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Automatic Correction Tools

After running a style-guide review or an Error Nav pass, it is common to find that a large number of events share the same class of problem — they all exceed the character-per-line limit, or they all run slightly too fast for the configured reading speed. Correcting these one by one is tedious and time-consuming. Closed Caption Creator provides two automatic correction tools that address exactly this situation: Automatic Format restructures caption text to meet content requirements, and Auto Correct Timing adjusts event timecodes to satisfy reading-speed and duration constraints.

Both tools should be treated as a pass rather than a final fix. After running either tool, review the results to confirm that the adjustments are appropriate in context. Automatic corrections are accurate in the general case, but captions that involve deliberate stylistic choices, on-screen text, or non-standard formatting may require manual adjustment after a correction pass is applied.

Automatic Format​

Automatic Format is accessed via Format > Automatic Format Custom. It reformats caption event text to meet character and line-count requirements.

When the Automatic Format window opens, you will see controls for the maximum number of lines per event, the maximum number of characters per line, and the minimum event duration. There is also a checkbox to allow orphan words, and an option to apply the format rules to all events or only to the currently selected events.

The maximum lines and characters per line settings work together: if an event contains more text than can fit within your target constraints, the tool will split and redistribute the text across lines and, where necessary, break it into additional events. The minimum duration floor prevents the resulting events from being too brief to read after splitting.

The Apply to All option controls scope. When unchecked, only the events that are currently selected in the editor will be reformatted. This allows you to test the tool on a small selection before committing to a full-project run. When checked, every event in the event group is processed regardless of selection.

The Allow Orphan Words option governs how the tool resolves events that have a single word remaining after reaching the character limit on all other lines. When this option is checked, the tool prioritises meeting the character limit even if it produces a line or event containing only a single word. When unchecked, the tool will slightly relax the line balance to avoid stranding a lone word on its own line, which generally produces more natural-looking captions.

Click Auto Format when your settings are configured. The event text will be restructured according to your requirements.

Auto Correct Timing​

Auto Correct Timing is accessed via Timecode > Auto Correct Timing. It adjusts event start and end timecodes to ensure that reading speed and duration constraints are met.

When the tool opens, you will see fields for the intended reading rate (expressed as characters per second or words per minute depending on your preference), minimum event duration, and maximum event duration. There is also an option to specify a minimum frame gap that must be maintained between consecutive events.

Set each value to reflect the requirements of your delivery specification. For example, if your style guide requires a maximum of 17 CPS, a minimum duration of 0.833 seconds, and a two-frame minimum gap between events, enter those values before running the correction.

Click Auto Correct when you are ready. Event timecodes will be extended, shortened, or shifted to bring them within the specified range. It is important to review the changes after they are applied. In cases where events are closely spaced or where the programme has fast-paced dialogue, the corrected timecodes may shift earlier or later than the original intent. Events that have been adjusted should be spot-checked against the programme audio to confirm that they remain in sync.

Working with Both Tools Together​

The two tools complement each other. A common workflow when preparing a draft for delivery is to run Automatic Format first to correct content structure, then run Auto Correct Timing to address any reading-speed violations that result from the restructured text, and then re-run a Style Guide review to confirm that the combined result meets all requirements. Iterating through this sequence typically converges quickly, as each pass reduces the number of violations that the next tool needs to address.

  • Running a Review — run a style-guide scan to identify violations before and after correction
  • Realtime Error Detection — configure authoring-time thresholds that flag issues as they appear
  • Style Guide Manager — configure the rule thresholds that these tools correct against