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Does .mp4 - or any other video format - have a text field (comment, not subtitle)? If so, what can edit it?



 
 
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  #1  
Old July 10th 18, 12:53 PM posted to alt.windows7.general,microsoft.public.windowsxp.general,microsoft.public.win98.gen_discussion,uk.tech.broadcast
J. P. Gilliver (John)[_2_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 54
Default Does .mp4 - or any other video format - have a text field (comment, not subtitle)? If so, what can edit it?

I like the comment field in the .jpg image format; if viewing an image
in IrfanView, I just type I then C, and I can add comment text, that
then actually becomes part of the file, thus surviving any renaming,
zipping, even emailing. (I use it a lot in listing who's who in group
photographs [I come across those a lot in genealogy], but general
information about an image is useful.) [I _presume_ there are other
image-handling softwares that can access/edit this field, though I don't
know what they are; I'd be interested to know.]

I'd like to have a similar facility for videos (I have mostly .mp4
format, but am interested for any format): _is_ there something
intrinsic to the format? I'm not talking about a subtitle "track", or
anything like that - just a comment field. And if there is, what
software can access - and/or edit - it?

At present, I'm reduced to either putting information into the filename,
or keeping a text (or other, such as .doc - I only use that for the one
or two places I want to e. g. include some Russian) file of the same
name in the folder next to it. Both of which are unsatisfactory compared
to an embedded text field.
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

Veni, Vidi, Vomit (I came, I saw, I was ill) - , 1998
  #2  
Old July 10th 18, 12:58 PM posted to alt.windows7.general,microsoft.public.windowsxp.general,microsoft.public.win98.gen_discussion,uk.tech.broadcast
NY
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1
Default Does .mp4 - or any other video format - have a text field (comment, not subtitle)? If so, what can edit it?

"J. P. Gilliver (John)" wrote in message
...
I like the comment field in the .jpg image format; if viewing an image in
IrfanView, I just type I then C, and I can add comment text, that then
actually becomes part of the file, thus surviving any renaming, zipping,
even emailing. (I use it a lot in listing who's who in group photographs
[I come across those a lot in genealogy], but general information about an
image is useful.) [I _presume_ there are other image-handling softwares
that can access/edit this field, though I don't know what they are; I'd be
interested to know.]

I'd like to have a similar facility for videos (I have mostly .mp4 format,
but am interested for any format): _is_ there something intrinsic to the
format? I'm not talking about a subtitle "track", or anything like that -
just a comment field. And if there is, what software can access - and/or
edit - it?

At present, I'm reduced to either putting information into the filename,
or keeping a text (or other, such as .doc - I only use that for the one or
two places I want to e. g. include some Russian) file of the same name in
the folder next to it. Both of which are unsatisfactory compared to an
embedded text field.


The only video formats that I've found that allow "metadata" such as text
are Microsoft's proprietary MPEG/H264 container formats DVR-MS and WTV. It's
a shame that with TS and MPG, you can't store text such as episode title and
plot summary, but instead need to save these in an accompanying txt or xml
file.

  #3  
Old July 10th 18, 02:20 PM posted to alt.windows7.general,microsoft.public.windowsxp.general,microsoft.public.win98.gen_discussion,uk.tech.broadcast
Mayayana
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 27
Default Does .mp4 - or any other video format - have a text field (comment, not subtitle)? If so, what can edit it?

"J. P. Gilliver (John)" wrote

| I'd like to have a similar facility for videos (I have mostly .mp4
| format, but am interested for any format): _is_ there something
| intrinsic to the format?

I don't know anything about MP4 metadata, but I
just tried opening a video in VLC. It let me change
the "Genre" but didn't save the copyright data. My
first attempt added "Who knows". Then I tried "2013".
Maybe it's locked? Maybe it has to be a date data type?
I don't know. It saved a comment but didn't show the
save button until I also changed other data.
When I looked at the file in HxD I could see the text
stored in a way that looks similar to JPG EXIF data.

Long story short, you can apparently read and change
properties with VLC. And that includes comments. But
then there's the question of how to make that useful.
Options:

* Find software that reads the metadata and shows it in
some useful way.

* Set up Windows Explorer to show the metadata in Details
view. (Note that the details available vary by Windows version.)

* You can also access the metadata programmatically
through the Shell or Shell.Application object, which
represents Explorer's view. But Shell is a funky object.
And the details provided vary by Windows version, as
noted. But it is possible to write something like a VBScript
to process metadata for all files in a folder using the
GetDetailsOf method. XP only shows a few of the properties.
The following table shows the list for each Windows version.
But as you can see, they not only vary but also change
between versions.

Even better would be to write something that parses
the MP4 directly, first finding the metadata marker, then
finding the comment marker from there. It seems to be a
typical storage system. A cursory look shows that comment
data seems to be stored in a pattern markerd by something
like cmt...data.......this is the comment. It's simple ANSI
text byte data separated by null characters.

For what it's worth.... Shell object details by OS:

;Attribute tables
;
; Windows 8/2012 Windows 7/2008 R2 Windows
Vista/2008 Windows XP/2003 Windows 2000
;--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
; 0 Name Name Name
Name Name
; 1 Size Size Size
Size Size
; 2 Item type Item type Type
Type Type
; 3 Date modified Date modified Date modified
Date Modified Date Modified
; 4 Date created Date created Date created
Date Created Attributes
; 5 Date accessed Date accessed Date accessed
Date Accessed Comment
; 6 Attributes Attributes Attributes
Attributes Date Created
; 7 Offline status Offline status Offline status
Status Date Accessed
; 8 Offline availability Offline availability Offline
availability Owner Owner
; 9 Perceived type Perceived type Perceived type
Author ???
; 10 Owner Owner Owner
Title Author
; 11 Kind Kind Kinds
Subject Title
; 12 Date taken Date taken Date taken
Category Subject
; 13 Contributing artists Contributing artists Artists
Pages Category
; 14 Album Album Album
Comments Pages
; 15 Year Year Year
Copyright Copyright
; 16 Genre Genre Genre
Artist Company Name
; 17 Conductors Conductors Conductors
Album Title Module Desription
; 18 Tags Tags Tags
Year Module Version
; 19 Rating Rating Rating
Track Number Product Name
; 20 Authors Authors Authors
Genre Product Version
; 21 Title Title Title
Duration Sender Name
; 22 Subject Subject Subject
Bit Rate Recipient Name
; 23 Categories Categories Categories
Protected Recipient Number
; 24 Comments Comments Comments
Camera Model Csid
; 25 Copyright Copyright Copyright
Date Picture Taken Tsid
; 26 # # #
Dimensions Transmission Time
; 27 Length Length Length
??? Caller Id
; 28 Bit rate Bit rate Bit rate
??? Routing
; 29 Protected Protected Protected
Episode Name Audio Format
; 30 Camera model Camera model Camera model
Program Description Sample Rate
; 31 Dimensions Dimensions Dimensions
Description Audio Sample Size
; 32 Camera maker Camera maker Camera maker
Audio sample size Channels
; 33 Company Company Company
Audio sample rate Play Length
; 34 File description File description File
description Channels Frame Count
; 35 Program name Program name Program name
Company Frame Rate
; 36 Duration Duration Duration
Description Video Sample Size
; 37 Is online Is online Is online
File Version Video Compression
; 38 Is recurring Is recurring Is recurring
Product Name ???
; 39 Location Location Location
Product Version ???
; 40 Optional attendee addresses Optional attendee addresses Optional
attendee addresses Keywords (XP only) ???
; 41 Optional attendees Optional attendees Optional
attendees
; 42 Organizer address Organizer address Organizer
address
; 43 Organizer name Organizer name Organizer name
; 44 Reminder time Reminder time Reminder time
; 45 Required attendee addresses Required attendee addresses Required
attendee addresses
; 46 Required attendees Required attendees Required
attendees
; 47 Resources Resources Resources
; 48 Meeting status Meeting status Free/busy
status
; 49 Free/busy status Free/busy status Total size
; 50 Total size Total size Account name
; 51 Account name Account name Computer
; 52 Task status Task status Anniversary
; 53 Computer Computer Assistant's
name
; 54 Anniversary Anniversary Assistant's
phone
; 55 Assistant's name Assistant's name Birthday
; 56 Assistant's phone Assistant's phone Business
address
; 57 Birthday Birthday Business city
; 58 Business address Business address Business
country/region
; 59 Business city Business city Business P.O.
box
; 60 Business country/region Business country/region Business postal
code
; 61 Business P.O. box Business P.O. box Business state
or province
; 62 Business postal code Business postal code Business street
; 63 Business state or province Business state or province Business fax
; 64 Business street Business street Business home
page
; 65 Business fax Business fax Business phone
; 66 Business home page Business home page Callback number
; 67 Business phone Business phone Car phone
; 68 Callback number Callback number Children
; 69 Car phone Car phone Company main
phone
; 70 Children Children Department
; 71 Company main phone Company main phone E-mail Address
; 72 Department Department E-mail2
; 73 E-mail address E-mail address E-mail3
; 74 E-mail2 E-mail2 E-mail list
; 75 E-mail3 E-mail3 E-mail display
name
; 76 E-mail list E-mail list File as
; 77 E-mail display name E-mail display name First name
; 78 File as File as Full name
; 79 First name First name Gender
; 80 Full name Full name Given name
; 81 Gender Gender Hobbies
; 82 Given name Given name Home address
; 83 Hobbies Hobbies Home city
; 84 Home address Home address Home
country/region
; 85 Home city Home city Home P.O. box
; 86 Home country/region Home country/region Home postal
code
; 87 Home P.O. box Home P.O. box Home state or
province
; 88 Home postal code Home postal code Home street
; 89 Home state or province Home state or province Home fax
; 90 Home street Home street Home phone
; 91 Home fax Home fax IM addresses
; 92 Home phone Home phone Initials
; 93 IM addresses IM addresses Job title
; 94 Initials Initials Label
; 95 Job title Job title Last name
; 96 Label Label Mailing address
; 97 Last name Last name Middle name
; 98 Mailing address Mailing address Cell phone
; 99 Middle name Middle name Nickname
;100 Cell phone Cell phone Office location
;101 Nickname Nickname Other address
;102 Office location Office location Other city
;103 Other address Other address Other
country/region
;104 Other city Other city Other P.O. box
;105 Other country/region Other country/region Other postal
code
;106 Other P.O. box Other P.O. box Other state or
province
;107 Other postal code Other postal code Other street
;108 Other state or province Other state or province Pager
;109 Other street Other street Personal title
;110 Pager Pager City
;111 Personal title Personal title Country/region
;112 City City P.O. box
;113 Country/region Country/region Postal code
;114 P.O. box P.O. box State or
province
;115 Postal code Postal code Street
;116 State or province State or province Primary e-mail
;117 Street Street Primary phone
;118 Primary e-mail Primary e-mail Profession
;119 Primary phone Primary phone Spouse
;120 Profession Profession Suffix
;121 Spouse/Partner Spouse/Partner TTY/TTD phone
;122 Suffix Suffix Telex
;123 TTY/TTD phone TTY/TTD phone Webpage
;124 Telex Telex Status
;125 Webpage Webpage Content type
;126 Content status Content status Date acquired
;127 Content type Content type Date archived
;128 Date acquired Date acquired Date completed
;129 Date archived Date archived Date imported
;130 Date completed Date completed Client ID
;131 Device category Device category Contributors
;132 Connected Connected Content created
;133 Discovery method Discovery method Last printed
;134 Friendly name Friendly name Date last saved
;135 Local computer Local computer Division
;136 Manufacturer Manufacturer Document ID
;137 Model Model Pages
;138 Paired Paired Slides
;139 Classification Classification Total editing
time
;140 Status Status Word count
;141 Status Client ID Due date
;142 Client ID Contributors End date
;143 Contributors Content created File count
;144 Content created Last printed Filename
;145 Last printed Date last saved File version
;146 Date last saved Division Flag color
;147 Division Document ID Flag status
;148 Document ID Pages Space free
;149 Pages Slides Bit depth
;150 Slides Total editing time Horizontal
resolution
;151 Total editing time Word count Width
;152 Word count Due date Vertical
resolution
;153 Due date End date Height
;154 End date File count Importance
;155 File count Filename Is attachment
;156 File extension File version Is deleted
;157 Filename Flag color Has flag
;158 File version Flag status Is completed
;159 Flag color Space free Incomplete
;160 Flag status Bit depth Read status
;161 Space free Horizontal resolution Shared
;162 Sharing type Width Creator
;163 Bit depth Vertical resolution Date
;164 Horizontal resolution Height Folder name
;165 Width Importance Folder path
;166 Vertical resolution Is attachment Folder
;167 Height Is deleted Participants
;168 Importance Encryption status Path
;169 Is attachment Has flag Contact names
;170 Is deleted Is completed Entry type
;171 Encryption status Incomplete Language
;172 Has flag Read status Date visited
;173 Is completed Shared Description
;174 Incomplete Creators Link status
;175 Read status Date Link target
;176 Shared Folder name URL
;177 Creators Folder path Media created
;178 Date Folder Date released
;179 Folder name Participants Encoded by
;180 Folder path Path Producers
;181 Folder By location Publisher
;182 Participants Type Subtitle
;183 Path Contact names User web URL
;184 By location Entry type Writers
;185 Type Language Attachments
;186 Contact names Date visited Bcc addresses
;187 Entry type Description Bcc names
;188 Language Link status Cc addresses
;189 Date visited Link target Cc names
;190 Description URL Conversation ID
;191 Link status Media created Date received
;192 Link target Date released Date sent
;193 URL Encoded by From addresses
;194 Media created Producers From names
;195 Date released Publisher Has attachments
;196 Encoded by Subtitle Sender address
;197 Episode number User web URL Sender name
;198 Producers Writers Store
;199 Publisher Attachments To addresses
;200 Season number Bcc addresses To do title
;201 Subtitle Bcc To names
;202 User web URL Cc addresses Mileage
;203 Writers Cc Album artist
;204 Attachments Conversation ID
Beats-per-minute
;205 Bcc addresses Date received Composers
;206 Bcc Date sent Initial key
;207 Cc addresses From addresses Mood
;208 Cc From Part of set
;209 Conversation ID Has attachments Period
;210 Date received Sender address Color
;211 Date sent Sender name Parental rating
;212 From addresses Store Parental rating
reason
;213 From To addresses Space used
;214 Has attachments To do title EXIF version
;215 Sender address To Event
;216 Sender name Mileage Exposure bias
;217 Store Album artist Exposure
program
;218 To addresses Album ID Exposure time
;219 To do title Beats-per-minute F-stop
;220 To Composers Flash mode
;221 Mileage Initial key Focal length
;222 Album artist Part of a compilation 35mm focal
length
;223 Sort album artist Mood ISO speed
;224 Album ID Part of set Lens maker
;225 Sort album Period Lens model
;226 Sort contributing artists Color Light source
;227 Beats-per-minute Parental rating Max aperture
;228 Composers Parental rating reason Metering mode
;229 Sort composer Space used Orientation
;230 Initial key EXIF version Program mode
;231 Part of a compilation Event Saturation
;232 Mood Exposure bias Subject
distance
;233 Part of set Exposure program White balance
;234 Period Exposure time Priority
;235 Color F-stop Project
;236 Parental rating Flash mode Channel number
;237 Parental rating reason Focal length Episode name
;238 Space used 35mm focal length Closed
captioning
;239 EXIF version ISO speed Rerun
;240 Event Lens maker SAP
;241 Exposure bias Lens model Broadcast date
;242 Exposure program Light source Program
description
;243 Exposure time Max aperture Recording time
;244 F-stop Metering mode Station call
sign
;245 Flash mode Orientation Station name
;246 Focal length People Auto summary
;247 35mm focal length Program mode Summary
;248 ISO speed Saturation Search ranking
;249 Lens maker Subject distance Sensitivity
;250 Lens model White balance Shared with
;251 Light source Priority Product name
;252 Max aperture Project Product version
;253 Metering mode Channel number Source
;254 Orientation Episode name Start date
;255 People Closed captioning Billing
information
;256 Program mode Rerun Complete
;257 Saturation SAP Task owner
;258 Subject distance Broadcast date Total file size
;259 White balance Program description Legal
trademarks
;260 Priority Recording time Video
compression
;261 Project Station call sign Directors
;262 Channel number Station name Data rate
;263 Episode name Summary Frame height
;264 Closed captioning Snippets Frame rate
;265 Rerun Auto summary Frame width
;266 SAP Search ranking Total bitrate
;267 Broadcast date Sensitivity
;268 Program description Shared with
;269 Recording time Sharing status
;270 Station call sign Product name
;271 Station name Product version
;272 Summary Support link
;273 Snippets Source
;274 Auto summary Start date
;275 Search ranking Billing information
;276 Sensitivity Complete
;277 Shared with Task owner
;278 Sharing status Total file size
;279 Product name Legal trademarks
;280 Product version Video compression
;281 Support link Directors
;282 Source Data rate
;283 Start date Frame height
;284 Billing information Frame rate
;285 Complete Frame width
;286 Task owner Total bitrate
;287 Sort title Creator
;288 Total file size Encryption Level
;289 Legal trademarks Content Accessibility
;290 Video compression Document Assembly
;291 Directors Changing
;292 Data rate Commenting
;293 Frame height Copying
;294 Frame rate Form Filling
;295 Frame width Printing
;296 Video orientation Producer


  #4  
Old July 10th 18, 02:53 PM posted to alt.windows7.general,microsoft.public.windowsxp.general,microsoft.public.win98.gen_discussion
R.Wieser
External Usenet User
 
Posts: 111
Default Does .mp4 - or any other video format - have a text field (comment, not subtitle)? If so, what can edit it?

John,

_is_ there something intrinsic to the format?


The specs to the format seem to indicate there is, and I found something to
manipulate it here :

https://community.wd.com/t/how-do-yo...4-files/169392


And by the way, if you ever wondered what the rightclick - "properties" -
"summary" does: it saves, on an NTFS filesystem, the entered info into a
so-called "alternate data stream", which is attached/linked to your file
but, on XP, not visible when browsing files on (I've been biten by it once,
which is why I know. :-) ).

AFAIK those ADSes will be copied as long as you do it to another NTFS
filesystem (not a 100% sure about it though). No idea how a nowerdays
file-packer (7z ?) responds to it. It depends on which one you use and how
old it is I guess.

Personally I would not depend on those ADSes, but wanted to name them
regardless. - both as an option, but also as a warning :-)

Regards,
Rudy Wieser

P.s.
Had to remove "uk.tech.broadcast". Its not carried by my usenet server.


  #5  
Old July 10th 18, 03:47 PM posted to alt.windows7.general,microsoft.public.windowsxp.general,microsoft.public.win98.gen_discussion
Tim Slattery[_2_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1
Default Does .mp4 - or any other video format - have a text field (comment, not subtitle)? If so, what can edit it?

"R.Wieser" wrote:

John,

_is_ there something intrinsic to the format?


The specs to the format seem to indicate there is, and I found something to
manipulate it here :

https://community.wd.com/t/how-do-yo...4-files/169392


And by the way, if you ever wondered what the rightclick - "properties" -
"summary" does: it saves, on an NTFS filesystem, the entered info into a
so-called "alternate data stream", which is attached/linked to your file
but, on XP, not visible when browsing files on (I've been biten by it once,
which is why I know. :-) ).

AFAIK those ADSes will be copied as long as you do it to another NTFS
filesystem (not a 100% sure about it though).


I'm quite sure, NTFS to NTFS copies include all the ADSs. Since other
file systems don't have NDSs, they're lost when copying to FAT, CDS or
any other non-NFTS system.

No idea how a nowerdays
file-packer (7z ?) responds to it. It depends on which one you use and how
old it is I guess.


Hmm...I don't know for sure, but I'd be rather surprised if any of
those handled ADSs.

--
Tim Slattery
tim at risingdove dot com
  #6  
Old July 10th 18, 04:50 PM posted to alt.windows7.general,microsoft.public.windowsxp.general,microsoft.public.win98.gen_discussion,uk.tech.broadcast
Frank Slootweg
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1
Default Does .mp4 - or any other video format - have a text field (comment, not subtitle)? If so, what can edit it?

NY wrote:
"J. P. Gilliver (John)" wrote in message
...
I like the comment field in the .jpg image format; if viewing an image in
IrfanView, I just type I then C, and I can add comment text, that then
actually becomes part of the file, thus surviving any renaming, zipping,
even emailing. (I use it a lot in listing who's who in group photographs
[I come across those a lot in genealogy], but general information about an
image is useful.) [I _presume_ there are other image-handling softwares
that can access/edit this field, though I don't know what they are; I'd be
interested to know.]

I'd like to have a similar facility for videos (I have mostly .mp4 format,
but am interested for any format): _is_ there something intrinsic to the
format? I'm not talking about a subtitle "track", or anything like that -
just a comment field. And if there is, what software can access - and/or
edit - it?

At present, I'm reduced to either putting information into the filename,
or keeping a text (or other, such as .doc - I only use that for the one or
two places I want to e. g. include some Russian) file of the same name in
the folder next to it. Both of which are unsatisfactory compared to an
embedded text field.


I just had a look at some of my .mp4 [1] files and noted that
*Windows* - i.e. (Windows) File Explorer - Properties indeed does not
show a comments field in the metadata, but for example the VLC player
*does* have a 'Comments' field which you can view and edit.

In the Title/Duration/Album pane of VLC, right-click on a video file
and select 'Information...'. That will popup a 'Media information' popup
which has a 'General' tab which has the multi-line 'Comments' field.

I also had a quick check in Windows Media Player, but that does not
seem to have this 'Comments' field. WMP has a 'Description:' field, but
that is not the same as the (VLC) 'Comments' field and - at least for my
..mp4 files - does not contain anything and it can not be edited.

I don't have any other media players to play with, so you'll have to
check if the VLC 'Comments' field is a (sort of) standard field or
VLC-specific.

Hope this helps.

[1] Note that the file extension name - i.e. .mp4 - is basically
meaningless. What matters are the video format *in* the file, the audio
format *in* the file and the 'container' format of any container which
contains video, audio and more.

To give an example of how confusing/complicated these things a

A QuickTime file will most likely have a MPEG-4 video part in its
container, but its extension will be .MOV - *not* .MP4 - and programs
which can handle 'plain' MPEG-4 videos with .MP4 extensions might not be
able to play QuickTime/.MOV videos and vice versa.

For example, I converted a QuickTime .MOV video file, which had

- Container: MPEG-4 (Container format, NOT file extension name.)
- Video: H.264 - MPEG-4 AVC
- Audio: PCM S16 LE

to a .MP4 video file, which had

- Container: MPEG-4 (Container format, NOT file extension name.)
- Video: H.264 - MPEG-4 AVC
- Audio: MPEG AAC

because my TV could not handle the QuickTime .MOV video file, but could
handle the .MP4 video file, while both had 'Video: H.264 - MPEG-4 AVC'.
  #7  
Old July 10th 18, 05:34 PM posted to alt.windows7.general,microsoft.public.windowsxp.general,microsoft.public.win98.gen_discussion,uk.tech.broadcast
Brian Gaff
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1
Default Does .mp4 - or any other video format - have a text field (comment, not subtitle)? If so, what can edit it?

These are also very handy if somebody like me comes along and just hears
graphic graphic etc.
Brian

--
----- --
This newsgroup posting comes to you directly from...
The Sofa of Brian Gaff...

Blind user, so no pictures please
Note this Signature is meaningless.!
"J. P. Gilliver (John)" wrote in message
...
I like the comment field in the .jpg image format; if viewing an image in
IrfanView, I just type I then C, and I can add comment text, that then
actually becomes part of the file, thus surviving any renaming, zipping,
even emailing. (I use it a lot in listing who's who in group photographs [I
come across those a lot in genealogy], but general information about an
image is useful.) [I _presume_ there are other image-handling softwares
that can access/edit this field, though I don't know what they are; I'd be
interested to know.]

I'd like to have a similar facility for videos (I have mostly .mp4 format,
but am interested for any format): _is_ there something intrinsic to the
format? I'm not talking about a subtitle "track", or anything like that -
just a comment field. And if there is, what software can access - and/or
edit - it?

At present, I'm reduced to either putting information into the filename,
or keeping a text (or other, such as .doc - I only use that for the one or
two places I want to e. g. include some Russian) file of the same name in
the folder next to it. Both of which are unsatisfactory compared to an
embedded text field.
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

Veni, Vidi, Vomit (I came, I saw, I was ill) -
,
1998



  #8  
Old July 10th 18, 05:44 PM posted to alt.windows7.general,microsoft.public.windowsxp.general,microsoft.public.win98.gen_discussion
R.Wieser
External Usenet User
 
Posts: 111
Default Does .mp4 - or any other video format - have a text field (comment, not subtitle)? If so, what can edit it?

Tim,

AFAIK those ADSes will be copied as long as you do it to another
NTFS filesystem (not a 100% sure about it though).


I'm quite sure, NTFS to NTFS copies include all the ADSs.


I mentioned it, as the XP GUI support for ADSes is rather .. lacking (the
filebrowser does not not have any capabilities to show the presence of such
streams for a file, let alone a way to view their contents). In the same
feat I could imagine that (some) OS-level copying functions would not (even)
support it.

Hmm...I don't know for sure, but I'd be rather surprised if
any of those handled ADSs.


Actually, I wouldn't. :-)

Regards,
Rudy Wieser


  #9  
Old July 10th 18, 10:28 PM posted to alt.windows7.general,microsoft.public.windowsxp.general,microsoft.public.win98.gen_discussion,uk.tech.broadcast
J. P. Gilliver (John)[_2_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 54
Default Does .mp4 - or any other video format - have a text field (comment, not subtitle)? If so, what can edit it?

In message , Frank Slootweg
writes:
NY wrote:
"J. P. Gilliver (John)" wrote in message
...

[]
I'd like to have a similar facility for videos (I have mostly .mp4 format,

[]
I just had a look at some of my .mp4 [1] files and noted that
*Windows* - i.e. (Windows) File Explorer - Properties indeed does not
show a comments field in the metadata, but for example the VLC player
*does* have a 'Comments' field which you can view and edit.

In the Title/Duration/Album pane of VLC, right-click on a video file
and select 'Information...'. That will popup a 'Media information' popup
which has a 'General' tab which has the multi-line 'Comments' field.


That sounded exactly what I wanted! Then I spent a short while looking
through VLC's menus for "Title/Duration/Album", without success (I found
a "Title ", but greyed out). Then I found Tools Media Information
(Ctrl-I also gets me there.) So I must already have _been_ in the pane
from which I can call that; no matter.

As soon as I type anything into that Comments field (probably any of the
others too), a Save Metadata button appears next to the Close button at
bottom right. Excellent; thanks!
[snip]
[1] Note that the file extension name - i.e. .mp4 - is basically
meaningless. What matters are the video format *in* the file, the audio
format *in* the file and the 'container' format of any container which
contains video, audio and more.

[]
Yes, video files are a mess. But as I don't have g-spot installed on
this machine yet, I can only go by extension, and brief test has shown:
the "Save Metadata" button appears for the .mp4, .mov, .webm, and one
other type that I've forgotten. All let me click it. But when I closed
and then re-opened the video file, only the .mp4 file had _retained_ the
comment. I'd sort of guessed this, because clicking Save Metadata had
stopped the file playing (and I think returned it to its start) for that
filetype, but didn't stop it playing for the other three.

But at least I can add comments to some files (possibly all .mp4 ones,
possibly only some but some of other sorts, based on your observations
above), which is better than I'd had before. Strange how we can be blind
to things; I'd known about the Media Information window, but only ever
used the Codec tab in it, mainly to see what resolution a video was at;
I'd never really noticed what was under the General tab!
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

Only dirty people need wash
  #10  
Old July 10th 18, 10:50 PM posted to alt.windows7.general,microsoft.public.windowsxp.general,microsoft.public.win98.gen_discussion,uk.tech.broadcast
J. P. Gilliver (John)[_2_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 54
Default Does .mp4 - or any other video format - have a text field (comment, not subtitle)? If so, what can edit it?

In message , Mayayana
writes:
"J. P. Gilliver (John)" wrote

| I'd like to have a similar facility for videos (I have mostly .mp4
| format, but am interested for any format): _is_ there something
| intrinsic to the format?

I don't know anything about MP4 metadata, but I
just tried opening a video in VLC. It let me change
the "Genre" but didn't save the copyright data. My
first attempt added "Who knows". Then I tried "2013".
Maybe it's locked? Maybe it has to be a date data type?
I don't know. It saved a comment but didn't show the
save button until I also changed other data.


I hadn't noticed that Comment box until Frank Slootweg pointed it out to
me!

I've just tried, with several .mp4 files. Two or three _did_ save the
comment - and without stopping the file from playing, despite what I
found earlier; two or three _didn't_. Unfortunately, there was no
difference I could see in how the process proceeded: the only way I
could find out was to close VLC then reopen it (by opening the file -
VLC is my default for all video formats it can play). I guess, as Frank
said, there's little or no correlation between file extension and what
it contains.

When I looked at the file in HxD I could see the text
stored in a way that looks similar to JPG EXIF data.

Long story short, you can apparently read and change
properties with VLC. And that includes comments. But
then there's the question of how to make that useful.


Oh, that's useful enough for me!

Options:

* Find software that reads the metadata and shows it in
some useful way.


Opening in VLC will suit me! Same as I use IrfanView to see the comments
I saved in .jpg files with IrfanView.

* Set up Windows Explorer to show the metadata in Details
view. (Note that the details available vary by Windows version.)


Too much like hard work, even if the Comments field is available: I'd
have to turn it on for every folder I have video files in. Besides, I
might want to store more text than would be visible in a column width.

* You can also access the metadata programmatically
through the Shell or Shell.Application object, which


_You_ can - that's way beyond my abilities these days!
[]
Even better would be to write something that parses
the MP4 directly, first finding the metadata marker, then
finding the comment marker from there. It seems to be a
typical storage system. A cursory look shows that comment


VLC will do me fine.
[]
For what it's worth.... Shell object details by OS:


Thanks! Stored for future reference, though if I'm honest I doubt I'll
ever use it.
[]
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

Only dirty people need wash
 




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