using an unsupported version of Python [fixed itself?]

[gd0666]

Checklist

• I'm reporting a bug unrelated to a specific site.
• I've verified that I'm running the latest version of yt-dlp.
• I've verified that I'm running the latest stable version of Seal or any later preview versions.
• I've read the Contributing guidelines and Code Of Conduct.
• I've checked that the site i'm trying to download from is in the Supported Sites list from yt-dlp
• I understand that the issue will be (ignored/closed) if I intentionally remove or skip any mandatory field.

Describe the bug

I regularly download music with seal from YouTube which has worked until recently.
If I remember I had the same bug on my other android device which is an OPPO but was able to fix it by clearing the cache and updating the yt-dlp.

On my phone, used exclusively for music and outdoor activities however said fix didn't work.
I tried downloading another video in my preferred settings (max quality, audio only, convert to mp3) which has a length of 2:37 which worked just fine.

EDIT As I tried reproducing the bug in order to provide screenshots it suddenly simply worked...
Since I am definitely not schizophrenic and the bug might provide some benefit as feedback I am still going to post it

EDIT NO.2 I forgot to mention that I also changed my version from nightly to stable before trying to reproduce the bug. This might be an important detail.

As always, thanks for your insanely great app. I can't even tell you how much I appreciate each and everyone contributing to such a great project.
And sorry if my bug report is lacking.

To Reproduce

1. Go to URL: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=iwaig04vZu4
2. Copy and paste (or share) into Seal
3. Try downloading in the above mentioned settings
4. ???
5. Profit

Error reports

App version: 1.13.0-(F-Droid) (11301)
Device information: Android 11 (API 30)
Supported ABIs: [armeabi-v7a, armeabi]
Yt-dlp version: 2024.10.25.232902

URL: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=iwaig04vZu4
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/data/user/0/com.junkfood.seal/no_backup/youtubedl-android/packages/python/usr/lib/python3.8/runpy.py", line 192, in _run_module_as_main
return _run_code(code, main_globals, None,
File "/data/user/0/com.junkfood.seal/no_backup/youtubedl-android/packages/python/usr/lib/python3.8/runpy.py", line 85, in _run_code
exec(code, run_globals)
File "/data/user/0/com.junkfood.seal/no_backup/youtubedl-android/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/main.py", line 14, in
File "", line 259, in load_module
File "/data/user/0/com.junkfood.seal/no_backup/youtubedl-android/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/yt_dlp/init.py", line 4, in
ImportError: You are using an unsupported version of Python. Only Python versions 3.9 and above are supported by yt-dlp

Screenshots & Screen Records

Additional context

Additional Infos about my phone:

Redmi Note 9A (M2006C3LG)
MIUI Global / 12.5.7 stable / 12.5.7(RCDEUXM)
32GB Storage
2GB Ram
CPU Helio G25 Octa-core Max. 2Ghz
Android 11 RPA.200720.11
KERNEL 4.19.127-perf-ga0b9294047ee
Baseband MOLY.LR12A.R3.MP.V134.1.P75
The "add 0.5 GB RAM" option is disabled since it just works when you have enough disk space apparently
Banged up because of daily use in the outdoors
below 1GB Storage left
Has no Sim
Doesn't support 5G or 5Ghz WiFi
If you haven't used that specific phone it is insanely slow and can't even run two apps at the same time without one of them crashing.
If you're actively downloading something changing from viewing the progress to let's say just looking at the desktop/home screen may lead to a crash

Final note: it took 15 minutes for the download to finish on a steady 6Mbit wifi connection.

[Noitarud]

I came on to say I got a similar error, it failed saying python too old "Only Python versions 3.9 and above are supported by yt-dlp" however the issue is I refused all the updates of seal - how could it now not want to use the 3.8 that was installed?
Presently 1.12.0

[gd0666]

I came on to say I got a similar error, it failed saying python too old "Only Python versions 3.9 and above are supported by yt-dlp" however the issue is I refused all the updates of seal - how could it now not want to use the 3.8 that was installed? Presently 1.12.0

That would make you the third person that I've seen in the issues section of this app that has the same problem.
Pretty sure this isn't just our fault but something worth of a fix.
In the meantime maybe try the steps I took for a possible workaround :

• close Seal
• update to the newest stable version of Seal
• update yt-dlp
• restart phone
• tap and hold app symbol (of seal)
• go to an option named "app info" or "about"
• look for the option to delete the cache
• launch seal
• try downloading another video
• if successful download the original intended video
• if unsuccessful tap the cog symbol in the upper left corner
• tap "general" and the cog symbol on the right
• change the chosen build (from nightly to stable or vice versa)
• close Seal
• clear cache
• Start seal
• try downloading again

Hope that works for you, my guy.

[bashonly]

update seal to version 1.13.1

[gd0666]

update seal to version 1.13.1

The newest available version on F-Droid is 1.13.0 though.
And I am way too lazy to look up another way to side load apps especially when it seems like it fixed itself.
But thanks for the general recommendation. If I encounter another bug like this and there is a newer version that ain't on F-Droid yet, I will of course look into it and educate myself.

[Noitarud]

I still had "auto update" ticked - so what might have happened was it checked for the latest version of seal and updated yt-dlp without user consent and then nagged user to update seal.

Auto update for yt-dlp is on general settings
Auto update for seal on "about" settings

so, solved.

obviously yt-dlp people need to signify major changes, maybe by major version increment and if they do that, the seal author can prevent updates that could break it. yt-dlp included with 12 is too old for yt.

[bashonly]

yt-dlp maintainer here.

obviously yt-dlp people need to signify major changes

Back at the beginning of June we announced we would be removing support for Python 3.8 in October 2024, and we pinned the announcement to the top of our issue tracker.

We added a deprecation warning to the program in September and made another announcement in the changelog before the removal of Python 3.8 support.

We have added yet another announcement to the changelog of all releases that have removed Python 3.8 support. Note that we have not even removed 3.8 support from yt-dlp stable releases yet. This change has only been made in nightly/master so far.

The Python Software Foundation itself stopped supporting Python 3.8 completely on 2024.10.07.

maybe by major version increment and if they do that

yt-dlp uses calendar versioning, so no such thing could be done.

the seal author can prevent updates that could break it

Perhaps Seal and/or youtubedl-android could parse/check the yt-dlp lockfile (which yt-dlp's self-updater uses to regulate upgrades)? yt-dlp would need to write/publish a specification for this file first, though