Getting help

OpenBBQ usually tells you why it stopped and prints a fix with the next step. Try that instruction first. If the problem remains, collect a small amount of useful evidence before asking for help.

Run the two checks

openbbq doctor
openbbq --json status --workspace workspaces/demo

doctor checks the tools and models on your machine. status shows what happened in one workspace and which stage needs attention. If you have not created a workspace yet, run doctor on its own.

The Troubleshooting guide covers missing commands, model downloads, FFmpeg filters, sign-in, stale stages, incomplete translations, and failed burns.

Search before reporting

Search GitHub issues for the error code or the last command you ran. If someone has already reported the same problem, add any new reproduction details there instead of opening a duplicate.

Write a useful report

Include:

• what you were trying to make and what you expected to happen;
• the exact command that failed;
• the complete error code and fix text;
• the output of openbbq --version;
• your operating system, FFmpeg version, model name, and whether the source was a local file or URL;
• the smallest set of steps that reproduces the problem.

If status helps explain the failure, attach its JSON after removing private paths and media names.

Do not post cookies, files from ~/.openbbq/auth/, account details, private video URLs, raw media, or an entire workspace. A short, redacted report is easier to review and safer to share.

Open a GitHub issue when you have a reproducible report.

Asking about usage

For a how-to question, link the guide you followed and name the step where the result stopped matching the page. A command, expected result, and actual result are usually enough for someone else to help.