Queue STOP Marker - Quick Reference

What This Does

Allows you to gracefully halt batch processing after a specific folder without losing progress or interrupting an active encode.

Why You Need This

20+ 4K folders in queue = hours of processing
Can't halt mid-encode (loses 30+ minutes of work)
Can't predict exactly when you'll want your computer back
Get lost scrolling YouTube while waiting...

Quick Start

Step 1: Start your batch

python main.py --paths-file paths.txt

Step 2: While it's running, edit your paths.txt Find a folder in the queue you want to be the last one, then add STOP on the next line:

P:\tv\Show1
P:\tv\Show2
P:\tv\Show3
STOP
P:\tv\Show4
P:\tv\Show5

Step 3: The tool will:

Continue encoding Show1, Show2, Show3 normally
Finish encoding Show3 completely
Print 🛑 STOP marker encountered - halting batch processing
Exit cleanly

Step 4: You get your computer back! ✅

Usage Tips

Add STOP Anytime

While first folder is encoding? Add STOP below folder #2 → tool will complete #1 and #2, then stop
Mid-queue? Just insert STOP wherever you want
Change your mind? Delete the STOP line before current encode finishes

Multiple Queue Files?

Each paths.txt is independent - STOP only affects the file being processed:

# File 1 - 5 folders, stops after folder 3
python main.py --paths-file paths_small.txt

# File 2 - 20 folders (can add STOP to this while first is running)
python main.py --paths-file paths_large.txt

Works With:

✅ Any .txt or .csv batch file
✅ Auto-recheck for new items (STOP processed after queue recheck)
✅ All encoding modes (720p, 1080p, 4K, etc.)
✅ All parameters per-row (--r, --cq, --audio-titles, etc.)

Does NOT:

❌ Stop the currently-encoding file mid-way (completes it first)
❌ Affect new items added to queue after STOP was placed

Format

Case-insensitive - these all work:

STOP
stop
Stop
STOp

Must be on its own line:

# ✅ Good
P:\tv\Show1
STOP

# ❌ Bad - won't work
P:\tv\Show1 STOP

Example Workflow

Your paths.txt:

P:\movies\Action Movies
P:\movies\Drama Movies
P:\tv\Comedy Shows
P:\tv\Crime Dramas
P:\anime\Ongoing Series

You run:

python main.py --paths-file paths.txt

30 minutes later, "Action Movies" finishes. Comedy Shows is now encoding. You think:

"I want my computer back after Crime Dramas"

You edit paths.txt to:

P:\movies\Action Movies
P:\movies\Drama Movies
P:\tv\Comedy Shows
P:\tv\Crime Dramas
STOP
P:\anime\Ongoing Series

Result: Tool will encode Comedy Shows (current) → Crime Dramas (next) → then gracefully exit.

Log Output:

✓ [BATCH 3] Completed: Comedy Shows
✓ [BATCH 4] Completed: Crime Dramas
================================================================================
🛑 STOP marker encountered - halting batch processing
================================================================================
  ✓ Succeeded: 4
  (no new additions)

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