Suggestions for improvements

[papasmurph]

Here are things that would improve my experience of Avidemux, which is rather good to begin with:

Be able to test run the set time window from start marker to end marker exactly.

Have MPEG-4 as the Output Format default (who uses MKV anymore?), or make it possible to configure the default setting.

Force the end marker after start marker if it currently is before the start marker. Right now it silently doesn't set the start marker if the end marker is before.

Also, maybe a "frame chase" issue: Sometimes it won't start at the right point, but it always ends at the right point.

Cheers from Smurph Village.

[eumagga0x2a]

Be able to test run the set time window from start marker to end marker exactly.

Do you have copy mode or re-encoding in mind? What purpose should this serve? For copy, please keep "sanitize timestamps" option disabled. It should be replaced with something more sensible later, which might include some sort of an internal "test run" to avoid introducing jitter.

Have MPEG-4 as the Output Format default (who uses MKV anymore?),

MKV support more codecs than MP4 and will probably remain the default for this reason.

or make it possible to configure the default setting.

This is possible for years (in the "Edit" menu with Ctrl+Alt+D as keyboard shortcut on Linux and Windows).

Force the end marker after start marker if it currently is before the start marker. Right now it silently doesn't set the start marker if the end marker is before.

Markers are automatically swapped to ensure B >= A for even much longer. Do you refer to a current supported version of Avidemux?

Also, maybe a "frame chase" issue: Sometimes it won't start at the right point, but it always ends at the right point.

In copy mode, the start time is always adjusted to the previous keyframe if it is not already at a keyframe. Anything else makes simply no sense as the first GOP won't be decodable. When re-encoding, the start point can be set to any type of frame.

[papasmurph]

Be able to test run the set time window from start marker to end marker exactly.

Do you have copy mode or re-encoding in mind? What purpose should this serve? For copy, please keep "sanitize timestamps" option disabled. It should be replaced with something more sensible later, which might include some sort of an internal "test run" to avoid introducing jitter.

I simply want to test-run what's being cut out (and to be saved), to see that it flows.

Have MPEG-4 as the Output Format default (who uses MKV anymore?),

MKV support more codecs than MP4 and will probably remain the default for this reason.

Fair enough.

or make it possible to configure the default setting.

This is possible for years (in the "Edit" menu with Ctrl+Alt+D as keyboard shortcut on Linux and Windows).

Granted. Missed that.

Force the end marker after start marker if it currently is before the start marker. Right now it silently doesn't set the start marker if the end marker is before.

Markers are automatically swapped to ensure B >= A for even much longer. Do you refer to a current supported version of Avidemux?

I used 2.7.5.

This occurs when having made one cut and then setting a new start point later in the video. Then the end point can't be set after the start point (it doesn't swap or anything). The trick is to set both end and then start point to the start time, and then move to the new end point and cut, which is doable, but not very intuitive.

Also, maybe a "frame chase" issue: Sometimes it won't start at the right point, but it always ends at the right point.

In copy mode, the start time is always adjusted to the previous keyframe if it is not already at a keyframe. Anything else makes simply no sense as the first GOP won't be decodable. When re-encoding, the start point can be set to any type of frame.

I was not aware of that distinction, but yes it works if I select something other than Copy, provided the encoder likes the selected format of course.

Thanks for explaining. I'll read through all the docs.

[eumagga0x2a]

Force the end marker after start marker if it currently is before the start marker. Right now it silently doesn't set the start marker if the end marker is before.

Markers are automatically swapped to ensure B >= A for even much longer. [...]

This occurs when having made one cut and then setting a new start point later in the video. Then the end point can't be set after the start point (it doesn't swap or anything).

Let's assume that A = 10 and B = 20. Now you try to set a new A at 30.

The result is that Avidemux does exactly as it should – sets A at 30 while B remains at 20, then automatically swaps the markers to ensure B >= A (it can't know whether the user is going correct the current invalid setup on his own), so you end up with A = 20 and B = 30.

A simpler sequence of actions would be either to set a new B first, a new A second – or to reset markers alltogether (with alternative keyboard shortcuts enabled: press "R") and proceed as usual.

The only really confusing thing about all this is calling markers "A" and "B" as if they were distinctive. Thinking of them just as of delimiters of a single selection would match the reality far better.

The trick is to set both end and then start point to the start time, and then move to the new end point and cut, which is doable, but not very intuitive.

True, and unnecessary as well.

[papasmurph]

Yup, there's logic to that, and I've alternatively reset the markers too.