SSA rectangle means I can't see the text

[ssa_newbie]

Hi all
I'm enjoying working with ssa subtitles but the colors are all off. I just want to be able to have the same type of subtitles that are shown with srt subtitles to begin with. Here's my current styles which appear to be white with a grey border and I can't see any text-how can I get normal text for starters?


[V4 Styles]
Format: Name, Fontname, Fontsize, PrimaryColour, SecondaryColour, TertiaryColour, BackColour, Bold,
Italic, BorderStyle, Outline, Shadow, Alignment, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, AlphaLevel, Encoding
Style: Default,Tahoma,24,16777215,16777215,16777215,12632 256,-1,1,3,0,1,6,30,30,415,0,0

[ssa_newbie]

How can I change the color and position of the TopTiles? It is currently yellow although they all seem to be the same values as the BottomTitles! I want it to be the same size and at the top of the page Thank you

[V4 Styles]
Format: Name, Fontname, Fontsize, PrimaryColour, SecondaryColour, TertiaryColour, BackColour, Bold,

Italic, BorderStyle, Outline, Shadow, Alignment, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, AlphaLevel, Encoding
Style: BottomTitles,Consolas,36,65535,65535,255,0,-1,0,1,2,2,6,40,40,400,0,1
Style: TopTitles,Consolas,36,65535,65535,255,0,-1,0,1,2,2,6,40,40,80,0,1

[Baldrick]

Edit it with aegisub?

[manono]

I set my styles using SubStation Alpha. You can also edit the individual subs to, for example, make one a top title.

How did the colors get off to begin with? Did it happen when converting from SRT to SSA? If so, maybe use a different conversion program. I use Sub Resynch which comes in the VobSub package. As for your colors, try these:

12303291,8421504,0

[V4 Styles]
Format: Name, Fontname, Fontsize, PrimaryColour, SecondaryColour, TertiaryColour, BackColour, Bold,

Italic, BorderStyle, Outline, Shadow, Alignment, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, AlphaLevel, Encoding
Style: BottomTitles,Consolas,36,12303291,8421504,0,0,-1,0,1,2,2,6,40,40,400,0,1
Style: TopTitles,Consolas,36,12303291,8421504,0,0,-1,0,1,2,2,6,40,40,80,0,1

[ssa_newbie]

Thanks manono, the yellow has now gone using your code, but the text is huge for TopTitles and it needs to be the same size. The styles look exactly the same exact for the vMargin so I don't understand why the font size is different? How can I make it the text for the TopTitles the same size (I am using notepad to understand it properly)

[manono]

Change that 36 to a smaller number. That's the fontsize. I believe you used 24 in your first post to this thread.

[ssa_newbie]

Thanks I changed it to 24 it's still a bit big but I'll change it again. I don't understand why if the value is the same for them both is the subtitle text not the same size for them both?

[ssa_newbie]

This seems to provide the same size subtitles for them both now, but the TopTitles are a grey color not white (although they have the same color it seems in the style). The shadowing is also a lot darker-could it be that they are being shown several times?

Here are the styles, how can I make them white?
[V4 Styles]
Format: Name, Fontname, Fontsize, PrimaryColour, SecondaryColour, TertiaryColour, BackColour, Bold, Italic, BorderStyle, Outline, Shadow, Alignment, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, AlphaLevel, Encoding
Style: BottomTitles,Consolas,36,12303291,8421504,0,0,-1,0,1,2,2,6,40,40,400,0,1
Style: TopTitles,Consolas,20,12303291,8421504,0,0,-1,0,1,2,2,6,40,40,20,0,1

[manono]

Style: BottomTitles,Consolas,36,16777215,8421504,0,0,-1,0,1,2,2,6,40,40,400,0,1
Style: TopTitles,Consolas,20,16777215,8421504,0,0,-1,0,1,2,2,6,40,40,20,0,1

Try that. I don't use toptitles much so I can't really help. It does seem peculiar that the same colors and sizes should play differently.

[ssa_newbie]

Hi manono thank you. The background is now white! However, although the outline looks the same for the toptitles the shadow for the toptitles appears to be black not light grey like the bottomtitles. How can I change this? Thanks

[ssa_newbie]

On the script info I have the following, could this be causing the issue?:

[Script Info]
Title: <untitled>
Original Script: <unknown>
ScriptType: v4.00

I'm also trying with shadow 0 to see if that makes a difference

[El Heggunte]

HOW are you testing those SSA files?
With MPC-HC / MPC-BE? With or without the standalone (xy-)VSFilter?
OR with PotPlayer? OR with VLC? OR...
None of the above? Some of the above?? All of the above???

[ssa_newbie]

Hi El Heggunte, I'm combining the ssa file with the mp4 file in mkvmerge and then opening the resulting mkv file in VLC

[ssa_newbie]

I just put 0 en both the shadows on the styles and now there is no shadow on the TopTitles, but there is on the BottomTitles. I'm completely confused as to why this doesn't work. Why do two styles show different results with the same variables?

Style: BottomTitles,Consolas,36,16777215,8421504,0,0,-1,0,1,2,0,6,40,40,400,0,1
Style: TopTitles,Consolas,20,16777215,8421504,0,0,-1,0,1,2,0,6,40,40,20,0,1

[El Heggunte]

I just put 0 en both the shadows on the styles and now there is no shadow on the TopTitles, but there is on the BottomTitles. I'm completely confused as to why this doesn't work. Why do two styles show different results with the same variables?

Because VLC's subtitle renderer has a bug or a design flaw, apparently.

[ssa_newbie]

Thanks El Hegguente, I've never had that issue before (but I;ve only used srt subtitles). I'm now downloading PotPlayer to see if it looks ok there. When I convert the mkv file to mp4 will I not have any issues with the shadow? What program do you suggest to do the conversion?

[El Heggunte]

What program do you suggest to do the conversion?

Any (decent) converter that uses DirectShow and/or Avisynth should be fine.
I don't use "all-in-one" programs like MeGUI, Hybrid, etc., so I am not qualified to talk about / recommend any of them.

[ssa_newbie]

Thanks El Heggunte, when I open the file in potplayer the shadow is now gone. I will try adding it back and opening it to see. If I change the text size so they are the same then will they render the same in potplayer?

"Any (decent) converter that uses DirectShow and/or Avisynth should be fine." - what one(s) do you recommend please?

[El Heggunte]

I'm a very-complicated person. I prefer to do the video conversion "step by step".
First of all, I create an Avisynth script, and check it with VirtualDub.
When everything is OK, I have two possibilities:

a) use x264.exe for creating an H264 elementary stream, then mux this latter with MP4Box or L-Smash;
b) use VirtualDub + the DivX codec for generating an intermediate AVI file, use MPEG4Modifier for removing the packed bitstream hack, then remux with MP4Box;

[ssa_newbie]

Yes El Heggunte that does sound complicated! I've just downloaded a Free MKV to MP4 program, I'll use it and then delete all the crapware it is currently installing in my computer.
I am still at a loss to understand why ssa subtitles seem to have different outcomes for the same variables, but that will have to be for another thread. Fingers crossed this conversion works and thanks for everyone's help, really appreciated.

[ssa_newbie]

The free mkv to mp4 program didn't work - I used anydvdconvertor instead and it worked perfectly. When I open the file I still have the issue with the shadow on the TopTiles. How can I make the shadow the same as the BottonTitles? I'm going to try using 0 and 1 as the value to see if that helps.

I'm using this code:
[V4 Styles]
Format: Name, Fontname, Fontsize, PrimaryColour, SecondaryColour, TertiaryColour, BackColour, Bold, Italic, BorderStyle, Outline, Shadow, Alignment, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, AlphaLevel, Encoding
Style: BottomTitles,Consolas,36,16777215,8421504,0,0,-1,0,1,2,2,6,40,40,400,0,1
Style: TopTitles,Consolas,20,16777215,8421504,0,0,-1,0,1,2,2,6,40,40,20,0,1

[manono]

Here's my suggestion. I don't know how you created your SSA subtitles, but assuming there aren't too many toptitles and assuming you want them to look like the regular subtitles, do it differently. Rather than having a separate style for the toptitles, make each line that's a toptitle an exception (a style override). I do this easily using Substation Alpha (I usually do it to create italicized lines), but it can also easily be done using Notepad. Here's an example:

[V4 Styles]
Format: Name, Fontname, Fontsize, PrimaryColour, SecondaryColour, TertiaryColour, BackColour, Bold, Italic, BorderStyle, Outline, Shadow, Alignment, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, AlphaLevel, Encoding
Style: BottomTitles,Consolas,36,16777215,8421504,0,0,-1,0,1,2,2,6,40,40,400,0,1

[Events]
Format: Marked, Start, End, Style, Name, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, Effect, Text
Dialogue: Marked=0,0:02:37.14,0:02:40.70,Style1,Comment,0000 ,0000,0000,,{\a6}These smiling flowers
Dialogue: Marked=0,0:02:42.49,0:02:46.24,Style1,Comment,0000 ,0000,0000,,These fragrant gardens
Dialogue: Marked=0,0:02:48.53,0:02:52.35,Style1,Comment,0000 ,0000,0000,,This world filled...

You can rename 'BottomTitles' as 'Default' or 'Style1' or just leave it alone. If you do change it you'll also have to change it for every line in the file, which isn't hard. The '{\a6}' makes that and any line a top title. If there aren't too many to change that's the way to go, I think. Then top and bottom titles are guaranteed to look the same. You'll also have to rename the lines of dialog marked as 'TopTitles' to 'BottomTitles'.

[ssa_newbie]

Thank you manono! So like this?

[V4 Styles]
Format: Name, Fontname, Fontsize, PrimaryColour, SecondaryColour, TertiaryColour, BackColour, Bold,

Italic, BorderStyle, Outline, Shadow, Alignment, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, AlphaLevel, Encoding
Style: BottomTitles,Consolas,36,16777215,8421504,0,0,-1,0,1,2,2,6,40,40,400,0,1

[Events]
Format: Marked, Start, End, Style, Name, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, Effect, Text
Dialogue: Marked=0,0:00:02.50,0:00:05.00,Style1,NTP,0000,000 0,0000,!Effect,text here for the "normal" subtitle on the bottom of the page

Dialogue: Marked=0,0:04:48.18,0:04:50.78,Style1,NTP,0000,000 0,0000,{\a6},text here for the subtitles at the top of the page

[manono]

Yes, when you add in that '{\a6}', it'll make that line of dialog a toptitle.

In addition, though, if you have the style named as 'BottomTitles' in the styles section, you have to have it the same in the dialog section. Otherwise it has no idea what the style (Style1 here) actually is. Like so:

[V4 Styles]
Format: Name, Fontname, Fontsize, PrimaryColour, SecondaryColour, TertiaryColour, BackColour, Bold,

Italic, BorderStyle, Outline, Shadow, Alignment, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, AlphaLevel, Encoding
Style: BottomTitles,Consolas,36,16777215,8421504,0,0,-1,0,1,2,2,6,40,40,400,0,1

[Events]
Format: Marked, Start, End, Style, Name, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, Effect, Text
Dialogue: Marked=0,0:00:02.50,0:00:05.00,Bottomtitles,NTP,0000,000 0,0000,!Effect,text here for the "normal" subtitle on the bottom of the page

Dialogue: Marked=0,0:04:48.18,0:04:50.78,Style1,NTP,0000,000 0,0000,{\a6},text here for the subtitles at the top of the page

They have to be the same. BottonTitles was defined in the Styles section, Style1 wasn't. By the way, I have no idea what 'NTP' means or how it might have an effect on the subs. All my lines say 'Comment' in that part. Maybe it means nothing at all.

[ssa_newbie]

Hi manono
I changed all the NTP to Comment. I also did the following:

[V4 Styles]
Format: Name, Fontname, Fontsize, PrimaryColour, SecondaryColour, TertiaryColour, BackColour, Bold,

Italic, BorderStyle, Outline, Shadow, Alignment, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, AlphaLevel, Encoding
Style: BottomTitles,Consolas,36,16777215,8421504,0,0,-1,0,1,2,3,6,40,40,400,0,1

Dialogue: Marked=0,0:00:02.50,0:00:05.00,BottomTitles,Commen t,0000,0000,0000,!Effect,subtitles at the bottom of the page
Dialogue: Marked=0,0:05:04.99,0:05:06.99,Style1,Comment,0000 ,0000,0000,{\a6},subtitles at the top of the page


It all works now but there is no shadow shown on the subtitles at the top of the page. How can I make them show?

[El Heggunte]

It all works now but there is no shadow shown on the subtitles at the top of the page. How can I make them show?

use an adequate video conversion software / video conversion 'tool-chain'.
As I tried to say, you cannot rely on the libass-based subtitle renderers,
(specially on Windows). VSFilter and Avisynth are the way to go.

[manono]

It all works now but there is no shadow shown on the subtitles at the top of the page. How can I make them show?

You want shadows for the toptitles but not for the subtitles? If so, I don't know how to do that unless you want to go back to creating a new style for just the toptitles. You can add shadow effects for everything but I don't know how to add them only for individual lines. I couldn't figure out how to do it even using Aegisub. I'm sure there's a way, but I couldn't figure it out. Sorry.