---
name: "vobcopy"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "vobcopy"
version: "1.2.1-4+b1"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/vobcopy"
---

# vobcopy(1)

copy (rip) files from a dvd to the harddisk

## NAME

vobcopy - copy (rip) files from a dvd to the harddisk

## SYNOPSIS

**vobcopy \[-b** *size\[bkmg\]* **\] \[-e** *size\[bkmg\]* **\] \[-f\] \[-F** *fast\_factor* **\] \[-h\] \[-i** *input-dir* **\] \[-l\] \[-m\] \[-M\]\[-n** *title-number* **\] \[-o** *output-dir* **\] \[-q\] \[-O** *single\_file(s)\_to\_rip* **\] \[-t** *name* **\] \[-v \[-v\]\] \[-x\] \[-I\] \[-V\] \[-L** *logfile-path* **\] \[-1** *aux\_output\_dir1* **\] \[-2** *aux\_output\_dir2* **\] \[-3** *aux\_output\_dir3* **\] \[-4** *aux\_output\_dir4* **\]**

## DESCRIPTION

**vobcopy** copies DVD .vob files to harddisk (thanks to libdvdread) and merges them into file(s) with the name extracted from the  DVD. It checks for enough free space on the destination drive and compares  the copied size to the size on DVD (in case the size is wrong the files keep  the .partial ending ). It should definitely work on linux and now on FreeBSD,  OpenBSD, NetBSD, Solaris and MacOSX too!

**the**CSS**issue:** Due to possible legal issues, vobcopy doesn't include any code to descramble CSS "enhanced" DVDs. CSS is sold by the DVD industry as a "copy protection", though it's more of a "view protection" as it makes DVDs unviewable with unlicensed players. Some people have hacked CSS decryption routines, and one of those is available as a libdvdread counterpart. So if you have such a DVD, have a look at the libdvdread page. If you are positive that it's allowed where you live, you can just install that mentioned library and make decrypted backups of all your DVDs...

**vobcopy** without any options will copy the title with the most chapters into files of  2GB size into the current working directory.

## OPTIONS

- \-b, --begin SIZE\[bkmg\]

  begins to copy from the specified offset-size. Modifiers like b for 512-bytes, k for kilo-bytes, m for mega- and g for giga-bytes can be appended to the number. Example: vobcopy -b 500m will start to copy from 500MB onward till the end.

- \-e, --end SIZE\[bkmg\]

  similar to -b, this options lets you specify some size to stop before the end.

- \-f, --force

  force the output to the specified directory even if vobcopy thinks there is not enough free space

- \-F, --fast fast\_factor

  speed up the copying (experimental). fast\_factor is in the range 1 to 64

- \-h, --help

  print the command line options available

- \-i, --input-dir INPUT-DIR

  provide vobcopy with the path to the mounted dvd drive

- \-l, --large-file

  write data into one file (needs large file support (LFS))

- \-M, --longest

  choose the title with the longest playing time. With some DVDs this gets the main title better than the most chapter method, with others it's worse.

- \-m, --mirror

  mirrors the whole dvd to harddisk. It will create a directory named after the dvd and copy the ifo, bup and vob files there. The title-vobs are decrypted during this.

- \-n, --title-number TITLE-NUMBER

  specify which title vobcopy shall copy (default is title with most chapters). On the dvd, vts\_01\_x.vob specify the first title (mostly this is the main feature).

- \-o, --output-dir OUTPUT-DIR

  specify the output-directory of the data. "stdout" or "-" redirect to stdout. Useful for pipeing it to /dev/null ;-) If you forget to pipe it to some place, your terminal will get garbled, so remember that typing "reset" and then Enter will rescue you.

- \-q, --quiet

  all info- and error-messages of vobcopy will end up in the current directory in vobcopy.bla instead of stderr

- \-O, --onefile single\_file(s)\_to\_rip

  specify which single file(s) to rip. Parts of names can be given and all  files which include the part will be copied. Files can be listed with comma  separation. Example: -O video\_ts.vob,bup will copy the single file video\_ts.vob and all files containing bup

- \-t, --name NAME

  you can give the file a name if you don't like the one from dvd. -t hallo will result in hallo.vob. (stdout or "-" are deprecated now) If you want to give it names like "Huh I like this movie", do it in quotation marks.

- \-v, --verbose

  prints more information about whats going on (more verbose).

- \-v -v

  prints the information given on command line into a log-file in the current directory for  inclusion into a bugreport.

- \-x

  overwrite all existing files without further questions.

- \-L LOGFILE-PATH

  tells vobcopy where to put the logfile instead of the default.

- \-I, --info

  prints information about the titles, chapters and angles on the dvd.

- \-V, --version

  prints version number.

- \-1, --1st\_alt\_output\_dir AUXILIARY-OUTPUT-DIR1

  if the data doesn't fit on the first output-directory (specified behind -o) writing will continue here (and after -2 there and -3 and -4) -\> the files will be split according to the remaining free space (try specifying the path \_directly\_ behind -1, \_no\_ space in between if you have troubles, this might be even necessary at -o...)

## BUGS

Vobcopy is still under development. So expect some. There \*might\* be problems for users who's system is not large-file ready. If so, please get back to me.

## AUTHOR

Robos \<robos@muon.de\>
