How to Merge an .mkv with external segments into one solid file?

[Rittmeister]

Hello!

Would somebody be so kind to explain to this noob how to create one solid videofile from a source that has eg. 7 chapters where 2 (opening, ending) are external files (referenced by segment UID) from within the main file?

the main file looks like this (chapters):

Prologue
Opening (external file)
Part A, Eyecatch, Part B
Ending (external file)
Preview

long story: Since the .mkv version of this anime show doesn't play on my Raspberri Pi/Kodi mediacenter (nor under Raspbian) I converted it with Handbrake into MP4s, but then noticed that the intro/outro were missing. After a while I figured out that they were external files inserted on the fly into the show's episodes... I doubt any mkv2mp4 converter can process these to put them together into completeness. So can mkvtoolnix or mkvmerge do it? Thanks, and I hope somebody can solve this for me or send me on the right path to solve it. Thank you.

[Selur]

Have you tried simply starting mkvtoolnix-gui load the first file, then appending the others and save the all together as one file?
(assuming the files all use compatible video settings and the same audio format this should work)
see: https://forums.plex.tv/t/howto-joining-multi-part-movies-files-with-mkvtoolnix-gui/113211

Cu Selur

[sneaker]

Have you tried simply starting mkvtoolnix-gui load the first file, then appending the others and save the all together as one file?

He has the order:
Prologue
Opening (external file)
Part A, Eyecatch, Part B
Ending (external file)
Preview

So this operation is more complicated. Basically, he would either have to split the big file into three parts first, or append it thrice (with the other parts inbetweeen) and then use the split parts operation (see mkvmerge doc for appending and splitting). (And as you say compatibility isn't always guaranteed. Not only for video, but also audio and subtitles (hint: ASS headers/styles and fonts))

Other options would be a complete re-encode using e.g. mpv, or a remux or re-encode using UnlinkMKV.


Unfortunately neither of these options is user friendly. You need to read, understand and try.

[Selur]

Didn't know UnlinkMKV, sound interesting.

[Rittmeister]

Thanks a ton for the help, guys!
I'll definitely check out unlinkMKV first, looks promising.

[Selur]

btw. there is also a GUI for it: https://github.com/hilts-vaughan/UnlinkMKV-GUI