> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://cloakedkeys.gitbook.io/ofsc/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://cloakedkeys.gitbook.io/ofsc/command-reference/shared-options/scrape-metadata-options/user-selection-options.md).

# User Selection Options

These options allow you to define which users (models) the program should process for scraping actions. You can combine these methods for granular control.

## Specifying Usernames

### -u, --username (also `--usernames`, `--users`, `--user`) \[argument]

* **Selects:** Specific usernames to process, separated by commas (e.g., `name1,name2`).
* **Case-sensitive:** Usernames are matched based on exact case.
* **ALL (case-sensitive):** Use `ALL` to include all available usernames in the program's data.

**Example:** With `-u user1,user2`, only users "user1" and "user2" will be processed.

### -eu, --excluded-username \[argument]

* **Excludes:** Specific usernames from processing, separated by commas (e.g., `name1,name2`).
* **Precedence:** Excluded usernames take priority over usernames specified with `-u`.

**Example:** With `-u user1,user2` and `-eu user2`, only "user1" will be processed (excluding "user2").

#### With --scrape-paid

> ℹ️ **Since 3.15.0.** 3.14.7 and earlier ignore `--excluded-username` during `--scrape-paid`. See [Fork Changes](/ofsc/fork-changes.md).

The exclusion also applies to `--scrape-paid`, for both downloads and metadata runs, so you can skip one model that keeps failing without giving up the rest of the paid scan. Names are matched case-insensitively.

```bash
ofscraper --scrape-paid --excluded-username modelname
ofscraper metadata --scrape-paid update --excluded-username modelname,othermodel
```

* A skipped model is logged (`Skipping <name>_<id>: excluded by --excluded-username`) and left out of the run's totals.
* Its profile is still looked up to learn its username.
* A deleted account can only be excluded by the username recorded for it in an earlier run. Without one it shows as `modeldeleted_<id>` and can't be matched by name.

***

## Using User Lists

### -ul, --user-list (also `--user_list`, `--userlist`, `--userlists`, `--user-lists`) \[argument] (optional)

* **Filters:** Users based on entries in a user list.
* **Default list:** "ofscraper.main" (if no argument provided).
* **Built-in lists:** The program also has built-in lists "ofscraper.active" and "ofscraper.expired"\
  corresponding to active and expired account respectively
* **Argument behavior:**
  * If no argument is provided, the default list ("scrape") will be used.
  * If an argument is provided (e.g., "myuserList"), only the specified list will be processed.

**Example:** With `-ul myUserList`, only users in the "myUserList" list will be processed.

### -bl, --black-list (also `--black_list`, `--black-lists`, `--blacklist`, `--blacklists`) \[argument] (optional)

* **Excludes:** Users based on entries in a user list.
* **Blacklist behavior:** Similar to user lists, but excludes all users from the specified list
* **Default list:** None
* **Argument behavior:**
  * If an argument is provided (e.g., "inactiveUsers"), only users from the specified blacklist will be excluded.

**Example:** With `-bl inactiveUsers`, users in the "inactiveUsers" blacklist will be excluded from processing


---

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