deepfakes/faceswap · error · ValueError

The chosen action requires a video as its output, but you en

Error message

The chosen action requires a video as its output, but you entered: {self.output.path}

What it means

EFFmpeg tool validation: the chosen action must produce a video file, but the supplied --output is not typed as a video (e.g. it is a directory or a non-video path). Raised in _check_inputs before any ffmpeg invocation.

Source

Thrown at tools/effmpeg/effmpeg.py:193

    def _check_inputs(self) -> None:
        """Validate provided arguments are valid

        Raises
        ------
        ValueError
            If provided arguments are not valid
        """
        if self.args.action in self._actions_have_dir_input and not self.input.is_type("dir"):
            raise ValueError("The chosen action requires a directory as its input, but you "
                             f"entered: {self.input.path}")
        if self.args.action in self._actions_have_vid_input and not self.input.is_type("vid"):
            raise ValueError("The chosen action requires a video as its input, but you entered: "
                             f"{self.input.path}")
        if self.args.action in self._actions_have_dir_output and not self.output.is_type("dir"):
            raise ValueError("The chosen action requires a directory as its output, but you "
                             f"entered: {self.output.path}")
        if self.args.action in self._actions_have_vid_output and not self.output.is_type("vid"):
            raise ValueError("The chosen action requires a video as its output, but you entered: "
                             f"{self.output.path}")

        # Check that ref_vid is a video when it needs to be
        if self.args.action in self._actions_req_ref_video:
            if self.ref_vid.is_type("none"):
                raise ValueError("The file chosen as the reference video is not a video, either "
                                 f"leave the field blank or type 'None': {self.ref_vid.path}")
        elif self.args.action in self._actions_can_use_ref_video:
            if self.ref_vid.is_type("none"):
                logger.warning("Warning: no reference video was supplied, even though "
                               "one may be used with the chosen action. If this is "
                               "intentional then ignore this warning.")

    def _set_times(self) -> None:
        """Set start, end and duration attributes"""
        self.start = self.parse_time(self.args.start)
        self.end = self.parse_time(self.args.end)
        if not self.__check_equals_time(self.args.end, "00:00:00"):

View on GitHub (pinned to f530cb7508)

Solutions

1. Pass a video file path as --output (e.g. out.mp4/out.avi) for vid-output actions.
2. If you actually want frames out, pick the dir-output action instead.
3. Ensure the extension matches a format ffmpeg can write.

Example fix

# before
python tools.py effmpeg -a rescale -i src.mp4 -o frames/

# after
python tools.py effmpeg -a rescale -i src.mp4 -o out_rescaled.mp4

import os
VIDEO_EXT = {".mp4", ".avi", ".mov", ".mkv", ".webm"}
def vid_output_ok(path: str) -> bool:
    return os.path.splitext(path)[-1].lower() in VIDEO_EXT and not os.path.isdir(path)

When it happens

Trigger: Running `python tools.py effmpeg -a rescale -i src.mp4 -o frames_dir/` or passing an output with no video container where the action's output set (_actions_have_vid_output) requires one.

Common situations: Forgetting to name the output file with a video extension; reusing an output path that exists as a directory; mixing up the frames and video action families.

Related errors

• The chosen action requires a directory as its output, but yo
• The chosen action requires a directory as its input, but you
• The chosen action requires a video as its input, but you ent
• The file chosen as the reference video is not a video, eithe
• You have not supplied a valid transpose or degrees value:\nt

AI-assisted analysis of deepfakes/faceswap@f530cb7508 (2026-08-15). Data as JSON: /api/errors/2330ee9b2a23c607. Report an issue: GitHub.