How to Use the Command 'bdfr' (with Examples)

The Bulk Downloader for Reddit (bdfr) is a powerful command-line utility designed to efficiently download media and data from Reddit. Whether you’re archiving your favorite content, analyzing user submissions, or saving resources for offline access, bdfr provides a flexible and customizable toolset to retrieve both media files and textual data from Reddit’s vast archives.

Use Case 1: Download Videos/Images from Specified Links

Code:

bdfr download path/to/output_directory -l post_url

Motivation:

You might want to download specific media content from Reddit posts that you’ve come across and found interesting. This use case allows you to focus on individual posts, saving their videos or images directly to your device for personal use, analysis, or archiving.

Explanation:

• bdfr download: Initiates the download process for the specified content.
• path/to/output_directory: This is where the downloaded media will be saved on your local machine. Replace this with your preferred directory path.
• -l post_url: The ‘-l’ flag identifies that you’re specifying a list of post URLs or post IDs from which the media will be downloaded. Replace post_url with the actual URL or ID of the Reddit post.

Example Output:

Downloading a cute cat video from a specified Reddit post, you can expect a corresponding video file named something like cat_video.mp4 in your output directory.

Use Case 2: Download Maximum Media from a Specified User

Code:

bdfr download path/to/output_directory -u reddit_user --submitted

Motivation:

This use case is perfect when researching or following a particular Reddit user’s submissions. Whether the user is renowned for high-quality content or you simply want to back up posts from your own profile, this command ensures you can download as much media content as possible from their submissions.

Explanation:

• bdfr download: Begins the downloading of media.
• path/to/output_directory: The desired folder where you plan to store these downloaded files.
• -u reddit_user: The ‘-u’ flag is used to specify the Reddit user whose content you wish to download. Substitute reddit_user with the actual username.
• --submitted: This flag tells bdfr to focus on the user’s submitted posts, not comments or other activities.

Example Output:

After execution, your directory will be filled with media files from the specified user’s timeline, named appropriately according to Reddit’s download conventions.

Use Case 3: Download Limited Submission Data from Multiple Subreddits

Code:

bdfr archive path/to/output_directory -s 'Python, all, mindustry' -L 10

Motivation:

Sometimes, the goal is to gather data for analysis rather than media. This use case is excellent for downloading submission metadata, which includes details such as text content, upvotes, and comments from several subreddits, while placing caps on the number of submissions per subreddit to keep the dataset manageable.

Explanation:

• bdfr archive: A command variant for downloading submission data as opposed to media files.
• path/to/output_directory: Specify the directory path to store the downloaded data files.
• -s 'Python, all, mindustry': The ‘-s’ flag designates individual subreddits. In this case, we’re gathering data from ‘Python’, ‘all’ (meaning the global feed), and ‘mindustry’.
• -L 10: The ‘-L’ flag limits the number of submissions to 10 per subreddit.

Example Output:

Three files, potentially named Python_data.txt, all_data.txt, mindustry_data.txt, containing data like post text, comments, etc., will be available in the output directory.

Use Case 4: Download Videos/Images from Subreddit r/Python Sorted by Top

Code:

bdfr download path/to/output_directory -s Python -S top -t all -L 10

Motivation:

If you’re interested in collecting top-rated media from specific subreddits, rather than just the most recent or random ones, this command allows one to curate a list based on community approval — ideal for educational purposes or content recommendations.

Explanation:

• bdfr download: Kickstarts the download for media files according to the criteria set.
• path/to/output_directory: Local storage path for the media files.
• -s Python: Identifies ‘Python’ as the subreddit of interest.
• -S top: The ‘-S’ flag signifies sorting preference, switching from the default ‘hot’ to ’top’ for highly rated content.
• -t all: Uses the ‘-t’ flag to apply a comprehensive time filter, ensuring inclusion of posts regardless of age.
• -L 10: Maintenance of limit to only the 10 top submissions.

Example Output:

Collection of ten top-rated media files from r/Python over all time, perhaps named python_top1.jpg, python_top2.mp4, etc., will appear in the chosen directory.

Use Case 5: Download Maximum Media and Data from Subreddit Skipping Certain Files

Code:

bdfr clone path/to/output_directory -s Python --skip mp4 --skip gif --make-hard-links

Motivation:

For individuals looking to download comprehensive datasets but wish to exclude particular file types (perhaps for storage efficiency), this command allows such fine-tuned operations. It’s useful for operations requiring text analysis or specific file type collections.

Explanation:

• bdfr clone: This command facilitates both media and metadata download.
• path/to/output_directory: Indicates storage location on your system.
• -s Python: Specifies the subreddit ‘Python’ for the operation.
• --skip mp4: Excludes downloading files with ‘.mp4’ extension.
• --skip gif: Further excludes files with ‘.gif’ extension.
• --make-hard-links: Ensures that duplicate files in the local filesystem are linked, saving space.

Example Output:

Your directory will now house comprehensive Reddit collections from r/Python, with duplicates hard linked and file formats mp4 and gif omitted.

Use Case 6: Download Authenticated User’s Saved Posts with Custom Naming

Code:

bdfr download path/to/output_directory --user me --saved --authenticate --file-scheme '{POSTID}_{TITLE}_{UPVOTES}' --no-dupes --search-existing

Motivation:

Highly suited for users ensuring their saved Reddit posts are downloaded for offline access or backup. The custom naming format allows for easy identification, and duplication prevention provides an efficient file management practice.

Explanation:

• bdfr download: Initiates the download process.
• path/to/output_directory: Where you want your saved posts downloaded.
• --user me: Indicates operation on the authenticated user’s data.
• --saved: Targets only the user’s saved posts.
• --authenticate: Requires user authentication, ensures security and correct data access.
• --file-scheme '{POSTID}_{TITLE}_{UPVOTES}': Custom file naming; incorporates post ID, title, and upvotes for file label.
• --no-dupes: Prevents downloading duplicate files.
• --search-existing: Ensures not to download resources already present in the destination folder.

Example Output:

Your saved posts file will be cataloged uniquely, e.g., t3_abc123_SampleTitle_500.jpeg, providing an organized, offline collection.

Conclusion

The bdfr tool is a versatile command-line solution for anyone needing bulk data retrieval from Reddit. Whether your requirement is data archiving, user-generated content download, or selective media acquisition, bdfr provides a robust set of options to tailor the downloading process to fit your exact needs. By understanding the various flags and options, you can efficiently harness Reddit’s vast resources and tailor the output to your specifications and needs.