Help! how do I undo VLC file association with .srt files?

[Steamywee]

I accept that get_iplayer assistance is not provided here, but I describe the sequence of events which brought me to this sorry state in the hope that someone might be able to help me undo the association I seem to have created with .SRT files!
As can be seen, I am not safe around technology, I am a danger to myself and the equipment and software around me
if it helps, I'm running Windows 10 Pro, with all current updates.


Attempting to download a series with "get_iplayer" I entered this pull command:- get_iplayer --pid-recursive --pid p0c70rlw --subs-embed

I got this response from the Command window:-
Episodes:
Everything I Know About Love: Series 1 - Romance, BBC One, p0c70t2f
Everything I Know About Love: Series 1 - Makeovers, BBC One, p0c70t25
Everything I Know About Love: Series 1 - Unknown Jungles, BBC One, p0c70t21
Everything I Know About Love: Series 1 - Other Half, BBC One, p0c70t1s
Everything I Know About Love: Series 1 - I Love You, BBC One, p0c70t1n
Everything I Know About Love: Series 1 - Love at First Sight, BBC One, p0c70t14
Everything I Know About Love: Series 1 - Destiny, BBC One, p0c70t0r
INFO: 7 total programmes

WARNING: A UK TV licence is required to access BBC iPlayer TV content legally
INFO: Downloading tv: 'Everything I Know About Love: Series 1 - 07. Romance (p0c70t2f) [original]'
WARNING: Unable to determine ffmpeg version - MP4 conversion for hvf downloads may fail
WARNING: ffmpeg 2.5 or higher is required to convert hvf downloads to MP4
WARNING: Use --raw to bypass MP4 conversion and retain .ts file
WARNING: Use --ffmpeg-force to override checks and force MP4 conversion attempt
INFO: Using existing HLS video file: D:\Videos\iPlayer Recordings\Everything_I_Know_About_Love_Series_1_-_07._Romance_p0c70t2f_original.hls.ts
The original attempt at downloading the series also included these cryptic statements:-
INFO: Converting to MP4 and embedding subtitles
open3: IO::Pipe: Can't spawn-NOWAIT: No such file or directory at C:\Program Files\get_iplayer\get_iplayer.pl line 2156.

C:\Users\Geoff>

The only file downloaded was the last in the series (as a .ts file which is unusual, they are normally MP4) along with the .srt file.
However, the subtitles didn't play and I foolishly attempted to open the .srt file with VLC.
That did nothing other than associate all .srt files with VLC and change the "Text File" icon to the traffic cone!
Can anyone instruct me how to sever this association and return it to being a "Text File"

[Hitchhiker]

The only file downloaded was the last in the series (as a .ts file which is unusual, they are normally MP4) along with the .srt file.
However, the subtitles didn't play and I foolishly attempted to open the .srt file with VLC.
That did nothing other than associate all .srt files with VLC and change the "Text File" icon to the traffic cone!
Can anyone instruct me how to sever this association and return it to being a "Text File"

1. Open Notepad and click File --> Save As and call it steamy.exe (or any other name you prefer) and save it to the desktop.
2. Right click any .srt file which has the vlc cone and click Open With.
3. Windows will show a list of files and at the bottom It says "Look for another app". Click that and then navigate to the desktop where you saved your newly created .exe file and select it.
4. Now delete the steamy.exe
5. Go to any .srt file and double click it. Because you deleted your steamy.exe file Windows won't know which program to open the file with and will return the icon to a generic version.

[Steamywee]

Hi Hitchhiker, good to see that you're well!
Just followed your instructions but upon navigating to the blank .exe file I saved, I get this:-


Remember last time with a similar problem, that too altered all text files seen by VLC, to "xxx.luac" which was similarly intransigent!
Eventually I had to enlist the help pf Microsoft (God knows how I did that!) but the technician directed me to a list somewhere in Registry as I recall, where I could sever the link between certain file types and programmes.
There is a watered down version in settings which will show the file types, but you can't change anything!
I would never dare to mess with the registry without expert guidance, so that route is out of the question.
I'm wondering if a complete "clean" re-install of VLC would achieve it.
Gotta go and try to tame my lawn whilst we have a reasonably dry day!

[Hitchhiker]

OK. Find any .exe file on your machine (Notepad.exe will do) and make a copy of it. Rename the copy to something else and then follow the same procedure.

[Steamywee]

Hi my friend, having Googled the query, I found this: https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/win ... 7a6c369414
Tried it and it worked.
Just note, the steps #10 and #11 which maybe I should have followed with your own solution after getting the "App can't Run" notification, I think that it would also have worked, so thanks!
Now I can scour the web for someone who understands "get_iplayer"!
How I miss "Square Penguin" who used to run the help forum for "his baby", no one has since stepped up to continue it so the Wiki is now read only!
Thanks again for your help.

[Hitchhiker]

Hi my friend, having Googled the query, I found this: https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/win ... 7a6c369414
Tried it and it worked.
Just note, the steps #10 and #11 which maybe I should have followed with your own solution after getting the "App can't Run" notification, I think that it would also have worked, so thanks!
Now I can scour the web for someone who understands "get_iplayer"!
How I miss "Square Penguin" who used to run the help forum for "his baby", no one has since stepped up to continue it so the Wiki is now read only!
Thanks again for your help.

Do you live in the UK? If not, the BBC will block access to the iplayer.

If you do live there follow instructions to download the player: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/install

If you live somewhere else, you might be able to download it by using a VPN and changing your location to GB (how it appears on the VPN application differs per VPN). Using a VPN changes your IP address so that in this particular case, the BBC will think you live there, I use Mullvad myself. https://mullvad.net/en/

[Lotesdelere]

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/win ... 0a32e1894d
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/win ... 0d69dcf495

[Steamywee]

Hi Hitchhiker, Yes, I do live in the UK, Manchester for my sins so no need for a VPN!
The BBC's own interface for downloading iPlayer content which you link to, whilst "legitimate" leaves something to be desired!
I'm not sure which of these genius's (squarepenguin, or dinkypumpkin) created the tool which I and many others use, but they have now sadly realised that there is more to life than "get_iplayer"!
This brilliant piece of software enables folks to download BBC's offerings and converts them to MP4 so that they can be saved directly to your own PC and avoids the constraints of the BBC who's own tool only allows you to "hold" recordings until the BBC decide they are "discontinued", and even more onerous, can only be played on the BBC's own player.
So you can see why it is much valued, you actually "own" the recordings you make and can copy them to other storage media and play them on any media player you choose!
Some people outside the UK have also managed to use it via a VPN, though the BBC are known to regularly sniff these connections out!

It is truly brilliant and I hope I can get it working again soon!
Here's the link in case you want to try it. https://github.com/get-iplayer/get_ipla ... tag/3.30.0
Top item.

[Hitchhiker]

That's handy. Didn't know about that. Thanks for the tip.

This site explains how to install FFmpeg and add it to the Windows path: https://windowsloop.com/install-ffmpeg-windows-10/

I use FFmpeg in combination with yt-dlp to download youtube videos and videos from sites that are blocked in NL if you use a VPN.

You might be able to use yt-dlp as well; download from here: https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp#dependencies and place it in the C:\Users\Username directory (where Username is whatever name you log into Windows with).

It's a command line tool so all you need to do is to copy the URL using a Firefox addon called "The Stream Detector" which you can get from here: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefo ... -detector/ Use the addon's option to copy the URL as a yt-dlp command.
yt-dlp performs the conversion from a .ts file to mp4 using FFmpeg which also merges the video and audio streams. In the latter respect all youtube videos comprise of separate audio and video streams in case you didn't know.