Manually create chapters?

SFBart

How do I manually create chapters? Correct me if i am wrong: In ExpressBurn, I cannot add chapters to break up a single clip. I can only add chapters to clips if there are multiple clips. Right? Today i downloaded ExpressBurn, dragged a home mp4 movie into it, and it correctly reported "1 chapters set." The "Manage Chapters" button is greyed out I presume because there is only video clip = 1 chapter.

So I tried VideoPad: again dragged in the mp4, then moved the clip to the project line. I found this in Help:

You can click on the timeline to preview the movie and find the locations for the chapters. You can then add a chapter using the Add button or by right clicking and selecting 'Add Chapter'.

But i cannot find an Add button and right clicking does not reveal "Add Chapter."

iMovie10 does not allow the creation of chapters, so an output file is a single file. I am looking for software that allows me to break up a long single file into chapters so that i will actually have "scenes" that i can put into a dvd menu. Oh, and chapters where i want them, NOT ones that are automatically set by equal intervals.

Thank you!! Really hoping to become a loyal user.

(Mac mini, OSX Catalina)

elk

If you are using VideoPad and Express Burn, you have two options:

VideoPad: In Timeline > move the red cursor to the position you want to set a chapter > right click in upper side of the red cursor > click Set Bookmark at Cursor > click OK. Do the same for all the chapters you want to add. Once done, click Export Video > DVD Movie Disc > select the settings you want to use > click Create > in the next window, check the box "Use bookmarks as chapters" > then, you can go ahead and burn it.

Express Burn: Load the video file (it can be a single file) > if the Manage Chapters icon is grayed out, the problem may be that you have not selected a file, so please go ahead and click on the video file to highlight it > now the button should be enabled > click Manage Chapters > drag the red cursor to the position you want the chapter > click Add button > do the same for all the chapters > click OK > burn your disc.

SFBart

I feel dumb for not clicking on the file. OK, Manage Chapters window is open... I am concerned about this instruction:

Add
Here you will add a chapter at the current point shown in the video preview window. Remember it will actually be added to the nearest valid point so it may not be added at the exact frame shown in the window.

In Express Burn dragging the red cursor with the mouse is imprecise: I find the first "appearance" of a scene, but it jumps 6 seconds from the last visual picture of the previous chapter. Is the first "appearance" of a scene the first frame? or might i end up with a few seconds back in the previous chapter? Trying to "stop" the movie while playing is also hit or miss with no easy way to back up.

In VideoPad I can move the cursor frame-by-frame back-and-forth with arrow keys, but not in ExpressBurn.

In short: Is there a more precise way in ExpressBurn to move the cursor? Or would you say that it is easier and more precise to move the clip to VideoPad and add chapters there?

Thank you!

SFBart

Very happy using VideoPad to make chapters! I am able to skip through chapters in both the ISO file and the final DVD. But there is no menu, no fancy Themes to use.

ExpressBurn has the fancy themes but setting chapters is difficult... (up to 6 seconds error factor on location! see my previous posting). So new question: is there any way to take the output from Videopad (with chapters) and move it back to ExpressBurn to add a theme? It appears this is not possible, so to use themes AND chapters i must do both in ExpressBurn... which takes me back to my last posting asking for tips on setting chapters in ExpressBurn.

DannR

Unfortunately, that option is not available on the program. NCH Software formally takes suggestions or feedback about our products through the form at http://www.nch.com.au/suggestions/

For any tip, you can check this http://help.nchsoftware.com/help/en/expressburn/win/managechapters.html

SFBart

I used Expressburn to add chapter markers to one long video. But the menus I have tried (downloaded) do not have a button for "Scenes" that would point to the chapters. There are menus that "list" separate videos, but not chapters. Can you point me to a menu that has or can add a button for Scenes?

elk

All videos in a given title can have chapters that allow you to easily skip to a particular scene. You may add chapters to each individual video present in the title. Note that those chapters will not show up in the menu you create, what you will see in the menu are the videos you add not the chapters contained in those videos