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  1. I have seen all the stickies on this and have tried F8 to bring in a subtitle file which was empty. I am not adding an SRT or something similar and that might be my error. Yet playback does not show the subs. Just now I recall there is another type of sub file which I cannot remember at all.

    DVD Shrink was used to encode the job and I have the VOB - IFO set as usual. The AGK subtitle 'window' is empty.

    If I used something like Handbrake instead could I get these partial subs (forced sub I think they are called) with better result?

    Perhaps someone could refresh me on this technique or suggest an alternative. Some time ago there was a thread on Subtitle Edit-- it was a long one as these seem to be. I will try to look that up as well.
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  2. I'm a MEGA Super Moderator Baldrick's Avatar
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    DId you select/open the ifo? Not the vob.
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  3. I believe I tried the IFO since I knew that that's where they hide.

    Will retry it. AGK > open 'file icon screen left' > find IFO and load that.

    I found two IFO files, the first just said File not found when trying to load. The second called VTS_01_0.IFO loaded and the 2 sub styles now appear in the AGK subtitle box. I ticked the letterbox one.

    But where the output file normally auto completes and tags it as .AVI nothing happens.

    I can on;ly think that loading the IFO produced the error. I tried putting the IFO in the dropdown box and no luck with that.

    But at least seeing the sub files in the AGK box is progress.

    It's some small thing I am missing now. Please give the keystrokes like I did earlier.


    Also having some problem with "Preview and I may just have to reinstall AGK. Will do that next and get it from Videohelp. The problem with Preview may have been in following the instruction from hello_hello to
    update the player some time ago. I will clean that out and reinstall.
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  4. Your thread title and first post refer to the CTRL/F8 trick to add external subs for hardcoding. But later it seems that might not be true at all, and that you want to add VobSubs contained in the DVD.
    DVD Shrink was used to encode the job and I have the VOB - IFO set as usual.
    Do you get subs when playing the DVD after having used DVD Shrink?
    The second called VTS_01_0.IFO loaded and the 2 sub styles now appear in the AGK subtitle box. I ticked the letterbox one.
    Did you then try playing the Preview? No subs in Preview=no subs on output.

    You could always extract the VobSubs using something like VobSub Configure and really use the CTRL/F8 trick as outlined in Baldrick's guide here:

    https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/256625-How-to-add-permanent-subtitles-with-AutoGK-a...I-DivX-or-XviD

    If you go that route I think I'd get them from the original DVD and not the Shrink one.
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  5. I do not get the subs when trying to load the first vob file into something like VLC. I thought this would be an easier job since the forced subs did not have to be selected from any menuing and so I assumed hard coding. This must not be the case either.

    And yes I may have misstated what is needed since wherever this subtitle file is it is part of the original content.

    I will look at VOB Sub but do not get the connection with F8 if it resides outside AGK. Since I have done these procedures in the past I feel lost at the present difficulty. Why, if the IFO is selected as Source can I not designate the target file name .avi in the normal manner?

    As an alternative, does MeGUI give any path to sorting this out?

    If I understand the above post correctly, I'd use Vob Sub to tease out the subtitles. Then load that with AGK F8.
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  6. Originally Posted by loninappleton View Post
    I do not get the subs when trying to load the first vob file into something like VLC.
    Getting subs when just playing a VOB is kind of hit or miss. I said to play the DVD. That usually means playing the IFO. I don't use VLC but that's how it's done with MPC and its variants. And maybe you'll have to turn on the subs, not sure about forced subs.
    I will look at VOB Sub but do not get the connection with F8 if it resides outside AGK.
    Once you extract the subs, that's what CTRL/F8 is for - for external subs. The program is supposed to be able to extract on its own and hardcode subs still only in the DVD (not using CTFL/F8). I'm suggesting CTRL/F8 because, apparently, you're not having any luck doing it the 'normal' way.
    As an alternative, does MeGUI give any path to sorting this out?
    I don't use it, but if you've successfully extracted the subs the VobSub filter (VSFilter.dll) can be used in the AviSynth script to hardcode the subs.
    If I understand the above post correctly, I'd use Vob Sub to tease out the subtitles. Then load that with AGK F8.
    Yes, that's what I'm suggesting if all else fails. Use VobSub Configure (comes included in the VobSub package) to extract the VobSubs (IDX/SUB) for use with the CTRL/F8 trick in AutoGK.
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  7. Of all the shows I've converted I can say I only had to use forced subs with animé (not sure which producer, not ADV). AFAIK, whenever something needs to be subbed for viewers of a show it's not done selectively i.e. if the director feels you need to know what the Klingon said, you will see a hard sub.

    Anyway, you can't go wrong by loading the IFO, checking the sub you want, hitting the advanced option button and checking display forced sub only. If there are forced sub you will get them otherwise there will be no harm done, but some time wasted decoding subs.

    Besides, just by watching the show you can tell you're looking at hard subs; they have a quality all their own and they blend in with the show. If you're still unsure use a DVD player that has the option to disable displaying subs, if you can't turn them off they must be hard subs (I like PowerDVD).
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  8. I looked at VSrip which is a single function version program of Vob Sub. It looks esay to use with just two fields to fill in. Is that adequate for this? I'll have to look at Vob Sub as well. It usually takes some time for me to straighten these things out depending on which HD I'm on and so forth.

    IDX was the file format I couldn't think of. And to find those you have to make sure your search box says "all files" or it won't see that either.
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  9. Yes, VSRip can also extract VobSubs.
    I'll have to look at Vob Sub as well.
    I specifically mentioned VobSub Configure. It's one of several utilities included in the VobSub package.
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  10. Ok, I will go over all the things mentioned.
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  11. I am back on it now. But I had some problems not encountered before.

    VobSub I might have spelled wrong or something so I went and got VSrip which also has a more current edition.

    I was able to extract the sub file which is saved as IDX.

    IDX displays in Windows XP as a Notepad txt file and does not have a unique icon.

    So to AGK:

    I loaded VTS 1_01_0 and AGK accepted that with the IFO file extension.

    Then Cntl+F8 and I found the IDX file.

    IDX will only open after you select "All Files" at the bottom of that dialog page.

    Finally enter the name of the output file (this defaults to the original file name plus .avi

    A problem I had was in trying to run Preview. Preview gave the error that Direct Show could not open the video or audio. The best I could figure out from this is that it was looking for the T80_2 audio files created in AGK Temp. I did not know how to correct for this since I installed AGK fresh and so just had all defaults except for putting the work files on the desktop.

    Since I apparently had all the data (source file, external sub file and output) and checked one box of the the two in the Subtitle window of AGK I'm making a trial run and hope I get some subs.


    Oh, yeah, and Virtual Dub Mod stops for an "ok" while AGK is running. I had not recalled that happening for a while either.

    These long explanations are for anyone seeing the thread for the first time who may have never used the tools at all. I avoid shorthand wherever I can. That stop from Virtual Dub didn't halt the process-- it has resumed.

    more later.

    For next time, is there a setup routine to avoid the Preview problem? Is there a reason default folders such as AGK Temp are used that Preview cannot see? I have used Preview previously but quite a while ago and on a different setup.
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  12. The process described seems to work well from just sampling the output.

    I still have to look at Vob Sub.

    How to setup for Preview I still don't know how to accomplish. Perhaps the Preview file has to reside in AGK Temp. I will see if I can line that up in the correct way by letting AGK default to ( I think it is) C:\ or some such. I never ran into the problem before.
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  13. Sorry, but I can't help with your Preview problem as I haven't encountered or read of it before. Maybe hello_hello knows.
    IDX will only open after you select "All Files" at the bottom of that dialog page.
    That's right. By default you open the text-based files (SRT, SSA, etc.). For the graphics-based VobSubs you have to use the drop-down arrow thing.

    But finally, after sticking with it you got results. Good going. It's not always this difficult.
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  14. Not always difficult and not contentious. Thanks for help but I still worry about simply not remembering
    all the steps. VSrip was a good shortcut to what was needed.

    I'll see if I can duplicate the Preview problem from scratch since I didn't track each step after running DVD Shrink on the content.
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  15. I looked for my old thread on errors with Preview but search was like a needle in a haystack even when just using videohelp for a key.

    After that initial good encode which contained an idx file made from VSrip it has been difficult to duplicate the procedure since I wanted a larger file size (after trying to make it too small made for graininess.)

    Then all the error messages started in AGK.

    One thing I noticed at install of AGK was there's a checkbox filled in which says "associate AVS with Media Player 6.4 (play.)"

    Keeping this simple to answer, can this be unchecked and help the load a preview problem?

    I also saw AGK hang at "indexing for Preview.

    And though I think problems of AGK or one of it's progs stopping it Line 22 or 21 were discussed earlier, I cannot dig up a previous thread for that. These errors indicate the lines at which AGK stop. It just cannot find out how to continue. These things happened after a scratch installation from videohelp.

    In sum, what is different from the defaults to get all these things going? What support progs are needed?

    And would unchecked that Media Player version box do any good or take Preview down for good?
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  16. I found the old thread by just looking for the longest one I ever made. There are multiple things discussed in these five pages.


    https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/356570-Use-Auto-GK-or-DGIndex-to-Demux-to-MP3-or-WAV/page2


    I am continuing to re-read it but if anyone can simply respond from memory it would be helpful.
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  17. Originally Posted by loninappleton View Post
    And though I think problems of AGK or one of it's progs stopping it Line 22 or 21 were discussed earlier, I cannot dig up a previous thread for that. These errors indicate the lines at which AGK stop. It just cannot find out how to continue. These things happened after a scratch installation from videohelp.
    I've seen that one before, if my memory is good the line # it's talking about is in the AVS file that AGK generates for the conversion. I've never been able to use the preview option either and that's on three different computers, but I have to say I don't miss it.

    To generate the preview AGK goes through almost the same steps it does to actually do the job; it takes a long time. I expected it to re-use the files it generated for the preview, but it doesn't i.e. if you do a preview it runs DGindex to demux the audio to wav and creates the frameserve file for the video and the sub files (if selected), but when you actually want to run the job it runs DGindex again. You do save time by not encoding the audio, I don't know what it would do if you select audio pass through.

    Anyway, my work around is to start the conversion and stop it at 5%, then play the resulting AVI. If I'm happy with what I see I just start VdubMod, click File>Load Script, browse to the AGK temp folder and click lastjob.vcf to get the conversion going again. If the audio delay is wrong, just edit the delay value in lastjob.vcf on the interleave line (hint it matches the value of the wav file). If you need to adjust the sub timing or display, edit the IDX file.
    Last edited by nic2k4; 22nd Aug 2014 at 22:57. Reason: Doh!
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  18. I suppose it is good to hear someone had the same problem.

    I linked to the old thread b/c the answer is in there. I actually had preview going on that old job with four seemingly identical subtitle files (which were named poorly) and it was a big headache.

    I just can't get the difference (apparently important) between .sub, .idx, and text files, some of which Preview cannot see and errors out. That or some secret check box to allow or not allow external subs has to be fixed. I just cannot get the process straight.

    If someone would post a "how to use Preview in Auto Gordian Knot" or if there is one already, it would be less confusing that trying to find the needle in the haystack. Hint: numbered steps are preferred.
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  19. Just wondering, did you see Baldrick's guide and getting confused with the CTRL-F8 mention? That guide was done with version 2.37b and is a little out of date. Even the screen shot is done with an AVI input, hence the need to use CTRL-F8 to input subs.

    If you're converting from DVD, you should always use AGK in DVD mode (by opening an IFO), then adding a subtitle track is as simple as picking the one subtitle track you want from the subtitle track box; you should not input subs with CTRL-F8 (though you can use CTRL-F8 in DVD mode as a work around for subs that don't rip right or if you want to add subs in a language that is not on the DVD).

    A step by step guide to adding subs in DVD mode would go like this:

    (In the box marked Step 1)
    1- Click the input file browse button and find the IFO file that goes with the movie VOB (both have the same prefix, VTS_x_XX)
    2- Click the output file browse button and select a destination

    (In the box marked Step 2)
    3- Select one audio track to encode
    4- Select one subtitle track to encode

    (In the box marked Step 3)
    5- Set the output size you want

    (In the box marked Step 4)
    6- Click the advanced settings button, in the popup panel, set the video width you want (auto is fine) and set the audio quality and type you want (if you plan on using a hardware media player, check its specs).
    7- Click the display only forced subs box if needed (won't do anything for most DVD's in their native language, mostly useful for foreign language).

    8- Click the Add Job button
    9- Click the Start button
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  20. I was not using AGK in DVD mode if that means that DVD Shrink is not used.

    Your guide is very good, though this job seemed iffy without the apparent possibility of Preview.

    I was able to get the hard sub job done with a second try and now the larger file size does not appear grainy. The subs are synched with the image. I've never adjusted anything under the advanced tab and use all the defaults.

    Though I've done this numerous times I'm still pretty shaky on it without exact instructions. I made notes this time and can add my version shortly.

    Are you able to see Preview? And how is the check box (at install) set for Media Player ever adjusted one way or the other in the program?
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  21. DVD mode in AGK is enabled when you select an IFO for input (in older versions you had to click a button), it's just a different mode of operation. Shrink is used to trim the start and end of a movie or separate episodes and it makes it easy to find which IFO to use in AGK (when you only leave the main movie). You could bypass it and just rip the main movie with DVDfab.

    I stopped using Shrink and switched to Nero Recode 4, I was having issues with the audio delay being off after trimming from the start of a movie. Shrink and Recode are the same, you could say the name changed when the author went to work for Ahead. The issue has been fixed with the version that comes with Nero Ultra 7.

    I don't change anything in the AGK installation and I don't even know what settings are used for Mplayer. I've given up using preview, instead, I stop the encoding after Vdubmod has started if I suspect there might be a problem. The way I look for audio problem is by comparing the audio delay AGK finds with what PGCdemux gets from the DVD IFO (look for the WAV file in the temp folder AGK creates in the destination folder; ignore a 16 ms difference). You can check that as soon as you hit start in AGK.

    For subs, wait until they have been demuxed, then open the IDX file with notepad and look for the timing info. Before each block of timing there's a program ID number with the form of major#;minor# (looks like 1;12). If the first ID at the beginning has timing data and is followed by another ID with a higher major# (goes from 0;01 to 1;01) you may have issues with the subs delay (this happens rarely and can be avoided if you only rip the main movie). You can verify the actual delay by stopping AGK after Vdubmod has encoded 5% (or whatever you feel is needed to have a sub displayed). Open the AVI in Vdubmod and using the arrow keys move to where the first sub appear, compare the time to what's in the IDX file (the difference is the value to use with the delay: command in the IDX). Remember you have to cancel the delay (enter the opposite value) when the program ID major# changes.

    If you trim the beginning of a movie with Shrink, you will screw up the subs timing of the affected program ID. You will have to add a delay: value to the IDX file, but it's very easy to know the value to use. In DVDshrink's trim window there's a time indicator that shows you the position of the beginning of the movie, that's the value you enter for the sub delay. Shrink shows the time as HH:MM:SS #frames; divide the #frames by the frame rate to get milliseconds (you can get the movie frame rate from Shrink's info box). You have to include milliseconds even if the value is zero i.e. Delay: -00:00:15.000, it won't work if you don't.

    Any time something needs to be fixed, let AGK run until Vdubmod has started, then stop it and make your changes. To get the job going again, just start Vdubmod, click File>Load Script, browse to the AGK temp folder and select Lastjob.vcf
    Last edited by nic2k4; 22nd Aug 2014 at 23:06.
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  22. This is the little guide I made while doing the operation under discussion:


    Use Auto GK to encode with Subtitles.

    Prepare to encode DVD:

    Run AnyDVD

    Run DVD Shrink

    Drag Main Title to Left Pane

    Select Re-author

    With the VOB set made...

    Use VSrip to unpack the IDX subtitle file from the DVD IFO

    VSrip has only two fields. The input field is the only one to fill in.

    Save to an unique name. Note the file location

    Run Auto Gordian Knot

    Load the IFO of the title at Input file

    With cursor in that Input field Press Control + F8

    A new field opens for external subtitles.


    Navigate to the IDX file made from VSrip

    Select that in the subtitle field

    Note: You will have to select All Files to reveal the IDX

    Use the default file ... .avi for Output field


    No subtitle box is checked in the Right Pane of AGK

    In Advanced Settings, "Use External Sub" is not checked.

    Set your size for output in the usual manner. Queue. Start.

    The job will take some time to complete.
    Last edited by loninappleton; 1st Dec 2014 at 15:42.
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  23. I'm trying to refine what was said up above there and am revisiting this thread.

    Still having apparent problems with IDX.

    I noted that in Advanced settings of AGK all of the subtitle boxes are unchecked including 'Use External Subtitles'.

    Yet when selecting IDX, the field name exposed with F8 is called External subtitles.

    Which is correct? Should the 'Use External Subtitle" box be checked and why the
    duplication of procedure? It's just confusing.

    I will be trying it both ways to check.

    From the discussion above VobSub is just too old from 2002. It gave errors and I continue to use VSRip with this note:

    VSRip has the confusing notation in the Language field next to PGC1 showing highlighting of both or all subtitles available: en, deutch, fr, whatevs. I made the mistake of not changing the highlight to a single language for idx creation in the past and selected one only this time.

    When to close is also poorly marked.

    I will report back with results. I thought I'd have this nailed by now.
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  24. Originally Posted by loninappleton View Post
    I noted that in Advanced settings of AGK all of the subtitle boxes are unchecked including 'Use External Subtitles'.

    Yet when selecting IDX, the field name exposed with F8 is called External subtitles.

    Which is correct? Should the 'Use External Subtitle" box be checked and why the
    duplication of procedure? It's just confusing.
    It's unclear, I'll admit. The Advanced Setting 'External Subs' is for subs not meant for hard-coding, but kept separate (external) from the AVI and played with the AVI. They are extracted from the DVD in VobSub format. If you're hard-coding subs into your AVI and are getting them from somewhere other than the DVD (they're already somewhere on your hard drive), then you use the CTRL-F8 trick and don't do anything in the Advanced Settings.
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  25. Success. Yes, the Advanced screen should have none ticked for subtitles either forced or external.

    I'll have to practice with this more often to get it memorized including the details with the Vob program.

    What happened with trying to install VobSub was in the option screen for use with Virtual dub etc during setup. Too difficult.

    Are there any other well laid out Vob rip tools for this specific activity of recent vintage?


    As an aside I visited Doom9 because they have a Vidcoder thread there which I think Manono and others were on. The subs present are obvious and well laid out in Handbrake and its Vidcoder shell. Unfortunately I could not get any to hard coding. In the layout for Handbrake Vidcoder and using MKV, it _looks like_ you could simply add any and all language subs in through the dialog and access them via VLC at playback. But this must be wishful thinking-- that it could be so easy.
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  26. Originally Posted by loninappleton View Post
    Are there any other well laid out Vob rip tools for this specific activity of recent vintage?
    I don't know why it has to be of recent vintage. After all, AutoGK isn't all that recent either. You already know about VSRip. You can extract subs in SUP format using PGCDemux and then use SubtitleCreator to instantly convert them to VobSubs.
    As an aside I visited Doom9 because they have a Vidcoder thread there which I think Manono and others were on.
    manono? I've never used Vidcoder. Someone else, maybe?
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  27. Maybe another reference going through my head. What is curious is the overlap of responders at some of these sites.

    --

    PGC is referred to in VSRip in their info screen. This prog looks as if it eliminates some of the steps you describe. As to program age, yes AGK, DVDShrink etc are older. I looked at Handbrake and saw how the Vidcoder shell can be used on lower rez screens and began a few experiments with it.

    Who uses these continually buggy programs is a question in my mind. Either they just don't work for _me_ or they have problems with features not sufficiently thought out. I am not doing this every day but in fits and starts depending on what my needs are.

    There was one sub job I never got done. I started it several times. It was a timing problem.
    Between Pal/ NTSC rips, framerates, missing or added prologs and srts for translation I had to give it up. It was too confusing even if I fully dedicated time and patience to it.
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  28. I have had success with the other available idx subtitle language in my content.

    This presented a difficulty at first with using VSRip and naming conventions within the same
    content folder. AGK did not like the vts_vob.idx (whatevs) renamed myfile.idx at all and so I had to redo some things from scratch.

    But another question presented itself: Can the .idx file be edited to give black background to white lettering for easier reading.. is there some code that can do this that isn't line by line or something? Can a program like Subtitle Edit accomplish such a job? The text currently is white with black shadow.

    Also a .sub file is created. Is this the kind that is used with the External box in AGK? Is it more flexible for editing?
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  29. Originally Posted by loninappleton View Post
    Can the .idx file be edited to give black background to white lettering for easier reading.
    VobSub Configure (included in the VobSub package) can change the colors. It can't however, change transparencies.
    Also a .sub file is created.
    An IDX always comes with a SUB file. Together they're called VobSubs. One is no good without the other.
    Is this the kind that is used with the External box in AGK?
    No, that's the text-based SUB format.
    Is it more flexible for editing?
    Yes, if you want to perform an OCR to get the taxt-based SUB. The one that comes with the IDX can't even be opened properly as it contains the BMPs. Try and open it in Notepad and all you'll get is gibberish.
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  30. What are transparencies?

    I have seen where the sub background can show through or solid.

    I will try to install VOBsub again plain vanilla and avoid the VirtualDub trap.
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