I know you said you want to do it in DVDA, and I agree that there isn't a way to do it there. However, there are several Vegas scripts that will do exactly what you want. What is more, one of those scripts lets you export just the chapter stops, so you can go back and change them, re-export them (takes less than five seconds) and then re-open the project in DVDA. I just did this several times yesterday.

I try to do as much as possible in Vegas, which is quick and responsive, and limit what I do in DVDA, which is sluggish. This is especially true of anything having to do with the timeline. Part of the sluggishness is due to having using MPEG rather than AVI files as input, but even when not dealing directly with the MPEG files, DVDA is slow.

Is there a reason you don't want to set chapter stops in Vegas and then export them?

As the author of the post dated January 04 stated. He already had an MPEG2 file and didn't want to go through the re-render (presumably from a source other than a Vegas render) and then there is the time while in Vegas I forgot to set chapter points for later use in DVDA. Ulead products with set chapter points at equal intervals automatically. Such a fundamental capability should be built into DVDA.

You mentioned scripts. Are they available as a download at some location?

How about setting the chapter points automatically in Vegas as follows: I'd like to automatically insert chapters whereever there is a transition between two video events. A link to a such a script would be appreciated.

Johnmeyer,

Could you direct me to the script that exports chapter points in vegas for use in DVDA?

(Maybe also the link to how to do this manually? (can't find it....)

Thanks,
Dan

You mentioned scripts. Are they available as a download at some location? Could you direct me to the script that exports chapter points in vegas for use in DVDA?

Click on this link and download the script:

DVDA chapter from Vegas marker

If you are running Vegas 5.0 or 5.0a, then you must open this script in Notepad, find the line that reads

import SonicFoundry.Vegas;

and change it to read

import Sony.Vegas;

[This completely unecessary modification courtesy of the suits at Sony that really think it matters that some programming call buried deep inside a program can no longer refer to Sonic Foundry --- sheesh ! ]

Make sure you read the last lines in this post if you are interested in other scripts relating to this issue.

[The previous poster] ... already had an MPEG2 file and didn't want to go through the re-render ...

The whole purpose of this script is to let you go back to your original project, in Vegas at any time, add, change, or delete chapter points, and then export those chapters back to Vegas without needing to do any more rendering in Vegas. The reason this works is that the chapter stops are actually stored in a separate file which has the same exact name as the MPG file you rendered, but with the additional extension "SFL". Thus, if you create a project in Vegas and then render that to a file called "Wedding.MPG," then Vegas also creates a file called "Wedding.MPG.SFL" that contains the project marker locations. When you run this script, it will ask you to browse to the directory where the "Wedding.MPG" and "Wedding.MPG.SFL" files reside. Do this, click on "Wedding.MPG.SFL," and then tell the script to proceed. When you next open this file in DVD Architect (or re-open a DVDA project that points to this file) your new chapter points will be there.

I'd like to automatically insert chapters whereever there is a transition between two video events. A link to a such a script would be appreciated.

I created such a script for you and uploaded it to . However, it may take a few days before it appears, so I also posted it at the Script section of this forum:

Markers at Event Overlap (Transitions)

Also, here is a script that was written with DVDA in mind. It doesn't do exactly what you want, but it does put markers in at regular intervals:

Add Markers At Interval

Finally, here's another one (I wrote this one too). It is rather unique in that it inserts markers only at "media change points," which I defined as any point where a event comes from a different file than the previous event:

Markers at Media Change Points

Wow. Thank you.

. Thank you.

Just for you ...

Thank you! (I've been out a couple days and haven't had a chance to say thank you!).

Dan

Just came across this post...awesome idea. I wasn't able to download these scripts (guess they were removed). Could somebody please repost the scripts? Thanks!!

just looking at the script...what is the format for the market file (e.g. what's in a line of text in that file)? I have a text file of timecodes and want to convert it to a marker file...can't quite tell from teh script (maybe need to stare at it some more?)?

New link:

Chapter Script