Do not auto-download enclosures that are not audio or video

Blog feeds put each article's header image in an <enclosure>, so a text
feed read as a podcast full of episodes: 149 images, 74 MB across 11
feeds. media_types defaults to audio and video, with a per-feed override.

Such enclosures stay listed and stay downloadable by hand; the row names
what it is rather than saying "skipped". An unknown type is allowed, since
the real type is only known after downloading, and a torrent is allowed as
a container judged once unpacked.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
Claude-Session: https://claude.ai/code/session_01AdXho5tTkjFLeUXKbEjKBh

PROGRESS.md

@@ -56,6 +56,30 @@ and until now nothing set them.
 
 ---
 
+## 2026-09-10 — Image enclosures were being treated as episodes
+
+Reported as "Abort Retry Fail shows downloads but there are none". It had 20 enclosures, all
+`image/jpeg`: Substack puts each article's header image in the RSS `<enclosure>` tag, so ipx
+downloaded 20 JPEGs and counted them as episodes. Across the OPML subscription: 149 images, 74 MB,
+11 feeds.
+
+`[general] media_types` defaults to `["audio", "video"]`, with a per-feed override. An enclosure
+whose top-level type is not wanted is recorded and shown but not auto-downloaded.
+
+Clarified mid-change: those enclosures should still be *visible*, just not fetched automatically.
+So nothing is hidden — the row names what it is ("image", "pdf", "torrent") instead of a bare
+"skipped", and the download button still works if you want that file.
+
+Two judgement calls in `wanted_media`: an **unknown or absent** type is allowed, because the real
+type is only known after downloading and refusing everything untyped would drop feeds that simply
+omit the attribute; and a **torrent** is allowed, being a container rather than media, judged once
+unpacked.
+
+The enclosure-less case Ray also described was already correct — every download affordance in the
+row is gated on the enclosure existing. Checked before changing anything.
+
+---
+
 ## 2026-09-10 — Daemon I/O log tab, and Playwright
 
 **Log tabs.** All / Daemon I/O / Scans / HTTP. "Daemon I/O" is the control protocol itself: every

README.md

@@ -59,6 +59,9 @@ organize       = "feed"      # "feed" | "date"
 max_total_gb   = 50          # 0 = unlimited
 max_age_days   = 30          # 0 = keep forever
 max_new_per_check = 3        # per feed, per scan. 0 = unlimited (pulls whole back catalogues)
+media_types = ["audio", "video"]  # what downloads automatically. Anything else is still
+                             # listed and can be fetched by hand -- blog feeds put article
+                             # images in enclosures. Empty takes everything.
 
 [torrent]
 enabled        = true

src/config.rs

@@ -38,6 +38,10 @@ pub struct General {
     /// Unlimited by default was a trap: subscribing to an OPML of 80 feeds then pulled
     /// every back-catalogue episode at once. 0 means unlimited, deliberately chosen.
     pub max_new_per_check: usize,
+    /// Top-level media types worth downloading. Blog feeds put each article's header
+    /// image in an <enclosure>, so taking everything filled the disk with artwork and
+    /// counted it as episodes. Empty means take anything.
+    pub media_types: Vec<String>,
 }
 
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy, PartialEq, Eq, Deserialize, Serialize)]
@@ -108,6 +112,9 @@ pub struct Feed {
     /// Overrides the global schedule for this feed. Same forms: "every 6h", "2d".
     #[serde(default, skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none")]
     pub schedule: Option<String>,
+    /// Media types for this feed. None follows `[general]`; an empty list takes anything.
+    #[serde(default, skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none")]
+    pub media_types: Option<Vec<String>>,
     /// Cap on new downloads per scan for this feed. None follows `[general]`.
     #[serde(default, skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none")]
     pub max_new_per_check: Option<usize>,
@@ -135,6 +142,7 @@ impl Default for General {
             max_total_gb: 0.0,
             max_age_days: 0,
             max_new_per_check: 3,
+            media_types: vec!["audio".into(), "video".into()],
         }
     }
 }
@@ -276,6 +284,25 @@ fn default_socket() -> PathBuf {
     }
 }
 
+/// Whether an enclosure's type is one we want.
+///
+/// An unknown type is allowed: the real type is only known after downloading, and
+/// refusing everything untyped would drop feeds that simply omit the attribute.
+pub fn wanted_media(mime: Option<&str>, wanted: &[String]) -> bool {
+    if wanted.is_empty() {
+        return true;
+    }
+    let Some(mime) = mime.map(str::trim).filter(|m| !m.is_empty()) else {
+        return true;
+    };
+    let top = mime.split('/').next().unwrap_or(mime).to_ascii_lowercase();
+    // A .torrent is a container for media, not media itself; judge it once unpacked.
+    if mime.to_ascii_lowercase().contains("torrent") {
+        return true;
+    }
+    wanted.iter().any(|w| w.trim().eq_ignore_ascii_case(&top) || w.trim().eq_ignore_ascii_case(mime))
+}
+
 /// Feed ids are the TOML table key, so they must be readable and punctuation-free.
 pub fn slug(text: &str) -> String {
     let mut out = String::new();
@@ -391,6 +418,26 @@ mod tests {
         assert_eq!(t.ports(), (6881, 6889), "reversed range is not a range");
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn media_types_keep_article_artwork_out() {
+        let want = vec!["audio".to_string(), "video".to_string()];
+        assert!(wanted_media(Some("audio/mpeg"), &want));
+        assert!(wanted_media(Some("audio/mp4"), &want));
+        assert!(wanted_media(Some("video/quicktime"), &want));
+        assert!(!wanted_media(Some("image/jpeg"), &want), "a blog header image is not an episode");
+        assert!(!wanted_media(Some("text/html"), &want));
+
+        // A torrent is a container; what is inside is judged after unpacking.
+        assert!(wanted_media(Some("application/x-bittorrent"), &want));
+        // Unknown type: only discoverable by downloading, so do not refuse it outright.
+        assert!(wanted_media(None, &want));
+        assert!(wanted_media(Some(""), &want));
+        // An empty list means take anything, which is how it behaved before.
+        assert!(wanted_media(Some("image/jpeg"), &[]));
+        // A full type can be named exactly.
+        assert!(wanted_media(Some("image/jpeg"), &["image/jpeg".to_string()]));
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn slugs_are_readable_and_unique() {
         assert_eq!(slug("Accidental Tech Podcast"), "accidental-tech-podcast");
@@ -402,7 +449,7 @@ mod tests {
 
         let mut taken = BTreeMap::new();
         taken.insert("the-daily".to_string(), Feed {
-            url: "u".into(), folder: None, group: None, schedule: None, keywords: vec![], allow_explicit: false,
+            url: "u".into(), folder: None, group: None, media_types: None, schedule: None, keywords: vec![], allow_explicit: false,
             auto_download: true, max_new_per_check: None, username: None,
             password: None, password_env: None,
         });
@@ -415,6 +462,7 @@ mod tests {
             url: "https://x/y".into(),
             folder: None,
             group: None,
+            media_types: None,
             schedule: None,
             keywords: vec![],
             allow_explicit: false,

src/download.rs

@@ -385,7 +385,7 @@ mod tests {
         let mut cfg = Config::default();
         cfg.general.download_dir = "/tmp".into();
         let mut f = crate::config::Feed {
-            url: "u".into(), folder: Some("Subscriptions/Some | Show".into()), group: None,
+            url: "u".into(), folder: Some("Subscriptions/Some | Show".into()), group: None, media_types: None,
             schedule: None, keywords: vec![], allow_explicit: false, auto_download: true,
             max_new_per_check: None, username: None, password: None, password_env: None,
         };

src/main.rs

@@ -412,6 +412,7 @@ pub async fn add_one(
         url: url.to_owned(),
         folder: folder.clone(),
         group: None,
+        media_types: None,
         schedule: None,
         keywords: keywords.clone(),
         allow_explicit: false,
@@ -494,6 +495,7 @@ async fn import(ctx: &Ctx, config_path: &std::path::Path, file: &std::path::Path
                 url,
                 folder: None,
                 group: None,
+                media_types: None,
                 schedule: None,
                 keywords: vec![],
                 allow_explicit: false,
@@ -711,6 +713,7 @@ pub fn subscriptions(ctx: &Ctx) -> Result<Vec<Sub>> {
                 url: m.url.clone(),
                 folder: Some(format!("{base}/{title}")),
                 group: Some(m.group_id.clone()),
+                media_types: parent.and_then(|p| p.media_types.clone()),
                 schedule: parent.and_then(|p| p.schedule.clone()),
                 keywords: parent.map(|p| p.keywords.clone()).unwrap_or_default(),
                 allow_explicit: parent.is_some_and(|p| p.allow_explicit),
@@ -837,7 +840,7 @@ async fn scan_one(
             }
             // Filters run once, at discovery, and are recorded in `state`. The download
             // queue below is then just "everything still pending".
-            if let Some(reason) = reject(feed_cfg, entry, &enc.url) {
+            if let Some(reason) = reject(&ctx.cfg(), feed_cfg, entry, enc) {
                 ctx.db.mark_enclosure(&enc.url, "skipped", Some(reason))?;
             }
         }
@@ -991,10 +994,25 @@ async fn sync_opml(
 }
 
 /// Why this enclosure should not be downloaded, if it should not be.
-fn reject(feed_cfg: &config::Feed, entry: &feed::Entry, url: &str) -> Option<&'static str> {
+fn reject(
+    cfg: &config::Config,
+    feed_cfg: &config::Feed,
+    entry: &feed::Entry,
+    enc: &feed::Enclosure,
+) -> Option<&'static str> {
+    let url = enc.url.as_str();
     if !feed_cfg.auto_download {
         return Some("auto_download is off");
     }
+    // Blog feeds put the article's header image in an <enclosure>; without this a text
+    // feed reads as a podcast full of episodes and fills the disk with artwork.
+    let wanted = feed_cfg
+        .media_types
+        .as_deref()
+        .unwrap_or(&cfg.general.media_types);
+    if !config::wanted_media(enc.mime.as_deref(), wanted) {
+        return Some("not a wanted media type");
+    }
     if entry.explicit && !feed_cfg.allow_explicit {
         return Some("explicit");
     }

src/web.rs

@@ -283,7 +283,7 @@ mod tests {
 
     fn feed(url: &str) -> crate::config::Feed {
         crate::config::Feed {
-            url: url.into(), folder: None, group: None, schedule: None, keywords: vec![], allow_explicit: false,
+            url: url.into(), folder: None, group: None, media_types: None, schedule: None, keywords: vec![], allow_explicit: false,
             auto_download: true, max_new_per_check: None, username: None,
             password: None, password_env: None,
         }
@@ -754,6 +754,7 @@ async fn import_opml(
                 url,
                 folder: None,
                 group: None,
+                media_types: None,
                 schedule: None,
                 keywords: vec![],
                 allow_explicit: false,
@@ -776,6 +777,7 @@ struct Settings {
     schedule: String,
     every_mins: u64,
     max_new_per_check: usize,
+    media_types: Vec<String>,
     download_dir: String,
     max_total_gb: f64,
     max_age_days: u64,
@@ -787,6 +789,7 @@ async fn get_settings(State(state): State<WebState>) -> Json<Settings> {
         schedule: cfg.general.schedule.clone(),
         every_mins: cfg.general.interval(),
         max_new_per_check: cfg.general.max_new_per_check,
+        media_types: cfg.general.media_types.clone(),
         download_dir: cfg.general.download_dir.display().to_string(),
         max_total_gb: cfg.general.max_total_gb,
         max_age_days: cfg.general.max_age_days,
@@ -797,6 +800,7 @@ async fn get_settings(State(state): State<WebState>) -> Json<Settings> {
 struct SettingsPatch {
     schedule: Option<String>,
     max_new_per_check: Option<usize>,
+    media_types: Option<Vec<String>>,
     max_total_gb: Option<f64>,
     max_age_days: Option<u64>,
 }
@@ -820,6 +824,13 @@ async fn patch_settings(
     if let Some(v) = body.max_new_per_check {
         cfg.general.max_new_per_check = v;
     }
+    if let Some(v) = body.media_types {
+        cfg.general.media_types = v
+            .into_iter()
+            .map(|t| t.trim().to_lowercase())
+            .filter(|t| !t.is_empty())
+            .collect();
+    }
     if let Some(v) = body.max_total_gb {
         cfg.general.max_total_gb = v.max(0.0);
     }

web/index.html

@@ -606,7 +606,8 @@ function epEl(e){
         ${num?`<span>${num}</span><span class="dot"></span>`:''}
         <span>${dateOf(e.published)}</span>
         ${left?'<span class="dot"></span><span>'+left+'</span>':''}
-        ${enc?`<span class="dot"></span><span class="chip ${esc(enc.state)}">${has?'downloaded':esc(enc.state)}</span>`:''}
+        ${enc?`<span class="dot"></span><span class="chip ${esc(enc.state)}">${
+          has?'downloaded':(enc.state==='skipped'?kindOf(enc):esc(enc.state))}</span>`:''}
         ${enc&&enc.length?`<span>${mb(enc.length)}</span>`:''}
         ${e.flagged?'<span class="dot"></span><span>★ kept</span>':''}
       </div>
@@ -615,7 +616,8 @@ function epEl(e){
     </div>
     <div class="rowacts">
       ${has?`<button class="iconbtn" data-a="play" title="Play">▶</button>`:
-            (enc?`<button class="iconbtn" data-a="get" title="Download">⤓</button>`:'')}
+            (enc?`<button class="iconbtn" data-a="get" title="Download this ${
+              enc.state==='skipped'?kindOf(enc):'file'}">⤓</button>`:'')}
       <button class="iconbtn" data-a="flag" title="${e.flagged?'Stop keeping':'Keep (never auto-delete)'}">${e.flagged?'★':'☆'}</button>
       <button class="iconbtn" data-a="read" title="Mark ${e.read?'unread':'read'}">${e.read?'○':'●'}</button>
       ${has?`<button class="iconbtn" data-a="del" title="Delete file">🗑</button>`:''}
@@ -630,6 +632,18 @@ function epEl(e){
   if(S.open.has(e.guid)) showNotes(e,el);
   return el;
 }
+/// What an enclosure is, for a row that is not an episode: "image", "pdf", "document".
+function kindOf(enc){
+  const m=(enc.mime||'').toLowerCase();
+  if(m.startsWith('image/')) return 'image';
+  if(m.startsWith('video/')) return 'video';
+  if(m.startsWith('audio/')) return 'audio';
+  if(m.includes('pdf')) return 'pdf';
+  if(m.includes('torrent')) return 'torrent';
+  const ext=(enc.url||'').split('?')[0].split('.').pop();
+  return (ext && ext.length<=5) ? ext.toLowerCase() : 'file';
+}
+
 function feedArt(){ const f=S.feeds.find(x=>x.id===S.feed); return f&&f.image; }
 
 function toggleNotes(e,el){
@@ -937,6 +951,11 @@ async function prefsModal(){
       <span class="hint">Applies to any feed that does not set its own — including every feed
       inside an OPML subscription. <b>0 means unlimited</b>, which will pull a whole back
       catalogue the first time a feed is scanned.</span></div>
+    <div class="field"><label>Download these media types automatically</label>
+      <input type="text" id="gtypes" value="${esc((g.media_types||[]).join(', '))}"
+             placeholder="audio, video">
+      <span class="hint">Anything else is still listed and can be downloaded by hand — blog feeds
+      put article images in enclosures, and those are not episodes. Empty takes everything.</span></div>
     <div class="field"><label>Disk quota (GB, 0 = unlimited)</label>
       <input type="number" id="gquota" min="0" step="0.5" value="${g.max_total_gb}">
       <span class="hint">Over this, the oldest played episodes are deleted first. Starred
@@ -952,6 +971,7 @@ async function prefsModal(){
       await api('/api/settings',{method:'PATCH',body:JSON.stringify({
         schedule:`every ${Math.max(1,Number($('#gnum').value)||1)}${$('#gunit').value}`,
         max_new_per_check:Math.max(0,Number($('#gmax').value)||0),
+        media_types:$('#gtypes').value.split(',').map(t=>t.trim()).filter(Boolean),
         max_total_gb:Number($('#gquota').value)||0,
         max_age_days:Number($('#gage').value)||0})});
       closeModal(); toast('Settings saved');