FEATURE REQUEST: Ability to set "Hidden" flag on chapters

Discussion of advanced MakeMKV functionality, expert mode, conversion profiles
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Radiocomms237
Posts: 338
Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2021 12:23 am

FEATURE REQUEST: Ability to set "Hidden" flag on chapters

Post by Radiocomms237 »

This is a kind of follow-on from this thread: viewtopic.php?f=10&t=28691

Could we have the ability to set the MKV flag on individual chapters to "Hidden"?

I know this flag exists because I've used it with MKVmerge and it effectively makes the chapter disappear without actually removing it. This would be extremely handy for "SKIP" chapters that aren't removed whilst ripping because they're too long.

Even better still, we could stop removing "SKIP" chapters altogether and just hide them all by default? A threshold setting in the profile would also be handy so everyone could define their own minimum length of a "SKIP" chapter? (A length of zero would leave all "SKIP" chapters intact in the output file if someone so desired.)

While we're on the subject of chapters, would it be possible to get access to the single chapter of an .mpls file and not have it automatically deleted as it is now?

So often of late I find myself having to remux files to add a single chapter back in (I use it as a kind of subtitle to describe deleted scenes and the like).

Perhaps these single chapters could also have their "Hidden" flag set by default, that way if we need to use them we simply need to change/remove the flag.

I feel the above features give the advanced user much more control over the end result, while things essentially remain unchanged if beginners don't change any settings.

Thanks in advance!
Radiocomms237
Posts: 338
Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2021 12:23 am

Re: FEATURE REQUEST: Ability to set "Hidden" flag on chapters

Post by Radiocomms237 »

I just found a similar thread here: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=23370
Radiocomms237
Posts: 338
Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2021 12:23 am

Re: FEATURE REQUEST: Ability to set "Hidden" flag on chapters

Post by Radiocomms237 »

As an alternative (or perhaps in addition) to the "Hidden" flag discussed above, there is another flag on each individual chapter called "Enabled" which might be better to use.

I'm just not sure which one of these flags any given player might recognize so access to both might be advantageous.

I know VLC MP hides hidden tracks, but it doesn't just treat them as hidden and still let you jump to them, it's more like it disables the chapter altogether.

I would've expected a "Hidden" chapter to still be enabled, IE. not appear in the list of chapters, but still be used with the >| button. This would be ideal for SKIP chapters if it worked, to not have them listed but still have them usable.
Radiocomms237
Posts: 338
Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2021 12:23 am

Re: FEATURE REQUEST: Ability to set "Hidden" flag on chapters

Post by Radiocomms237 »

Radiocomms237 wrote:
Wed Sep 28, 2022 4:01 am
~ would it be possible to get access to the single chapter of an .mpls file and not have it automatically deleted as it is now? ~
I'm back to flog this dead horse again as I'm just now ripping the "Better Call Saul" box set and find myself having to re-mux files to add single chapters back in... yet again!

This is such a PITA, especially when there was already a single chapter in the playlist (.mpls) file but it was removed by MakeMKV, and I never had the option to name it anyway.

I use these single chapters to identify the particular deleted scene within a file. I want to name the file "Deleted Scene" not "Jimmy and Mike Meet for Breakfast".
Sunoo
Posts: 71
Joined: Fri Feb 03, 2023 7:15 pm

Re: FEATURE REQUEST: Ability to set "Hidden" flag on chapters

Post by Sunoo »

I don’t understand why you’re remuxing? You should be able to add chapters to, or edit the chapters of, an MKV file without needing to remux. The chapters tab of MKVToolNix can do it.
Radiocomms237
Posts: 338
Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2021 12:23 am

Re: FEATURE REQUEST: Ability to set "Hidden" flag on chapters

Post by Radiocomms237 »

Thanks, but you're missing the point, the point is that I shouldn't have to do anything at all with the file after ripping!

These single chapters are already there in the playlists on the discs but for some unknown reason MakeMKV removes them.

And adding single chapters back in is only one aspect of the thread above. The whole chapter system needs to be reworked in that MakeMKV just decides what to do with chapters and doesn't give the user any say in it.

Some of the "skip" chapters (at the end of a file) are removed, some aren't (there seems to be a non-user-settable threshold that is sometimes met, other times not).

And the "Hidden" and "Enabled" flags that are part of the Matroska standards aren't used at all. These flags could be defaulted to mimic the current behavior for novice users, but editable for those who want to keep the single chapters, or the "skip" chapters, or even hide or disable any of the other chapters.

Preferably with this default behavior being user-definable in the custom profile or program settings.
Sunoo
Posts: 71
Joined: Fri Feb 03, 2023 7:15 pm

Re: FEATURE REQUEST: Ability to set "Hidden" flag on chapters

Post by Sunoo »

I guess I don’t really see the difference between tweaking a bunch of chapters and such in MakeMKV vs doing it in MKVToolNix. Either way you still need to tweak them to match what you want.
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