Qstit - Surtitling software

This page is relevant for Qstit version 2, see here for the newer version 3.

The last release for this version was 2.9.6 · Check the changelog or the news for more details.
This version is fully functional but there are a few bugs (a list can be found here). They won't be fixed, we are now exclusively working on version 3.

The information on this page can be accessed directly when running Qstit, in the Help window.

Qstit is composed of a display (the textframe with titles to be projected), a control bar (with the buttons) and a grid (the list of titles), all of which can be moved around on the fullscreen background depending on the desired set-up.

When a projector is plugged to the computer, it is considered as a second monitor. If the computer is set to have the same image on both screens, you will need to hide the controls from the public, the title display is the only part they need to see. Use a cover (a piece of cardboard in front of the projector can do the trick), aim the projector to hit the screen with only the top part of the image (where the display will be placed), or select only this part of the signal using a video-mixer.
You can also configure your computer display to have two separate screens. In that case you need to have the controls on your screen and only the display and the fullscreen background on the projector. This can already work but it can be a bit tricky as Qstit will consider multiple screens as one big screen. You will have to manually position the elements where you need them (we are working on better multiscreen support, coming in version 3).

You can use the 'test card' screen [Ctrl+T] to calibrate the projector.

Controls:

Qstit can be controlled with the mouse and / or keyboard. The controls and keyboard shortcuts are detailed below.
It is possible to fully control Qstit with just a numeric keypad (or "numpad"). An external keypad can therefore be used as a remote control.

Titles control

Previous title / empty line	[↑] or [Numpad 8]
Next title / empty line	[↓] or [Numpad 2]
With .txt files, also works with:	[Space bar] or [Numpad 0]

Start / Pause timer	[Space bar] or [Numpad 0]	(.srt files only)
Increase timer speed by 1%	[+] or [P]	(.srt files only)
Decrease timer speed by 1%	[-] or [M]	(.srt files only)

Jump forward on the timeline	[→] or [Numpad 6]	(.srt files only)
(Jump steps can be set in the settings, between 0.1 and 1 second)		(.srt files only)
Jump backward on the timeline	[←] or [Numpad 4]	(.srt files only)
(Jump steps can be set in the settings, between 0.1 and 1 second)		(.srt files only)

Display control

/	Hide / Show title display (When on pause, restarting makes the display appear)	[X] or [Numpad .]
	Move display up	[Page Up] or [Numpad 9]
	Move display down	[Page Down] or [Numpad 3]
	Move display left	[Home] or [Numpad 7]
	Move display right	[End] or [Numpad 1]
	→ use [Shift] for faster movements
	It is also possible to move the display with the mouse	[Click and drag]

Grid

File info	Show 'File info' window	[Ctrl+I]
Save as...	Save modified file as...
Edit	Edit selected text or timecode in the grid (Edits are indicated in the grid and listed in the log file)	[Ctrl+E]
Undo	Undo edits (in reverse chronology)	[Ctrl+Z]
Go to...	Go to a chosen title	[Ctrl+G]
Find...	Find text in the file	[Ctrl+F]
Clear	Clear display and reset file at beginning	[Ctrl+C]
Bind / Unbind	(Un)bind menu bar and grid for custom positioning
(Leftmost cell)	Flag current row to indicate a cue, a mistake, ... (Flags are saved in the log file)	[!] or [Numpad /]

Settings:

Various display and control settings can be adjusted in the 'Settings' window. The display can be adapted line per line or all lines together. Note that you can make a line "invisible" using the advanced settings. The full text will still appear in the grid for your control but it won't be displayed. It can be useful if the titles are one language on Line 1 and another on Line 2, for instance, and you only need to project one of the two but want to keep the translation in the file.

Settings can be saved for later use with the current file or as general settings for all files.
Settings saved for a specific file will be named like it (with a .cfg extension) and placed in the same folder as the subtitle file. General settings are saved in a file named "qstit.cfg" which will be created in your "home" or "user" folder, depending on your system (in a ".qstit" subfolder). There are also default settings built in the program that can be restored to replace your configurations, if needed. If you don't need the settings anymore, you can just delete the .cfg files.

When opening a new file, you can choose which settings to use. Once a file is opened, you can always load preset settings using the designated functions in the 'Save / Load' tab.

It is recommended to test your settings while displaying one of the the widest lines, which are listed in the title bar and in the 'File info' window. You can also use the 'test card' screen [Ctrl+T] to set-up.

Qstit's interface language can be changed, but we don't provide translations for the moment, contact us if you'd like to know how to do it.

Supported file formats:

Qstit can read simple text (.txt) and SubRip (.srt) files with up to four lines per title. Examples are provided for reference.
Srt files are common and many softwares can convert other subtitle file formats to the SubRip format. They include timecodes, the subtitling can therefore be automated (but also controlled manually if needed).
Both file types are easily editable in any text editor or word processor. Qstit provides support for UTF-8 encoding which makes it possible to display all sorts of characters in all languages.

For both file types, the structure (detailed below) needs to be respected carefully otherwise Qstit won't be able to open them correctly. If errors are found when opening the file, a message is displayed. The errors encountered are listed in the 'File info' window and also saved in a log file in the same folder as the title file (the log file is also created if titles are flagged or if modifications have been made using the 'Edit' functionality).

Both formats can include the following HTML tags to change the style of the text in between them:
 italic 
 bold 
 underline 
 Text with custom style 
The font tag can be used to change the style ("face" or font family, colour, and/or size) of one or more lines of text. The "face" parameter will only work if the font family is present on your computer and "size" does not behave in a straightforward manner, run some tests before you use it in a file.
A tag can start on one line and end on another, wherever in the file. Whole sections can easily be turned into italic, for instance. This is NOT true for the tag, which must start and end on the same line.
The tags themselves are not displayed but appear in the grid.

Everything written after an opening chevron (<, "less-than" sign) and until a closing chevron (>, "greater-than" sign) or a line break will be considered as a tag and won't be displayed. An entire line between chevrons will still appear in the grid like a normal title but won't appear on the display. Chevrons can thus be used to put comments and cues in the file.

Text (.txt) files:

· One line in the file = one row in the grid = one title.
· One title can be composed of several lines (up to four, usually two), they are separated by a backslash ( \ ).
· Different titles can be composed of different numbers of lines.
· Titles are only separated by a line break.
· Qstit automatically creates "empty" lines between titles so that nothing is displayed between two titles when there are no dialogues. There is no need to have empty lines in the file, they would be considered as one title, even if there isn't any text. There would therefore be three consecutive "empty lines" when browsing through the file.

Structure

Title 1, Line 1\Title 1, Line 2
Title 2, Line 1
Title 3, Line 1\Title 3, Line 2\Title 3, Line 3
Title 4, Line 1\Title 4, Line 2
...

Example

L'ENTREVUE\HET SOLLICITATIEGESPREK
J'ai rendez-vous avec M. Ullman.\Ik heb een afspraak met Mr. Ullman.
Je suis Jack Torrance.\Mijn naam is Torrance.
Première porte à gauche.\Eerste deur links.
M. Ullman?\Mr. Ullman?
Jack Torrance.
Oh... Entrez donc.\Kom binnen, Jack.
Ma secrétaire, Suzy.\M'n secretaresse, Susie.
Du mal à nous trouver?\Lastige reis?
...

SubRip (.srt) files:

· Titles are numbered in the file but Qstit recalculates the line numbers to avoid mistakes (a given title line could then have a different number in the .srt file and when viewed in Qstit).
· One title can be composed of up to four lines, separated only by a line break.
· Different titles can be composed of different numbers of lines.
· An empty line separates titles.
· To create an empty line within one title, you can use an opening chevron (<) that won't be displayed (as explained above and as shown in the example below).
· Nothing will be displayed between the end of one title (Time OUT) and the beginning of the next (Time IN).
· If you don't want to use the automation functionalities, it is possible to manually browse through a .srt file as through a .txt file: just leave the timer on pause and use the down arrow to browse through the titles.

Structure

1
Time IN --> Time OUT
Title 1 Line 1
Title 1 Line 2

2
Time IN --> Time OUT
Title 2 Line 1

3
Time IN --> Time OUT
Title 3 Line 1
Title 3 Line 2

...

Example

1
00:01:10,680 --> 00:01:12,477
Soon it's summer holidays!

2
00:01:12,880 --> 00:01:16,190
<
You're going with your father to your summer house...

3
00:01:20,040 --> 00:01:24,033
I want you to come with me!
I'll be bored!

4
00:01:24,920 --> 00:01:28,595
Nevertheless you'll be by the
side of your beloved Mr. Togo!

5
00:01:29,000 --> 00:01:32,072
That was mean!
And you're supposed to be my friend!

...

Settings	Show 'Settings' window	[Ctrl+S]
Open	Open title file (.txt, .srt)	[Ctrl+O]
Help	Show 'Help' window	[F1]
Quit	Quit the program	[Ctrl+Q]

Controls:

Menu

Titles control

Display control

Grid

Settings:

Supported file formats:

Text (.txt) files:

Structure

Example

SubRip (.srt) files:

Structure

Example