Changing names with Expert mode enabled

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Woodstock
Posts: 10377
Joined: Sun Jul 24, 2011 11:21 pm

Changing names with Expert mode enabled

Post by Woodstock »

It comes up quite often that people want to change the output file name, or select/deselect particular tracks within a title. These are best done with "Expert mode" turned on, which is set in the Preferences->General menu.

NOTE: Some browsers will refuse to display the images below, because this site uses HTTPS, but the server hosting the images does not. If you don't see the images, you can have the browser display JUST the image, and it will allow that.

First, you have to OPEN the disk, rather than BACKUP the disk. The buttons involved look like this, if you have loaded a Bluray:

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After you select Open, things will churn for a bit, before displaying the selection screen:

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"Left Menu" is where the titles will be displayed, with each title having selection check box, and an expand/contract triangle next to it. The selection box determines if that title will be ripped (checked) or not (not checked). Clicking on the triangle will expand or contract the list of tracks within the title, which will allow you to select individual tracks (audio, subtitle, 3D MVC) within that title.

The "Chapters" entry has a triangle to expand to show you the list of chapters... You cannot select individual ones, sorry.

With expert mode, the upper right side of the screen allows you to change the properties of various things. The most obvious one you'll use is the Output folder, but the Properties entry will let you check or change the disk name, which I've done here:

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As a result of changing the disk name, notice that the Left menu area changed, too; The disk name was applied to the title names.

By selecting one of the titles in the left menu, we can change the Name property, which also affects the "File name" property in the Info section:

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We can then go after other properties, by clicking on the Name button:

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With the file name being the most likely target of our work:

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You can repeat this for multiple titles; When dealing with a television series with multiple episodes, the use of Copy/Paste comes in very handy, and it is usually simpler if you are using the keyboard, rather than a mouse, to do it.

Hopefully, this will help.
madfloyd
Posts: 45
Joined: Sat Jul 13, 2013 1:56 pm

Re: Changing names with Expert mode enabled

Post by madfloyd »

Why does MakeMkv insist on replacing spaces with the -_' character?
Woodstock
Posts: 10377
Joined: Sun Jul 24, 2011 11:21 pm

Re: Changing names with Expert mode enabled

Post by Woodstock »

Because some operating systems do not like spaces as well as they say they do. Especially when it comes to "mis-placed" spaces.

You can, through MakeMKV and other applications, put spaces in places that make a file difficult to work with. "My Movie .mkv" can be created with MakeMKV, and Windows Explorer will not be able to copy it or delete it, because of the space between the name and extension. If the Windows default "Hide extensions for known file types" is still in force, you would never see the reason why, without dropping to the command line and doing a directory. Leading spaces are an even bigger issue; thankfully, they're harder to insert.

I still want the ability to turn substitution off, though. Note: This changed after this was originally posted - you can now control the substitution!

Oh, if you ever run into the space-at-end problem, you can delete or rename the files in CMD.EXE by putting quotes around the "bad" name.
MSDowney
Posts: 9
Joined: Mon Jul 03, 2017 6:12 pm

Re: Changing names with Expert mode enabled

Post by MSDowney »

Thank you so much... This has helped greatly. It would be nice if you could select something that would use the base name for all chapters selected but this helps so much. Thank you for taking the time
DJ155
Posts: 9
Joined: Fri Aug 04, 2017 6:50 am

Re: Changing names with Expert mode enabled

Post by DJ155 »

Is there a way of auto renaming based on mpls xxxxx etc?
So if 12345mpls is the correct one (just an example) the output be 12345.mkv

Thanks
Woodstock
Posts: 10377
Joined: Sun Jul 24, 2011 11:21 pm

Re: Changing names with Expert mode enabled

Post by Woodstock »

Not that I know of. It probably would be a good feature request, though.
rwhfdha
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu Nov 01, 2018 1:58 pm

Re: Changing names with Expert mode enabled

Post by rwhfdha »

Switching on "expert mode" and selecting the language from the Left menu did the trick of getting my MKV in the desired language. Thanks for the help. rwhfdha :)
markolarko
Posts: 8
Joined: Sat Nov 04, 2017 11:56 am

Re: Changing names with Expert mode enabled

Post by markolarko »

I dont see 'filename' when I click on 'Properties ..Name in the Experts Mode all I can select is Metadata Language and Name... No Filename as per this post above?

When I rip the Blueray say of a film called Bound... it get written as Bound_t02.mkv (I only want the main Film and none of the other files)

I dont want to have to go back and change the filename to Bound ... Is it possible to force MKV to not add the _t02?

I realise this wont work if you are ripping more than one file but having the ability to name the output file as I want it is what I want if possible

Thanks in anticipation?
Woodstock
Posts: 10377
Joined: Sun Jul 24, 2011 11:21 pm

Re: Changing names with Expert mode enabled

Post by Woodstock »

Where do you have the cursor in the LEFT menu, when you click on the Properties "pull down button"?

If it is on the top line of the left window, you will only have "Name" and "Meta Language". If it is on any of the titles, though, "File name" will be added to the selections.

Starting with 1.14.x, the Advanced tab of Preferences has "Output file name template", which you can change as you see fit. Removing "{_t:N2}" from the end of the template will remove the title number from the generated file name. If you do that, though, you will need to resolve name conflicts on your own.
markolarko
Posts: 8
Joined: Sat Nov 04, 2017 11:56 am

Re: Changing names with Expert mode enabled

Post by markolarko »

Hey Woodstock
Thanks for this advice. Much appreciated.

As I only rip the main film folder I do not need this suffix. Also I have noticed that when you use Media Monkey to manage the titles you can point at the folder rather than the actual file. This now means that from now on I dont need to worry too much about how the MakeMKV names the output file which with your advice/assistance.

Mark
DawnB88
Posts: 5
Joined: Fri Jan 05, 2024 7:53 pm

Re: Changing names with Expert mode enabled

Post by DawnB88 »

When I try to back up fitness DVDs I see this:

On the left side I see "Title" of DVD which is correct.
And then I see:

(7) Files all with the chapter(s) number and then:
then end with something like (C1) or (A7) or something like that. But no actual name.How do I find out the name so I know what to rename each thing. Is there a second program I need to find out the names of each file. Before they get backed up. I don't know how to scan each file and find the name. Otherwise is there a different way to rename each file.

I'm currently working on a DVD called BIGGEST LOSER CARDIO MAX which is what I see for the label timestamp is 2008-06-23 Data Capacity is 3.84 Gb

And here is what I have after the quick scan:

Somethings have been skipped I guess there to short or something:
So I end up with (7) things with check boxes.
And each thing says"
title 6 chapter(s) size and (C4) "File name is>C4_t00.mkv"
title 4 chapter(s) size and (C3) "File name is>C3_t01.mkv"
title 2 chapter(s) size and (D1) "File name is>D1_t02.mkv"
title 2 chapter(s) size and (A7) "File name is>A7_t03.mkv"
title 2 chapter(s) size and (A8) "File name is>A8_t04.mkv"
title 2 chapter(s) size and (A9) "File name is>A9_t05.mkv"
title 2 chapter(s) size and (A10) "File name is>A10_t06.mkv"

The DVD is called BIGGEST LOSER CARDIO MAX and under that I see the (7) files. How do I know what to rename each thing.

When I click on the name of the DVD disc I see the "Properties" Name area automatically gets filled in. But when I click on any of the (7) There is nothing for the "Name" area being filled in. How do I find out what to rename each thing.
Blyth
Posts: 18
Joined: Tue Oct 22, 2024 10:29 pm

Re: Changing names with Expert mode enabled

Post by Blyth »

For some reason I don't see advanced mode?
d00zah
Posts: 1595
Joined: Mon Jun 06, 2016 8:23 pm

Re: Changing names with Expert mode enabled

Post by d00zah »

Blyth wrote:
Tue Oct 22, 2024 10:52 pm
For some reason I don't see advanced mode?
In Preferences > 'General' tab > check 'Expert mode'. This exposes the 'Advanced' tab.
Blyth
Posts: 18
Joined: Tue Oct 22, 2024 10:29 pm

Re: Changing names with Expert mode enabled

Post by Blyth »

d00zah wrote:
Wed Oct 23, 2024 2:45 am
Blyth wrote:
Tue Oct 22, 2024 10:52 pm
For some reason I don't see advanced mode?
In Preferences > 'General' tab > check 'Expert mode'. This exposes the 'Advanced' tab.
Silly me I was looking for it at the bottom not at the right hand side.Thanks
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