NodeAV

node-av / lib / InputFormat

Class: InputFormat ​

Defined in: src/lib/input-format.ts:46

Input format descriptor for demuxing media files.

Represents a demuxer that can read and parse specific media container formats. Each format handles specific file types (e.g., MP4, MKV, AVI) and knows how to extract streams and packets from them. Used to identify and open media files for reading.

Direct mapping to FFmpeg's AVInputFormat.

Example ​

typescript
import { InputFormat, FormatContext, FFmpegError } from 'node-av';

// Find format by name
const mp4Format = InputFormat.findInputFormat('mp4');
if (mp4Format) {
  console.log(`Format: ${mp4Format.name}`);
  console.log(`Description: ${mp4Format.longName}`);
  console.log(`Extensions: ${mp4Format.extensions}`);
}

// Probe format from file data
const fileData = Buffer.from([...]); // First few KB of file
const detectedFormat = InputFormat.probe(fileData, 'video.mp4');
if (detectedFormat) {
  console.log(`Detected: ${detectedFormat.name}`);
}

// Use with format context
const formatContext = new FormatContext();
formatContext.inputFormat = mp4Format;
const ret = await formatContext.openInput('video.mp4');
FFmpegError.throwIfError(ret, 'openInput');

See ​

Implements ​

Constructors ​

Constructor ​

new InputFormat(native): InputFormat

Defined in: src/lib/input-format.ts:54

Internal

Parameters ​

native ​

NativeInputFormat

The native input format instance

Returns ​

InputFormat

Accessors ​

extensions ​

Get Signature ​

get extensions(): string | null

Defined in: src/lib/input-format.ts:259

File extensions.

Comma-separated list of file extensions for this format.

Direct mapping to AVInputFormat->extensions.

Returns ​

string | null

flags ​

Get Signature ​

get flags(): AVFormatFlag

Defined in: src/lib/input-format.ts:281

Format flags.

Combination of AVFMT_* flags indicating format capabilities.

Direct mapping to AVInputFormat->flags.

Returns ​

AVFormatFlag

longName ​

Get Signature ​

get longName(): string | null

Defined in: src/lib/input-format.ts:248

Format long name.

Human-readable description of the format.

Direct mapping to AVInputFormat->long_name.

Returns ​

string | null

mimeType ​

Get Signature ​

get mimeType(): string | null

Defined in: src/lib/input-format.ts:270

MIME type.

MIME type(s) associated with this format.

Direct mapping to AVInputFormat->mime_type.

Returns ​

string | null

name ​

Get Signature ​

get name(): string | null

Defined in: src/lib/input-format.ts:237

Format short name.

Short identifier for the format (e.g., 'mp4', 'mkv').

Direct mapping to AVInputFormat->name.

Returns ​

string | null

Methods ​

getNative() ​

getNative(): NativeInputFormat

Defined in: src/lib/input-format.ts:321

Internal

Get the underlying native InputFormat object.

Returns ​

NativeInputFormat

The native InputFormat binding object

Implementation of ​

NativeWrapper.getNative

hasFlags() ​

hasFlags(...flags): boolean

Defined in: src/lib/input-format.ts:305

Check if input format has specific flags.

Tests whether all specified flags are set using bitwise AND.

Parameters ​

flags ​

...AVFormatFlag[]

One or more flag values to check

Returns ​

boolean

true if all specified flags are set, false otherwise

Example ​

typescript
import { AVFMT_NOFILE } from 'node-av/constants';

if (inputFormat.hasFlags(AVFMT_NOFILE)) {
  console.log('This format does not need a file');
}

See ​

flags For direct flags access

findInputFormat() ​

static findInputFormat(shortName): InputFormat | null

Defined in: src/lib/input-format.ts:84

Find input format by short name.

Searches for a demuxer by its short name identifier.

Direct mapping to av_find_input_format().

Parameters ​

shortName ​

string

Format short name (e.g., 'mp4', 'mkv', 'avi')

Returns ​

InputFormat | null

Input format if found, null otherwise

Example ​

typescript
// Find specific formats
const mp4 = InputFormat.findInputFormat('mp4');
const mkv = InputFormat.findInputFormat('matroska');
const avi = InputFormat.findInputFormat('avi');

// Check if format is available
if (!mp4) {
  console.error('MP4 format not available');
}

See ​

probe To auto-detect format

probe() ​

static probe(buffer, filename?): InputFormat | null

Defined in: src/lib/input-format.ts:124

Probe format from buffer data.

Analyzes buffer content to determine the media format. Optionally uses filename for additional format hints.

Direct mapping to av_probe_input_format2().

Parameters ​

buffer ​

Buffer

Buffer containing file header/start

filename? ​

string

Optional filename for format hints

Returns ​

InputFormat | null

Detected format, or null if not recognized

Example ​

typescript
import { readFileSync } from 'fs';

// Read first 4KB for probing
const data = readFileSync('video.mp4').subarray(0, 4096);
const format = InputFormat.probe(data, 'video.mp4');

if (format) {
  console.log(`Detected format: ${format.name}`);
} else {
  console.error('Unknown format');
}

See ​

probeBuffer() ​

static probeBuffer(ioContext, maxProbeSize?): Promise<InputFormat | null>

Defined in: src/lib/input-format.ts:165

Probe format from IO context.

Reads data from an IO context to determine format. Useful for custom IO scenarios and network streams.

Direct mapping to av_probe_input_buffer2().

Parameters ​

ioContext ​

NativeWrapper<NativeIOContext>

IO context to read from

maxProbeSize? ​

number

Maximum bytes to read for probing

Returns ​

Promise<InputFormat | null>

Detected format, or null if not recognized

Example ​

typescript
import { IOContext } from 'node-av';

// Create custom IO context
const ioContext = new IOContext();
// ... configure IO context ...

// Probe format
const format = await InputFormat.probeBuffer(ioContext, 32768);
if (format) {
  console.log(`Stream format: ${format.name}`);
}

See ​

probe For buffer probing

probeBufferSync() ​

static probeBufferSync(ioContext, maxProbeSize?): InputFormat | null

Defined in: src/lib/input-format.ts:215

Probe format from IO context synchronously. Synchronous version of probeBuffer.

Reads data from an IO context to determine format. Useful for custom IO scenarios and network streams.

Direct mapping to av_probe_input_buffer2().

Parameters ​

ioContext ​

NativeWrapper<NativeIOContext>

IO context to read from

maxProbeSize? ​

number

Maximum bytes to read for probing

Returns ​

InputFormat | null

Detected format, or null if not recognized

Example ​

typescript
import { IOContext } from 'node-av';

// Create IO context
const ioContext = new IOContext();
// ... configure IO context ...

// Probe format
const format = InputFormat.probeBufferSync(ioContext, 32768);
if (format) {
  console.log(`Format: ${format.name}`);
}

See ​

probeBuffer For async version