Handbrake: Persist the default subtitle and audio track settings

[BobStein]

Describe the change or feature you'd like to see added to HandBrake:

Each time I restart Handbrake I have to enter in the default settings for subtitles and audio tracks. It would be better if those were remembered (say in the registry) from the last time I shut down. (It would also be better if those settings were less confusing.)

What version of HandBrake are you currently using? (e.g., 1.0.0)

1.0.7

What operating system and version are you running? (e.g., Ubuntu 16.04 LTS, macOS 10.3 High Sierra, Windows 10 Creators Update)

Windows 7 Pro

[PokeCaptain]

Might not help your issue, but you should update to 1.1.0.

[woodstockathbf]

Save them as part of a preset and make that preset your default.

[sr55]

Spot on. It's all integrated into the preset system.
https://handbrake.fr/docs/en/1.1.0/advanced/audio-subtitle-defaults.html

https://handbrake.fr/docs/en/1.1.0/advanced/custom-presets.html

[BobStein]

Thanks @sr55 . Be nice if the instructions you linked to were a little more up to date.

E.g. Looks as if the “Configure Defaults” button was renamed to "Selection Behavior".

E.g. the "Save New Preset" button is how you get to the "Add Preset" window. I'm guessing there is no longer a preset pane (with an Add button). Oh wait, it's still there, I see there are two ways to get to the Add Preset window.

E.g. Making a preset your default appears to happen via Presets pane | Options | Set Default

Would one propose edits to those docs via a pull-request?

P.S. I am now running 1.1.0, thanks @PokeCaptain

[BlueSpark4]

I'm reviving this thread since it sort of concerns my problem, but not quite. I hope this isn't against the rules or anything (This is my first time posting on GitHub).

I would also love for HandBrake to remember the audio and subtitle settings I used for my last encode - including the names I give to the tracks, the audio amplification, and the subtitle track selected as standard.

To give some perspective: I'm looking to encode anime series. The specific problem with these (and the reason why the Selection Behavior feature won't help me) is that animes have a separate subtitle track for songs and text (which are usually in Japanese, even in the English-dubbed version). To the best of my knowledge, there's no way to filter the audio tracks and set the English songs & text track as the default (which is what I want).

So with the way the program currently works, I have to specify my settings for audio tracks, subtitle tracks, and resolution (which I want to downscale from 1080p to 720p) for each individual episode, which is very time-consuming. I would love a feature which lets me keep these settings for encoding multiple episodes in a row (which should be technically possible as each of those episodes has the exact same selection of audio and subtitle tracks).

[woodstockathbf]

What you are asking for is rather easy to do with scripting and the Command Line Interface. 95% or more of my encoding is episodic anime, and it would be very difficult to do through the GUI. Setting up an encode for dozens of episodes does not take long with a text editor and some practice.

[BlueSpark4]

That sounds promising. Assuming that you probably don't want to waste your free time doing a write-up of the process for me, could you maybe point me to a tutorial or some such that deals with this topic?

[woodstockathbf]

Multiple ways to do it. That would be more suited for a discussion in the CLI section of the forum, though, if you want to start a topic over there.

[BlueSpark4]

I'll look into it. Thanks for the assistance!

[BlueSpark4]

Actually, if you don't mind, perhaps you could send me one of your files as a basic reference? I imagine that might be quite helpful.

[BobStein]

I would also love to see a bunch of command-line examples. (I always knew this whole GUI thing was a fad.)

[woodstockathbf]

https://forum.handbrake.fr/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=40577 for those interested. I don't make use of presets in the examples, and they're VERY simple.