Fixes corrupted Steam game recording timeline files that prevent clips from being saved or exported on steam game recording.

fix_steam_game_recording_timelines.py

import json
import os
import shutil

## Credit for finding this solution go to: 
## https://steamcommunity.com/groups/SteamClientBeta/discussions/0/601916204203051690/
## https://steamcommunity.com/groups/SteamClientBeta/discussions/5/601917463282777291/#c601917691382761871

def fix_timeline_file(filepath):
    try:
        with open(filepath, 'r', encoding='utf-8') as f:
            data = json.load(f)
        
        # check if entries is corrupted (object instead of array)
        if 'entries' in data and isinstance(data['entries'], dict):
            print(f"  Fixing: {os.path.basename(filepath)}")
            
            entries_dict = data['entries']
            if entries_dict:
                sorted_keys = sorted(entries_dict.keys(), key=lambda x: int(x))
                entries_array = [entries_dict[key] for key in sorted_keys]
            else:
                entries_array = []
            
            data['entries'] = entries_array
            
            with open(filepath, 'w', encoding='utf-8') as f:
                json.dump(data, f, indent=2)
            
            return True
        else:
            return False
            
    except Exception as e:
        print(f"  Error processing {os.path.basename(filepath)}: {str(e)}")
        return False

def process_timelines(timeline_dir, backup_dir):
    timeline_files = [f for f in os.listdir(timeline_dir) 
                     if f.startswith('timeline_') and f.endswith('.json')]
    
    if not timeline_files:
        return 0, 0
    
    os.makedirs(backup_dir, exist_ok=True)
    
    fixed_count = 0
    
    for filename in timeline_files:
        filepath = os.path.join(timeline_dir, filename)
        backup_path = os.path.join(backup_dir, filename)
        
        shutil.copy2(filepath, backup_path)
        
        if fix_timeline_file(filepath):
            fixed_count += 1
    
    return len(timeline_files), fixed_count

def find_timeline_dirs(steam_base):
    timeline_dirs = []
    
    for user_dir in os.listdir(steam_base):
        user_path = os.path.join(steam_base, user_dir)
        
        if not os.path.isdir(user_path) or not user_dir.isdigit():
            continue
        
        gamerecordings_path = os.path.join(user_path, "gamerecordings")
        if not os.path.exists(gamerecordings_path):
            continue
        
        # find all timelines directories recursively
        for root, dirs, files in os.walk(gamerecordings_path):
            if 'timelines' in dirs and 'timelines_backup' not in root:
                timeline_path = os.path.join(root, 'timelines')
                if 'timelines_backup' not in timeline_path:
                    timeline_dirs.append(timeline_path)
    
    return timeline_dirs

def main():
    steam_base = r"C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\userdata"
    
    if not os.path.exists(steam_base):
        print(f"Steam userdata directory not found: {steam_base}")
        return
    
    timeline_dirs = find_timeline_dirs(steam_base)
    
    if not timeline_dirs:
        print("No timeline directories found")
        return
    
    print(f"Found {len(timeline_dirs)} timeline directories\n")
    
    total_files = 0
    total_fixed = 0
    processed_dirs = {}
    
    for timeline_dir in timeline_dirs:
        parts = timeline_dir.split(os.sep)
        user_id_index = parts.index('userdata') + 1
        user_id = parts[user_id_index]
        
        gamerecordings_index = parts.index('gamerecordings')
        relative_path = os.sep.join(parts[gamerecordings_index:])
        
        parent_dir = os.path.dirname(timeline_dir)
        backup_dir = os.path.join(parent_dir, "timelines_backup")
        
        if user_id not in processed_dirs:
            processed_dirs[user_id] = 0
        processed_dirs[user_id] += 1
        
        print(f"User {user_id} - {relative_path}")
        
        file_count, fixed_count = process_timelines(timeline_dir, backup_dir)
        
        if file_count > 0:
            print(f"  Found {file_count} files, fixed {fixed_count}\n")
        else:
            print(f"  No timeline files found\n")
        
        total_files += file_count
        total_fixed += fixed_count
    
    print(f"\nSummary:")
    for user_id, count in processed_dirs.items():
        print(f"  User {user_id}: {count} timeline directories processed")
    print(f"\nTotal: Fixed {total_fixed} out of {total_files} files")

if __name__ == "__main__":
    main()