06-29-2012, 10:26 PM
I'm trying to learn about video files. For now, I want to learn how to construct SRT file names.
But I haven't been able to find any statement of exactly what constitutes a valid .SRT file name. If anyone knows where I can find the exact rules for how to distinguish valid .SRT file names from invalid ones, I would very much appreciate that because I feel like I'm just groping in the dark here.
In order to learn for myself, I conducted a series of experiments where I renamed a valid SRT file name with several variations and recorded which ones would play OK and which would not. I placed the results of those experiments below and organized them into "blocks" where each "block" demonstrates a particular principle.
For example, I called the first block, "BLOCK A" and it contains the results of 6 experiments that demonstrate there are multiple abbreviations for any particular language name.
Specifically, BLOCK A illustrates that there are at least 6 acceptable abbreviations for the Portuguese language. They are: "portugal", "portugese", "portuguese", "port", "por" and "pt".
Strangely enough, "portugese" is a spelling error and so I doubt it is an acceptable abbreviation of the language name. Yet it still works.
Of course, this issue has nothing to do with the Portuguese language. I just chose that language to use as an example because that language had the greatest variety of SRT file names over all other languages I could find.
I have shown each name that I tried for an .SRT file and have followed that name with either "OK" or "NOGO" depending on whether my player successfully played that subtitle file.
Unfortunately, I probably made some errors. It was quite difficult to keep track of all these experiments. So, please feel free to try any of these yourself, and please let me know if
you find any differences from my results.
BLOCK "A" MULTIPLE ABBREVIATIONS FOR LANGUAGE NAME
Bitter Moon 1992.portugal.srt OK
Bitter Moon 1992.portuguese.srt OK
Bitter Moon 1992.portugese.srt OK
Bitter Moon 1992.port.srt OK
Bitter Moon 1992.por.srt OK
Bitter Moon 1992.pt.srt OK
BLOCK "B" LANGUAGE NAME IS CASE INSENSITIVE
Bitter Moon 1992.portugal.srt OK
Bitter Moon 1992.Portugal.srt OK
Bitter Moon 1992.PORTUGAL.srt OK
BLOCK "C" IF "SUB" AND "PORT" BOTH APPEAR, THEN "SUB" MUST PRECEDE "PORT"
Bitter Moon 1992.sub.port.srt OK
Bitter Moon 1992.port.sub.srt NOGOGO
BLOCK "D" MULTIPLE WAYS TO CORRECTLY NAME THE .SRT FILESGO
Bitter Moon 1992.port.srt OK Note there is no need for the phrase "sub"GO
Bitter Moon 1992-port.srt OK A minus may be used in place of the period.GO
BLOCK "E" MULTIPLE WAYS TO INCORRECTLY NAME .SRT FILESGO
Bitter Moon 1992.sub.port.srt OK
Bitter Moon 1992.sub port.srt OKGO If a period precedes "sub", then a space must follow "sub"
Bitter Moon 1992 sub.port.srt NOGO Space not permitted before "sub" if period appears after "sub"
Bitter Moon 1992 sub port.srt NOGO Space not permitted before both "sub" and "port"
Bitter Moon 1992 sub port.srt NOGO If "sub" and "port" both appear, they may not both be preceded by spaces.
Bitter Moon 1992 port.srt NOGO If "port" appears in the name, it may not be preceded by a space.
BLOCK "A" - The language name may be abbreviated in multiple different ways.
BLOCK "B" - The language name is case insensitive.
BLOCK "C" - If the phrases "sub" and "port" both appear in the name, then "sub" must appear first.
BLOCK "D" - Multiple ways to correctly name .SRT files - a minus may be used in place of the period.
BLOCK "E" - Multiple ways to incorrectly name .SRT files.
It appears that the following abbreviations are all equivalent: ".PORTUGAL", ".Portugal", ".portugal", ."port", "pt"
I know this because I renamed a valid SRT file with all those diff names and tried to make my DVD player play those files. I show the results in the above tables.
From this experiment, I have concluded there can be many correct ways to abbreviate the language name.
For example, for "Portuguese", the language may appear as "portugal", "portugese", "portuguese", "port", "por" or "pt".
Also, if the phrase "sub" and the abbreviation for the language are both present, then the phrase "sub" must appear first.
But I haven't been able to find any statement of exactly what constitutes a valid .SRT file name. If anyone knows where I can find the exact rules for how to distinguish valid .SRT file names from invalid ones, I would very much appreciate that because I feel like I'm just groping in the dark here.
In order to learn for myself, I conducted a series of experiments where I renamed a valid SRT file name with several variations and recorded which ones would play OK and which would not. I placed the results of those experiments below and organized them into "blocks" where each "block" demonstrates a particular principle.
For example, I called the first block, "BLOCK A" and it contains the results of 6 experiments that demonstrate there are multiple abbreviations for any particular language name.
Specifically, BLOCK A illustrates that there are at least 6 acceptable abbreviations for the Portuguese language. They are: "portugal", "portugese", "portuguese", "port", "por" and "pt".
Strangely enough, "portugese" is a spelling error and so I doubt it is an acceptable abbreviation of the language name. Yet it still works.
Of course, this issue has nothing to do with the Portuguese language. I just chose that language to use as an example because that language had the greatest variety of SRT file names over all other languages I could find.
I have shown each name that I tried for an .SRT file and have followed that name with either "OK" or "NOGO" depending on whether my player successfully played that subtitle file.
Unfortunately, I probably made some errors. It was quite difficult to keep track of all these experiments. So, please feel free to try any of these yourself, and please let me know if
you find any differences from my results.
BLOCK "A" MULTIPLE ABBREVIATIONS FOR LANGUAGE NAME
Bitter Moon 1992.portugal.srt OK
Bitter Moon 1992.portuguese.srt OK
Bitter Moon 1992.portugese.srt OK
Bitter Moon 1992.port.srt OK
Bitter Moon 1992.por.srt OK
Bitter Moon 1992.pt.srt OK
BLOCK "B" LANGUAGE NAME IS CASE INSENSITIVE
Bitter Moon 1992.portugal.srt OK
Bitter Moon 1992.Portugal.srt OK
Bitter Moon 1992.PORTUGAL.srt OK
BLOCK "C" IF "SUB" AND "PORT" BOTH APPEAR, THEN "SUB" MUST PRECEDE "PORT"
Bitter Moon 1992.sub.port.srt OK
Bitter Moon 1992.port.sub.srt NOGOGO
BLOCK "D" MULTIPLE WAYS TO CORRECTLY NAME THE .SRT FILESGO
Bitter Moon 1992.port.srt OK Note there is no need for the phrase "sub"GO
Bitter Moon 1992-port.srt OK A minus may be used in place of the period.GO
BLOCK "E" MULTIPLE WAYS TO INCORRECTLY NAME .SRT FILESGO
Bitter Moon 1992.sub.port.srt OK
Bitter Moon 1992.sub port.srt OKGO If a period precedes "sub", then a space must follow "sub"
Bitter Moon 1992 sub.port.srt NOGO Space not permitted before "sub" if period appears after "sub"
Bitter Moon 1992 sub port.srt NOGO Space not permitted before both "sub" and "port"
Bitter Moon 1992 sub port.srt NOGO If "sub" and "port" both appear, they may not both be preceded by spaces.
Bitter Moon 1992 port.srt NOGO If "port" appears in the name, it may not be preceded by a space.
BLOCK "A" - The language name may be abbreviated in multiple different ways.
BLOCK "B" - The language name is case insensitive.
BLOCK "C" - If the phrases "sub" and "port" both appear in the name, then "sub" must appear first.
BLOCK "D" - Multiple ways to correctly name .SRT files - a minus may be used in place of the period.
BLOCK "E" - Multiple ways to incorrectly name .SRT files.
It appears that the following abbreviations are all equivalent: ".PORTUGAL", ".Portugal", ".portugal", ."port", "pt"
I know this because I renamed a valid SRT file with all those diff names and tried to make my DVD player play those files. I show the results in the above tables.
From this experiment, I have concluded there can be many correct ways to abbreviate the language name.
For example, for "Portuguese", the language may appear as "portugal", "portugese", "portuguese", "port", "por" or "pt".
Also, if the phrase "sub" and the abbreviation for the language are both present, then the phrase "sub" must appear first.