How does the Merge Segments feature (in the Transcript panel of the Text Window) actually work?

[rootmedianc]

Does anyone know how to make this feature work? I have two segments that I'd like to merge, I highlight the first word of the latter segment, click "Merge Segments" and sometimes it merges segments, but most of the time nothing happens at all. 

[Stan Jones]

rootmedianc,

Merge segments in the Transcript tab should work just as you describe. I am on Win10, and using PR 23.1. It is working correctly for me in the two sequences I just tested. You cannot, of course, click in the first segment and use merge.

Some users report problems with this and naming Speakers. I cannot replicate the problems. But merge may work, for example, one time, then not work anymore until you restart PR, or change from one panel to another and back (or another sequence and back), etc. And I wonder if the version of PR may matter.

What version of PR are you running?

Test the "works once" theory by changing from one sequence and then back - does it work one more time? Restart PR. Does it work once?

Let us know.

Stan

[rootmedianc]

Ok. It does not work that way for me. I've gotten it to work (merge two consectutive segments) maybe 2 or 3 times total for reasons I can't discern. I'm running PP 23.1.0 on an intel iMac which is running OS 12.6. I've switched between panels, sequences, etc. many times (currently editing a project with 7 interviews) through the normal course of editing. I can try restarting, but if I get one correct behavior (segments actually merge) per restart or have to constantly click out to the sequence I'm working in, then the feature is effectively useless. I've more or less given up on it now and will correct the transcripts/combine sentences in Word after exporting a text transcript if need be.

[Stan Jones]

The restart and other change strategies would just be to test whether this is follow the work once scenario. Some users find a suitable way to workaround. Others rolled back to an earlier version if an update was the issue. It is a major problem for getting work done.

Stan

[migaticadesign]

Hey Stan,

Can you let us know how to merge text in transcriptions for the 2024 premiere pro? It changes with every update 🤦‍:female_sign:

[Stan Jones · Accepted solution]

@migaticadesign,

The discussion in this thread was about the merge method used when the new caption workflow was introduced in PR 2021 (PR Version 15.0.0). It also discussed a problem some users were experiencing with that method.

The merge method was changed in Version 23.4.0, and is still in use with the current Version 24.3.0. I described that method in this post:

https://community.adobe.com/t5/premiere-pro-bugs/merge-captions-suddenly-gray-and-unlcikable/idc-p/1...

So it hasn't actually changed that often. But keeping track of source vs sequence view and text-editing vs static transcription can make it appear complicated.

I recommend asking any follow-up questions on the newer method in that other thread.

Stan

[cflnest]

I can't seem to get the merge segments to work on my M1 Max MacBook (macOS 12.6.1) with Premeire 23.1.0 (Build 86). Highlighting the first word of the last segement & pressing the merge icon = nothing happens.

[Stan Jones]

Upvote this bug report:

https://community.adobe.com/t5/premiere-pro-bugs/split-merge-functions-in-transcript-mode-still-not-...

It is still working correctly for me on Win10 PR 23.1.

Stan

[theboman]

Yes doesn't seem to do anything for me either M1 Mac

[Ishan Y]

Hey @cflnest and @theboman,

Could you test this in Premiere Pro 23.2 and let us know how it goes?