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I'm guessing This is the tutorial you found? I've done it. It isn't the best way to go about it.

There are software solutions out there, but unless it is something you see yourself doing a lot I'm not sure they are worth the extra money.  The one I know of is $35.00. 

There are also other ways to go about it (depending on what you used to edit) that might save you a little time, and they are less labor intensive in terms of having to deal with time code and text files in another application.

In Final Cut ( I know Pro, but I'm sure this feature is the same in Express) make your markers on the timeline as normal, and then choose File > Export > QuickTime Movie... (Not QuickTime conversion) 

Choose Current Settings, Audio and Video and All Markers from the respective drop downs.  Just make sure the Make Movie Self-Contained box is checked.  Export your movie and open it in QuickTime Player.

(I don't know the new iMovie that well if that is what you are using, but I know in older versions you could export a QuickTime movie with chapters for iDVD embedded, that should work just as well as the Final Cut export.)

You will see that the chapters do appear in QuickTime Player, but your movie isn't compressed yet. 

Export your movie from QuickTime Player as a QuickTime Movie (straight mp4 and m4v files do not support chapters, but you can create a .mov file that uses those codecs for compression and won't be much bigger than the .mp4 you had before)

Choose the audio and video compression settings and Export. (Use a different name from your original movie file)

When that is done you will notice that your newly compressed .mov file is missing chapters. Don't Panic.

Open the original, uncompressed movie with the chapters and bring up the movie properties box by pressing Command-J. 

Select the 'Text Track' from the track list and click Extract at the top of the window.

That will open a seemingly empty new window.  Select the entire contents of the seemingly empty window via Command-A.  Then Copy (Command-C).

Open your compressed movie. Make sure the play head is at the beginning and choose Edit > Add To Movie.

Open that movies properties window, Command-J and select the Video Track in the track list. 

Under the Other Settings Tab, there is a Chapters drop-down. 

Choose Text Track from the drop down and Viola! the chapters should appear. (If for some reason the text is appearing over the video, make sure the check box next to it in the properties window is not activated.)

Save the changes to the compressed movie and you're done!

It looks like a lot, I know, but I think that might just be because I got a little over detailed, but it does the tedious part for you.  If you have any trouble, let me know.

Last edited by sevoneone (2008-08-14 3:04 am)