Getting Started - About ChapterMaker

[Anonymous]

Hi Bob, looking for help on input files. May you provide two TXT working files, one for TIMES and one for TITLES ? Thanks GB

[Bob Swift]

Just to make sure I understand what you're after, do you (1) want to be able to input the times from one file and the titles from another file, or (2) want examples of the types of input files used?

If it's (1), then you can already specify different files for the times and titles, and each file can be either an XML file (used by MKVToolNix), an OGG chapter file (similar to the text files you get from ChapterDB.org) or a text file (with each title on a separate line). One option you don't have is a times file with just the timecodes (one per line).

If it's examples you're looking for here are some typical ones:

XML File

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<Chapters>
  <EditionEntry>
    <EditionFlagHidden>0</EditionFlagHidden>
    <EditionFlagDefault>0</EditionFlagDefault>

    <ChapterAtom>
      <ChapterDisplay>
        <ChapterString>1. Main Titles</ChapterString>
        <ChapterLanguage>eng</ChapterLanguage>
      </ChapterDisplay>
      <ChapterTimeStart>00:00:00.00000</ChapterTimeStart>
      <ChapterFlagHidden>0</ChapterFlagHidden>
      <ChapterFlagEnabled>1</ChapterFlagEnabled>
    </ChapterAtom>

    <ChapterAtom>
      <ChapterDisplay>
        <ChapterString>2. Fervent Prayer</ChapterString>
        <ChapterLanguage>eng</ChapterLanguage>
      </ChapterDisplay>
      <ChapterTimeStart>00:02:53.36841</ChapterTimeStart>
      <ChapterFlagHidden>0</ChapterFlagHidden>
      <ChapterFlagEnabled>1</ChapterFlagEnabled>
    </ChapterAtom>

    .
    .
    .

    <ChapterAtom>
      <ChapterDisplay>
        <ChapterString>24. Unbelievable/End Credits</ChapterString>
        <ChapterLanguage>eng</ChapterLanguage>
      </ChapterDisplay>
      <ChapterTimeStart>01:41:47.00000</ChapterTimeStart>
      <ChapterFlagHidden>0</ChapterFlagHidden>
      <ChapterFlagEnabled>1</ChapterFlagEnabled>
    </ChapterAtom>

    <ChapterAtom>
      <ChapterDisplay>
        <ChapterString>End of Video</ChapterString>
        <ChapterLanguage>eng</ChapterLanguage>
      </ChapterDisplay>
      <ChapterTimeStart>01:43:54.74514</ChapterTimeStart>
      <ChapterFlagHidden>1</ChapterFlagHidden>
      <ChapterFlagEnabled>1</ChapterFlagEnabled>
    </ChapterAtom>

  </EditionEntry>
</Chapters>

OGG Chapter File

CHAPTER01=00:00:00.000
CHAPTER01NAME=The Foundations of Stone
CHAPTER02=00:04:08.706
CHAPTER02NAME=Elven Rope
CHAPTER03=00:06:10.787
  .
  .
  .
CHAPTER65=03:30:51.746
CHAPTER65NAME="The Battle for Middle-earth is About to Begin"
CHAPTER66=03:32:31.638
CHAPTER66NAME=Gollum's Plan
CHAPTER67=03:34:56.074
CHAPTER67NAME=End Credits
CHAPTER68=03:43:52.109
CHAPTER68NAME=Fan Club Credits

Text file (with durations)

1. There Goes History (Game 1) [4:25]
2. Two in a Row [1:17]
3. Mystery Man [4:22]
4. Hurting Men [1:48]
5. Half-time Speech [2:24]
    .
    .
    .
44. Final Play [2:51]
45. Together [2:52]
46. Tony's Plans [3:00]
47. End Credits [4:04]

If I've missed the point and it's something else you're after, please let me know.

Thanks.

Bob

[Anonymous]

Hi Bob, thanks, here what I get, I attached input files and CM printscreen.
Test Titles

[Anonymous]

Test Times

[Anonymous]

CM Printscreen

[Anonymous]

What I would like to do is have an input text file with my chapter list and a time file with absolute times, starting from zero, not duration, for each chapter.

[Bob Swift]

Okay, now I see the problem. The program is misinterpreting the decimal indicator because your system is set to use a comma rather than a period. I'll have a look and see what I can do to correct that. It's definitely a bug. Thanks for pointing it out. In the mean time, you might be able to get it to work by changing the period to a comma in your times input file. Please let me know if that works.

Thanks.

Bob

[Bob Swift]

Please try the attached and let me know if it works properly for you. Note that this should use a period for the decimal indicator in the input files rather than a comma. With any luck it should work with your original test files.

Please let me know if this solves the problem, and I'll issue a new release with the bug fixed.

Thanks.

Bob

[Anonymous]

Hi Bob, now it works fine. See print screen with same input files. Many thanks

[Bob Swift]

Excellent! Thanks for letting me know. I'll issue an updated version officially.

Bob

[Anonymous]

May I do a request? Can you add a feature so I can change the speed like, if I got two videos one saved in 25 fps and another 24 fps, (different speed), be able to edit the speed? Its a bit tricky when they are not at the same speed. I have remastered a few videos and It would save me so mutch time doing this. :)

[Bob Swift]

Can you please explain your issue a but more? I'm not sure that I understand what you're asking for.

The chapters are stored by time, which should be the same regardless of the frame rate. There is a function to try to match the times to a frame boundary of the selected frame rate.

[Anonymous]

Bob, Hi. Just downloaded ChapterMaker and finally found it Downloads. I am trying to insert 5-minute-apart chapters in a 2-hour MP4 file. However, so far all I've been able to do is to have CM create an XML file, completely separate from the MP4 file, showing the chapters. Does CM have a way to imbed the chapters within the MP4 file, itself? The reason I want chapters is that often I don't have time to watch an entire MP4 file, but when I start watching it again the next time, I have to fast forward the Blu-Ray player to where I left off the previous watching session. If there were chapters within the file itself, I could just cue up the chapter I had watched to. If/when I can accomplish this goal, I am glad to donate to your work. Thanks, Russell Farley, Olathe, Kansas. And Merry Christmas!