Smart subtitle setting not respecting forced flag

[tOLJY 49]

Using the standard android app

Some media I watch might be in English but have the occasional foreign language with subtitles for English - as forced.

The smart setting in emby doesn't seem to respect this - while it does language and subtitle detection well, for this particular media, it doesn't turn on the forced English subtitles for those files.

[GrimReaper 4740]

8 minutes ago, tOLJY said:

for this particular media, it doesn't turn on the forced English subtitles for those files.

Specific example would be required: what audio/subtitle tracks does that media have, screenshot of your audio and subtitles settings. 

[tOLJY 49]

Language is English

I'd expect subtitles for English - forced to be applied, even if there were other English subtitles. Which there are in this case. I presume forced subtitles for your audio language should always be applied, but the question of what to do when there are multiple forced for the audio language? Not the case here though.

Images attached.

[GrimReaper 4740]

Does Default mode give you desired result? (Need to check it on an Unplayed item or need to Clear saved tracks selection) 

Edited June 7, 2025 by GrimReaper

[tOLJY 49]

Yeah but then it doesn't do the smart language detection 

[GrimReaper 4740]

And if you created a dummy external txt file named xxxxxx.en.forced.srt for an Unplayed episode, does it get pre-selected in Smart mode upon library scan completes? 

[tOLJY 49]

I don't know.

I'm not dealing with subtitles files, rather, embedded subtitles for this media.

[GrimReaper 4740]

Just now, tOLJY said:

I'm not dealing with subtitles files, rather, embedded subtitles for this media

Which was apparent - and above was a test to figure out whether logic is failing for embedded subs only or in general. But sure. 

[tOLJY 49]

I have added the dummy file, done a manual library scan (just in case as I've got real time monitoring on, don't know if that's also a factor) and checked - it did indeed select the dummy forced subtitles I added - so looks like it may only affect embedded subs.

[GrimReaper 4740]

Can you share a screenshot of that item MediaInfo section (bottom of detail screen) where those English subs are visible? 

[tOLJY 49]

good idea, attached now.

What I can see here is that forced is set to false - not sure if that's determined by emby or just read from the data - am I right in saying that this subtitle is not actually marked as forced by the provider and just named forced?

If so, is it possible for emby to assume a subtitle is forced if it has a title of forced?

[GrimReaper 4740]

That's what I was suspecting, that "forced" flag is not enabled on those subs, but that it's just embedded title. 

Just now, tOLJY said:

not sure if that's determined by emby or just read from the data

It comes from metadata. 

1 minute ago, tOLJY said:

am I right in saying that this subtitle is not actually marked as forced by the provider and just named forced?

Correct. 

2 minutes ago, tOLJY said:

If so, is it possible for emby to assume a subtitle is forced if it has a title of forced?

Nope, "forced" flag needs to be enabled. Any tool of your preference (like MKVToolNix) should make short work of it. 

[tOLJY 49]

Ouch..not really worth doing that on a show I'm going to watch once and delete. Even if it's on all episodes.

All good, thanks for getting to the bottom of it.

For clarity, the smart setting should pick English subtitles for anything I'm watching in a foreign language and for stuff in English should show properly configured forced English subs?

[tOLJY 49]

I mean, yeah, but why do you have to say it like that?

[GrimReaper 4740]

Sorry, it wasn't said with any bad intention, English is not my native language, in my head it sounds differently.

[GrimReaper 4740]

9 minutes ago, tOLJY said:

For clarity, the smart setting should pick English subtitles for anything I'm watching in a foreign language and for stuff in English should show properly configured forced English subs?

It should, yes. 

(better?) 

[tOLJY 49]

Much

Lol

[tOLJY 49]

3 minutes ago, GrimReaper said:

Sorry, it wasn't said with any bad intention, English is not my native language, in my head it sounds differently.

My bad actually, something we native English speakers take for granted 

[GrimReaper 4740]

No worries, all sorted. 

Cheers

[pwhodges 2012]

6 hours ago, tOLJY said:

Ouch..not really worth doing that on a show I'm going to watch once and delete. Even if it's on all episodes.

Assuming the forced subs are always in the same stream number, you can set the flag on all of them in a few seconds using JMkvPropEdit; the flags are set in place, i.e. without rewriting the whole files.

Paul