Files
yt-local/youtube/channel.py
Astounds e8e2aa93d6 fix(channel): fix shorts/streams pagination using continuation tokens
- Add continuation_token_cache to store ctokens between page requests
- Use cached ctoken for page 2+ instead of generating fresh tokens
- Switch shorts/streams to Next/Previous buttons (no page numbers)
- Show "N+ videos" indicator when more pages are available
- Fix UnboundLocalError when page_call was undefined for shorts/streams

The issue was that YouTube's InnerTube API requires continuation tokens
for pagination on shorts/streams tabs, but the code was generating a new
ctoken each time, always returning the same 30 videos.
2026-04-05 18:19:05 -05:00

663 lines
25 KiB
Python

import base64
from youtube import (util, yt_data_extract, local_playlist, subscriptions,
playlist)
from youtube import yt_app
import settings
import urllib
import json
from string import Template
import youtube.proto as proto
import html
import math
import gevent
import re
import cachetools.func
import traceback
import flask
from flask import request
headers_desktop = (
('Accept', '*/*'),
('Accept-Language', 'en-US,en;q=0.5'),
('X-YouTube-Client-Name', '1'),
('X-YouTube-Client-Version', '2.20180830'),
) + util.desktop_ua
headers_mobile = (
('Accept', '*/*'),
('Accept-Language', 'en-US,en;q=0.5'),
('X-YouTube-Client-Name', '2'),
('X-YouTube-Client-Version', '2.20180830'),
) + util.mobile_ua
real_cookie = (('Cookie', 'VISITOR_INFO1_LIVE=8XihrAcN1l4'),)
generic_cookie = (('Cookie', 'VISITOR_INFO1_LIVE=ST1Ti53r4fU'),)
# FIXED 2026: YouTube changed continuation token structure (from Invidious commit a9f8127)
# Sort values for YouTube API (from Invidious): 2=popular, 4=newest, 5=oldest
def channel_ctoken_v5(channel_id, page, sort, tab, view=1):
# Tab-specific protobuf field numbers (from Invidious source)
# Each tab uses different field numbers in the protobuf structure:
# videos: 110 -> 3 -> 15 -> { 2:{1:UUID}, 4:sort, 8:{1:UUID, 3:sort} }
# shorts: 110 -> 3 -> 10 -> { 2:{1:UUID}, 4:sort, 7:{1:UUID, 3:sort} }
# streams: 110 -> 3 -> 14 -> { 2:{1:UUID}, 5:sort, 8:{1:UUID, 3:sort} }
tab_config = {
'videos': {'tab_field': 15, 'sort_field': 4, 'embedded_field': 8},
'shorts': {'tab_field': 10, 'sort_field': 4, 'embedded_field': 7},
'streams': {'tab_field': 14, 'sort_field': 5, 'embedded_field': 8},
}
config = tab_config.get(tab, tab_config['videos'])
tab_field = config['tab_field']
sort_field = config['sort_field']
embedded_field = config['embedded_field']
# Map sort values to YouTube API values
if tab == 'streams':
sort_mapping = {'1': 14, '2': 13, '3': 12, '4': 12}
else:
sort_mapping = {'1': 2, '2': 5, '3': 4, '4': 4}
new_sort = sort_mapping.get(sort, sort_mapping['3'])
# UUID placeholder (field 1)
uuid_str = "00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000"
# Build the tab-level object matching Invidious structure exactly:
# { 2: embedded{1: UUID}, sort_field: sort_val, embedded_field: embedded{1: UUID, 3: sort_val} }
tab_content = (
proto.string(2, proto.string(1, uuid_str))
+ proto.uint(sort_field, new_sort)
+ proto.string(embedded_field,
proto.string(1, uuid_str) + proto.uint(3, new_sort))
)
tab_wrapper = proto.string(tab_field, tab_content)
inner_container = proto.string(3, tab_wrapper)
outer_container = proto.string(110, inner_container)
encoded_inner = proto.percent_b64encode(outer_container)
pointless_nest = proto.string(80226972,
proto.string(2, channel_id)
+ proto.string(3, encoded_inner)
)
return base64.urlsafe_b64encode(pointless_nest).decode('ascii')
def channel_about_ctoken(channel_id):
return proto.make_protobuf(
('base64p',
[
[2, 80226972,
[
[2, 2, channel_id],
[2, 3,
('base64p',
[
[2, 110,
[
[2, 3,
[
[2, 19,
[
[2, 1, b'66b0e9e9-0000-2820-9589-582429a83980'],
]
],
]
],
]
],
]
)
],
]
],
]
)
)
# https://github.com/user234683/youtube-local/issues/151
def channel_ctoken_v4(channel_id, page, sort, tab, view=1):
new_sort = (2 if int(sort) == 1 else 1)
offset = str(30*(int(page) - 1))
pointless_nest = proto.string(80226972,
proto.string(2, channel_id)
+ proto.string(3,
proto.percent_b64encode(
proto.string(110,
proto.string(3,
proto.string(15,
proto.string(1,
proto.string(1,
proto.unpadded_b64encode(
proto.string(1,
proto.unpadded_b64encode(
proto.string(2,
b"ST:"
+ proto.unpadded_b64encode(
proto.string(2, offset)
)
)
)
)
)
)
# targetId, just needs to be present but
# doesn't need to be correct
+ proto.string(2, "63faaff0-0000-23fe-80f0-582429d11c38")
)
# 1 - newest, 2 - popular
+ proto.uint(3, new_sort)
)
)
)
)
)
)
return base64.urlsafe_b64encode(pointless_nest).decode('ascii')
# SORT:
# videos:
# Newest - 3
# Last video added - 4
# view:
# grid: 0 or 1
# list: 2
def channel_ctoken_v3(channel_id, page, sort, tab, view=1):
# page > 1 doesn't work when sorting by oldest
offset = 30*(int(page) - 1)
page_token = proto.string(61, proto.unpadded_b64encode(
proto.string(1, proto.unpadded_b64encode(proto.uint(1,offset)))
))
tab = proto.string(2, tab)
sort = proto.uint(3, int(sort))
shelf_view = proto.uint(4, 0)
view = proto.uint(6, int(view))
continuation_info = proto.string(3,
proto.percent_b64encode(tab + sort + shelf_view + view + page_token)
)
channel_id = proto.string(2, channel_id)
pointless_nest = proto.string(80226972, channel_id + continuation_info)
return base64.urlsafe_b64encode(pointless_nest).decode('ascii')
def channel_ctoken_v2(channel_id, page, sort, tab, view=1):
# see https://github.com/iv-org/invidious/issues/1319#issuecomment-671732646
# page > 1 doesn't work when sorting by oldest
offset = 30*(int(page) - 1)
schema_number = {
3: 6307666885028338688,
2: 17254859483345278706,
1: 16570086088270825023,
}[int(sort)]
page_token = proto.string(61, proto.unpadded_b64encode(proto.string(1,
proto.uint(1, schema_number) + proto.string(2,
proto.string(1, proto.unpadded_b64encode(proto.uint(1,offset)))
)
)))
tab = proto.string(2, tab)
sort = proto.uint(3, int(sort))
#page = proto.string(15, str(page))
shelf_view = proto.uint(4, 0)
view = proto.uint(6, int(view))
continuation_info = proto.string(
3,
proto.percent_b64encode(tab + sort + shelf_view + view + page_token)
)
channel_id = proto.string(2, channel_id)
pointless_nest = proto.string(80226972, channel_id + continuation_info)
return base64.urlsafe_b64encode(pointless_nest).decode('ascii')
def channel_ctoken_v1(channel_id, page, sort, tab, view=1):
tab = proto.string(2, tab)
sort = proto.uint(3, int(sort))
page = proto.string(15, str(page))
# example with shelves in videos tab: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNL1ZadSjHpjm4q9j2sVtOA/videos
shelf_view = proto.uint(4, 0)
view = proto.uint(6, int(view))
continuation_info = proto.string(3, proto.percent_b64encode(tab + view + sort + shelf_view + page + proto.uint(23, 0)) )
channel_id = proto.string(2, channel_id)
pointless_nest = proto.string(80226972, channel_id + continuation_info)
return base64.urlsafe_b64encode(pointless_nest).decode('ascii')
def get_channel_tab(channel_id, page="1", sort=3, tab='videos', view=1,
ctoken=None, print_status=True):
message = 'Got channel tab' if print_status else None
if not ctoken:
if tab in ('videos', 'shorts', 'streams'):
ctoken = channel_ctoken_v5(channel_id, page, sort, tab, view)
else:
ctoken = channel_ctoken_v3(channel_id, page, sort, tab, view)
ctoken = ctoken.replace('=', '%3D')
# Not sure what the purpose of the key is or whether it will change
# For now it seems to be constant for the API endpoint, not dependent
# on the browsing session or channel
key = 'AIzaSyAO_FJ2SlqU8Q4STEHLGCilw_Y9_11qcW8'
url = 'https://www.youtube.com/youtubei/v1/browse?key=' + key
data = {
'context': {
'client': {
'hl': 'en',
'gl': 'US',
'clientName': 'WEB',
'clientVersion': '2.20240327.00.00',
},
},
'continuation': ctoken,
}
content_type_header = (('Content-Type', 'application/json'),)
content = util.fetch_url(
url, headers_desktop + content_type_header,
data=json.dumps(data), debug_name='channel_tab', report_text=message)
return content
# cache entries expire after 30 minutes
number_of_videos_cache = cachetools.TTLCache(128, 30*60)
# Cache for continuation tokens (shorts/streams pagination)
continuation_token_cache = cachetools.TTLCache(512, 15*60)
@cachetools.cached(number_of_videos_cache)
def get_number_of_videos_channel(channel_id):
if channel_id is None:
return 1000
# Uploads playlist
playlist_id = 'UU' + channel_id[2:]
url = 'https://m.youtube.com/playlist?list=' + playlist_id + '&pbj=1'
try:
response = util.fetch_url(url, headers_mobile,
debug_name='number_of_videos', report_text='Got number of videos')
except (urllib.error.HTTPError, util.FetchError) as e:
traceback.print_exc()
print("Couldn't retrieve number of videos")
return 1000
response = response.decode('utf-8')
# match = re.search(r'"numVideosText":\s*{\s*"runs":\s*\[{"text":\s*"([\d,]*) videos"', response)
match = re.search(r'"numVideosText".*?([,\d]+)', response)
if match:
return int(match.group(1).replace(',',''))
else:
return 0
def set_cached_number_of_videos(channel_id, num_videos):
@cachetools.cached(number_of_videos_cache)
def dummy_func_using_same_cache(channel_id):
return num_videos
dummy_func_using_same_cache(channel_id)
channel_id_re = re.compile(r'videos\.xml\?channel_id=([a-zA-Z0-9_-]{24})"')
@cachetools.func.lru_cache(maxsize=128)
def get_channel_id(base_url):
# method that gives the smallest possible response at ~4 kb
# needs to be as fast as possible
base_url = base_url.replace('https://www', 'https://m') # avoid redirect
response = util.fetch_url(base_url + '/about?pbj=1', headers_mobile,
debug_name='get_channel_id', report_text='Got channel id').decode('utf-8')
match = channel_id_re.search(response)
if match:
return match.group(1)
return None
metadata_cache = cachetools.LRUCache(128)
@cachetools.cached(metadata_cache)
def get_metadata(channel_id):
# Use youtubei browse API to get channel metadata
polymer_json = util.call_youtube_api('web', 'browse', {
'browseId': channel_id,
})
info = yt_data_extract.extract_channel_info(json.loads(polymer_json),
'about',
continuation=False)
return extract_metadata_for_caching(info)
def set_cached_metadata(channel_id, metadata):
@cachetools.cached(metadata_cache)
def dummy_func_using_same_cache(channel_id):
return metadata
dummy_func_using_same_cache(channel_id)
def extract_metadata_for_caching(channel_info):
metadata = {}
for key in ('approx_subscriber_count', 'short_description', 'channel_name',
'avatar'):
metadata[key] = channel_info[key]
return metadata
def get_number_of_videos_general(base_url):
return get_number_of_videos_channel(get_channel_id(base_url))
def get_channel_search_json(channel_id, query, page):
offset = proto.unpadded_b64encode(proto.uint(3, (page-1)*30))
params = proto.string(2, 'search') + proto.string(15, offset)
params = proto.percent_b64encode(params)
ctoken = proto.string(2, channel_id) + proto.string(3, params) + proto.string(11, query)
ctoken = base64.urlsafe_b64encode(proto.nested(80226972, ctoken)).decode('ascii')
key = 'AIzaSyAO_FJ2SlqU8Q4STEHLGCilw_Y9_11qcW8'
url = 'https://www.youtube.com/youtubei/v1/browse?key=' + key
data = {
'context': {
'client': {
'hl': 'en',
'gl': 'US',
'clientName': 'WEB',
'clientVersion': '2.20240327.00.00',
},
},
'continuation': ctoken,
}
content_type_header = (('Content-Type', 'application/json'),)
polymer_json = util.fetch_url(
url, headers_desktop + content_type_header,
data=json.dumps(data), debug_name='channel_search')
return polymer_json
def post_process_channel_info(info):
info['avatar'] = util.prefix_url(info['avatar'])
info['channel_url'] = util.prefix_url(info['channel_url'])
for item in info['items']:
# Only set thumbnail if YouTube didn't provide one
if not item.get('thumbnail'):
if item.get('type') == 'playlist' and item.get('first_video_id'):
item['thumbnail'] = "https://i.ytimg.com/vi/{}/hqdefault.jpg".format(item['first_video_id'])
elif item.get('type') == 'video' and item.get('id'):
item['thumbnail'] = "https://i.ytimg.com/vi/{}/hqdefault.jpg".format(item['id'])
util.prefix_urls(item)
util.add_extra_html_info(item)
if info['current_tab'] == 'about':
for i, (text, url) in enumerate(info['links']):
if isinstance(url, str) and util.YOUTUBE_URL_RE.fullmatch(url):
info['links'][i] = (text, util.prefix_url(url))
def get_channel_first_page(base_url=None, tab='videos', channel_id=None, sort=None):
if channel_id:
base_url = 'https://www.youtube.com/channel/' + channel_id
# Build URL with sort parameter
# YouTube URL sort params: p=popular, dd=newest, lad=newest no shorts
# Note: 'da' (oldest) was removed by YouTube in January 2026
url = base_url + '/' + tab + '?pbj=1&view=0'
if sort:
# Map sort values to YouTube's URL parameter values
sort_map = {'3': 'dd', '4': 'lad'}
url += '&sort=' + sort_map.get(sort, 'dd')
return util.fetch_url(url, headers_desktop, debug_name='gen_channel_' + tab)
playlist_sort_codes = {'2': "da", '3': "dd", '4': "lad"}
# youtube.com/[channel_id]/[tab]
# youtube.com/user/[username]/[tab]
# youtube.com/c/[custom]/[tab]
# youtube.com/[custom]/[tab]
def get_channel_page_general_url(base_url, tab, request, channel_id=None):
page_number = int(request.args.get('page', 1))
# sort 1: views
# sort 2: oldest
# sort 4: newest - no shorts (Just a kludge on our end, not internal to yt)
default_sort = '3' if settings.include_shorts_in_channel else '4'
sort = request.args.get('sort', default_sort)
view = request.args.get('view', '1')
query = request.args.get('query', '')
ctoken = request.args.get('ctoken', '')
include_shorts = (sort != '4')
default_params = (page_number == 1 and sort in ('3', '4') and view == '1')
continuation = bool(ctoken) # whether or not we're using a continuation
page_size = 30
try_channel_api = True
polymer_json = None
# Use the special UU playlist which contains all the channel's uploads
if tab == 'videos' and sort in ('3', '4'):
if not channel_id:
channel_id = get_channel_id(base_url)
if page_number == 1 and include_shorts:
tasks = (
gevent.spawn(playlist.playlist_first_page,
'UU' + channel_id[2:],
report_text='Retrieved channel videos'),
gevent.spawn(get_metadata, channel_id),
)
gevent.joinall(tasks)
util.check_gevent_exceptions(*tasks)
# Ignore the metadata for now, it is cached and will be
# recalled later
pl_json = tasks[0].value
pl_info = yt_data_extract.extract_playlist_info(pl_json)
number_of_videos = pl_info['metadata']['video_count']
if number_of_videos is None:
number_of_videos = 1000
else:
set_cached_number_of_videos(channel_id, number_of_videos)
else:
tasks = (
gevent.spawn(playlist.get_videos, 'UU' + channel_id[2:],
page_number, include_shorts=include_shorts),
gevent.spawn(get_metadata, channel_id),
gevent.spawn(get_number_of_videos_channel, channel_id),
)
gevent.joinall(tasks)
util.check_gevent_exceptions(*tasks)
pl_json = tasks[0].value
pl_info = yt_data_extract.extract_playlist_info(pl_json)
number_of_videos = tasks[2].value
info = pl_info
info['channel_id'] = channel_id
info['current_tab'] = 'videos'
if info['items']: # Success
page_size = 100
try_channel_api = False
else: # Try the first-page method next
try_channel_api = True
# Use the regular channel API
if tab in ('shorts', 'streams') or (tab=='videos' and try_channel_api):
if not channel_id:
channel_id = get_channel_id(base_url)
# For shorts/streams, use continuation token from cache or request
if tab in ('shorts', 'streams'):
if ctoken:
# Use ctoken directly from request (passed via pagination)
polymer_json = util.call_youtube_api('web', 'browse', {
'continuation': ctoken,
})
continuation = True
elif page_number > 1:
# For page 2+, get ctoken from cache
cache_key = (channel_id, tab, sort, page_number - 1)
cached_ctoken = continuation_token_cache.get(cache_key)
if cached_ctoken:
polymer_json = util.call_youtube_api('web', 'browse', {
'continuation': cached_ctoken,
})
continuation = True
else:
# Fallback: generate fresh ctoken
page_call = (get_channel_tab, channel_id, str(page_number), sort, tab, int(view))
continuation = True
polymer_json = gevent.spawn(*page_call)
polymer_json.join()
if polymer_json.exception:
raise polymer_json.exception
polymer_json = polymer_json.value
else:
# Page 1: generate fresh ctoken
page_call = (get_channel_tab, channel_id, str(page_number), sort, tab, int(view))
continuation = True
polymer_json = gevent.spawn(*page_call)
polymer_json.join()
if polymer_json.exception:
raise polymer_json.exception
polymer_json = polymer_json.value
else:
# videos tab - original logic
page_call = (get_channel_tab, channel_id, str(page_number), sort,
tab, int(view))
continuation = True
if tab == 'videos':
# Only need video count for the videos tab
if channel_id:
num_videos_call = (get_number_of_videos_channel, channel_id)
else:
num_videos_call = (get_number_of_videos_general, base_url)
tasks = (
gevent.spawn(*num_videos_call),
gevent.spawn(*page_call),
)
gevent.joinall(tasks)
util.check_gevent_exceptions(*tasks)
number_of_videos, polymer_json = tasks[0].value, tasks[1].value
# For shorts/streams, polymer_json is already set above, nothing to do here
elif tab == 'about':
# polymer_json = util.fetch_url(base_url + '/about?pbj=1', headers_desktop, debug_name='gen_channel_about')
channel_id = get_channel_id(base_url)
ctoken = channel_about_ctoken(channel_id)
polymer_json = util.call_youtube_api('web', 'browse', {
'continuation': ctoken,
})
continuation=True
elif tab == 'playlists' and page_number == 1:
# Use youtubei API instead of deprecated pbj=1 format
if not channel_id:
channel_id = get_channel_id(base_url)
ctoken = channel_ctoken_v3(channel_id, page='1', sort=sort, tab='playlists', view=view)
polymer_json = util.call_youtube_api('web', 'browse', {
'continuation': ctoken,
})
continuation = True
elif tab == 'playlists':
polymer_json = get_channel_tab(channel_id, page_number, sort,
'playlists', view)
continuation = True
elif tab == 'search' and channel_id:
polymer_json = get_channel_search_json(channel_id, query, page_number)
elif tab == 'search':
url = base_url + '/search?pbj=1&query=' + urllib.parse.quote(query, safe='')
polymer_json = util.fetch_url(url, headers_desktop, debug_name='gen_channel_search')
elif tab == 'videos':
pass
else:
flask.abort(404, 'Unknown channel tab: ' + tab)
if polymer_json is not None:
info = yt_data_extract.extract_channel_info(
json.loads(polymer_json), tab, continuation=continuation
)
if info['error'] is not None:
return flask.render_template('error.html', error_message=info['error'])
if channel_id:
info['channel_url'] = 'https://www.youtube.com/channel/' + channel_id
info['channel_id'] = channel_id
else:
channel_id = info['channel_id']
# Will have microformat present, cache metadata while we have it
if (channel_id and default_params and tab not in ('videos', 'about')
and info.get('channel_name') is not None):
metadata = extract_metadata_for_caching(info)
set_cached_metadata(channel_id, metadata)
# Otherwise, populate with our (hopefully cached) metadata
elif channel_id and info.get('channel_name') is None:
metadata = get_metadata(channel_id)
for key, value in metadata.items():
yt_data_extract.conservative_update(info, key, value)
# need to add this metadata to the videos/playlists
additional_info = {
'author': info['channel_name'],
'author_id': info['channel_id'],
'author_url': info['channel_url'],
}
for item in info['items']:
item.update(additional_info)
if tab in ('videos', 'shorts', 'streams'):
if tab in ('shorts', 'streams'):
# For shorts/streams, use ctoken to determine pagination
info['is_last_page'] = (info.get('ctoken') is None)
number_of_videos = len(info.get('items', []))
# Cache the ctoken for next page
if info.get('ctoken'):
cache_key = (channel_id, tab, sort, page_number)
continuation_token_cache[cache_key] = info['ctoken']
info['number_of_videos'] = number_of_videos
info['number_of_pages'] = math.ceil(number_of_videos/page_size) if number_of_videos else 1
info['header_playlist_names'] = local_playlist.get_playlist_names()
if tab in ('videos', 'shorts', 'streams', 'playlists'):
info['current_sort'] = sort
elif tab == 'search':
info['search_box_value'] = query
info['header_playlist_names'] = local_playlist.get_playlist_names()
if tab in ('search', 'playlists'):
info['page_number'] = page_number
info['subscribed'] = subscriptions.is_subscribed(info['channel_id'])
post_process_channel_info(info)
return flask.render_template('channel.html',
parameters_dictionary = request.args,
**info
)
@yt_app.route('/channel/<channel_id>/')
@yt_app.route('/channel/<channel_id>/<tab>')
def get_channel_page(channel_id, tab='videos'):
return get_channel_page_general_url('https://www.youtube.com/channel/' + channel_id, tab, request, channel_id)
@yt_app.route('/user/<username>/')
@yt_app.route('/user/<username>/<tab>')
def get_user_page(username, tab='videos'):
return get_channel_page_general_url('https://www.youtube.com/user/' + username, tab, request)
@yt_app.route('/c/<custom>/')
@yt_app.route('/c/<custom>/<tab>')
def get_custom_c_page(custom, tab='videos'):
return get_channel_page_general_url('https://www.youtube.com/c/' + custom, tab, request)
@yt_app.route('/<custom>')
@yt_app.route('/<custom>/<tab>')
def get_toplevel_custom_page(custom, tab='videos'):
return get_channel_page_general_url('https://www.youtube.com/' + custom, tab, request)