Free Chapter Adding Software?

[Todd Sauve]

Hi all!

The title says it all. I would like to find a simple piece of freeware that lets a person insert a chapter marker at specific places in an .mkv file.

Does anyone know of such a piece of software?

Thanks
Todd Sauve

[videobruger]

MKVChapterizer. It'll set at a fix interval. You may extract the chapters with MKVExtractGUI2 and edit them and use MKVMergeGUI, JMVPropEdit .. to bring the edited file in again. See MKVToolNix

[_Al_]

you can write your own xml file, in notepad and save it as chapters.xml for example

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?>
<!DOCTYPE Chapters SYSTEM "matroskachapters.dtd">

<Chapters>
  <EditionEntry>
    <ChapterAtom>
      <ChapterTimeStart>00:00:00.000</ChapterTimeStart>
      <ChapterDisplay>
        <ChapterString>Chapter 1</ChapterString>
        <ChapterLanguage>eng</ChapterLanguage>
      </ChapterDisplay>
    </ChapterAtom>
    <ChapterAtom>
      <ChapterTimeStart>00:00:20.854</ChapterTimeStart>
      <ChapterDisplay>
        <ChapterString>Chapter 2</ChapterString>
        <ChapterLanguage>eng</ChapterLanguage>
      </ChapterDisplay>
    </ChapterAtom>
    <ChapterAtom>
      <ChapterTimeStart>00:00:41.708</ChapterTimeStart>
      <ChapterDisplay>
        <ChapterString>Chapter 3</ChapterString>
        <ChapterLanguage>eng</ChapterLanguage>
      </ChapterDisplay>
    </ChapterAtom>
    <ChapterAtom>
      <ChapterTimeStart>00:01:23.417</ChapterTimeStart>
      <ChapterDisplay>
        <ChapterString>Chapter 4</ChapterString>
        <ChapterLanguage>eng</ChapterLanguage>
      </ChapterDisplay>
    </ChapterAtom>
  </EditionEntry>
</Chapters>

then run command line mkvproedit , you'll find it in mkvtoolnix package, it will just do it in a second, it will add those chapters into your existing mkv file without remuxing. How is it possible, not sure, I would like to know also, perhaps there is always room to add it safely.

mkvproedit --chapters chapters.xml your_movie.mkv

[Todd Sauve]

Thanks for the pointers videobruger. But my problem is a little different than your solution allows for.

I have no chapter markers at all, period. What I have is a 2 hour long concert in .mkv format in which I want to put a chapter marker at the end of each song. There are 23 songs.

Thus I need a simple free program that will allow me to watch the concert and stop it after every song, at which point I want to insert a chapter marker so I can skip over songs I don't like or skip ahead to ones I do like.

Any ideas?

Al,

Your solution runs great except for the command line aspect. I am useless with command line programs. I need one that runs via a GUI.

[videobruger]

And you could create 22 chapters with MKVChapterizer, extract those and edit them too your need.

Or create them from scratch follow _al_'s directions.

And use the GUI versions Jmkvpropedit, MKVmergeGUI ...

[Todd Sauve]

videobruger,

I use mkvtoolnix all the time, so that is good. I'll try your solution and see what happens, once I get enough spare time.

If you come up with an even easier solution please let me know.

Thanks!

[_Al_]

You can find that mkvproedit.exe from mkvtoolnix folder paste it to the same folder as your mkv file is.
Write cmd.exe into that , how do you call it, box above START button under windows. Navigate into your partition, c: (enter) or f: (enter) , enter: cd your_path_where_our_mkv_is (enter) and then paste: mkvproedit --chapters chapters.xml your_movie.mkv (enter), done

[Todd Sauve]

Al,

Can you type up an .xml file like you showed that has room for 23 chapter entries that I can just cut and paste into notepad. Then I can go through the concert and note the relevant times and enter them into your template. Then I'll try adding them into mkvtoolnix following your instructions.

Thanks a million!

[_Al_]

you have to put correct times in there:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?>
<!DOCTYPE Chapters SYSTEM "matroskachapters.dtd">

<Chapters>
  <EditionEntry>

    <ChapterAtom>
      <ChapterTimeStart>00:00:00.000</ChapterTimeStart>
      <ChapterDisplay>
        <ChapterString>Chapter 1</ChapterString>
        <ChapterLanguage>eng</ChapterLanguage>
      </ChapterDisplay>
    </ChapterAtom>

    <ChapterAtom>
      <ChapterTimeStart>00:00:20.854</ChapterTimeStart>
      <ChapterDisplay>
        <ChapterString>Chapter 2</ChapterString>
        <ChapterLanguage>eng</ChapterLanguage>
      </ChapterDisplay>
    </ChapterAtom>

    <ChapterAtom>
      <ChapterTimeStart>00:00:41.708</ChapterTimeStart>
      <ChapterDisplay>
        <ChapterString>Chapter 3</ChapterString>
        <ChapterLanguage>eng</ChapterLanguage>
      </ChapterDisplay>
    </ChapterAtom>

    <ChapterAtom>
      <ChapterTimeStart>00:01:23.417</ChapterTimeStart>
      <ChapterDisplay>
        <ChapterString>Chapter 4</ChapterString>
        <ChapterLanguage>eng</ChapterLanguage>
      </ChapterDisplay>
    </ChapterAtom>

    <ChapterAtom>
      <ChapterTimeStart>00:00:00.000</ChapterTimeStart>
      <ChapterDisplay>
        <ChapterString>Chapter 5</ChapterString>
        <ChapterLanguage>eng</ChapterLanguage>
      </ChapterDisplay>
    </ChapterAtom>

    <ChapterAtom>
      <ChapterTimeStart>00:00:20.854</ChapterTimeStart>
      <ChapterDisplay>
        <ChapterString>Chapter 6</ChapterString>
        <ChapterLanguage>eng</ChapterLanguage>
      </ChapterDisplay>
    </ChapterAtom>

    <ChapterAtom>
      <ChapterTimeStart>00:00:41.708</ChapterTimeStart>
      <ChapterDisplay>
        <ChapterString>Chapter 7</ChapterString>
        <ChapterLanguage>eng</ChapterLanguage>
      </ChapterDisplay>
    </ChapterAtom>

    <ChapterAtom>
      <ChapterTimeStart>00:01:23.417</ChapterTimeStart>
      <ChapterDisplay>
        <ChapterString>Chapter 8</ChapterString>
        <ChapterLanguage>eng</ChapterLanguage>
      </ChapterDisplay>
    </ChapterAtom>

    <ChapterAtom>
      <ChapterTimeStart>00:00:00.000</ChapterTimeStart>
      <ChapterDisplay>
        <ChapterString>Chapter 9</ChapterString>
        <ChapterLanguage>eng</ChapterLanguage>
      </ChapterDisplay>
    </ChapterAtom>

    <ChapterAtom>
      <ChapterTimeStart>00:00:20.854</ChapterTimeStart>
      <ChapterDisplay>
        <ChapterString>Chapter 10</ChapterString>
        <ChapterLanguage>eng</ChapterLanguage>
      </ChapterDisplay>
    </ChapterAtom>

    <ChapterAtom>
      <ChapterTimeStart>00:00:41.708</ChapterTimeStart>
      <ChapterDisplay>
        <ChapterString>Chapter 11</ChapterString>
        <ChapterLanguage>eng</ChapterLanguage>
      </ChapterDisplay>
    </ChapterAtom>

    <ChapterAtom>
      <ChapterTimeStart>00:01:23.417</ChapterTimeStart>
      <ChapterDisplay>
        <ChapterString>Chapter 12</ChapterString>
        <ChapterLanguage>eng</ChapterLanguage>
      </ChapterDisplay>
    </ChapterAtom>

    <ChapterAtom>
      <ChapterTimeStart>00:00:00.000</ChapterTimeStart>
      <ChapterDisplay>
        <ChapterString>Chapter 13</ChapterString>
        <ChapterLanguage>eng</ChapterLanguage>
      </ChapterDisplay>
    </ChapterAtom>

    <ChapterAtom>
      <ChapterTimeStart>00:00:20.854</ChapterTimeStart>
      <ChapterDisplay>
        <ChapterString>Chapter 14</ChapterString>
        <ChapterLanguage>eng</ChapterLanguage>
      </ChapterDisplay>
    </ChapterAtom>

    <ChapterAtom>
      <ChapterTimeStart>00:00:41.708</ChapterTimeStart>
      <ChapterDisplay>
        <ChapterString>Chapter 15</ChapterString>
        <ChapterLanguage>eng</ChapterLanguage>
      </ChapterDisplay>
    </ChapterAtom>

    <ChapterAtom>
      <ChapterTimeStart>00:01:23.417</ChapterTimeStart>
      <ChapterDisplay>
        <ChapterString>Chapter 16</ChapterString>
        <ChapterLanguage>eng</ChapterLanguage>
      </ChapterDisplay>
    </ChapterAtom>

    <ChapterAtom>
      <ChapterTimeStart>00:00:00.000</ChapterTimeStart>
      <ChapterDisplay>
        <ChapterString>Chapter 17</ChapterString>
        <ChapterLanguage>eng</ChapterLanguage>
      </ChapterDisplay>
    </ChapterAtom>

    <ChapterAtom>
      <ChapterTimeStart>00:00:20.854</ChapterTimeStart>
      <ChapterDisplay>
        <ChapterString>Chapter 18</ChapterString>
        <ChapterLanguage>eng</ChapterLanguage>
      </ChapterDisplay>
    </ChapterAtom>

    <ChapterAtom>
      <ChapterTimeStart>00:00:41.708</ChapterTimeStart>
      <ChapterDisplay>
        <ChapterString>Chapter 19</ChapterString>
        <ChapterLanguage>eng</ChapterLanguage>
      </ChapterDisplay>
    </ChapterAtom>

    <ChapterAtom>
      <ChapterTimeStart>00:01:23.417</ChapterTimeStart>
      <ChapterDisplay>
        <ChapterString>Chapter 20</ChapterString>
        <ChapterLanguage>eng</ChapterLanguage>
      </ChapterDisplay>
    </ChapterAtom>

    <ChapterAtom>
      <ChapterTimeStart>00:00:00.000</ChapterTimeStart>
      <ChapterDisplay>
        <ChapterString>Chapter 21</ChapterString>
        <ChapterLanguage>eng</ChapterLanguage>
      </ChapterDisplay>
    </ChapterAtom>

    <ChapterAtom>
      <ChapterTimeStart>00:00:20.854</ChapterTimeStart>
      <ChapterDisplay>
        <ChapterString>Chapter 22</ChapterString>
        <ChapterLanguage>eng</ChapterLanguage>
      </ChapterDisplay>
    </ChapterAtom>

    <ChapterAtom>
      <ChapterTimeStart>00:00:41.708</ChapterTimeStart>
      <ChapterDisplay>
        <ChapterString>Chapter 23</ChapterString>
        <ChapterLanguage>eng</ChapterLanguage>
      </ChapterDisplay>
    </ChapterAtom>
    
  </EditionEntry>
</Chapters>

[hello_hello]

MKVMergeGUI will load text files as chapter files. That's how they're often extracted from Bluray video. Well this is the one I just extracted:

CHAPTER01=00:00:00.000
CHAPTER01NAME=
CHAPTER02=00:07:21.149
CHAPTER02NAME=
CHAPTER03=00:12:30.249
CHAPTER03NAME=
CHAPTER04=00:19:23.746
CHAPTER04NAME=
CHAPTER05=00:25:46.044
CHAPTER05NAME=
CHAPTER06=00:32:41.960
CHAPTER06NAME=
CHAPTER07=00:39:35.081
CHAPTER07NAME=
CHAPTER08=00:45:03.117
CHAPTER08NAME=
CHAPTER09=00:54:46.158
CHAPTER09NAME=
CHAPTER10=00:59:34.196
CHAPTER10NAME=
CHAPTER11=01:06:32.447
CHAPTER11NAME=
CHAPTER12=01:14:09.945
CHAPTER12NAME=
CHAPTER13=01:18:34.501
CHAPTER13NAME=
CHAPTER14=01:27:19.151
CHAPTER14NAME=
CHAPTER15=01:35:18.880
CHAPTER15NAME=
CHAPTER16=01:40:23.935
CHAPTER16NAME=

Just save it as a text file and add it under MKVMergeGUI's global tab. They seem to be added the same way. I just added the one above to an MKV and then used MKVCleaver to extract the chapters from it, which it extracted in the form of an XML file just like the one _Al_ posted.

Of course MKVMergeGUI can create chapters for you under it's Chapter Editor menu but it confuses me. Text files are much easier.

[_Al_]

Yes, that looks much easier, ..., also much easier to load that old mkv and new txt into mkvmerge and then new mkv could be remuxed, right.

Does anybody know about some mkv chapter maker that can use video preview and creates unique chapters, no interval chapters?

[hello_hello]

Yes, that looks much easier, ..., also much easier to load that old mkv and new txt into mkvmerge and then new mkv could be remuxed, right.

Yeah, but whether they be text chapter files or xml chapter files you can still load them into MKVMergeGUI the same way, under the Global tab. I didn't realise you'd posted a different method for adding the chapter information to the MKV. I didn't know you could do it that way. I assumed you'd need to remux the whole MKV, although I'd probably do it that way anyway as it involves less thinking.

Does anybody know about some mkv chapter maker that can use video preview and creates unique chapters, no interval chapters?

No, but what's the difference between unique chapters and interval chapters? I guess I'm not understanding the distinction.

[smrpix]

..

[_Al_]

There is some chapters creators out there that can create chapters automatically , you just set some interval, 5 minutes, 10 minutes, but that is quite useless, that is the function of the media player. Unique chapters , not sure how to call it, would follow video content, same way as come on DVD or BD, you jump into specific event in the story.

I have self made videos on my mind here. Not Hollywood movies, do not care about that. With media players now , chapters become less important because there just better be bunch of clips stored on HDD , they can be easily read and easily navigate into, no need to create long videos ,so no chapters are needed. I realized that about three years back with introducing of media players. No need to create long video footage and then search for events in it while viewing. Those clips could be viewed continuously also. But it is sometimes handy to have chapters anyway, replacing captions with basic info etc.

[Todd Sauve]

MKVMergeGUI will load text files as chapter files. That's how they're often extracted from Bluray video. Well this is the one I just extracted:

Just save it as a text file and add it under MKVMergeGUI's global tab. They seem to be added the same way. I just added the one above to an MKV and then used MKVCleaver to extract the chapters from it, which it extracted in the form of an XML file just like the one _Al_ posted.

Of course MKVMergeGUI can create chapters for you under it's Chapter Editor menu but it confuses me. Text files are much easier.

OK, I followed your instructions and just added the chapters to mkvtoolnix through the Global tab as a text file and it worked perfectly. Thanks a lot to everyone who offered help!

Todd Sauve

[cal_tony]

I'm always doing chapters and chapter changes in my MKVs. Easy way for me was to make chapter templates. Some in ogg format for simple insertion and others using a notepad in the following txt format:
00:00:00.000
00:02:00.000
00:04:00.000
00:06:00.000
00:08:00.000
00:10:00.000
This is the format found in TSmuxerGui. You can find a simple program online called TxtToChap.jar.
It will convert these chapters to ogg format. To make it even easier you can use a template with standard timings. Insert your specific times and use TED notepad to resort the timings and run these resorted timings thru TxtToChap.jar.

I would suggest you go thru your movie and note the timings in the above txt format and use TxtToChap.jar.

Tony