Why is editing captions so dreadfully PAINFUL in Premiere Pro?

[Randune23]

So don't get me wrong, I love the new captioning option in PP.  The transcribe AI does a wonderful job with all dialog in the video clips I have transcribed.  However, when you go to edit the captions to fix some grammar or where the AI completely got it wrong, WHY DOES IT TAKE FOREVER TO EDIT THE CAPTIONS?  Sorry, I'm a little peeved about this.  I highlight the caption I want to edit, then in the text window, I double click on the caption I want to edit and it takes FOREVER for me to be able to edit it.  I thought I found a good work around by clicked on the "T" type tool, made the changes and was getting ready to move on.  But I noticed in the text window it did not update from what I changed on screen.  The problem with this is if I do it this way, I'm going to have to re-edite the caption file when I upload the video to YouTube.  This is a painstakingly long and very frustrating progress and it has taken me almost 3 nights to transcribe the dialog and make the changes in my 20 minute video (and it's not completely full of dialog).  So what gives?  Why does it take so bloody long to simply edit the text???  Sometimes it will take me over 5-minutes just to have the caption I want to edit be highlighted so I can edit it.  Then even more frustrating is when the edit doesn't save and it reverts back to the original captioning.  UGH.  Help me Master Adobe, you're my only hope.

Randy

[Eko Wardoyo]

Same with me, i still remember sometimes it works after editing some wrong grammar, but it often revert back to the original text.

I use captions not often, so i never mind about it.

[Stan Jones]

Randy, I did not respond to your similar post from Nov 13. I aspire to a more comprehensive post regarding the status of the several, possibly related, problems you describe. So far, that aspiration is unfulfilled! Your earlier post:

https://community.adobe.com/t5/premiere-pro-discussions/adobe-pp-captioning/td-p/12521939

Extremely frustrating situation, and I cannot replicate any of the 3 major elements to these problems that have been reported by many users:

1) Slow editing/update to timeline.

2) Edited caption text in Text Panel and/or Program Monitor reverts to previous text, immediately or delayed, always or "randomly."

3) Edits in Program Monitor do not show in Text Panel.

My last general response to #1 is here, with bug report link to upvote:

https://community.adobe.com/t5/premiere-pro-discussions/captions-timeline-slowing-computer-to-a-craw...

A response re #2 is here:

https://community.adobe.com/t5/premiere-pro-discussions/captions-not-taking-corrections-reverting-to...

Regarding #3, I can also not replicate this. What I see, if I am editing in the Program Monitor is that, as I type, the text instantly changes in the Text Panel. And remains changed when I move to a different caption. If I am editing in the Text Panel, as I type, the text instantly changes in the Program Monitor, and remains changed in the Program Monitor when I click outside the Text Panel. (You cannot see the Program Monitor caption if you move to a different caption in the Text Panel.) But, in the Text Panel, when I move from the edited caption to another one, it briefly displays the original caption text, then displays the edited text.

A test for you to try would be to create a new test project, create a sequence from one bit of media that matches your sequence in the problem project, then copy/paste the captions from the original sequence. Do you see the problems in that new, simple project?

I hope the engineers are making progress on these problems!

Stan

[Randune23]

I don't think you are clear enough, are you offering serious help or just being a pompous jerk?  Your comment, "I aspire to a more comprehensive post regarding the status of the several, possibly related, problems you describe. So far, that aspiration is unfulfilled"  What does that even mean?  Just because you cannot recreate the 3 scenarios that have been plaguing my edit workflow, what they are not happening?  I have seen many other posts from other users complaining of the same or similar issues when it comes to captioning (some you have even responded to but not in a demeaning way). 

I hope to aspire/inspire with my updates. 

1. Slow editing time or the time it takes to finally get the text to get highlighted so I can change the text in the text panel:  this happens every time I have to edit text. This video is over an hour long (shot in HD and 4K) and involves a TON of captions. Every time I try to edit in the text panel (and not on the program monitor) it takes forever or locks up entirely. 

2. Text changed in program monitor, text panel reverts back to original captioned text...does not happen every time and that's why it's frustrating. You finally get to change the text, scrub forward try to make other caption changes, and then rewind to watch the whole scene and that's when you notice it...the original messed up captions is still on screen. 

3. Whatever I change the text to in the Program monitor does not always change the captions in the text window does not happen all the time again frustrating. 

I am happy for you that you do not use the captioning element in your videos. However, in most of my projects, I do use captions, so it is a big thing for me. 

I have tried a test video many different times.  I have imported one video clip with dialogue, transcribe it, create captions, and then try to edit the captions and it works like a champ. It seems to appear as the project gets large with multiple files. This very thing happened on the 3:30 Ranch promo video I just finished for a client; editing captions was a very slow process (inspiration for my first post). 

I'm sorry if my posts don't inspire you or that you feel like you need to talk down to me but I appreciate your great insight. 

Have a wonderful day and happy captioning!

Randy

[Stan Jones]

Thanks for the additional explanations of each problem. As my understanding of these problems has evolved, it has not been clear whether some of the problems are related and whether workarounds may produce other problems.

Sorry that my attempt at cleverness sounded like I did not take you seriously. I assure you that I do.

I have not been able to replicate the problems, but I said that only to point out that I cannot test the workarounds I report hearing from others. I have no doubt that the problems exist.

Stan

[Randune23]

I appreciate your attempt at humor but it's so hard to convey humor or meaning in text responses LOL.

If you hear of any fixes, please let me know.

My only workaround (and still not losing a bunch of time), I am just changing the captions in the Program Monitor and hoping they update in the text window as to not screw up the SRT file when I finally download it to upload it to YouTube when I post my videos.

Randy

[Joost van der Hoeven]

This is user to user forum where we users help each other. The Adobe engeneers do not always read everything here. If you feel strongly about a (new)feature or (bug) fix please post it on uservoice, as it will be read by the engeneers.
https://adobe-video.uservoice.com/forums/911233-premiere-pro

[Eko Wardoyo]

Hi Randune, have you tried edit error grammar in Program Monitor not in text panel?

I think the solution for now is edit it in Program Monitor.

[Randune23]

Yes, I have and this is where I have found out that the text I change in the Program monitor doesn't always update the text in the text panel.  But to get through this project (and with my sanity), I am only editing in the Program Monitor and praying the text is all correct when I download the SRT file to use when I upload the video to YouTube.

Thanks!!!

Randy

[R Neil Haugen]

The one thing I  can add is the main thing that seems to link the problems of slow changes in the Captions process ... is LONG timelines.

As a practical matter, you might opt to break those down into maybe 20-25 minute chunks, edit each chunk, then with the 'nest or not' sequence icon gray (not active) in the timeline control panel header block, drag/drop the sequence sections back into the main timeline.

Is it a great option? Of course not.

It will however get your work done a LOT faster. Until they sort out why the long timeline captions process is so slow.

Neil

[Randune23]

Yeah, it has been my experience that it suffers from slow down in both short (3:00-4:00) and longer (20:00+) timelines.  I actually considered nesting the days in the hikes as separate timelines and then bringing back just the nested sequences to a final sequence with everything on the timeline after all the caption editing has been completed.  However, since I am at the last 10% left to edit in this project, I'll just keep editing the captions in the Program Monitor hoping and praying it updates in the Text window.

Thanks,

Randy

[Kevin-Monahan]

Hi Randy,

Sorry for this. A couple of things you may or may not have tried:

• Can you try the issue in a brand new project?
• Can you edit captions in a stock workspace, like "Editing?" (Reset to Saved Layout)

Make sure to create a post on User Voice to let engineers know your struggles with captions.

Regards,
Kevin

[Warren Heaton]

@Randune23 

What are your system specs, your source footage settings, and your Sequence settings?

I've been using Captions on several different systems and it's pretty responsive.  

I have to say, having the Captions appear as clip boundaries in the Timeline is nothing short of fantastic.

Also, I always make my edits in the Caption panel and not the Project panel, but it sounds like you're having trouble anywhere you try.

A work around (though not ideal) is to edit the SRT file directly after you export it.  An SRT is just a plain text file.  So, change the .srt to .txt, open it in a text editor, make any needed edits, save, then change .txt back to .srt.

Transcirptions and captions have always been a huge time suck.  Even though Premiere Pro takes a huge step forward when it comes to doing this ourselves, services like rev.com are still well worth it.

- Warren