--- name: "plowdown" section: "1" platform: "linux" package: "plowshare" version: "2.1.7-4" release: "Debian 11 (Bullseye)" platforms: ["linux"] url: "https://new.carta.tech/plowdown" --- # plowdown(1) Simple download manager for file sharing websites ## NAME plowdown - Simple download manager for file sharing websites ## SYNOPSIS **plowdown** \[*OPTIONS*\]... \[*MODULE\_OPTIONS*\]... *URL*\|*FILE*... ## DESCRIPTION **plowdown** is a command-line tool designed for automatic download on file-sharing websites. It acts like a web browser, retrieving pages and filling HTML forms (including captchas). ## OPTIONS ### Common options - **-i,** **--interface=***IFACE* If your machine has several network interfaces, force using *IFACE* interface. - **-m, --mark-downloaded** Mark downloaded links in (regular) file arguments. - **-o,** **--output-directory=***DIRECTORY* Directory where files will be saved. Default is current directory. - **-r,** **--max-retries=***N* Set maximum retries for download failures. Apply on module exit status: **3** (network error), **7** (captcha error). Default option value is 2 (i.e. 3 tries) and applies for one single URL download. - **-t,** **--timeout=***SECS* Cancel download after *SECS* seconds of waits. Apply on module exit status: **10** (temporary unavailable error). This error can be returned in various cases: unallowed parallel download, daily downloads limit reached, remote hoster overloaded. Default option value is disabled (no timeout, infinite) and applies for one single URL download. - **-x, --no-overwrite** Do not overwrite existing files. Existing file will be preserved and filename will be suffixed with .1, .2, and so on. Default option value is disabled: files are overwritten (whatever their size) or resumed (if module supports it). - **--cache=***METHOD* Cache policy regarding module storage space. Each module is able to save data (credentials, authentication session, or tokens) in order to be reused later. Available values: **none**: module storage file is deleted before each URL processing. Temporary directory is used. **session** (default): module storage file is deleted at the end of plowdown execution. Temporary directory is used. **shared**: module storage file is global and located (in *~/.config/plowshare/storage/*). It can be accessed by any other instance of plow\* scripts. Warning: There is no atomicity (or file locking) on concurrent access. Example: Multiple links download using a premium account. If supported by module, login stage could be performed once. ### Captcha options - **--9kweu=***KEY* Use 9kw.eu service to solve captchas. - **--antigate=***KEY* Use Antigate.com service to solve captchas. - **--captchabhood=***USER:PASSWORD* Use Captcha Brotherhood service to solve captchas. - **--captchacoin=***KEY* Use CaptchaCoin service to solve captchas. - **--deathbycaptcha=***USER:PASSWORD* Use Death by Captcha service to solve captchas. - **--captchamethod=***METHOD* Force specific captcha solving method (if unspecified it is autodetected). Available values: **imgur**: upload image to Imgur.com service, print image url in console and prompt for manual entering. Useful for NAS and embedded devices. **none**: abort if captcha solving is requested (even if automatic solving service is available). **online**: use captcha solving website only (9kweu, Antigate, CaptchaBrotherhood, CaptchaCoin or DeathByCaptcha account required). **fb**: display image in framebuffer console and prompt for manual entering. Looks for framebuffer viewers: fbi, fim. *FRAMEBUFFER* environment variable can contain device file. Default is */dev/fb0*. **nox**: display image in console (text) and prompt for manual entering. Looks for ascii viewers: img2txt, aview, tiv. **x11**: display image in an X11 window and prompt for manual entering. Looks for viewers: display, feh, sxiv, qiv. *DISPLAY* environment variable must not be empty. - **--captchaprogram=***PROGRAM* Call external program or script for solving captchas. Provided executable can be located in *PATH* environment variable. Three arguments are given: **$1** module name (lowercase). For example: *mediafire*. **$2** image filename (with full path). **$3** hint or captcha type (string). For example: *recaptcha*, *solvemedia* or *digits-4*. Return value (on stdout) and exit status: **0**: solving success. Captcha Word(s) must be echo'ed. **2**: external solver is not able to solve requested captcha. Let plowdown continue solving it normally (will consider **--captchamethod** if specified). **7**: external solver failed. Note: this exit code is eligible with retry policy (**-r**/**--max-retries**). Note: plowdown legacy exit errors can also be returned, for example: **1** (fatal) or **3** (network). ### Tuning settings - **--min-space=***LIMIT* Define threshold amount of available disk space before quitting plowdown. You must specify a suffix. Suffixes are: **M** for megabytes (MB i.e. 1000^2), **G** for gigabytes (GB i.e. 1000^3), **Mi** or **m** for mebibytes (MiB i.e. 1024^2), **Gi** for gibibytes (GiB i.e. 1024^3). - **--max-rate=***SPEED* Limit download speed in bytes per second. Suffixes are: **k** for kilobytes (kB i.e. 1000), **M** for megabytes (MB i.e. 1000^2), **K** or **Ki** for kibibytes (KB or KiB i.e. 1024), **m** or **Mi** for mebibytes (mB or MiB i.e. 1024^2). - **--min-rate=***SPEED* Limit download minimum speed in bytes per second (for a delay of 30 seconds). Suffixes are the same than **--max-rate**. - **--temp-directory=***DIRECTORY* Directory for temporary files: final link download, cookies, images, ... - **--temp-rename** Append .part suffix to filename while file is being downloaded. Download resume will not work with this option. - **--skip-final** Don't process final link (returned by module download function), just skip it. This is applied for each input URL. If you are using this option, you should need **--run-after** or **--printf** too. Note: Depending hosters, final (generated) link may have restrictions: validity timeout (few hours), access limitation (usually one unique HTTP GET request for anonymous users), same IP address, etc. - **--run-before=***PROGRAM* Call external program or script before new link processing (before calling module download function). Provided executable can be located in *PATH* environment variable. Messages can be sent to stderr, stdout is trashed. Three arguments are given: **$1** module name (lowercase). For example: *mediafire*. **$2** download URL. **$3** cookie (empty) file given to download module function. Exit status: **0**: script success. plowdown continue normally. **2**: script explicitly requests skipping current link. Note: Any other script exit status like **1** (fatal) or **3** (network) will be ignored (an error message will be reported). - **--run-after=***PROGRAM* Call external program or script after final link successful download. Provided executable can be located in *PATH* environment variable. Messages can be sent to stderr, stdout is trashed. Five arguments are given: **$1** module name (lowercase). For example: *mediafire*. **$2** download URL. **$3** cookie file fulfilled by download module function. **$4** final URL. **$5** final filename. Exit status: **0**: script success. plowdown continue normally. Note: Any other (non zero) exit status will be ignored (an error message will be reported). - **--printf=***FORMAT* Print results (on stdout) in a given format (for each successful download). Default format string is *"%F%n"*. Interpreted sequences are: - *%%* raw % character - *%c* final cookie filename (with output directory if specified). Name template is **plowdown-cookies-NNNN.txt**. - *%C* **%c** or empty string if module does not require it - *%d* download (final) url - *%D* same as **%d** but url is escaped for JSON usage - *%f* destination (local) filename - *%F* destination (local) filename (with output directory if specified) - *%m* module name - *%n* newline - *%s* destination (local) file size (positive integer in bytes). Important: Empty string is returned when **--skip-final** switch is specified. - *%t* tabulation character - *%u* download (source) url - *%U* same as **%u** but url is escaped for JSON usage ### Logging options - **-v,** **--verbose=***LEVEL* Set output verbosity level: **0** none, **1** errors, **2** notice (default behavior), **3** debug, **4** report (very noisy, log HTML pages). - **-q, --quiet** Alias for **-v0**. Do not print any debug messages. ### Miscellaneous options - **--no-color** Disables log messages (stderr only) output coloring. - **--fallback** If no module is found for link, simply download it (HTTP GET). - **--no-curlrc** Do not use curl config file (~/.curlrc). - **--curlrc=***FILE* Force using an alternate curl configuration file. Replaces ~/.curlrc if it exists. This option has no effect when **--no-curlrc** is defined. - **--no-plowsharerc** Do not consider any configuration file. - **--plowsharerc=***FILE* Force using an alternate configuration file (instead of per-user or systemwide plowshare.conf). This option has no effect when **--no-plowsharerc** is defined. - **--modules** Display all supported module names (one per line) and exit. Useful for wrappers. ### Generic program information - **-h, --help** Display main help and exit. - **-H, --longhelp** Display complete help (with module options) and exit. - **--version** Output version information and exit. ## MODULE OPTIONS ### Common options - **-a,** **--auth=***USER:PASSWORD* Use premium account. - **-b,** **--auth-free=***USER:PASSWORD* Use free account. - **-p,** **--link-password=***PASSWORD* Used for password-protected files. All switches are not implemented nor required for all modules. See long help message for detailed modules option list. ## NOTES ### Command line authentication string format Complete login must have *USER:PASSWORD* format. The first semi-colon character is the separator. So, *PASSWORD* can contain a semi-colon character without any trouble. - Don't forget to single-quote string if your password contain shell expandable characters (like space, $ or &). ## FILES - */etc/plowshare.conf* Systemwide configuration file. - *~/.config/plowshare/plowshare.conf* This is the per-user configuration file. The file format is described in [**plowshare.conf**(5)](/plowshare.conf/5.md). - *~/.config/plowshare/exec/* Additional directory considered when searching for executable. See **--captchaprogram**, **--run-before** and **--run-after** switches. - *~/.config/plowshare/modules.d/* User directory considered when searching for modules at startup (plowdown will try to open **~/.config/plowshare/modules.d/\*/config**). One file per module (hoster). - *~/.config/plowshare/storage/* Directory used for storing data (one file per module) among sessions. See **--cache=shared** switch. ## ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES The following environment variables may affect plowdown: - *DISPLAY* The X11 display server address is considered to display captchas. See **--captchamethod=x11** documentation below. - *FRAMEBUFFER* This variable is considered to display captchas. See **--captchamethod=fb** documentation below. - *HOME* Search for user configuration directory in **~/.config/plowshare** (see FILES section above). If found, **~/.curlrc** will be used (use **--no-curlrc** to disable it). - *PLOWSHARE\_CURL* Specifies an alternate curl command (**$PATH** search is considered). If not defined, **curl** is used. - *PLOWSHARE\_JS* Specifies an alternate js command (**$PATH** search is considered). If not defined, **js** is used. - *PLOWSHARE\_DEBIAN\_JS* When set to **yes** javascript is enabled, otherwise it is blocked per #791467. Note that arbitrary javascript downloaded from the Internet will be run without any sandboxing if this is enabled. - *XDG\_CONFIG\_HOME* The directory to store user configuration files. If not defined, **~/.config** is assumed. ## EXIT CODES Possible exit codes are: - 0 Success. - 1 Fatal error. Upstream site updated or unexpected result. - 2 No available module (provided URL is not supported). - 3 Network error. Mostly curl related. - 4 Authentication failed (bad login/password). - 5 Timeout reached (refer to **-t**/**--timeout** command-line option). - 6 Maximum tries reached (refer to **-r**/**--max-retries** command-line option). - 7 Captcha generic error. - 8 System generic error. - 10 Link alive but temporarily unavailable. - 11 Link alive but requires a password. - 12 Link alive but requires some authentication (private or premium link). - 13 Link is dead. - 14 Can't download link because file is too big (need permissions). - 15 Unknown command line parameter or incompatible options. If **plowdown** is invoked with multiple links or link-list files and one or several errors occur, the first error code is returned added with 100. ## AUTHORS Plowshare was initially written by Arnau Sanchez. See the AUTHORS file for a list of some of the many other contributors. Plowshare is (C) 2010-2017 The Plowshare Team ## SEE ALSO [**plowup**(1)](/plowup/1.md), [**plowdel**(1)](/plowdel/1.md), [**plowlist**(1)](/plowlist/1.md), [**plowprobe**(1)](/plowprobe/1.md), [**plowshare.conf**(5)](/plowshare.conf/5.md), [**plowmod**(1)](/plowmod/1.md).