How can I add MKS for subtitle file type
#1
MKS is just a Matroska containter for subtitles (only). It allows the inclusion of multiple subtitles, custom fonts, and the appropriate names/labels/etc without having to mux it all into the video. It works particularly well for ASS subs that make use of custom fonts. It works fine in VLC, but Kodi doesn't appear capable to even see the file type when manually searching.

I tried searching for something in advancedsettings, but found nothing for subtitle file types.
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#2
Features and supported formats (wiki) I didn't see support for MKS, but using MKVToolNix (wiki) you should be able to quickly add multiple subtitles quick and easily, otherwise direct external subs are pretty easy to utilize. Perhaps this post is best handled in the 'feature requests' forum. If there's enough interest generated, and developers take interest, your wish mightl be granted.
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#3
It may be a bit confusing, as MKS is a container that is already supported showing in your supported formats link under "Container formats: MKV/MKA (Matroska)". MKS is part of the standard Matroska spec (MKV - video, MKA - audio, MKS - subtitle), it is all the same Matroska container. What it contains is simply standard subtitle codecs (i.e. SRT, ASS/SSA, SUB/IDX, etc.) with the standard array of Matroska options/labels/etc.

Yes, I understand that the items may be muxed into the video file using MKVToolNix, as that is the same method used to create the MKS file. However, altering the original file can ofterrn be less than ideal, for varoius reasons, which would then necessitat multiple copies. In the same way as any and all subs may be muxed into an MKV, frequently they are kept separate, particularly in dealing with other containers (i.e. MP4, AVI, etc.).
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#4
(2020-06-05, 01:16)Theli93 Wrote: It may be a bit confusing, as MKS is a container that is already supported showing in your supported formats link under "Container formats: MKV/MKA (Matroska)". MKS is part of the standard Matroska spec (MKV - video, MKA - audio, MKS - subtitle), it is all the same Matroska container.

No it is not supported. It may officially be a part of the MK-group (mkv, mka, mks), but that doesn't mean automatically that the .mks extension and thus file format is supported by a media player as well. The same way that you could use MKV files for storing artwork only, and call it a .mkg (graphics). The possibility is there, but it doesn't mean that support is automatically added to a media player. That extra functionality will need to be developed first.

So adding support for .mks files will require a boatload of coding in the subtitle section of Kodi. Given the absence of global popularity of this extension, I'd say the chance of adding mks support to Kodi is pretty much zero at this time.
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#5
I was surprised to see that mks-packaged subtitles don't work in Kodi after playing around with them in mpv. Of course these are unrelated projects, but I just thought that mks subtitles were a less obscure feature.
Anyway, would it be possible to adapt code from (lib)mpv to enable Kodi to use mks subtitles?
Failing that, could this be achieved with a vfs add-on, similar to the rar add-on?
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#6
I'm just wondering... What is the benefit of having .mks files instead .srt files?

Subtitles would have to be properly tagged with the correct language, with .srt file you simply add the language suffix.
Standalone subtitle files can be edited easily. With .mks you need MKVtoolnix to export/import a new version.
.mks files need extra functionality to be able to process them, a .srt file is ready to go.

Or is it that you simply have matching .mkv/.mka/.mks file extensions..?
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#7
(2020-07-02, 13:54)Klojum Wrote: I'm just wondering... What is the benefit of having .mks files instead .srt files?

Subtitles would have to be properly tagged with the correct language, with .srt file you simply add the language suffix.
Standalone subtitle files can be edited easily. With .mks you need MKVtoolnix to export/import a new version.
.mks files need extra functionality to be able to process them, a .srt file is ready to go.

Or is it that you simply have matching .mkv/.mka/.mks file extensions..?
The main benefit would be font attachments. I've only recently started looking into fansubs, but as far as I can tell, these heavily rely on certain fonts being available to either mimic the style of the picture-based original subs or just for the heck of it. One could of course just extract the text-based subtitles from the mks and Kodi will do its best to render them with the fonts available, but that is bound to look way different from the author's intent. I guess if one dropped the attached fonts in the right place, it would look perfect, but that's a bit more involved than just browsing for the mks subtitles and being done.
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#8
I would GREATLY appreciate this feature as well. It really helps me because I don't want to Remux the source, I wish to leave it untouched for "purposes"... mks helps me avoid having 20 different SRTs and dealing with things commentary & SDH tags ect. The Mastroka container makes things way cleaner. MPC-BE supports this, If any developer can integrate this into KODI thank you!
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