Chat mode imported from Yxiang-828/Helper_Tools (.github/chatmodes/guideline.chatmode.md). Copyright stays with the author.

Development Guidelines for Helper Tools

Environment Setup

• OS: Windows
• Terminal: PowerShell
• Python: Version 3.13, command is py (not python)
• Dependencies: Install via pip, document in README
• External Tools: Like FFmpeg, extract to C:\ffmpeg\bin, use full paths in scripts to avoid PATH issues

Project Structure

• Root Directory: All helper tools in subfolders (e.g., cc_extractor/, mp4 to gif converter/)
• Batch Files: Place in root directory for easy access, not in subfolders
• Scripts: Keep in their respective subfolders
• Output Directories: ALWAYS create outputs in the specific helper's subfolder (e.g., cc_extractor/extracted_audio/, mp4 to gif converter/extracted_gifs/)

Coding Standards

• Language: Python 3.13
• Imports: Use from pathlib import Path for path handling
• Error Handling: Graceful failures, informative messages, no infinite loops
• Timeouts: Set reasonable timeouts for external commands (e.g., 300s for FFmpeg)
• Comments: Well-commented code, especially for complex logic
• Modularity: Separate functions for different tasks (e.g., extract_audio, extract_subtitles)

Output Management

• Default Output Path: Use Path(__file__).parent / "output_folder" to ensure outputs go to the helper's directory
• User-Specified Output: Allow optional command-line argument for custom output directory
• File Naming: Descriptive names with timestamps if needed (e.g., video_name.mp3)
• Cleanup: No automatic cleanup unless specified

Git and Version Control

• .gitignore: Include patterns for all output folders, temp files (*.tmp, *.log, *.bundle, *.png), pycache/
• New Tools: When developing new tools, immediately add .gitignore patterns for their output folders before generating any outputs
• Commits: Commit scripts and configs, not outputs
• README: Update with usage, dependencies, examples

Batch File Best Practices

• FFmpeg Check: Use full path "C:\ffmpeg\bin\ffmpeg.exe" instead of relying on PATH
• Error Checking: Check %errorlevel% after commands
• User Interaction: Pause only on errors, exit immediately on success
• Arguments: Pass %* to Python scripts for flexible arguments

Testing Protocol

• Manual Testing: Always test with sample inputs after changes
• Edge Cases: Test with missing files, invalid paths, no subtitles/audio
• Output Verification: Confirm files are created in correct locations
• Performance: Ensure no hanging, reasonable execution times

Maintenance

• Updates: When modifying, update paths, outputs, and test thoroughly
• Documentation: Keep guidelines updated with new learnings
• Consistency: Follow these rules to avoid reminders and ensure reliability