Detect and edit subtitles of multiple Episodes?

[Justus 8]

Hello,
I'm facing a problem right now that I have an anime with over 200 episodes. Each 20 minute episode has in its MKV file two audio tracks (Japanese, German) and two subtitle tracks in HDMV PGS format. One subtitle track is "forced" so it only shows small things in the subtitles, like street names. The other subtitle track is the real track where everything is translated. I want to set this as default in the MKV file and delete the "forced" track. The problem is 1. that I do not understand how, for example, MKVToolNix GUI can edit multiple episodes at the same time, so I do not have to individually select each episode, and delete the subtitle track. And 2. more importantly, both subtitle tracks have the same (no) name. Both are marked as "German", so even in Emby both tracks have the same name. With MKVToolNix GUI I have not figured out how to identify which track is the "forced" track and which is the correct track. Do I really have to edit each episode individually and first delete the upper track then start the multiplex, then open the file and see if I have deleted the right one? 

Edited August 5, 2021 by Justus

[Luke 42085]

In my experience, unless you find that each episode has the exact same number of tracks, then you're probably going to have to examine each one by hand and will not be able to automate it.

[pwhodges 2014]

It's a pretty good bet that there will be the same number of subtitle tracks in each episode, so you can write a batch file calling MKVToolnix for each episode using the track number as a parameter (audio tracks the same, but in that case some episodes might have a commentary track - but it's very unusual).  Or with a little more effort, the batch file can first check which track is marked as forced and then delete that one.

You don't even need to delete the unwanted track - just edit the headers of the files to remove the forced flag from one track and mark the other track default.

Paul

 

[Justus 8]

Okay, thank you for your answers. Since I unfortunately do not know how to write such a batch file, I will probably disable the forced track for each episode individually. But I have another question. You can select the audio language preference in the user settings, so that every movie/series is played in Japanese, for example. Also, there is the function to remember the selected language setting and when the video is played again, then apply this again. Is there also a function to select language settings for a certain series? For example, I have 2 series that both have Japanese and German audio tracks and both have German subtitle tracks. I want to watch one series in Japanese with German subtitles, and the other series in German without subtitles. Is there a way to set this for the whole series?

[rodainas 191]

Sorry no, just one audio language global setting for now.

[rodainas 191]

6 minutes ago, Justus said:

Okay, thank you for your answers. Since I unfortunately do not know how to write such a batch file, I will probably disable the forced track for each episode individually. But I have another question. You can select the audio language preference in the user settings, so that every movie/series is played in Japanese, for example. Also, there is the function to remember the selected language setting and when the video is played again, then apply this again. Is there also a function to select language settings for a certain series? For example, I have 2 series that both have Japanese and German audio tracks and both have German subtitle tracks. I want to watch one series in Japanese with German subtitles, and the other series in German without subtitles. Is there a way to set this for the whole series?

Which SO you use I could help you with a script for that.

[Justus 8]

With a script for MKVToolNix you mean? Yes I have found that it is always the upper subtitle track that I want to disable because that is the forced track so I don't always have to check afterwards. Now I kind of just need a quick way to disable the upper subtitle track for 200 files. 

[pwhodges 2014]

Check your PMs.

Paul