convert-files

# Convert files with Roue Roue converts files on this computer with FFmpeg, libvips, Ghostscript, Pandoc and LibreOffice. Nothing is uploaded. Each result is written **next to its original** (`IMG_2041.HEIC` → `IMG_2041.jpg`) and **never replaces an existing file**: Roue picks a free name like `photo (2).jpg` instead. ## Use the MCP tools when you have them If the `roue` MCP tools are available (`list_presets`, `file_info`, `convert`, `undo_last`, `check_tools`), use them: 1. `list_presets` with the user's files: only the presets that fit all of them, most relevant first. 2. `convert` with a preset `id` and the files (absolute paths; folders work, `recursive: true` includes sub-folders, `output_dir` writes elsewhere). 3. Tell the user the paths it wrote, and the sizes when they matter (`input_bytes` → `output_bytes`). ## Otherwise, use the `roue` command ```sh roue list --for FILE... --json # presets that fit these files roue convert PRESET FILE... --json # convert; folders work, -r for sub-folders roue convert PRESET FILE... -o DIR # write results to DIR instead roue info FILE... # type, length, codecs, matching presets roue undo # move the last results to the trash roue doctor # which tools are installed ``` `--json` prints `{"preset": ..., "jobs": [{"source", "state", "outputs", "message", "input_bytes", "output_bytes"}]}`. `state` is `done`, `failed`, `skipped` (wrong kind of file, or nothing to gain) or `cancelled`. Exit codes: `0` ok, `1` a file failed, `2` usage error such as an unknown preset. If `roue` isn't installed, tell the user how to get it (it needs `sudo`, so let them run it): `wget -qO- https://guilyx.github.io/roue/install.sh | sh` on Ubuntu 22.04+ and Debian 12+, or see https://guilyx.github.io/roue/docs/install.html. ## Which preset | The user wants | Preset | |---|---| | A photo that opens everywhere (HEIC, PNG, WebP → JPG) | `jpg` | | Lossless image, or a screenshot | `png` | | Small images for the web | `webp`, or `avif` for the smallest | | Smaller or resized photos | `compress-image`, `resize-half`, `resize-1080`, `resize-double` | | Remove location and camera details | `strip-metadata` | | A video that plays anywhere | `mp4` | | A GIF from a clip | `gif` | | A video small enough to send | `share-10mb` (chat), `share-25mb` (email), `compress-video` | | Remove the sound from a video | `mute` | | Audio, or the soundtrack of a video | `mp3`, `opus`, `wav`, `flac` | | Quiet and loud recordings at the same level | `normalize` | | Word, Excel, PowerPoint or Markdown → PDF | `pdf` | | Markdown → Word or a web page | `docx`, `html` | | A smaller PDF | `compress-pdf` | | PDF pages as images, or its text | `pdf-to-png`, `pdf-to-text` | Users can add their own presets, so check `list_presets` (or `roue list`) for ids that aren't in this table. ## Good to know - A preset with `available: false` lists what it `needs`. `check_tools` (or `roue doctor`) gives the install command; ask the user to run it. - `compress-*` presets keep the result only if it's actually smaller, so a `skipped` file isn't an error. - `undo_last` (or `roue undo`) moves the files the last conversion wrote to the trash. Originals are never touched.