Adjusting start times of all subtitles without affecting end times?

[fusefib]

Is there any simple method or feature to adjust the Start time of all subtitles to begin 200 milliseconds earlier, unless it results in overlap with the previous line's End time?

This operation would resemble the option Adjust durations -> Adjust via Seconds -> Add seconds 0.200, but here it would be with the specific goal of extending the Start time in a backward direction rather than the End time in a forward direction.

Thanks for any help!

[Purfview]

Add -200ms global delay, then add +200ms in Tools>Adjust duration.

[fusefib]

Thanks for answering (and for whisper-faster!). Your operation's effect wouldn't be equivalent, as the intent is

• keeping the end times intact, and
• not eating into the previous line's (preexisting) end timing when extending backwards.

The first step with the global adjustment ignores this because there isn't a "wall" to hit. I'll show an example:

Original:

205
00:08:09,080 --> 00:08:11,066
{\an1}OR A COUPLE OF CARS. / 1.986, 0.024 to next

206
00:08:11,090 --> 00:08:12,610
{\an1}THEY ALSO SAID / 1.520, 0.480 to next
THAT EARLY THIS MORNING,

207
00:08:13,090 --> 00:08:14,250
{\an1}THEY HAD A REPORT / 1.160, 0.380 to next
ABOUT A HEAP

208
00:08:14,590 --> 00:08:16,066
{\an1}THAT FIT THE DESCRIPTION / 1.476, [0.024 to next]
OF PAUL'S

Desired effect with manual changes:

205
00:08:09,080 --> 00:08:11,066
{\an1}OR A COUPLE OF CARS. / 1.986, 0.024 to next

206
00:08:11,090 --> 00:08:12,610
{\an1}THEY ALSO SAID / 1.520, 0.080 to next
THAT EARLY THIS MORNING,

207
00:08:12,690 --> 00:08:14,250
{\an1}THEY HAD A REPORT / 1.560, 0.024 to next
ABOUT A HEAP

208
00:08:14,274 --> 00:08:16,066
{\an1}THAT FIT THE DESCRIPTION / 1.792, [0.024 to next]
OF PAUL'S

Your operation:

205
00:08:08,680 --> 00:08:10,666
{\an1}OR A COUPLE OF CARS. / 1.986, 0.024 to next

206
00:08:10,690 --> 00:08:12,610
{\an1}THEY ALSO SAID / 1.920, 0.080 to next
THAT EARLY THIS MORNING,

207
00:08:12,690 --> 00:08:14,166
{\an1}THEY HAD A REPORT / 1.476, 0.024 to next
ABOUT A HEAP

208
00:08:14,190 --> 00:08:15,666
{\an1}THAT FIT THE DESCRIPTION / 1.476, [0.024 to next]
OF PAUL'S

[Purfview]

Your operation's effect wouldn't be equivalent

Yes, exact function like you described doesn't exist in SE, I just suggested something similar that maybe could fit your needs.

Anyway, your "Your operation" example doesn't look like something I described in my post.

[fusefib]

Thanks, I'll mark that as the answer - one can't easily do that for now.

Apologies, I used 400ms in the example and overlooked specifying that.

[oep42]

Here I suggested to add an option to "Adjust durations" to make each subtitle start earlier. I suggested exactly the same as what has been asked here (although it was in the context of "Batch Convert").

I hope that Nikolaj will consider to add such an option to "Adjust durations".

[fusefib]

Yes, it would be handy, though I'd rather not have it (only) in Batch Convert. On my end, I'll probably address it with a python script once I have some time to devote to the matter. You can probably even ask ChatGPT for one as it's not fundamentally complicated.