How do I find duplicate media files with dano?

Use the --dupes mode with a file list, such as 'find . -type f | dano --dupes', which outputs files with identical internal bitstreams regardless of container or metadata changes, similar to fdupes but for media content.

dano vs hashdeep for media integrity?

dano focuses on hashing internal media streams via ffmpeg, making checksums stable across metadata edits, while hashdeep hashes entire files, which can change with tags or containers. dano is better for media-specific integrity, but hashdeep is more general-purpose.

How to install dano on Ubuntu?

Use the PPA from the repository or build from source with Rust; for example, install cargo and ffmpeg, then run 'cargo install dano'. Native Debian packages are also available in releases for easier setup.

Can dano verify checksums after converting video formats?

Yes, as shown in the README with MKV to MP4 conversion, dano can verify the same media stream across different containers using stored checksums, ensuring integrity despite format changes.

Does dano work with MP3 or other lossy audio files?

Yes, dano works with any ffmpeg-compatible format, including lossy files like MP3, by hashing the decoded or encoded streams, though checksums may vary if decoding options differ.

How to import FLAC checksums into dano?

Use the --import-flac flag, which reads embedded MD5 checksums from FLAC files and stores them as dano checksums in xattrs or hash files, allowing unified verification across formats.

Open-Awesome

dano

MPL-2.0Rust0.10.1

A wrapper for ffmpeg that checksums internal media streams, enabling stable verification across metadata and container changes.

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What is dano?

dano is a command-line utility that generates and verifies checksums for the internal audio and video streams within media files using ffmpeg. It solves the problem of unstable file hashes when metadata or containers change, providing reliable integrity checking for media collections. Unlike traditional tools like hashdeep, dano focuses on the actual media content, making it ideal for archivists and collectors.

Target Audience

Media archivists, audio/video collectors, and developers managing large libraries of lossless or lossy media files who need reliable integrity verification across format conversions and metadata edits.

Value Proposition

Developers choose dano because it brings FLAC-like stream checksumming to all major media formats via a simple, fast CLI. Its ability to detect duplicates based on internal bitstreams—regardless of container or tags—and its support for multiple hash algorithms and storage methods make it uniquely powerful for media integrity workflows.

Overview

A hashdeep/md5tree (but much more) for media files

Use Cases

Best For

Verifying integrity of media files after metadata tag edits
Finding duplicate audio/video files with identical content but different containers
Maintaining checksum consistency when converting between media formats
Auditing large media libraries for bit-level preservation
Importing and verifying existing FLAC checksums in a unified workflow
Performing fast, concurrent checksumming of media collections

Not Ideal For

Users on Windows who need out-of-the-box support without compilation
Projects requiring checksums for non-media files like documents or executables
Teams that prefer graphical interfaces over command-line tools for media management

Pros & Cons

Pros

Stream-Based Integrity

Hashes actual media streams via ffmpeg, ensuring checksums remain valid after metadata changes or container swaps, as shown in the Sample.mkv to test2.mp4 conversion example.

Flexible Hash Storage

Stores checksums in extended file attributes (xattrs) or separate hash files, with automatic reading from both, offering multiple persistence options without locking users into a single method.

Duplicate Detection

Identifies duplicate media files based on identical internal bitstreams, useful for cleaning up libraries where files have different containers or tags, as demonstrated with FLAC copies.

FLAC Integration

Imports existing checksums from FLAC files and verifies them, seamlessly extending FLAC's built-in checksumming to other formats like ALAC or MP4.

Cons

Platform Limitations

Only tested on MacOS and Linux, with Windows support requiring manual compilation and potential issues, as acknowledged in the README's caveat about minor changes needed.

External Dependencies

Requires ffmpeg for media processing and metaflac for FLAC import, adding setup complexity and potential installation hurdles, especially in restricted environments.

Niche Focus

Designed solely for media files, making it ineffective for general-purpose checksum needs, which limits utility in mixed file collections or non-media workflows.

Frequently Asked Questions

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