4. How to resolve some common problems with subtitles .SRT files ?

An .srt file is a specialized text file made of timecodes blocks, composed by :
1. An order number - 2. start & end timecodes - 3. the subtitles text,
the whole separated by a compulsory spacing line 1. Apparent timecodes:

It can be either:
* A problem with the (compulsory) spacing line
* A problem with the timecodes line itself

1.1. Spacing line :

The (compulsory) spacing line is to be ABSOLUTELY respected. And the line shouldn't contain any character, not even a space character.
Otherwise, the subtitles will show timecode hiccups.
Contrarily to timecode miswriting, this is not detected when uploading on Youtube (see point 6.3 of the .srt file upload on Youtube).

	If you don't respect the compulsory spacing line, the subtitles will appear on the video with a "timecode hiccup". The time and text of the second block appears indeed on the video, as a continuum of the 1st, without spacing line. Solution: Separate the blocks.
	The compulsory space line should be an empty line. A similar "timecode hiccup" happens otherwise. The time of the second block appears indeed on the video. Due to the presence of an unvisible space character, the second block is considered a continuum of the 1st with an apparent spacing line in this case. Solution: Erase the space characters on the spacing line.

1.2. Timecodes line :

The timecodes are composed as hh:mm:ss,msmsms" separated of a made-up arrow " --> " between two spaces :
hh:mm:ss,msmsms --> hh:mm:ss,msmsms
This composition is to be respected. Otherwise, subtitles wouldn't appear well.

The resolution is to correct any miswriting that breaks up with this rule.

Some examples if uploaded voluntarily with errors on Youtube :

	Example with a space character in the arrow:
	Example with a space character in a timecode:

Anyway, on Youtube, when the timecode line is wrong,
clicking on "Upload" leads to a remark (see point 6.3 of the .srt file upload on Youtube). So the problem can be avoided.


2. Apostrophes don't appear well

Apostropes appear wrong on both Youtube & Dailymotion:
* on Youtube, it appears as an apostrophed i letter
* on Dailymotion, apostropes simply don't appear at all.

This problem is caused by stylized apostropes.

Solution:
The best Windows text program to handle this .srt problem remains the mere Notepad program.
It doesn't generate itself stylized elements such as stylized apostrophes.

0. Open the .srt file with Windows Notepad.
1. Just target one of the wongly appearing apostrophes. Copy it (highlight it, CTRL-C).
2. Click CTRL+H. It opens a replacement little window.
3. Paste (CTRL-V) the stylized apostrophe in the 1st box of the window
4. Type an apostrophe in the 2nd box
5. Hit "Replace all". Close the "replacement window" and save the file.
6. Reupload the file on Youtube or Dailymotion. It should show correct apostrophes now.

3. Local alphabets : SRT text appear weird in the file when I reopen it

It is important for subtitles in alphabets other than the roman alphabet,
like greek alphabet, cyrillic alphabet to encode the file in the UTF-8 format, when saving the file.
Not respecting this rule could lead to the replacement of the text by weird characters. Unicode could be good too BUT...
moreover UTF-8 format is the recommended format to upload .srt on Dailymotion
(which doesn't operate Unicode files at all)

     

I will soon describe a method to rescue that without retyping the whole lot.

But so far, if you have this problem, send me the file to : webseries@cantigneaux.be
And of course, tell in which alphabet it was typed before weird characters were saved.
I would send you the best restored file as possible.
Some retyping to correct a few remaining weird characters might be needed, after prime restoration.





SRT advices : .SRT file ? -- Youtube upload ? -- Dailymotion upload ? -- common SRT problems

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