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Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →If FFmpeg reports Unsafe file name, the concat demuxer is rejecting a playlist entry under its default safety rules; if it reports No such file or directory, the path probably does not resolve from the playlist’s effective location. Use safe relative paths where possible, or deliberately allow trusted absolute paths with -safe 0 before -i. These fixes address file lookup only—they do not resolve incompatible media or determine whether your YouTube ingest settings are correct.
Identify which path problem you have
FFmpeg’s concat demuxer reads a text playlist containing one file directive per clip. Two common errors point to different causes:
Unsafe file name: the entry failed the concat demuxer’s default path validation. By default,safe=1permits only relative paths with no protocol specification and portable characters in each path component; components cannot begin with a period. See the FFmpeg concat demuxer documentation.No such file or directory: the entry was not found at the path FFmpeg tried. Check the playlist’s location, the spelling and case of the filename, and whether the Ubuntu user running FFmpeg can read it.
Read the full error, including the filename it names. A path can pass safety validation and still point to a missing or unreadable file.
Build a playlist with predictable relative paths
Keep the playlist beside the promo clips
When the playlist is a regular file stored beside the media, simple relative entries are easy to inspect and portable between directories that preserve the same layout. For example, save this as playlist.ffconcat alongside both MP4 files:
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ffconcat version 1.0
file 'promo-01.mp4'
file 'promo-02.mp4'With safe relative filenames, leave the default path screening enabled. Relative paths must be written for the playlist’s effective location, not automatically for the shell’s current directory.
Account for the playlist’s actual location
If the playlist is stored elsewhere, write paths relative to its location or move it beside the clips. Be especially careful if you supply playlist text through process substitution: the resulting playlist may appear at a temporary path, changing the base directory FFmpeg uses to resolve relative entries. A persistent playlist file makes that base easier to reason about. The concat demuxer documentation describes the playlist format; the FFmpeg wiki’s concatenate guide discusses relative paths and process substitution.
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Use absolute paths only for a trusted playlist
If your clips live in another directory, absolute entries can remove ambiguity. For example:
ffconcat version 1.0
file '/home/ubuntu/shop-promo/promo-01.mp4'
file '/home/ubuntu/shop-promo/promo-02.mp4'Absolute paths fail the default safe-path check. When the playlist and every entry are trusted, disable that screening as an input option:
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ffmpeg -re -stream_loop -1 -f concat -safe 0 -i playlist.ffconcat -c copy -f flv "$YOUTUBE_RTMP_URL"-safe 0 must appear before -i, because it configures the concat input. It bypasses path screening; do not use it casually with playlist contents from an untrusted source. Prefer safe relative paths and the default check when they meet your needs.
Quote filenames with spaces and special characters
Concat playlists have their own quoting and escaping rules. A filename containing spaces can be written as a quoted entry, such as file 'promo clip 01.mp4'. If a filename contains an apostrophe, escape it according to FFmpeg’s concat-script syntax rather than assuming ordinary shell quoting applies: the playlist is parsed by FFmpeg, not by your shell. Consult the official concat demuxer syntax for the required escaping rules.
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Check existence and read access on Ubuntu
Once the path format is right, confirm each listed file exists at the resolved location and is readable by the same Ubuntu account that launches FFmpeg. A file visible to your desktop account may not be accessible to a service or another user. Check directory and filename spelling carefully, including uppercase and lowercase letters. If the error remains, capture the exact command and complete FFmpeg error, but redact the YouTube stream key before sharing logs.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Separate path fixes from media compatibility
Resolving every path does not guarantee that the concat demuxer can join the clips. For stream-copy concatenation, the inputs need compatible stream layouts and codecs. If the clips differ in ways that prevent concatenation as-is, normalizing or re-encoding may be necessary; FFmpeg’s FAQ points to the concat filter for cases where re-encoding is needed. See the FFmpeg FAQ and concat filter documentation.
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The example command above is an illustrative RTMP-shaped pattern, not a tested, complete YouTube encoder configuration. The source codec settings, output format and ingest URL must match your actual workflow. Keep the stream key out of public logs, screenshots and shared command history.
Confirm whether your YouTube ingest uses RTMP or HLS
Do not apply HLS requirements to an RTMP workflow. YouTube’s published HLS setup requirements are specifically for HLS ingestion: use the HTTPS HLS stream URL, TS segments lasting 1–4 seconds, no byte ranges, HTTPS POST/PUT, and a rolling playlist with no more than five outstanding segments; the cited setup also says not to encrypt beyond HTTPS. YouTube notes that HLS has higher latency than continuous RTMP. Check the current YouTube Help: Set up live streaming with HLS guidance if you selected HLS. Those HLS settings do not establish the correct configuration for RTMP.
Troubleshoot the remaining failure
- Still says “Unsafe file name”: inspect the exact entry for an absolute path, protocol-like syntax, a leading-period component or characters outside the safe set. Use a safe relative path, or use
-safe 0before-ionly when the playlist is trusted. - Still says “No such file or directory”: check the playlist’s effective location and rewrite the relative path accordingly. Verify the filename and that the running Ubuntu user can read the file.
- Paths resolve but concatenation fails: compare the clips’ stream layouts and codecs. Path changes do not make incompatible media compatible; consider the concat filter when re-encoding is needed.
- FFmpeg runs but YouTube does not ingest the stream: confirm whether the selected protocol is RTMP or HLS, then check that protocol’s URL and output requirements. The HLS requirements above apply only to HLS ingestion.
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