Docker FileBot License Issue - Valid License Not Recognized

[rednoah]

Hello,

I am experiencing an issue with the FileBot Docker container where my valid license is not being recognized. Below are the details of the problem and my environment:

Environment:
• Server Model: Synology DS1821+
• DSM Version: DSM 7.2.2-72806 Update 2
• Processor: AMD Ryzen V1500B (4 cores, 2.2 GHz)
• RAM: 20 GB
• Docker Image: rednoah/filebot (latest)
• FileBot Version: 5.1.6 (r10435)
• License ID: XXXXX (Valid until 2026-01-14)
• UID/GID: PUID=1026, PGID=100
• License Path: /volume1/docker/filebot/FileBot_License_XXXXX.psm

Steps Taken:
1. Mounted Volumes:
• Config directory: /volume1/docker/filebot:/config
• Downloads directory: /volume1/download station:/downloads
• Movies directory: /volume1/movies:/movies
• License file is located at /volume1/docker/filebot/FileBot_License_XXXXX.psm.

2. Validated License File:
• Verified file permissions:

Shell: Select all

sudo chown 1026:100 /volume1/docker/filebot/FileBot_License_XXXXX.psm
sudo chmod 644 /volume1/docker/filebot/FileBot_License_XXXXX.psm

• Confirmed that the license is valid using —license:

Shell: Select all

sudo docker run --rm -it \
  -v "/volume1/docker/filebot:/config" \
  rednoah/filebot --license /config/FileBot_License_XXXXX.psm

Result: License activated successfully.

3. Attempted to Run FileBot:
• Tried running with both test and move actions:

Shell: Select all

sudo docker run --rm -it \
  -v "/volume1/docker/filebot:/config" \
  -v "/volume1/download station:/downloads" \
  -v "/volume1/movies:/movies" \
  -e PUID=1026 \
  -e PGID=100 \
  rednoah/filebot -r -rename "/downloads" \
  --output "/movies" \
  --format "{n} ({y})/{n} ({y})" \
  --db TheMovieDB \
  --action move

Result: Bad License (>_<) error.

4. Adjusted Permissions:
• Recursively updated permissions for all relevant directories:

Shell: Select all

sudo chown -R 1026:100 /volume1/docker/filebot
sudo chmod -R 755 /volume1/docker/filebot
sudo chown -R 1026:100 "/volume1/download station"
sudo chmod -R 755 "/volume1/download station"
sudo chown -R 1026:100 /volume1/movies
sudo chmod -R 755 /volume1/movies

5. Tested With Root User:
• Tried running the container with root privileges:

Shell: Select all

sudo docker run --rm -it \
  -v "/volume1/docker/filebot:/config" \
  -v "/volume1/download station:/downloads" \
  -v "/volume1/movies:/movies" \
  -e PUID=0 \
  -e PGID=0 \
  rednoah/filebot --license /config/FileBot_License_XXXXX.psm

Result: Same issue persists.

6. Reviewed Logs:
• Checked container logs:

Shell: Select all

sudo docker logs filebot

Logs indicate that the license is being read from /data/filebot/license.txt, but the same Bad License (>_<) error appears.


Additional Details:
Initially, I purchased a regular FileBot license for use with the desktop version. However, I later realized that a separate Docker-specific license was required for the containerized version. I have since purchased the correct Docker license, but I am still encountering the same issue where the license is not being recognized.

The error I receive is:

Console Output: Select all

FileBot requires a valid license. Please run `filebot --license *.psm` to install your FileBot license.  
* FileBot is running as [filebot] using [/data/filebot/license.txt]
Bad License (>_<) 

I have followed the documentation, ensured correct UID/GID permissions, and tested various configurations, but the issue persists. Below is an overview of the troubleshooting steps I have tried:
1. Correctly mapped the /config folder to /volume1/docker/filebot.
2. Verified the license file path and permissions (chmod 755, chown 1026:100).
3. Ensured the /downloads and /movies volumes are properly mounted with correct permissions.
4. Tested the license installation using the --license command, which reports success but does not resolve the issue.
5. Attempted running FileBot with and without Docker’s interactive mode.
6. Removed and re-pulled the rednoah/filebot Docker image to rule out corruption.

Despite these efforts, I am unable to successfully run FileBot within the Docker container using my valid license.

Request:
Could you help me identify the root cause of this issue? I have already invested in two licenses and want to resolve this problem. Please let me know if additional logs or configurations are needed to diagnose the problem.

Thank you for your assistance!

Console Output: Select all

FileBot requires a valid license. Please run `filebot --license *.psm` to install your FileBot license.  
* FileBot is running as [filebot] using [/data/filebot/license.txt]

This message tells us that filebot (running inside the container) is looking for the license key at /data/filebot/license.txt and does not find anything at this file path. If you run the filebot --license command, then FileBot will verify and then store your license key into its application data folder, which is /data/filebot from the container point-of-view in this case. Please read the console output of the filebot --license command for details.

➔ You have no persistent volume mapping for /data so any changes to this folder are lost immediately when the container exits. Your license key is thus installed, then lost on exit, and then not there next time. A very common user error for users that are new to docker and file system mapping.

Compare and contrast your usage to the example usage from the documentation:

Shell: Select all

docker run --rm -it -v "data:/data" rednoah/filebot --license
docker run --rm -it -v "data:/data" -v "$PWD:/volume1" rednoah/filebot -script fn:sysinfo

Please read How do I activate my license? for details.

➔ The solution is thus adding -v "data:/data" to all your rednoah/filebot container calls. The data in -v "data:/data" refers to a named volume. You can use a host path if you prefer that.

Note that the use of /config suggests that you're using the documentation from other containers from other developers that do not apply to the rednoah/filebot container and thus have no effect.

Note that there is no Docker-specific license. There is a universal license that works on all platforms, from Desktop Windows to headless Linux (e.g. docker). There are also Microsoft Store and Mac App Store purchases which cannot be used on Linux (e.g. docker). See FileBot Pricing Explained for details.

[rednoah]

Hello,

Thank you for your previous guidance. I have carefully followed the recommended steps you provided, but I am still unable to successfully run the FileBot Docker container. Below are the steps I followed, referencing the recommendations you shared:

Environment:
• NAS: Synology DS1821+
• Docker Image: rednoah/filebot (latest)
• PUID/GID: 1026/100
• License File Path: /volume1/docker/filebot/FileBot_License_XXXXX.psm
• Output Path for Movies: /volume1/movies
• Input Path for Downloads: /volume1/download station


Steps Taken (Based on Your Recommendations):
1. Ensured Proper /data Mapping
• As per your guidance, we ensured the /data directory was properly mapped to /volume1/docker/filebot.
• Command used to activate the license:

Shell: Select all

sudo docker run --rm -it \
-v "/volume1/docker/filebot:/data" \
-e PUID=1026 \
-e PGID=100 \
rednoah/filebot --license /data/FileBot_License_XXXXX.psm

• Result:

Console Output: Select all

Activate License [XXXXX] on [Wed Jan 08 13:47:03 UTC 2025]
FileBot License XXXXX (Valid-Until: 2026-01-14) has been activated successfully.

2. Ran Container with Correct Parameters
• As recommended, I used the following command to start the container:

Shell: Select all

sudo docker run -d \
--name filebot \
-v "/volume1/docker/filebot:/data" \
-v "/volume1/download station:/downloads" \
-v "/volume1/movies:/movies" \
-e PUID=1026 \
-e PGID=100 \
rednoah/filebot

• The container is created successfully but immediately exits.


3. Checked Container Logs
• Command used:

Shell: Select all

sudo docker logs filebot

• Result:

Console Output: Select all

FileBot 5.1.6 (r10435)
-rename : Rename media files
(full help output here)

4. Attempted a Test Rename Command
• Command used:

Shell: Select all

sudo docker exec -it filebot filebot -r -rename "/downloads" \
--output "/movies" \
--format "{n} ({y})/{n} ({y})" \
--db TheMovieDB \
--action test

• Result:

Console Output: Select all

Error response from daemon: Container <container-id> is not running

5. Cleaned and Prepared Environment
• Cleared all unnecessary files such as @eaDir and #recycle directories from the mapped paths using:

Shell: Select all

sudo find "/volume1/docker/filebot" -name "@eaDir" -exec rm -rf {} +
sudo find "/volume1/docker/filebot" -name "#recycle" -exec rm -rf {} +
sudo find "/volume1/download station" -name "@eaDir" -exec rm -rf {} +
sudo find "/volume1/movies" -name "#recycle" -exec rm -rf {} +

• Reset ownership and permissions:

Shell: Select all

sudo chown -R 1026:100 /volume1/docker/filebot
sudo chmod -R 755 /volume1/docker/filebot
sudo chown -R 1026:100 "/volume1/download station"
sudo chmod -R 755 "/volume1/download station"
sudo chown -R 1026:100 /volume1/movies
sudo chmod -R 755 /volume1/movies

Current Issues:
1. The container exits immediately after being created, even though the license activation was successful.
2. The docker logs output only displays the standard help text for FileBot, suggesting the container might not be initializing properly.
3. Running any docker exec commands fails because the container is not running.

Request for Assistance:
Could you please advise on what might be causing the container to exit immediately? Is there a way to further debug the initialization process or check if the mounted paths are causing issues?

Thank you for your time and assistance. I look forward to resolving this issue.

Best regards,

Code: Select all

Error response from daemon: Container <container-id> is not running

Presumably, adding -d makes the command not work. Remember that we are running a command-line too, that runs, does things, and then exits. As opposed to a web service that keeps running in the background indefinitely.



So here is how you call filebot in a docker container. Let's start with that:

Shell: Select all

docker run --rm -it -v "data:/data" -v "$PWD:/volume1" rednoah/filebot -script fn:sysinfo

Let's add your modifications and run the filebot -script fn:sysinfo command for testing:

Shell: Select all

docker run --rm -it -v "/volume1/docker/filebot:/data" -v "/volume1:/volume1" -e PUID=1026 -e PGID=100 rednoah/filebot -script fn:sysinfo

➔ Please run this command and paste the console output. The filebot -script fn:sysinfo output will tell us if your license file exists from the container point-of-view.



Following this template, you can now run any filebot command, e.g. filebot -rename ...

Shell: Select all

docker run --rm -it -v "/volume1/docker/filebot:/data" -v "/volume1:/volume1" -e PUID=1026 -e PGID=100 rednoah/filebot -rename ...

If you continue to have issues. Please simply copy & paste the command & console output. We need nothing else. No need to spend time typing out the details. The complete command and console output will always tell us exactly what you're doing and what's not working.