup
Skip the confirmation prompt:The cleanup command has a safety check: it only deletes backups where the corresponding converted file exists. If you deleted the converted file (maybe it was corrupted), the backup is kept as orphan protection.