Force ani-cli headless download mode

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -1,5 +1,10 @@
 # Changelog
 
+## 0.49.8 - 2026-07-21
+
+- Forced queued `ani-cli` attempts into explicit download-player mode with `ANI_CLI_PLAYER=download`, preventing headless Docker jobs from failing the upstream player check when `mpv` or `vlc` are not installed.
+- Expanded fallback regression coverage for the `ani-cli` download-mode environment.
+
 ## 0.49.7 - 2026-07-21
 
 - Ignored the local `_backup_/` folder in git and Docker build contexts so temporary backups do not get committed or copied into images.

README.md

@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 Local web UI for a system-wide `ani-cli` install.
 
-Current version: `0.49.7`
+Current version: `0.49.8`
 
 ## What it does
 
@@ -117,6 +117,7 @@ Docker notes:
 - Queue jobs can use any checked combination of `ani-cli`, `anipy-cli`, and `animdl`
 - Checked methods are tried in this order: `ani-cli`, `anipy-cli`, then `animdl`
 - Selecting one method disables fallback retry; selecting multiple methods makes later methods automatic fallbacks
+- Queue `ani-cli` downloads explicitly run with `ANI_CLI_PLAYER=download` so headless Docker installs do not need `mpv` or `vlc` just to save files
 - Fallback retries keep the queued episode numbers when fallback downloader filenames are renumbered from `1`
 - Docker images install `anipy-cli` and `animdl` automatically; non-Docker installs should provide the selected tools in `PATH` themselves
 

VERSION

@@ -1 +1 @@
-0.49.7
+0.49.8

queue_jobs.py

@@ -1518,6 +1518,7 @@ class DownloadQueue:
                     "env": {
                         **os.environ.copy(),
                         "ANI_CLI_DOWNLOAD_DIR": str(staging_dir),
+                        "ANI_CLI_PLAYER": "download",
                         "ANI_CLI_MODE": job["mode"],
                         "ANI_CLI_QUALITY": job["quality"],
                         "TERM": os.environ.get("TERM", "xterm-256color"),

test_app.py

@@ -1094,6 +1094,7 @@ class DownloadQueueWorkerFailureTests(unittest.TestCase):
         )
         job = queue.add({"query": "Queue Show", "title": "Queue Show", "season": "1", "episodes": "1"})
         commands = []
+        envs = []
 
         class FakeProc:
             def __init__(self, pid, stdout, exit_code):
@@ -1112,6 +1113,7 @@ class DownloadQueueWorkerFailureTests(unittest.TestCase):
 
         def fake_popen(command, **kwargs):
             commands.append(command)
+            envs.append(kwargs.get("env", {}))
             return processes.pop(0)
 
         with mock.patch.object(queue_jobs, "cli_executable_exists", return_value=True), mock.patch.object(
@@ -1125,6 +1127,7 @@ class DownloadQueueWorkerFailureTests(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(stored["status"], "done")
         self.assertTrue(stored["fallback_used"])
         self.assertEqual([command[0] for command in commands], [APP.app_support.ANI_CLI, APP.app_support.ANIPY_CLI, APP.app_support.ANIMDL])
+        self.assertEqual(envs[0]["ANI_CLI_PLAYER"], "download")
         self.assertIn("Fallback download completed with animdl.", stored["log"])