Tranquillity Base > mChapters > User Guide

User Guide


Opening Files

Choose File > Open and select the file(s). Or drag the file(s) to the application icon.

Adding a Text Track for Chapter Marker

The text data of chapter marker titles are stored in a text track. To create a new text track, do one of the following.

You can add multiple text tracks for each language.

Using a Text Track as Chapter Markers

To make a text track work as chapter markers, turn ON the "Chapter" item of the text track.

You can choose a chapter by a menu or pop-up button. It depends on a movie player. The below is the controller of QuickTime Player. The chapter selection button appears when recognizing chapter markers.

macOS 11 or earlier

macOS 12 or later

Track Language

There is no difference in the usable characters between track languages. You can use unicode characters in any language settings.

If a file has one or multiple text track for chapters, which one used is dependent on the system language settings and movie player apps. The apps of Apple also have the following differences.

Track Languages and Apple Movie Players

The priority language of the text track to use as chapters.

Especially when it is expected that a movie is watched in various system languages, you should add an "Unknown Language" text track as the following to avoid not showing chapters.

Removing a Text Track

In the Track List, select a text track you want to remove, and then press the delete key.

Duplicating a Text Track

In the Track List, select a text track you want to duplicate, and then choose Edit > Duplicate.

Adding a Chapter Marker
  1. In the Track List, select a text track you want to add a new chapter marker.
  2. Move the playhead to where you want to add, and then click "﹢" button or choose Markers > Add Chapter Marker. The new chapter marker with the temporary title will be added at the time where the playhead is.

If no text track selected or the playhead is at an existing chapter marker, the "﹢" button and the menu item "Add Chapter Marker" are grayed-out.

Removing a Chapter Marker

In the Chapter Marker List, select a chapter marker you want to remove, and then click "﹣" button or choose Markers > Remove Chapter Marker.

Time Value and Time Scale

The time coordinate system of MOV/MP4 is managed by two integer values, Time Value and Time Scale. Each movie/audio file has its own time scale. Time Scale is not editable. It is set appropriate values when movies created. A time is represented by as follows.

(Time Value) / (Time Scale) = seconds.

For example, a time scale is 600 and a time value is 1200, it means 2 seconds. If the time value is 1500, it means 2.5 seconds. See also below.

e.g.1) Time Value: 2,160,000 Time Scale: 600
2,160,000 / 600=3600 sec
=60 min
=01:00:00.000
e.g.2) Time Value: 171,488,056 Time Scale: 44100
171,488,056 / 44100=3888 and (27256/44100) sec
=64 min 48 sec and (27256/44100) sec
=01:04:48.27256

You can see a time scale of a movie at the duration time display at the bottom-right of a main window. It's clickable to change display styles in the following order.
1. Time Value/Time Scale
2. hh:mm:ss.xxx/Time Scale
3. hh:mm:ss.xx (xx is centi-second)

Editing a Chapter Marker Time

Double-click a chapter marker time you want to edit.

Editing a Chapter Marker Title

Double-click a chapter marker title you want to edit.

Replacing a Chapter Marker Time with The Current Playing Time

Drag and drop the time counter button to a chapter marker you want to replace on the Chapter Marker List.
Or select the chapter marker, and then choose Markers > Replace by Current Playing Time.

Adding Chapter Markers by Importing a Text File

You can add chapter markers by importing a text file contains times and titles formatted as mChapters, QuickTime, or Vorbis Chapter format.

To import:
Choose File > Chapter Title > Import..., and then select a text file. Or drag'n'drop a text file to the window.

These text files must be in UTF-8 encoding and plain text with extension txt.
Subsecond value in all formats must be between 0 and less than a value of time-scale-value.

mChapters Chapter Format

Example:

<@TimeScale:44100>
<@Start>
[00:00:00.00000] Top of the Show
[00:08:41.37891] All My Loving
  ・
  ・
  ・
[01:32:09.02390] Back in the U.S.S.R.
<@End>
QuickTime Chapter Format

Example:

{QTtext}{timeScale:44100}
[00:00:00.00000]
Top of the Show
[00:08:41.37891]
All My Loving
  ・
  ・
  ・
[01:32:09.02390]
Let It Be
Vorbis Chapter Format

Example:

CHAPTER001=00:00:00.000
CHAPTER001NAME=Top of the Show
CHAPTER002=00:08:41.859
CHAPTER002NAME=All My Loving
  ・
  ・
  ・
CHAPTER029=01:32:09.054
CHAPTER029NAME=Let It Be
Exporting Chapters as Text File

Choose File > Chapter Title > Export...
Exportable chapters formats:
- List
- mChapters
- QuickTime
- Vorbis

Time Bar Preview

When you place the cursor on the time bar, the preview of the frame appeares.

To enable or disable it:
Choose View > Time Bar Preview

Placing the cursor with pressing the shift key, the preview temporarily disappears or appears.

Play Selection Only

To select a portion of a movie, choose Controls > Play Selection Only to appear the In / Out selection markers, and then move the markers. To fine-tune the selection, select a marker and move it with the left or right arrow key.

When you choose Controls > Deselect, the selection markers move to the playhead.

Play Control Keyboard Shortcuts

Space bar or returnPlay or Stop
command (⌘) + ↑Go to the beginning of a movie
command (⌘) + ↓Go to the end of a movie
option (⌥) + command (⌘) + ↑Go to the selection start
option (⌥) + command (⌘) + ↓Go to the selection end
Go back one frame
Go forward one frame
command (⌘) + ←Go back 5 seconds (Default)
command (⌘) + →Go forward 5 seconds (Default)
option (⌥) + command (⌘) + ←Go back 30 seconds (Default)
option (⌥) + command (⌘) + →Go forward 30 seconds (Default)
option (⌥) + ←Go back 1 second (Default)
option (⌥) + →Go forward 1 second (Default)
control (⌃) + option (⌥) + ←Go back 0.5 seconds (Default)
control (⌃) + option (⌥) + →Go forward 0.5 seconds (Default)
JSpeed down
KNormal speed
LSpeed up
MReverse play
Customizing Skip Times

Choose Controls > Customize Skip Times...
You can set them to 0.5, 1, 3, 5, 10, 15, 20, or 30 seconds.