Code to add top subtitle for ssa file

[ssa_newbie]

Hi all
I've been reading this thread on the site which has been very useful but I'm a bit confused. I have always used subtitleworkshop and srt files for subtitles which I merge using anydvdconvertor pro. Having read the thread I understand I need to use ssa files to add a top subtitle as well as the normal bottom subtitles. So what I need to do is create two ssa files, one for the bottom subtitles and one for the top subtitles. Then as I understand I would need to join the files. I've just downloaded Avidemux but I haven't opened it yet.

What is the code to add the top subtitle for an ssa file please? Thank you

https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/323508-How-can-i-add-2-permanent-subtitles-upside-a...side-the-video

[El Heggunte]

Actually, you can use just one SSA file, as long as you define two different "styles", one for the bottom subs and the other for the top subs.

Following the SSA specs (please see the attached PDF):

Field 13: Alignment. This sets how text is "justified" within the Left/Right onscreen margins, and also the vertical
placing. Values may be 1=Left, 2=Centered, 3=Right. Add 4 to the value for a "Toptitle". Add 8 to the value for
a "Midtitle".
eg. 5 = left-justified toptitle

Field 14: MarginL. This defines the Left Margin in pixels. It is the distance from the left-hand edge of the screen.The
three onscreen margins (MarginL, MarginR, MarginV) define areas in which the subtitle text will be displayed.

Field 15: MarginR. This defines the Right Margin in pixels. It is the distance from the right-hand edge of the screen.
The three onscreen margins (MarginL, MarginR, MarginV) define areas in which the subtitle text will be
displayed.

Field 16: MarginV. This defines the vertical Left Margin in pixels.
For a subtitle, it is the distance from the bottom of the screen.
For a toptitle, it is the distance from the top of the screen.
For a midtitle, the value is ignored - the text will be vertically centred

NOTICE: when Subtitle Workshop (the old 2.51, I mean) saves to SSA, it does not write a proper header --- therefore you'll also have to edit the header (with Wordpad, for example), so that the file will be rendered correctly

[ssa_newbie]

Thank you very much for the reply! I'm going to work with the instructions you've given and if I can't get it to work then I'll just do the bottom subititles, create the file, and then do it all over with the file with subtitles for the top subtitles. Let's hope I can get your solution working!
'

[ssa_newbie]

I copied this example ssa file from the internet and then opened it in subtitleworkshop and I can add subtitles fine. You're correct that when I save it it deletes the header info. Can I just copy and paste it back in?
Sorry about my ignorance this is way more difficult than srt file- where do I add the 4 value for a toptile?


[Script Info]
; This is a Sub Station Alpha v4 script.
; For Sub Station Alpha info and downloads,
; go to http://www.eswat.demon.co.uk/
; or email kotus@eswat.demon.co.uk
Title: Wolf's rain 2
Original Script: Anime-spirit Ishin-francais
Original Translation: Coolman
Original Editing: Spikewolfwood
Original Timing: Lord_alucard
Original Script Checking: Spikewolfwood
ScriptType: v4.00
Collisions: Normal
PlayResY: 1024
PlayDepth: 0
Wav: 0, 128697,D:\Alex\Anime\- Fansub -\- TAFF -\Wolf's Rain\WR_-_02_Wav.wav
Wav: 0, 120692,H:\team truc\WR_-_02.wav
Wav: 0, 116504,E:\sub\wolf's_rain\WOLF'S RAIN 02.wav
LastWav: 3
Timer: 100,0000

[V4 Styles]
Format: Name, Fontname, Fontsize, PrimaryColour, SecondaryColour, TertiaryColour, BackColour, Bold, Italic, BorderStyle, Outline, Shadow, Alignment, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, AlphaLevel, Encoding
Style: Default,Arial,20,65535,65535,65535,-2147483640,-1,0,1,3,0,2,30,30,30,0,0
Style: Titre_episode,Akbar,140,15724527,65535,65535,98689 5,-1,0,1,1,0,3,30,30,30,0,0
Style: Wolf main,Wolf_Rain,56,15724527,15724527,15724527,41449 59,0,0,1,1,2,2,5,5,30,0,0

[Events]
Format: Marked, Start, End, Style, Name, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, Effect, Text
Dialogue: Marked=0,0:02:40.65,0:02:41.79,Wolf main,Cher,0000,0000,0000,,Et les enregistrements de ses ondes delta ?
Dialogue: Marked=0,0:02:42.42,0:02:44.15,Wolf main,autre,0000,0000,0000,,Toujours rien.

[El Heggunte]

This is a better example ( IMNSHO ) --- just change some values according to your needs.

[Script Info]
ScriptType: v4.00
Collisions: Normal
PlayResX: 852
PlayResY: 480
Timer: 100.0000

[V4 Styles]
Format: Name, Fontname, Fontsize, PrimaryColour, SecondaryColour, TertiaryColour, BackColour, Bold, Italic, BorderStyle, Outline, Shadow, Alignment, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, AlphaLevel, Encoding
Style: LowSubs,Consolas,32,65535,65535,255,0,-1,0,1,1,1,6,40,40,320,0,1
Style: HighSubs,Consolas,32,16777215,16777215,255,0,-1,0,1,1,1,6,40,40,80,0,1

[Events]
Format: Marked, Start, End, Style, Name, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, Effect, Text
Dialogue: Marked=0,0:00:02.50,0:00:05.50,LowSubs,NTP,0000,00 00,0000,!Effect,First subs - BOTTOM
Dialogue: Marked=0,0:00:08.04,0:00:11.51,HighSubs,NTP,0000,0 000,0000,!Effect,Second subs - TOP
;
Dialogue: Marked=0,0:00:13.90,0:00:16.50,LowSubs,NTP,0000,0000,0000,!Effect,Third subs - BOTTOM
Dialogue: Marked=0,0:00:13.90,0:00:16.50,HighSubs,NTP,0000,0000,0000,!Effect,Third subs - TOP
;
Dialogue: Marked=0,0:00:18.42,0:00:21.27,HighSubs,NTP,0000,0 000,0000,!Effect,whatever.
Dialogue: Marked=0,0:00:23.52,0:00:26.54,LowSubs,NTP,0000,00 00,0000,!Effect,whatever.

Result:

[ssa_newbie]

Thanks El Heggunte! I'm understanding the V4 styles better now, kind of like a css stlye sheet in html.
So here's the first few lines of my ssa file, with the script info and V4 styles you provided and my first three dialogues. The style I have at present seems to be called Default so I'll find and replace all instances of it in the file to LowSubs as they are for the bottom subtitle. Then I'll add in new dialogues for the top subtitle as so?:
Dialogue: Marked=0,0:00:00.35,0:00:02.89,HighSubs,NTP,0000,0 000,0000,!Effect,TopSubtitle text:\Ntopsubtitle text

[Script Info]
 ScriptType: v4.00
 Collisions: Normal
 PlayResX: 852
 PlayResY: 480
 Timer: 100.0000
 
[V4 Styles]
 Format: Name, Fontname, Fontsize, PrimaryColour, SecondaryColour, TertiaryColour, BackColour, Bold, Italic, BorderStyle, Outline, Shadow, Alignment, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, AlphaLevel, Encoding
 Style: LowSubs,Consolas,32,65535,65535,255,0,-1,0,1,1,1,6,40,40,320,0,1
 Style: HighSubs,Consolas,32,16777215,16777215,255,0,-1,0,1,1,1,6,40,40,80,0,1
 
[Events]
Format: Marked, Start, End, Style, Name, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, Effect, Text
Dialogue: Marked=0,0:00:00.35,0:00:02.89,Default,NTP,0000,0000,0000,!Effect,New Program:\NTESTIMONIALS
Dialogue: Marked=0,0:00:03.59,0:00:06.29,Default,NTP,0000,0000,0000,!Effect,Presentation
Dialogue: Marked=0,0:00:06.49,0:00:08.69,Default,NTP,0000,0000,0000,!Effect,Well, first and\Nforemost I 
want

UPDATE: I did the default changes to LowSubs in notepad and saved the file as .ssa To test I opened the file into Anydvdconvertor to add the subtitle but it doesn't seem to work with ssa files, just srt. Hmm. Is their an online program that will add the ssa file to the avi/mpeg for me? Thanks

[manono]

...and if I can't get it to work then I'll just do the bottom subititles, create the file, and then do it all over with the file with subtitles for the top subtitles.

Haven't you already been told that's not such a bright idea?

Anyway, bottom subs is default. For any you want on top just add:

{\a6}

to the SSA file before that line of dialog, as in:

Dialogue: Marked=0,0:00:00.23,0:00:03.27,*Default,,0000,0000 ,0000,,{\a6}This is how you do it.

Is their an online program that will add the ssa file to the avi/mpeg for me?

AutoGK can hardsub AVIs by using the CTRL/F8 trick:

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

For MPEGs, any program that takes subs and can encode MPEG video. XviD4PSP can, among others. That requires reencoding, though, and the necessary slight degradation of the video.

[El Heggunte]

The style I have at present seems to be called Default so I'll find and replace all instances of it in the file to LowSubs as they are for the bottom subtitle. Then I'll add in new dialogues for the top subtitle as so?:

Dialogue: Marked=0,0:00:00.35,0:00:02.89,HighSubs,NTP,0000,0 000,0000,!Effect,TopSubtitle text:\Ntopsubtitle text

Yes. Just don't forget to adjust the font name, font size, the vertical positioning values, etc Etc ETC,
according to YOUR preferences

As for the "anydvdconvertor pro" question, --- manono said what had to be said

[ssa_newbie]

Thank you very much manono and El Hugguente apologies for the delay in replying.
I downloaded substationalpha but it didn't install properly so I downloaded Auto Gordian Knot and the instructions were great in the thread so I got it to work!

Here's my code, so as you can see I used both the styles and the {\a6}. It still works without the {\a6} so as I understand it the {\a6} is only for code without styles?:

[V4 Styles]
 Format: Name, Fontname, Fontsize, PrimaryColour, SecondaryColour, TertiaryColour, BackColour, Bold, 
Italic, BorderStyle, Outline, Shadow, Alignment, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, AlphaLevel, Encoding
 Style: LowSubs,Consolas,32,65535,65535,255,0,-1,0,1,1,1,6,40,40,320,0,1
 Style: HighSubs,Consolas,32,16777215,16777215,255,0,-1,0,1,1,1,6,40,40,80,0,1
 
[Events]
Format: Marked, Start, End, Style, Name, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, Effect, Text
Dialogue: Marked=0,0:00:00.35,0:00:02.89,LowSubs,NTP,0000,0000,0000,!Effect,BOTTOM SUBTITLE TEXT 
\NTESTIMONIALS
Dialogue: Marked=0,0:00:00.35,0:00:02.89,HighSubs,NTP,0000,0000,0000,,{\a6}TOP SUBTITLE SUBTITLE TEXT:\NTESTIMONIALS

[manono]

It still works without the {\a6} so as I understand it the {\a6} is only for code without styles?

No, the sub I tested on had a style line. And if you were otherwise happy with the SSA file you had, you could have made top subs in Notepad.

[V4 Styles]
Format: Name, Fontname, Fontsize, PrimaryColour, SecondaryColour, TertiaryColour, BackColour, Bold,
Italic, BorderStyle, Outline, Shadow, Alignment, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, AlphaLevel, Encoding
Style: Style1,Tahoma,60,12303291,8421504,0,0,0,0,1,2,0,2, 60,60,60,0,0

[Events]
Format: Marked, Start, End, Style, Name, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, Effect, Text
Dialogue: Marked=0,0:00:05.72,0:00:10.69,Style1,Comment,0000 ,0000,0000,,{\a6}'No matter how much
ill\Nyour enemy may wish you...

[ssa_newbie]

Thanks manono think I've got it now
So either:

Format: Marked, Start, End, Style, Name, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, Effect, Text
Dialogue: Marked=0,0:00:05.72,0:00:10.69,Style1,Comment,0000 ,0000,0000,,{\a6}'No matter how much
ill\Nyour enemy may wish you...


or create a style that defines the positioning

[manono]

or create a style that defines the positioning

And which will work the way intended only for videos of that same resolution, where {\a6} will make the top sub in the same relative place always. That is, with each new resolution a new style has to be created with a new MarginV setting.