How To Add Tag Data To Mp4 Video File

Rowell Whosto · Saturday, June 11, 2022

How to tag/metatag MP4, AVI, MOV, WMA ?

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I'm at the depression end of the learning curve, making my own videos with various devices (GoPro, Catechism MVX, smartphone, etc.). I want to tag them with tags which are stored in the files (not on a separate database) so that my desktop software tin can find them on my computer and the attached network storage. That'due south all I want to practise. I don't desire to tag them for web publication and I don't want to keep them in a video storage system which keeps the tags in a split database (because the vendor of such a organisation might no longer exist in business in five years fourth dimension then I'm left with a non-supported database system and a lot of non-tagged video files).
Clearly, I can "tag" the files by including keywords in the filename, but that is limited in length. I want to tag the videos merely as I tag photos and MP3 files.

Is at that place a solution for this ? I've been thrashing around the Web with Google et al. without success. Either I'm using the wrong search terms or there is no solution or at that place is a solution out at that place which is "buried" considering very few people are interested in tagging.

pacman10

P.S. I put this in this section because I'thou "... a newbie / new to video and/or ....take problem deciding what department (my) post should exist in..". If it belongs somewhere else please do let me know.

Last edited past pacman10; 11th Sep 2013 at x:29.
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ffmpeg can add tags during remuxing (see: http://ffmpeg.org/ffmpeg.html and search for metadata).
no you can't tag diverse video files like you lot do mp3s. your best bet is to include the nigh of import data in the filename.

--
"a lot of people are better dead" - prisoner KSC2-303
filename lengths are 255 chars. should be long enough for your needs. i apply long filenames bc i too work with many video files. i braket or .dot. most of them. and since i write my own utilities, i wrote my own filesearch app that i keep nearby. it is stricly a filesearch, very express. anyway. i would get with the filename route bc you can search for them in explorers search tool. although i just used in one case/twice, if you are in w7, it has an easier search tool for this.
-metadata[:metadata_specifier] key=value (output,per-metadata)'
Gear up a metadata central/value pair.

An optional metadata_specifier may be given to gear up metadata on streams or chapters.

This selection overrides metadata fix with -map_metadata. Information technology is also possible to delete metadata by using an empty value.

For example, for setting the title in the output file:
ffmpeg -i in.avi -metadata title="my championship" out.flv

To set the linguistic communication of the outset audio stream:
ffmpeg -i INPUT -metadata:a:1 language=eng OUTPUT

the higher up seems easy plenty to set a tag, however, you will demand a forepart-terminate utility for that or gui that handles ffmpeg and sports that feature. i don't know whatever. but you can write .bat files to process meta tags using the above examples. then, you lot would need a forepart-end utility to read or search for them--or write your own. otherwise, the easier road is by using the filename.
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btw. interessting read regarding ffmpeg &metadata:
http://multimedia.cx/eggs/supplying-ffmpeg-with-metadata/
-> principal real downside of this method is that it only works on remuxing (no in-place editing like mkvpropedit offers for mkv files)
Thanks to you all for these rapid and useful replies.
Tags in filename: While Windows usually limits file names to 260 characters the file name must actually be shorter than that, since the complete path (such equally C:\Program Files\filename.txt) is included in this character count. In do this has sometimes caused me problems when copying a file with a very long file name to a location that has a longer path than its current location. That was why I wanted to avert using the filename for tagging. However, if tagging of video files is simply not possible I'll employ the filenames equally tag "buckets" and learn to go along paths short.

ffmpeg: I won't employ this for the time being but followed the lead with all its links to GUIs and am impressed/interested so volition exist keeping that for a future learning session. It took me a few minutes to notice out what remuxing is but I think I've grasped the idea. Thanks.

-metadata[:metadata_specifier] key=value (output,per-metadata) : I'one thousand afraid that is above my head at the moment simply (a) that simply needs inquiry on my function and (b) it volition presumably aid someone else who is trying to find out how to tab video files and searches this forum.

pacman
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Tags in filename: While Windows unremarkably limits file names to 260 characters the file name must actually be shorter than

same goes for Mac and Linux inside the fustigate you are normally limited to 255 bytes (= 255 characters) for a file name.

I'm afraid that is in a higher place my caput at the moment

if you desire to set:
- a championship 'The title'
- a genere 'The genre'
- a comment 'The long comment'
yous would have to add together:
Lawmaking:

-metadata title="The title" -metadata championship="The genre" -metadata title="The long comment"
see: http://wiki.multimedia.cx/index.php?title=FFmpeg_Metadata
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Originally Posted by aedipuss

no you can't tag various video files like you practice mp3s. your best bet is to include the most important data in the filename.

Certain you can
I used to utilize abcAVI Tag Editor to put all kinds of info into AVI/Xvids I made.
Y'all would non know it was there unless you checked in windows past right clicking and choosing backdrop or other software.
I did it to runway my stuff online to come across if anyone was challenge it to be there's considering virtually people practise not check or think yous can.

I have never tried with MP4's or MKV's so I can non say for sure on those and I have always avoided crap like WMV & MOV similar the plague!!
you know, i didn't read too much of that info i posted earlier. so, rethinking near information technology..tagging may take limits anyway, such equally what video format (avi/mpg/m2ts/vob/mkv) are supported for tagging. peradventure specify the file you will be using, might be helpful tool.
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I but checked mkvmerge GUI and there is a pick to add "tags" although I never used information technology or paid attention to information technology earlier so I am non certain what information technology is for exactly equally it has a option to choose an external file.
there is also this resource, for flv files.
http://world wide web.buraks.com/flvmdi
Not sure nearly all the file types but I tried an MP4, which can exist hard to inject Meta, with the ffmpeg re-create parameters:
C:\Users\Bud\Desktop\VHS2DVD>ffmpeg -i C:\Users\Bud\Desktop\VHS2DVD\Wham!AC3_6Ch
annel.mp4 -metadata title="my title"
-acodec copy -vcodec copy whamout.mp4
Information technology copied without recoding and the metadata shows in the file:

Shouldn't be besides hard to build a GUI for running or use a batch file, only each Video format (AVI, MP4, FLV, etc.) has its ain limitations on what can be added as Metadata equally noted in the articles linked in a higher place and you would have to be conscientious, at least in batch processing.
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Originally Posted by Budman1

Not sure about all the file types but I tried an MP4, which tin can be hard to inject Meta, with the ffmpeg re-create parameters:

C:\Users\Bud\Desktop\VHS2DVD>ffmpeg -i C:\Users\Bud\Desktop\VHS2DVD\Wham!AC3_6Ch
annel.mp4 -metadata title="my title"

-acodec re-create -vcodec re-create whamout.mp4

Information technology copied without recoding and the metadata shows in the file:

[Zipper 19991 - Click to enlarge]

Shouldn't exist too difficult to build a GUI for running or utilize a batch file, only each Video format (AVI, MP4, FLV, etc.) has its own limitations on what can be added every bit Metadata as noted in the articles linked in a higher place and yous would take to be careful, at least in batch processing.

I tried it on a single mp4 file and it worked like a amuse! You sir, deserve adulation.
Have already written a Python script to tag mkv files, and am modifying the aforementioned to handle mp4 files also. Am just concerned if information technology works for all mp4 files. Are there are any mp4 specific corner cases to be aware of?

Cheers in advance.
The MP4 container stores the necessary information, video, audio, etc. in 'Atoms' and these may occur in dissimilar order and sometimes even in sets of ii or three of the aforementioned cantlet if the video has parts joined past some certain editors. Most players these days will play the video correctly just FFmpeg may accept a trouble inserting Metadata in these odd cases. The simply way to be sure is try them, particularly ones that have been 'edited', joined, cutting, muxed, etc.
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Originally Posted past Budman1

The MP4 container stores the necessary information, video, audio, etc. in 'Atoms' and these may occur in different order and sometimes even in sets of 2 or three of the aforementioned atom if the video has parts joined by some sure editors. Most players these days will play the video correctly but FFmpeg may have a problem inserting Metadata in these odd cases. The only way to exist sure is attempt them, especially ones that have been 'edited', joined, cut, muxed, etc.

Rats! I'1000 going to need more storage for targets until they're ruled fine.
Wonder why MPEG couldn't come with a well defined spec and in-identify tagging similar MKV does. They've been around longer. Of course, MKV tagging has its own limitations. For example, mkvpropedit does non (yet) provide a way to set up the release year with command line options.

Thank you again for the confirmation.
There'southward also Media Monkey. What I did was add or rescan the folders containing videos to the library, used the auto-tag from filename feature, then the advanced tag management to synchronize the tags.