Yes, that is a great, practical use-case. And I think a workaround is possible.
If using a text editor to modify, the advantage to exporting the transcript as .txt is that each part to be kept/removed is on separate lines.
Manually merge transcript entries for the same speaker to get what you want. Or, for now, live with smaller segments/paragraphs and multiple speaker labels. I have some ideas on how to handle that, but not time to test.
So, for example, here's a sample:
00:00:01:07 - 00:01:18:19
Bill
Some text on one or more lines. Some text on one or more lines. Some text on one or more lines. Some text on one or more lines. Some text on one or more lines. Some text on one or more lines. Some text on one or more lines. Some text on one or more lines.
00:01:18:20 - 00:02:28:24
Mary
Some text on one or more lines. Some text on one or more lines. Some text on one or more lines. Some text on one or more lines. Some text on one or more lines. Some text on one or more lines. Some text on one or more lines. Some text on one or more lines. Some text on one or more lines. Some text on one or more lines. Some text on one or more lines.
I am using my favorite (PC only?) - Notepad++
Ctrl+Home (Go to top)
Start recording macro
Shft+Down-arrow (selects timecode line)
Delete key (deletes timecode and line, First line is now "Bill", cursor is at beginning of line)
End key (cursor is right after "Bill" and before the line ending)
Type a colon and space (First line is now Bill: - Or use whatever formatting you want.)
Delete key (deletes line ending, First line is now "Bill: Some text ....")
Ctrl+F (Find)
Enter 00: (This works as long as the program is under one hour. A more flexible approach would need modification.)
Click "Find Next" (Cursor is at beginning of next timecode. May have 00: selected)
Home (moves cursor to beginning of line, without selection. We are now in the position in the next transcript segment where we started the macro in the first)
Stop recording macro
Save the macro
To process a .txt transcript, open it, Ctrl_home to be sure you are at the beginning.
Macro -> Run a macro multiple times
Pick your saved macro and check "run until end of file"
There is a flaw in the last entry, and possibly other problems that I have not tested. But this gives you an idea.
Let us know how it works (or doesn't).
Did you get the merge/export to work?
Stan
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