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Filter Image Downloads With URL Rules — Bulk Image Downloader Pro

danito
Filter Image Downloads With URL Rules — Bulk Image Downloader Pro

One URL condition is enough for simple jobs. Real scraped lists often need more care: keep images from one folder, exclude thumbnails, and allow a second valid path at the same time. That is when you need to filter image downloads with URL rules rather than relying on one keyword.

Bulk Image Downloader Pro lets each download task store multiple Download IF URL conditions using Contains, Not Contains, and Regex.

Build rules from real URL patterns

Start by looking at the URL list. Useful images often share clear patterns: folder names, product IDs, dimensions, CDN paths, or file extensions. Unwanted images often have their own patterns too: thumbnails, icons, logos, sprites, tracking paths, and small asset folders.

Good Download IF rules come from those patterns, not from guessing.

Understand how mixed rules are evaluated

Contains and Regex are positive rules: a URL should match at least one positive pattern when positive rules exist. Not Contains is negative: every Not Contains rule must be absent for the URL to pass that side of the test.

When a task has both positive rules and Not Contains rules, the selected AND or OR logic decides how those groups combine.

Use AND to narrow a list

AND is the stricter mode. It is useful when a URL must match a wanted pattern and avoid unwanted text at the same time.

For example, you might keep URLs containing /products/ and reject URLs containing thumb. That narrows the list to product images that are not thumbnail links.

Use OR to widen a list

OR is useful when more than one pattern is acceptable. If a site stores valid images under /products/ and /gallery/, OR logic can allow either path.

Use OR carefully with Not Contains rules, because it can let more URLs through than expected.

A practical rule-building workflow

  1. Start with one Contains rule for the strongest wanted pattern.
  2. Add Not Contains rules for obvious junk paths.
  3. Add Regex only when a simple string is not precise enough.
  4. Use AND when rules should narrow the list.
  5. Use OR when several patterns are acceptable.
  6. Run a small test before using the rules on a long task.

For the simpler version, read download images only when URL contains text. For naming the output files afterward, see rename downloaded images automatically.