Voody Blue Subtitler (aka VBS) is a simple programme that allows you to manually synchronize a text file with a video stream, thus creating a subtitles file.
It was coded for just a couple of days when I found myslef in need of such application and failed to find anything suitable in the Net. Therefore, it is limited in features and is designed to match my own working habbits and preferences.
VBS uses a small plain-text config, stored in ~/.vbs/config. It is generated when VBS is run fo rthe the first time. Do not edit this file unless you are told to do so.
The input file should be ether text-only (one subtitle per line) or SubRip format. It can utilize either single-byte encoding or UTF-8. The best way to produce a file with single-byte encoding is to save it from your favourite word processor setting the appropriate encoding. By default, VBS treats the input file as cp1251-encoded. To change it, use the Text/Set Encoding menu. The lines of the input file may be either <CR> ot <CR><LF> terminated.
If you wish to have a subtitle split into two lines at an exact position (not where your player decides), insert a pipe character "|" at the desired position. When exporting the subtitles, VBS will replace it with a newline character.
The output file is in SubRip format. It was chosen because it is frame-rate independent (yes, I agree that these stupid numbers preceding each subtitle are just a waste of time) and matches best the way the subtitles list is managed by the VBS internally. The default export encoding is single-byte, cp1251. To change it, use the Export/Set Encoding menu.
By default, the lines in the output file will be <LF> terminated. If you need a <CR><LF> format, set it from the Expot/Set Newline Char menu.
VBS has a simple interface:
- A status bar showing whether the movie s running or paused. When you first start it, it pauses at the beginning of the movie. Press spacebar to start playing. You can pause the playback at any time by againg pressing spacebar; however, you can only pause the playback between subtitles, when one is inserted and not yet retrieved.
- A progress bar showing a recommended duration for each subtitle. If the subtitle is not retrieved after the suggested time, a counter of the total duration of the subtitle is also displayed.
- A list of lines, read from the input file together with their entry and exit times (initially all zeroes). The subtitle which is ready to be entered is highlighted. To insert the subtitle, press "b". To retrieve it and prepare the next, press "m". To retrieve it and insert the next, press "n".
When playback is paused, you can use double click any of the first two columns of a processed subtitle (i.e. columns which have values, greater than zero) to move 1 second before its entry time. While playing, you'll see the subtitles displayed by mplayer and will also see the the current subtitle being highlighted.
To edit the text of a subtitle on the spot, double click the column containg the text. With MPEG files this works pretty OK (they usually have a keyframe every 1/2 second). However, with AVI files seek precision often lies somewhere around 5 seconds meaning with AVI files you may have to go back 1-2 subtitles earlier - or re-encode it in a more suitable fashion.
Whenever you press the "m" or "n" key, VBS automatically exports the subtitles list. Therefore you don't have to save anything on exit (or crash :). You can still force exporting by pressing the "s" key. Each export overrides the previous one.
4. Menu bar.
The File/Quit exits the programme.
To insert a new empty subtitle before/after current or to delete current subtitle, use the entries in the Edit menu. In the same menu you can zero the counters for the currently selected subtitle or for all subtitles from current on.
To import a plain text or SubRip text file, use the entries in the Text menu. Also use it t specify encoding for the text files.
To load a video file, use the Video/Load menu.
To set an export destination, use the Export menu. Default is usually "/tmp/vbs_export.srt". Also use it to specify encoding for the exported file and to set the newline character (default <LF>).
To get some help, use the Help/Contents menu.
IMPORTANT! This free softwarte is released with hope that it will be useful, but with no warranty of any type at all. Use it at your own risk. You are free to distribute it as well as to modify it as long as you preserve the original License. See LICENSE file for details.