Version History

Build 423.

Build 344.

Build 340.

Build 336.

Version 2.5 was a macOS-only release. Windows users gain these features in version 2.6.

New Transcript Features

• Fully native text field for macOS, including undo, spelling, grammar, autocorrect, etc.
• Spelling may now be enabled or disabled on a per-transcript basis.

USB Device Support

• New Manage USB Devices dialog, accessible via Edit > Manage USB Devices... or via the Define Trigger dialog, lets users control which USB devices are available (active) for use with shortcuts, and which are ignored (deactivated).
• Officially-supported USB devices now appear with better names (not just the driver name).
• InqScribe should now auto-activate officially-supported USB devices.

Updated Media Support

• Switch to AVFoundation media engine (from QuickTime)
• InqScribe can detect timecode tracks via AVFoundation.
• InqScribe can now enable and disable tracks via AVFoundation and the Display Tracks dialog.
• InqScribe now recognizes .m4v video files.
• You can now mute and unmute audio.

New User Interface

• New, updated look (with Retina support)
• Updated volume and play rate controllers
• New interactive time code display
• Updated interactive media timeline
• Updated media control buttons
• InqScribe now includes a preference to allow users to restore transcript windows that were open at last close.

Shortcuts and Snippets

• New native hotkey support. Keyboard shortcuts should respond more quickly, and a much wider range of modifier-based shortcuts are available.
• Added new default shortcuts.
• “Mute” has been added as a shortcut command.
• “Skip Forward” is another new shortcut command, which lets you move the current play position ahead by a specified number of seconds.

Misc

• Native support for Apple Silicon.
• Added new links to InqScribe Labs in the Help menu and under Export in the File menu.
• Updated in-app help docs for new features.
• Various bug fixes.

This is the last version of InqScribe to support QuickTime. Download this version if you rely on the “Save Subtitled QuickTime Movie” feature. Please note this is a 32-bit app, and it will not work on macOS Catalina (10.15) or later. Windows version requires Windows 7 or higher.

• Enhanced support for future evaluation license requests.
• Updated various support URLs.

• The export submenu now includes a link to labs.inqscribe.com, which offers some export formats beyond what the app provides.
• Exported file names are now based on the document name instead of defaulting to "export".
• Preserve the state of the Anti-Alias checkbox when iterating on a subtitled movie export.
• Minor documentation updates.
• Better support for licenses whose owner names include accents and other non-ASCII characters.
• Updated to support evaluation licenses that expire in 2018 and beyond.

• Remove developmental expiration date accidentally released in 2.2.2.
• InqScribe now correctly recognizes site licenses on certain non-English systems.
• New support for exporting to WebVTT format.

• Avoid unnecessary error message when cancelling a save.
• Better error messages when exporting to Final Cut Pro XML.
• Better error messages when exporting to SCC.
• Eliminate OS X screen redraw glitches that occurred on some widescreen/second monitors.
• More reliable check for updates on OS X.
• Restore access to User Guide on OS X 10.10.
• Minor updates to documentation.
• Minor stylistic changes to UI.
• Updated licensing data.

• Fix an issue where a corrupted backup file could hang InqScribe indefinitely.
• Better handling of low-ASCII control characters when exporting to Final Cut Pro XML.
• Better preflight validation of Final Cut Pro XML exports, which should prevent errors once the file is imported into Final Cut Pro.
• All export formats better report errors during the export process, instead of failing silently.
• Minor documentation updates.

• InqScribe is now a signed app to improve compatibility with OS X 10.8 (569).
• More robust support for shared license files (937, 1130).
• OS X: Text cursor no longer disappears when using arrow keys (290).
• Support for the 48fps frame rate (658).
• Time code track detection should now work better for 29.97, 23.976, and 59.94 frame rates. (515).
• Duration may now be exported as part of the tab-delimited, HTML, and XML export formats. Tab-delimited exports now include a row of headers (576).
• Font lists are now explicitly ordered alphabetically, instead of relying on the system. This primarily affects Windows users (302).
• Removed exception that could occur when searching for media files (297).
• Documentation has been updated for 2.2.

• The behavior of time code-specific fields (such as the Start Time field in the Select Media Source dialog) has been changed from version 2.1. The new behavior will feel natural to Final Cut Pro users and offers a couple of different ways to quickly enter time codes. Click the blue help icon next to the field to learn more about your entry options.
• InqScribe's internal update checker now provides access to release notes and offers to download updates.
• InqScribe can now read shared license files from platform-specific shared preference locations. This is primarily for site licensees who use InqScribe in lab settings. Contact us for more information if this sounds interesting.
• Added support for the 23.98 frame rate.
• The Adjust Time Code field adds explicit add and subtract options instead of requiring you to add negative time codes if you want to subtract.
• InqScribe no longer recognizes USB input devices (foot pedals, etc.) that are plugged in after InqScribe has been launched. While this was a convenience, it triggered hard crashes in rare cases with certain classes of devices. If you need to enable an input device after InqScribe has been launched, go ahead and plug it in, and then quit and relaunch InqScribe.
• Fixed undo bug where changing the selection would not end a typing run.
• Improved file compatibility with non-US locales.
• Windows: Text copied to other applications no longer use incorrect line endings.
• Additional miscellaneous bug fixes.

Improvements

• InqScribe can now insert time code series, e.g. "lay down a time code every 30 seconds" (9777).
• InqScribe can now export a time code series, or all time codes in a transcript, as a set of JPEG files (5273, QuickTime only).
• Added provisional support for exporting FCP markers. It works, but we need feedback to improve the utility of the exported file.
• Support for importing and exporting SCC files (9571).
• Time code fields in various dialogs now auto-format and have key shortcuts (see the tooltip) that let you quickly increment/decrement specific fields (4008).
• Changed what InqScribe does when it finds auto-backup files on launch. Instead of directly opening the backups, InqScribe now opens a window listing all found backups. The user may then choose to recover files individually, or delete the files (6154).
• App bundle identifier set (10167).
• Word count is now much faster and more responsive (11246).
• Contextual menus in dialog text fields now reflect the current selection better (11293).
• Edit > Clear menu item renamed “Delete” on OS X, which better matches current expectations (11294).
• Developmental builds now identified as such (11350).
• Floating windows now hidden when About InqScribe menu item is selected (11090).
• OS X help docs moved inside the app bundle (11355).

Fixes

• Exporting contiguous subtitles to FCP no longer results in a 1-frame gap.
• FCP exports will subtract the media start time from all time codes, which solves the issue of all your subtitles showing up an hour too late in the FCP timeline. Make sure you've set the start time appropriately!
• InqScribe can handle alternative datetime format delimiters within a WAV BWF chunk.
• InqScribe no longer fails silently if you try to save to a read-only location (14017).
• Exported FCP XML now imports properly into Final Cut Pro 7 (14553).
• InqScribe no longer shows the "Missing Media" dialog when it can't find a media file. Instead, it just notes the error in the video space. Use Media > Reload menu item to try again, or Media > Select Media File... to choose an alternative file (11281).
• Fixed rare nil object exception in button drawing (12257).
• Minor menu cleanup (13519).
• Fixed OS X bug where all floating windows were shown after the layer was hidden (9867).
• Windows no longer snap when moved, which solves a common race condition crash on Windows (9726).
• Clicking an empty row in the Go to Time dialog no longer generates an out of bounds exception (10589).
• Using skipback with paused media no longer accidentally sets the play rate to 0 (10959).
• Fixed bug where it was possible, on Windows, to generate out of bounds errors while editing shortcuts (11029).
• Conversions from NTSC DF to frame number no longer tries to add drop frames (12843).

• The Foot Pedal wizard now removes any prior shortcuts that involve the pedal. This fixes the case where you could accidentally generate multiple copies of the same shortcuts by running the wizard again and again (3736, 5362).
• The problem where InqScribe does not properly remember shortcuts that use non-keyboard input (foot pedals, gamepads, etc.) has been fixed (9653).
• InqScribe better handles situations in which commands are issued in the middle of cue or review (1891, 5363).
• If you search for something using the Find dialog and it's not found, InqScribe now keeps the dialog open so you can try another search string right away. (Remember you can hit ESC if you want to dismiss the dialog quickly.) Also, failed searches, as well as most message dialogs, no longer trigger a system beep (8313).
• The Find dialog now maps return to the default Find Next button even when typing in the Find or Replace fields. Use alt-Return to enter a new line in the field. The fields are also larger to make it more obvious that they support multiline values (9618).
• Reel names in time codes are now parsed more strictly. The reel name can only be separated from the time code by spaces. Also, reel names are only recognized within bracketed time codes. With unbracketed time codes, we can't tell if the word prior to a time code is a reel name or just a normal word (9779).
• Added support for 23.98 fps and 59.94 fps (9781).

• Menu shortcut for Replace & Find Again fixed on Windows (9539)
• The slider used to adjust parameters on some shortcuts is visible again on Windows (6686)
• Bug reports now contain more InqScribe-specific information by default (4393)

• NTSC Non-drop frame time codes are now calculated properly. (6481)
• Fixed error that prevented license validation for some users. (6576)
• When jumping to a new time in a Windows Media Player-controlled video, the video image is now updated immediately. (Previously, you had to play the video to force an update.) (9028)
• NTSC drop frame time codes are now more accurate and match (within 1 frame) content with burned-in DF time code. (8713)
• Windows Media Player-based video is no longer offset down and to the right. (8959)
• Unicode-based QuickTime subtitles are now generated correctly on Intel-based Macs. (8059)
• Dashes may now be included in media reel names, as long as they are not the last character in the name. (7465)
• Cancelling a print job no longer crashes InqScribe. (5365)
• File names with non-Western unicode entries (e.g. Asian languages) are now displayed properly above the video area. (6726)

• Windows users who have installed certain East Asian language packs like Chinese Simplified can register valid licenses again.
• InqScribe is much better about handling malformed WAV files.

• Fixed a screen layout issue for users with smaller monitors (800 x 600 or less).

• Auto Backup Files. Coming up for air at the end of a long transcription effort? Did you remember to save before you tripped over the power cord? Don't worry, InqScribe has your back. Backup files can be automatically saved at regular intervals.
• Improved Foot Pedal Support. A new Foot Pedal Wizard makes it much easier to set up and assign foot pedals to shortcuts. Foot pedals also do a better job of ignoring modifier keys, which greatly improves their use during transcription. And Mac OS X users no longer need to install an additional file to enable use of foot pedals and other USB input devices.
• Improved Time Code Support. Jump to a time code with a single click. Simple and fast. If you are working with media that contains embedded time codes, including QuickTime movies imported via Final Cut Pro or BWF WAV files, InqScribe can now use that information as the basis for its time codes. InqScribe will even display the reel name if it is available.
• New Export Formats. You can now export InqScribe transcripts to Spruce STL files, Subrip files, or Final Cut Pro XML files.
  • Use STL files to import subtitles into DVD Studio Pro.
  • Use Subrip files to caption content on Google Video.
  • And use Final Cut Pro XML files to, well...
• Final Cut Pro Support. You can now export subtitles from InqScribe directly to Final Cut Pro XML files. InqScribe will export the subtitles using a template of your own design, making it much easier to add captions and subtitles directly to your FCP project.
• Anamorphic Video Display. Inqscribe can now display video at a variety of aspect ratios, not just the aspect ratio that the movie thinks it has. Display video at 4:3, 16:9, or 2.35:1.
• Mac OS X Intel Support. InqScribe 2.0 is a Universal Binary and takes advantage of the speed of the recent Intel-based MacBooks, iMacs, and Mac Pros.
• New Keyboard Shortcuts. Create new keyboard shortcuts to easily move from time code to time code in your transcript. Of course, the video stays in sync as you move around.
• New Snippet Variables. We've added lots of "smart snippets" that can automatically insert information about your transcript like the media location, current time, current date, and more. See the Snippet Variable Reference for more detail.
• New Transcript Settings. Transcript settings let you set font and size, time code frame rate, inserted time code format, and print margins on a document-by-document basis.

• AERA courtesy evaluation code removed. Request personalized evaluation licenses instead. (If you were using the courtesy code, feel free to request a personal evaluation license.)
• Changed default ctrl-tab to simple Skipback instead of Skipback Toggle Combination. (This won't change existing shortcuts; existing users will need to reset to defaults to see the change.)
• Trying to import a file that's already open in another application no longer triggers a nil exception error.
• The "Color Time Code" preference check box is now respected, instead of assuming it's always turned on.
• "Color Time Code", "Recognize Unbracketed Time Codes", and "Omit Frames" can now be turned on or off on a per-window basis via the Transcript menu. The preferences for these options remain; the preferences determine the initial value of the options when a document window opens.
• Fixed "twitchy scrolling" on Windows, which was triggered by a bug in the colorize time code routine. Note that colorizing time codes on Windows does produce a single, brief flicker. If this is annoying, turn off the Colorize Time Code preference.
• In the Find dialog, "Start at Top" now turns itself off after the first found instance, enabling repeated use of "Find Next" to move through the transcript.
• Fixed video refresh problem for Windows Media.
• Fixed file extension bug on Windows.
• Fixed bug where files on Windows were sometimes saved as ".mov" instead of ".inqscr".
• Fixed bug where opening QuickTime movies that referred to unavailable movies led to repeated error dialogs.
• Fixed cases on Mac OS X where we failed to scroll the current transcript selection into view when asked.
• Go to Time... dialog now respects the window's Omit Frames setting.
• Tweaked several menu items to better match users' expectations, given their OS.

• Added Windows-specific screen shots to the User’s Guide.
• Fixed bug where certain media types opened using Windows Media Player would disable the play button.

• Version 1.5 is a significant new release with many new features and bug fixes.
• Improved Media Support. Windows users can now use either QuickTime or Windows Media Player to control playback. This means that users who work exclusively with .wma or .wmv files can now take advantage of InqScribe’s deceptively simple interface.
• We've also added support for QuickTime 7, including the ability to control pitch shifting: changing the playback speed without changing audio pitch. There's also now native support for m4a, m4p, DV, and SMIL file types.
• Greater Media Control. We’ve enabled even better control over playback. Dynamically resize video. Pan left and right with the new audio balance control. Use the mouse wheel to step through your video a frame at a time. Export the current frame to an image file. Hide unused playback controls.
• And new shortcut commands like Cue and Review make our keyboard shortcuts even more powerful.
• Expanded Keyboard Shortcuts and USB Foot Pedal Support. The keyboard combinations available to shortcuts has been greatly expanded. Use function keys, the keypad, or extended keys in addition to the standard keyboard. Use any modifier key (control, shift, etc.) you want as part of the combination.
• Even better for hardcore transcriptionists, it’s now easy to assign shortcuts directly to foot pedals. You can even use modifier keys in combination with foot pedals. It’s not just foot pedals. Gamepads, joysticks… if you have a USB input device, you can use it with InqScribe.
• Text Snippets. Our new Snippets window lets you enter commonly used snippets of text quickly and easily. You can even create snippets that dynamically insert the current time code from your video along with the snippet text. Snippets, like shortcuts, can be mapped to whatever keyboard shortcut you like. Or, simply select the snippet you want from a list.
• Smarter Time Codes. You can now enter time codes in other formats, including film, PAL, and NTSC (drop frame and non-drop frame). You can even use InqScribe to convert time codes from one format to another.
• Time codes are now colored in the transcript, making it much easier to find them. And printing is now WYSWIYG, so these colors are preserved when you print. And it’s now much easier to update an existing time code: simply click on the time code and choose Update Time from the Edit menu.
• New Offline Media Options. You can now use InqScribe to take notes during live events. Insert time codes based on the your computer's clock, or set up a custom stopwatch timer instead. This makes it easy to use InqScribe to take notes while you're recording your footage and sync those notes with the recorded content.
• Same Great Price. InqScribe 1.5 is a free update for owners of InqScribe 1.0.2. What more can we say?

• The encoding of imported text can now be specified, instead of assuming it is UTF-8.
• Text may be exported using one of several encodings, instead of always using UTF-8.
• When exporting subtitles, InqScribe now checks the transcript for duplicate time codes and out of order time codes, and prompts the user to fix these problems.
• Added language support for exported subtitles. You may now associate one of over one hundred languages with exported subtitles.
• Added Unicode support for exported subtitles. This greatly improves cross-platform reliability and properly supports non-Roman character sets.
• More informative errors when exporting subtitles.
• Improved InqScribe's ability to find linked media files when InqScribe documents are shared.
• Better feedback when the Find command fails to find anything.
• Exported movies on Windows now default to the .mov extension instead of .moov.
• Exporting self-contained subtitled movies on Windows now works properly.
• Improved support for handling locked InqScribe files.
• More informative errors when exporting subtitles.
• Improved undo support.

• Fixed incompatibility with Mac OS X 10.2 (Jaguar).
• Define Media button moved into media display region.
• User can now double click media icon and title to open the Define Media dialog.
• Clicking directly on the QuickTime movie to control it (one click pauses, double-click plays) now properly updates the remote buttons and respects the current play rate and direction.
• Shortcuts are now listed below the remote buttons for convenience.
• Changing media types from a defined file to "tape" no longer confuses the Display Size submenu.
• Fixed font used for some buttons on Windows.

• Win: better error recovery when listening for second instances of the application.
• Option to strip time codes in the export text dialog is now disabled when not applicable.
• Minor language editing.

• Win: Increased size of slider handles.
• Win: avoid launching multiple instances of InqScribe.
• Fixed remaining outdated references to "MediaScribe."
• Fixed links in offline documentation.
• Fixed links in splash dialogs.
• Double buffered volume level graphic.
• Replace All now works properly (and is much faster).
• Added documentation clarifying time code formats and allowing recognition of unbracketed time codes. (By default, unbracketed time codes are ignored to avoid false positives on times of day.)
• InqScribe now recognizes negative time codes.
• Fixed window resizing bug that made the transcript disappear.
• Toggling play while playing backwards now highlights the right buttons.
• Fixed control tab order in dialogs that needed it.

• Win: Dialog button order is now more consistent with Windows users' expectations.
• Win: Multiple keyboard shortcuts now load properly.
• InqScribe preferences are now stored within an InqScribe folder in the preferences location. Note that this change will reset beta testers' preferences (including registration codes) to default values.
• Initial check for updates now occurs one week after first run.
• Win: You can now drop media files into the main window to quickly associate them with the transcript.
• Tips have been updated.
• Win: higher quality file and document icons are now used in several places.
• Win: Added accelerator keys to some dialogs for Windows users.
• Several minor bug fixes.

• The "ms_debug" debugging file no longer appears. Messages are now logged in a system-specific way; see the Troubleshooting page for details.
• Web pages linked to from the Help menu now exist.
• Added a "Check for Updates" menu item to make it more obvious how to do this. (InqScribe normally checks once a week unless you disable it.)
• We now provide more precise startup messages for unlicensed users and evaluation license users.
• InqScribe will offer to access documentation online if local copies can't be found.
• License management is easier now; there is a new Registration Status window for managing one or more licenses.
• On Windows, menu items and window controls have been tweaked to better conform to Windows standards.
• Subtitling now works on Windows.
• There are now new settings in the Export Subtitled... dialog, allowing for much better control over placement and appearance of subtitles.
• General dialog look and feel has been cleaned up a bit.
• Several bugs and inconsistencies have been fixed.

• Beta expiration no longer triggers prematurely for certain international date formats.

• First public beta release.
• Extends the beta software expiration date beyond March 31. (The 1.0 release will not have an expiration date.)
• Complete documentation and better links to online support from withiin the application itself.
• We've debuted the InqScribe web site at www.inqscribe.com.
• Improved feedback when loading media files, particularly if an error occurs.
• Better support for finding defined media files when InqScribe documents are shared between Mac and Windows users.
• "Save changes before quitting" dialog now does what it's supposed to do.
• Mac users can now hold down option when selecting File > Open... to try to open any file. (This allows Mac users to open files with very long file names that have been created by Windows users.)