ytdl-org/youtube-dl · error · ExtractorError

Could not find XML attribute %s

Error message

Could not find XML attribute %s

What it means

Error "Could not find XML attribute %s" thrown in ytdl-org/youtube-dl.

Source

Thrown at youtube_dl/utils.py:1973

    if n.text is None:
        if default is not NO_DEFAULT:
            return default
        elif fatal:
            name = xpath if name is None else name
            raise ExtractorError('Could not find XML element\'s text %s' % name)
        else:
            return None
    return n.text


def xpath_attr(node, xpath, key, name=None, fatal=False, default=NO_DEFAULT):
    n = find_xpath_attr(node, xpath, key)
    if n is None:
        if default is not NO_DEFAULT:
            return default
        elif fatal:
            name = '%s[@%s]' % (xpath, key) if name is None else name
            raise ExtractorError('Could not find XML attribute %s' % name)
        else:
            return None
    return n.attrib[key]


def get_element_by_id(id, html):
    """Return the content of the tag with the specified ID in the passed HTML document"""
    return get_element_by_attribute('id', id, html)


def get_element_by_class(class_name, html):
    """Return the content of the first tag with the specified class in the passed HTML document"""
    retval = get_elements_by_class(class_name, html)
    return retval[0] if retval else None


def get_element_by_attribute(attribute, value, html, escape_value=True):
    retval = get_elements_by_attribute(attribute, value, html, escape_value)

View on GitHub (pinned to 956b8c5855)

Solutions

1. Check that the XML element has the expected attribute; update youtube-dl if the format changed.

When it happens

Trigger: Thrown at youtube_dl/utils.py:1973 when the library encounters an invalid state.

Common situations: See trigger scenarios.

AI-assisted analysis of ytdl-org/youtube-dl@956b8c5855 (2026-08-14). Data as JSON: /api/errors/75a1cb32e30958d8. Report an issue: GitHub.