Avidemux Forum

Since times i'd been using Avidemux (on Windows 10 x64) especially for cutting videos, mostly in "copy" mode to MP4, sometimes converting (then audio codec AAC (lav), video codec MPEG4 AVC x264).
In most cases without any problems. So my big thanks and big respect for this wonderful software at this place!

'Historically' i'd been using the "win64" nighlys. I noticed this had not been updated since ages, the last one is from Dec. 2024:  avidemux_r241212_win64Qt5_9.zip.
Meanwhile i doubt there will be an update next time, but i'd be interested in, because i don't like
the manner to avoid the leftover index files, actually via environment variables, eg. ADM_NOINDEX_MP4, ADM_NOINDEX_WEBM etc.
I'd like to see finally the setting/option for this which had been announced once.
So now for the first time i tried the VC version (vsWin64\Avidemux_2.8.2 VC++ 64bits 250526.exe).
Why the first time? Because i'd been using my own .vbs scripts to unzip, copy and integrate my settings into a fresh distribution, rename the avidemux.exe to avidemux_portable.exe etc. -  with one click.
So i had ignored the install exe based VC version, which anyhow appears to require an installation process.
I tried some measures to extract the install exe (via 7zip, winrar, universal extractor), but no chance.
Why i don't like an installation? Because a) it leaves entries within the start menu and registry, which i don't want to have (portable instead), and b) it hinders to use a script for to integrate existing settings into any new distribution 'automated'. Having a chance to extract the VC install exe, then one could do such.

So my first question: is there really no chance to extract the installation executable from the VC distrib via any tool??

By that occasion i'd noticed a few minor things i wasn't really aware of since ages, so i'd like to ask (very noob quests i belieave):
I don't really needed the internal player for working when doing cuts (stepping forwards or backwards when location the cut markers is sufficient), and once i'd set Audio: "Local playback downmixing" to "Stereo headphones" and "Andio device" to "Dummy".
So, for to go really sure, the noob question: this really applies to the ADM's builtin player only and has absolutely nothing to do with the resulting file, right?
(It would be nice to see a short sentence within the preferences's audio page explaining the scope for what it applies).

Similar "historical" i'd be still using the MP4v2 container codec for the copy operations (needed MP4 instead mostly only when the input file had "AV1" format).
I'd read now in some threads here that "MP4v2" is old and obsolete and shouldn't be used any longer.
Q: is the anywhere some more information known that explains a bit more why MP4v2 is obsolete, and in how far it might have drawbacks to use?

Quote from: me444 on December 23, 2025, 09:25:59 PMis there really no chance to extract the installation executable from the VC distrib via any tool??

In principle, this is absolutely possible as the installer (which includes a full, statically linked Qt, making it huge) is just a set of concatenated 7z archives (open the installer in a hex editor and search for bytes "0x37 0x7A 0xBC 0xAF" marking the start of each archive). Someone from a Russian computer forum posted a (PowerShell?) script to automate extraction, can't find it ATM.

Quote from: me444 on December 23, 2025, 09:25:59 PMI don't really needed the internal player for working when doing cuts (stepping forwards or backwards when location the cut markers is sufficient), and once i'd set Audio: "Local playback downmixing" to "Stereo headphones" and "Andio device" to "Dummy".

Well, having a picture for a specific time offset is the whole purpose of using the graphical Avidemux app instead of the CLI one (or ffmpeg). Audio settings regarding playback affect only playback of the source video in Avidemux app(s) using the given Avidemux profile where this setting is stored. They bear no relation to output.

Quote from: me444 on December 23, 2025, 09:25:59 PMI'd read now in some threads here that "MP4v2" is old and obsolete and shouldn't be used any longer.
Q: is the anywhere some more information known that explains a bit more why MP4v2 is obsolete, and in how far it might have drawbacks to use?

For a prolonged period of time, the underlying libmp4v2 library was abandoned, i.e. no development whatever, not even security fixes. Recently, development has been resumed. However, the libmp4v2 version bundled with Avidemux is ancient even in comparison with libmp4v2 when it was abandoned. The muxer plugin in Avidemux has received no improvements, especially regarding more suitable time bases (MP4v2 uses just 1/90000 hardcoded) or codec support.

Configurable options for indexing will be added, sorry for dropping the ball for so long.

Thousand thanks eumagga0x2a for your detailed response! .... And, btw, i wish you merry Christmas!

About the scope of the Audio preferences: thank you, now one can be sure that it really doesn't affect the output.

About the MP4v2 muxer: ok, maybe i'll try to get some additional info in the net about the outside fate (and reasons why) of the abandoned underlying libmp4v2 library later.
(I already just saw "Yet the project has been abandoned since 2015 with the last official release dating back even further to 2012." in mp4v2.org)
I'd interprete for now that basically MP4 at least fully valid replaced it today. If i assume wrong, please correct me ...

Configurable options for indexing: this would be a very good thing indeed.

About the extraction of the installer executable, sounds that would, additionally on top, imply a nested loop along embedded 7z archives inside, anchored at certain offsets, oh.
For the script you mentioned: if you occasionally should remember the location of the script some day, there is at least one interested party here ... ;-)
Some specific meaningful keywords that might point and limit a net research to find it could be helpful too though ...

But, i'd like to mention: don't know how the setup exe actually is made (earlier it had been via NSIS afaik), and in how far it is actually influenced by own scripts controlling the flow. Obviousluy it already allows command line parameters, eg. -silent.
Why no allowing something like "-silent -expandonly" skipping all ops not dealing with the content expansion?
Would make the life easier for portable fans.
I'd give to consider.