How do I combine MP4's, and add chapters?

[johnr283]

I have several short MP4's. I want to combine them and make each one a chapter. What's the easiest way to do this?

[ProWo]

Use clever Ffmpeg-GUI.
Load the first mp4, click main, click join, drag and drop all other mp4s to the form, arrange the single files, activate chapters and click join.

[johnr283]

Use clever Ffmpeg-GUI.
Load the first mp4, click main, click join, drag and drop all other mp4s to the form, arrange the single files, activate chapters and click join.

For some reason I only end up with the first file saved. The others aren't joined.

[ProWo]

Does all files have the same resolution and codecs?

[johnr283]

Does all files have the same resolution and codecs?

I check them with MediaInfo and everything is the same except for the overall bitrates.

[davexnet]

You can also try combining in Avidemux or vdub2. If it doesn't accept the additional files, there may be
Some incompatibilities

[johnr283]

You can also try combining in Avidemux or vdub2. If it doesn't accept the additional files, there may be
Some incompatibilities

I can combine them in Avidemux, but it doesn't support chapters.

[davexnet]

Ok, let ProWo speak on this, he's the author of Clever FFFMpeg GUI.

EDIT - i tried Clever FFmpeg GUI myself on some pieces I had cut from a larger source file
and it worked perfectly

[ProWo]

Use clever Ffmpeg-GUI.
Load the first mp4, click main, click join, drag and drop all other mp4s to the form, arrange the single files, activate chapters and click join.

For some reason I only end up with the first file saved. The others aren't joined.

All parts must have the same codecs, resolution, framerate and must be correctly muxed and contain duration information.
I think that one or more parts deviate from this.
Most likely with mp4 this is the framerate (variable vs constant).

[johnr283]

Use clever Ffmpeg-GUI.
Load the first mp4, click main, click join, drag and drop all other mp4s to the form, arrange the single files, activate chapters and click join.

For some reason I only end up with the first file saved. The others aren't joined.

All parts must have the same codecs, resolution, framerate and must be correctly muxed and contain duration information.
I think that one or more parts deviate from this.
Most likely with mp4 this is the framerate (variable vs constant).

I tried re-encoding two of the videos with Avidemux, but it still didn't work. I used a Constant Rate Factor of 18. Should I try again with a Constane Bitrate? How would I know what bitrate to use? These are short 4K videos. I don't want to lower the quality.

[johnr283]

I tried with a constant bitrate. The joined file shows a length of 3:25 (when I hover the mouse over it) but it only plays for 1:41.

[ProWo]

Use clever Ffmpeg-GUI.
Load the first mp4, click main, click join, drag and drop all other mp4s to the form, arrange the single files, activate chapters and click join.

For some reason I only end up with the first file saved. The others aren't joined.

All parts must have the same codecs, resolution, framerate and must be correctly muxed and contain duration information.
I think that one or more parts deviate from this.
Most likely with mp4 this is the framerate (variable vs constant).

I tried re-encoding two of the videos with Avidemux, but it still didn't work. I used a Constant Rate Factor of 18. Should I try again with a Constane Bitrate? How would I know what bitrate to use? These are short 4K videos. I don't want to lower the quality.

You could try to mux any mp4 chunk to mkv and join the mkv's.

[johnr283]

I made them mkv's with constant bitrate, but the same thing. My joined output is only the first file. They're not joining.

[johnr283]

You could try to mux any mp4 chunk to mkv and join the mkv's.

I made them mkv's with constant bitrate, but the same thing. My joined output is only the first file. They're not joining.

[davexnet]

You could try to mux any mp4 chunk to mkv and join the mkv's.

I made them mkv's with constant bitrate, but the same thing. My joined output is only the first file. They're not joining.

Can you provide the two files so that we can try it ourselves and diagnose the problem?
If that is not feasible, provide the text-view mediainfo reports for these files

[johnr283]

You could try to mux any mp4 chunk to mkv and join the mkv's.

I made them mkv's with constant bitrate, but the same thing. My joined output is only the first file. They're not joining.

Can you provide the two files so that we can try it ourselves and diagnose the problem?
If that is not feasible, provide the text-view mediainfo reports for these files

I can. What's the best way to upload them? I usually use https://mega.nz/

[davexnet]

You could try to mux any mp4 chunk to mkv and join the mkv's.

I made them mkv's with constant bitrate, but the same thing. My joined output is only the first file. They're not joining.

Can you provide the two files so that we can try it ourselves and diagnose the problem?
If that is not feasible, provide the text-view mediainfo reports for these files

I can. What's the best way to upload them? I usually use https://mega.nz/

yes that's fine. How big are they?

[johnr283]

You could try to mux any mp4 chunk to mkv and join the mkv's.

I made them mkv's with constant bitrate, but the same thing. My joined output is only the first file. They're not joining.

Can you provide the two files so that we can try it ourselves and diagnose the problem?
If that is not feasible, provide the text-view mediainfo reports for these files

I can. What's the best way to upload them? I usually use https://mega.nz/

yes that's fine. How big are they?

Less than 30mb each. I'll upload them now.

[johnr283]

You could try to mux any mp4 chunk to mkv and join the mkv's.

I made them mkv's with constant bitrate, but the same thing. My joined output is only the first file. They're not joining.

Can you provide the two files so that we can try it ourselves and diagnose the problem?
If that is not feasible, provide the text-view mediainfo reports for these files

Here are 3 files
https://mega.nz/file/pwZSSQLa#yllXUddNucn8iCtT7APUCRls5SnojobF8vw2z-B9GpE
https://mega.nz/file/Ywo2ELrb#NV7btmXXlfwPewB5m3emUPHmcXBUoVbVxlJN8qZ00qY
https://mega.nz/file/l9JHzCpT#gnLVrf-YXzS7bCfTwoH7cwvDlVW9qUodI5ZzP0Qtdec

[davexnet]

I downloaded the first two, didn't work for me either in Clever FFmpeg GUI.
(Prowo would probably be interested in looking at it)

However, I ran them through MKVtoolnix GUI and turned them into MKV files,
then the join in Clever worked OK

[ProWo]

I have found the problem.
In parts 2 and 3 there is an illegal character in the file name, namely :
See here:

02 - Alan Wake 2 Final Draft - Manuscript： Saga Andersen's Deja vu .mp4

and here:

03 - Alan Wake 2 Final Draft - Manuscript： Dark Poem 1 .mp4

Delete the character : from the filename, then clever FFmpeg-GUI will work as expected.

[davexnet]

I have found the problem.
In parts 2 and 3 there is an illegal character in the file name, namely :
See here:

02 - Alan Wake 2 Final Draft - Manuscript： Saga Andersen's Deja vu .mp4

and here:

03 - Alan Wake 2 Final Draft - Manuscript： Dark Poem 1 .mp4

Delete the character : from the filename, then clever FFmpeg-GUI will work as expected.

Anything you can do to flag similar with an error message or silently translate the bad characters
into something legal?

[johnr283]

I have found the problem.
In parts 2 and 3 there is an illegal character in the file name, namely :
See here:

02 - Alan Wake 2 Final Draft - Manuscript： Saga Andersen's Deja vu .mp4

and here:

03 - Alan Wake 2 Final Draft - Manuscript： Dark Poem 1 .mp4

Delete the character : from the filename, then clever FFmpeg-GUI will work as expected.

That still didn't work for me. I renamed the files 01, 02, & 03 and I was able to join them. Is there a way to name the chapters? When I click edit chapters I get Unhandled exception" "The system cannot find the file specified". Also the join icon doesn't appear when I add just two files. It does when I add the third. I can edit the chapter names in HandBrake. Can I use HandBrake without re-encoding.

[ProWo]

That still didn't work for me. I renamed the files 01, 02, & 03 and I was able to join them. Is there a way to name the chapters? When I click edit chapters I get Unhandled exception" "The system cannot find the file specified".

That doesn't happen here. Works as expected.
Did you search for and implement a text editor beforehand? (clever FFmpeg-GUI will ask you to do this the first time you use a text editor).
You can reset clever FFmpeg-GUI by deleting this folder (it will be created again automatically):
C:\Users\xxx\AppData\Local\clever_FFmpeg_GUI (where xxx=your user name on windows).

Also the join icon doesn't appear when I add just two files. It does when I add the third.

This is actually a bug and will be corrected in the next beta.

[ProWo]

Anything you can do to flag similar with an error message or silently translate the bad characters
into something legal?

In the next release I will add a filename check that automatically deletes illegal characters from the filename.

[johnr283]

Anything you can do to flag similar with an error message or silently translate the bad characters
into something legal?

In the next release I will add a filename check that automatically deletes illegal characters from the filename.

Thanks for all you help! Everything works fine now.