How to shift subtitles when a clip is inserted?

[Trupod]

After adding captions throughout an entire sequence, I need to insert a clip at the beginning. When I do this, the captions don't shift!

 

1.

How do I lock the captions to the video?

 

2.

If this is not possible, how best to bulk shift the timing of all captions (after the point of clip insertion, whch in this case is the very beginning of the sequence but might not always be so).

 

3.

Should I be captioning via some mechanism other than "subtitles"?

 

Thanks for your attention.

[borate]

Some tips here...

http://www.nchsoftwa.../subtitles.html

 

After experimentation, there appears to be no easy way to shift subtitles, even when loaded via an SSA file.

 

Go with Nat's suggestions, for maximum flexibility.

[Nationalsolo]

Hi

 

"How do I lock the captions to the video?"

 

Subtitles are located (as far as I know) by time along the sequence. I don't think you can lock them to a particular clip (as they may extend in fact over several clips) or move them along as a group. Subtitles as such are generally added after editing is complete and can be saved as an independant SSA file. .Adding further clips, as you have seen mucks the positioning up. Perhaps NCH will comment.

 

If you know the duration of the inserted clip (and its position,) you could go through every subtitle position and add on the value to the boxes under the Subtitle tab. to reposition each entry..... not recommended.

 

"Should I be captioning via some mechanism other than "subtitles"?"

 

When I have used text subtitles (and I have used them quite a bit) I find it best to place them in position as Text.

i.e. use the Add Text tab which allows text to added as an image to the overlay track (Video Track 2).

This way using the text controls, you can add your text and position it within the frame, and scroll it if required, You can use any font and set it any size. You can have more than one line of text, even lines in different colours if multiple overlays are used. As image clips you can use effects with them..like fade in/out.

The duration of any of the text images can be altered to fit the visuals as they are independant of the clips on the main track and, as they are placed on the overlay track, in the event that you displace the main sequence line by adding or inserting further clips, you can select the text images as a group and move them all together to their new location without altering their relative spacings. Consequently they will remain in synch once realigned.

 

I think Borate's suggestion is worth trying but I fear may not work as it is still the time values along with the text data which are saved in the SSA file.

 

Nat

[c_major]

Hi,

 

Thanks to bringing this topic up.

 

There are things we can do to improve it:

1. Add more controls to the subtitle dialog to allow shifting subtitles in a group.
   
2. Add a new type of clip/track that represent subtitles in the main timeline and allow users manipulate subtitles in the main window.
   

We'll probably implement the first one first. Please let me know if you have any thought.

 

Best Regards.

[borate]

 

There are things we can do to improve it: Add more controls to the subtitle dialog to allow shifting subtitles in a group.

 

Ability to shift selected subtitles would be handy.

[Viszockij]

Hi Everyone,

 

is this solved? Is this in version 4.14... because I don't find.

If not, then in which?

 

Thank you.

[Nationalsolo]

Hi Viszockij

 

"is this solved? Is this in version 4.14... because I don't find.

If not, then in which?"

 

Latest version is 4.58 but the option is presumably under development for a future release.

 

Nat

[Nationalsolo]

Hi

 

"Ability to shift selected subtitles would be handy."

 

Individual subtitle entries can be selected as they have their own IN/OUT times listed as part of the SSA file that you can save and these appear on the right side of the subtitle entry screen as Show and Hide.

 

To move or adjust a selected subtitle you can simply drag the red and blue IN/OUT markers to a different position relative to the thumbnail line and the preview image. The subtitle text is moved in accordance with the positioning of the markers and the Show and Hide values are updated accordingly. You can even overlap subtitles if required as there is no restraint on placing an IN marker to the left of a previous subtitle's OUT marker.

 

HOWEVER...You can only select one subtitle to move at a time.

 

Even though you can select and highlight any number of subtitles on the list using SHIFT, when more than one is selected the IN/OUT markers disappear.. It might be useful if one could select a group in the way mentioned and have the markers relate to the group selected which could then be moved together using the markers.

 

Nat

[Viszockij]

Wow. Quick answer. I appreciate.

So then I need to move 500 lines... one by one.

Oh my

 

 

Thank you.

[johnywhy]

Hello,

this is very important to me too. 

I need all subtitles to shift position automatically, when clips are inserted into timeline, and when clips in timeline are rearranged. 

Any plans to implement that?

I see two possible ways:

• Shift by time, according to length of inserted cliip.
• Ignore time, and lock the start-position of ea subtitle to it's associated clip. Keep the subtitle with the clip when the clip moves. In other words, don't generate single unified subtitles-file until Export. 

thx!

[johnywhy]

On 1/15/2015 at 10:04 AM, Nationalsolo said:

you can add your text and position it within the frame, and scroll it if required, You can use any font and set it any size. You can have more than one line of text, even lines in different colours if multiple overlays are used.

That's exactly what i DON'T want. My subtitles will be a mess. Plus the extra time and effort to format them. 

I use subtitles instead of Text, so that the formatting is automatically correct and consistent, and there's no risk that i will mess it up. That also eliminate time and effort spent on formatting. 

IMO, the best way is to put subtitles in the timeline, and move them with clips during editing, same as audio track is moved with clips. 

[JimmyRustle]

In the new versions (I think v6.10 onwards) we attempt to 'link' subtitles to overlapped clips, with sound clips taking priority. It's not exactly perfect but I think it should work fine in your simple case where you just want to insert a clip at the beginning.