totem-video-thumbnailer

totem-video-thumbnailer input_video_file output_thumbnail_file

input_video_file
    The path to the video file for which to generate a thumbnail.

output_thumbnail_file
    The path to the file where the generated thumbnail image should be saved.

The `totem-video-thumbnailer` command generates thumbnails for video files.

It is typically invoked by file managers like Nautilus or other desktop environment components to provide visual previews of video files. The command uses the Totem video player's backend, GStreamer, to decode the video and capture a frame for the thumbnail. It attempts to automatically choose a representative frame, often from the middle of the video or a scene change.

The generated thumbnail is then saved as an image file (typically a PNG) in the user's thumbnail cache. This allows for faster loading of file browser windows, as the video doesn't need to be decoded every time the folder is viewed. While primarily intended for background usage, `totem-video-thumbnailer` can also be executed directly from the command line, useful for testing or batch processing of video files. The output size of the thumbnail is configurable, controlled by desktop environment settings or indirectly via command line arguments.

This command relies on GStreamer and the necessary codecs being installed to decode the specified video file. Failure to have the correct codecs will result in thumbnail generation failure.

The command might be influenced by environment variables that affect GStreamer's behavior, such as `GST_PLUGIN_PATH` or `GST_DEBUG`.

If the thumbnail generation fails (e.g., due to missing codecs or a corrupted video file), the command typically exits with a non-zero status code. Check your system logs if the command generates no thumbnails.

The `totem-video-thumbnailer` command is part of the Totem video player project, developed as part of the GNOME desktop environment. It was created to provide a standard way for GNOME applications to generate video thumbnails, improving the user experience by visually representing video files in file browsers and other applications.

ffmpegthumbnailer(1), mplayer(1), vlc(1)