Version 15 Open Caption Editing

[sarahb17301353]

I hope there are folks out there that have figured out individual word editing in OPEN Captions.

I am working in the 2021 V15 software.

In V14 and prior I was able to go in and italicize / bold / change font etc. for individual words in my open captions.

I can’t get the Essential Graphics panel to open no matter what I have tried.

I have managed to change the font characteristics of the whole “text” subtitles group – but not individual words. I can’t import italic text in with the .srt file – at least not the ways I have been doing that.

Any suggestions?

Basically my failed attempts revolve around changing workspaces. I can’t find any settings and Abode how no new information about this major upgrade.

I really think when the bugs are worked out this will be a very strong upgrade – but in the mean time I still have a project I need to finish…

Thanks,

Sarah

[Stan Jones]

Yes, something's wrong: the default behavior for the new caption workflow is that the Essential Graphics Panel can't be CLOSED when editing a caption.

And, there is no difficulty selecting parts of words and modifying their style. But the new "Track Style" applies to the entire track. And individual word edits are overwritten if you apply a track style.

Can you post a couple of screenshots? What happens when you go to the Captions workspace? In any workspace, does the EGP open and then close if you try to use it?

Stan

[sarahb17301353]

Stan - Thank you.

What you mention here was very helpful on one hand. If I locate the caption
that contains the word to be adjusted, then select the caption track, this
opens (or keeps open) the Essential Graphics Panel.

Previously I would find the word I needed to adjust and then directly enter
the cation to edit the one word - in V14 and before this editing happened
in the Captions Panel not in the EGP.

After some trial and error I figured out that all
caption appearance editing takes place in the EGP now. But I couldn't get
the EGP opened when I needed it.
I did not expect I would need to find the word in the Text Panel, then
select the captions track in the workflow then go back to the Text Panel -
all to get the EGP to open for the individual caption...

So now I discover that there is a bug in the system - I can't change one,
single word in the single caption I am editing in the Text Panel - I CAN
change ALL the words in the SINGLE caption to be different from the Track
Style - but not the one word I need to be in italic and bold...

I feel some level of success in that I now know the order of incidence to
get the EGP open - now I just need to see if I can edit a single word...

Thank you again Stan for helping with at least this part of the struggle.
Hopefully the detail here will be corrected before my project is due -
otherwise we will need a whole new convention to handle the technical
terms used in the presentation...

Thanks again Stan for getting me this far.
As I now can get the EGP open I don't think screenshots are needed, but if
you think it would be helpful let me know and I will take a few.

Sarah

[Stan Jones]

Glad to hear you are having some success. See below for my response to the problem with this type editing in the Text Panel. Not a good process.

But this should work with the EGP. I assume from your description that you are searching for a word in the Text Panel. A very useful function. Use the Captions Workspace. Reset to Saved Layout if you do not see the EGP. (In another thead, I was unable to get the EGP to stay closed if I closed it. I was just able to do that! Reset brought it back.) Search for your word in the Text Panel. Assume you find at least one caption with the word. That caption should be highlighted in the Text Panel, the Current Time Indicator should move to that caption in the timeline, and the caption text should appear in the Program Panel. Double click on the text in the Program Panel text. Edit as you wish.

Unrelated to your issue with the EGP, I suggest that you file this as a bug/feature request. 

https://adobe-video.uservoice.com/forums/911233-premiere-pro

I see no reason that editing caption text in the Text Panel would not have the same capabilities as editing it in the Program Monitor. But you are correct, it does not. Also, commands such as Ctrl-i for italics do not work. On PC, the default assignment for Ctrl-i "italics" and "import." But even when I removed "import" from the shortcut, Ctrl-i in the text panel acts like a tab command or something.

So you know, there is a quick way to enter edit mode in the Text Panel. See this thread. There is a keyboard shortcut you can assign for "Edit Selected Caption Text." See this post:

(Edit: gave the wrong link)

https://community.adobe.com/t5/premiere-pro/captions-window-needs-to-be-scrolled-down-for-every-sing...

Edit 3/29/21: In my response, I said that this only works in the Text Panel. This is incorrect. When you are in the text panel, it enters the edit mode in the Text Panel. Switch to the Timeline, and the command will enter the edit mode in the Program Monitor. So even though it does not help much for your workflow (click and shortcut, or just double click on the Program Monitor text), it is a nice feature.

Stan

[Stan Jones]

See my edit in my post. I was incorrect: the "edit selected caption text" works in both the Text Panel and in the Program Monitor.

Stan

[sarahb17301353]

Thank you Stan

Sarah

[sarahb17301353 · Accepted solution]

Stan -

I have received this following note from Abode:

- Captions styling: You can change the styling of a single caption or word even when a track style is already applied to the whole caption track. Double-click on the caption in the Program Monitor, this opens the edit more. There you can select the text you want to change, then go to the Graphics Panel and make adjustments. These changes are only applied to your selected caption segment.

Now so much can be edited directly in the Program Monitor. I tried this and walah I can edit individual words - and so easiliy - Just amazing new development. Ther is so much that can be adjusted directly in the Program Monitior these days it is truly awesome.

Thank you for all your help.

Sarah

[Stan Jones]

Thanks for passing that on. Very nice changes indeed. Their main point - that individual words can be styled when being edited in the Program Monitor - was what I was saying above - although I referred to it, oddly, as the Program Panel.

Note that even though they are saying you can apply a style to a track and then make individual edits - if you apply/reapply the track style to your track AFTER you apply individual edits, it will revert them ALL to the track style.

Stan