search-in-subs is a Bash script that allows you to search for text in SRT subtitle files and gather statistics on the searches it performs.
Starting with the version 0.2.0, search-in-subs can also play its search results in mpv.
Video tutorials:
| v0.2.0: play search results in mpv | v0.1.0: general features overview |
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| 0.4.0 | 2026-02-11 |
mpv EDL generation: eliminated the need for generating multiple EDL files. Only a single EDL file and a chapters file are now generated. The
Cleaned up subtitle output: all tags that cannot be converted to ANSI escape sequences are now removed (e.g.
Added Simplified saving of EDL files:
Made |
search-in-subs requires that mpv, ffmpeg and lua (v5.4) be installed to use mpv EDL generation functionality.
On Debian, run sudo apt install mpv ffmpeg lua5.4 to install these dependencies.
lua 5.4 is the version of lua that search-in-subs was tested with. search-in-subs first checks PATH for a binary called lua5.4, and if that is not available, it uses lua as a fallback binary name.
If bat is installed, it will be used to pretty-print the preview of a generated configuration file when using --config.
On Debian, run sudo apt install bat to install it.
Note that on Debian, bat's executable is called batcat instead of bat.
search-in-subs was written and tested on Debian 12, and takes advantage of standard utilities that come with the system. In order to run search-in-subs on other systems, make sure that the following are installed and available on system's PATH:
- Bash >= 5.2.15
- Enhanced getopt
- GNU coreutils
- GNU sed
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Clone this repository to a directory of your choice (e.g.
~/repos):cd ~/repos git clone https://github.com/linguisticmind/search-in-subs.git
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Symlink or copy the script file to a directory on your
PATH(e.g.~/bin):cd ~/bin # To symlink: ln -sv ../repos/search-in-subs/search-in-subs # To copy: cp -av ../repos/search-in-subs/search-in-subs .
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(OPTIONAL) Symlink or copy the man page to a directory on your
MANPATH(e.g.~/man):cd ~/man/man1 # The `man` directory should contain subdirectories for different manual sections: `man1`, `man2` etc. # To symlink: ln -sv ../../repos/search-in-subs/man/man1/search-in-subs.1 # To copy: cp -av ../../repos/search-in-subs/man/man1/search-in-subs.1 .
A copy of the manual page is also included in this README file.
SEARCH-IN-SUBS(1) General Commands Manual SEARCH-IN-SUBS(1)
NAME
search-in-subs - search for words in subtitle files
SYNOPSIS
search-in-subs [<options>] -t <search_term> ... [<file|dir> ...]
DESCRIPTION
search-in-subs allows the user to search for text in SRT subtitle files.
At least one search term must be specified to run a search (see
-t, --search-term). If no <file|dir> argument is given, a glob pattern
set with the conf_default_glob option is used to match subtitle files.
If a <file|dir> argument is a directory, files matching the default glob
pattern in that directory are added to the search.
The default value of conf_default_glob is '*.srt', which matches all
files with the '.srt' extension in the current working directory. That
value can be changed to any other glob pattern in the configuration file
(see CONFIGURATION and FILES below).
Shell options 'nullglob', 'extglob' and 'globstar' are enabled inter‐
nally in search-in-subs, so shell globbing can be used to its full ca‐
pacity when setting conf_default_glob. For example, to match all '.srt'
files in the current working directory recursively, including all of its
subdirectories, one could set conf_default_glob to '**/*.srt'.
search-in-subs can also gather statistics on searches that it runs. Try
running a search with the -s, --stats option set. For more information,
see STATISTICS below.
mpv EDL generation
search-in-subs can generate EDL files for mpv player, and play the
search results using it. To use this functionality, mpv, ffmpeg and
lua (v5.4) must be installed and available on system's PATH.
In order to generate the EDL files, a video or audio file must exist in
the same directory as the subtitle file(s) on which the search is per‐
formed. The video or audio file must have the same name as the subtitle
file, minus the '.srt' extension, and potentially additional extensions
containing language codes or other information, e.g. '.en.srt'. Any num‐
ber of additional extensions is allowed. If both video and audio files
are found, video files take precedence. If multiple video or audio files
are found, the first one will be chosen for use in the generated EDL
files.
See --edl-* options below for more information.
More information on mpv EDL format can be found at <https://github.com/
mpv-player/mpv/blob/master/DOCS/edl-mpv.rst>.
OPTIONS
Passing arguments to options
Enhanced getopt syntax applies when passing options. There is one impor‐
tant point to highlight when it comes to passing options with required
vs optional arguments.
In case of a short option, if an option takes a required argument, the
argument may be written as a separate parameter, or directly after the
option character. If an option takes an optional argument, however, the
argument must be written directly after the option character.
In case of a long option, if an option takes a required argument, the
argument may be written as a separate parameter, or directly after the
option name, separated by an equals sign ('='). If an option takes an
optional argument, however, the argument must be written directly after
the option name, separated by an equals sign ('=').
Short option Long option
Required argument -o <value> --option <value>
-o<value> --option=<value>
Optional argument -o[<value>] --option[=<value>]
Options that take optional arguments can be recognized in the options
list below by their <value> and the preceding equals sign being enclosed
in square brackets:
-o, --option[=<value>]
General
-t, --search-term=<search_term>
Text to search for. Can be a fixed string or a regular expression
depending on the -r, --regex / -R, --no-regex options.
At least one search term must be given to perform a search. Set‐
ting this option multiple times sets multiple search terms.
-v, --verbose
Print the filename even if there were no matches found in that
file.
-V, --no-verbose
Print filenames only for files that had matches. This is the de‐
fault.
-i, --inverse
Only print the names of the files where no matches were found.
-I, --no-inverse
Do not supress printing of matches and names of the files where
matches were found. This is the default.
-j, --filenames-only
Suppress printing of matched subtitles. Only print the name of
the file where matches were found.
-J, --no-filenames-only
Do not supress printing of matched subtitles. This is the de‐
fault.
-q, --quiet
Do not print any matches or filenames. Useful, for example, if
one only wishes to see the statistics or the exit status.
-Q, --no-quiet
Do not suppress printing of matches or filenames. This is the de‐
fault.
-r, --regex
Use regular expressions instead of fixed strings in
<search_term>s.
The regular expressions used are POSIX Extended Regular Expres‐
sions as implemented in GNU sed. More information on can be found
at <https://www.gnu.org/software/sed/manual/
sed.html#sed-regular-expressions>.
-R, --no-regex
Use fixed strings instead of regular expressions in
<search_term>s. This is the default.
-c, --match-case
Make the search case-sensitive.
-C, --no-match-case
Make the search case-insensitive. This is the default.
-e, --exact-whitespace
Match whitespace characters exactly as specified in the
<search_term>.
-E, --no-exact-whitespace
Treat all whitespace characters the same during search - ignoring
the type of whitespace character, and how many of them appear in
a sequence. This is the default.
Whitespace characters are: space, newline, carriage return, hori‐
zontal tab, vertical tab and form feed (POSIX Extended Regular
Expressions '[:space:]' character class).
Statistics
-s, --stats
Show match statistics after search.
See STATISTICS below for more information.
-S, --no-stats
Do not show match statistics after search. This is the default.
-h, --stats-headers
Show headers in the statistics table. This is the default.
-H, --stats-no-headers
Do not show headers in the statistics table.
-m, --stats-headers-compact
Compactify headers in the statistics table.
-M, --stats-headers-no-compact
Do not compactify headers in the statistics table. This is the
default.
-n, --stats-headers-file-numbers
Show file numbers in the headers of the statistics table. This is
the default.
-N, --stats-headers-no-file-numbers
Do not show file numbers in the headers of the statistics table.
-w, --stats-wrap-filenames
Wrap filenames in the statistics table. This is the default.
The table always fits the width of the terminal screen, but file‐
names may be printed on multiple lines.
-W, --stats-no-wrap-filenames
Do not wrap filenames in the statistics table.
Files are always printed one per row, regardless of whether the
table fits the width of the terminal screen.
mpv EDL generation
-p, --edl-play
Play search results in mpv.
Unless -f, --edl-save-files-relative or
-F, --edl-save-files-absolute is used together with this option,
temporary EDL files are generated and saved in the cache direc‐
tory (see FILES for more information). The
-k, --edl-keep-temporary and -K, --edl-no-keep-temporary options
control whether or the temporary EDL files are deleted or kept
after mpv player closes.
If -f, --edl-save-files-relative or -F, --edl-save-files-absolute
is used together with -p, --edl-play, then temporary files are
not generated and the saved EDL files are played.
-P, --edl-no-play
Do not play search results in mpv. This is the default.
-k, --edl-play-keep-temporary
Keep temporary EDL files that are created to play search results
in mpv.
-K, --edl-play-no-keep-temporary
Do not keep temporary EDL files that are created to play search
results in mpv. This is the default.
The temporary files are deleted right after mpv player closes.
-b, --edl-play-before=<value>
Add a specified amount of time before each segment when generat‐
ing EDL files. <value> is in seconds. Precise values with a deci‐
mal separator are allowed. The default <value> is 0.
-a, --edl-play-after=<value>
Add a specified amount of time after each segment when generating
EDL files. <value> is in seconds. Precise values with a decimal
separator are allowed. The default <value> is 0.
-f, --edl-save=<path>
Save EDL files to a specified location instead of generating tem‐
porary ones.
--edl-save-paths=<value>
What kind of paths to use in saved EDL files to refer to source
files.
relative
Use relative paths. This is the default.
absolute
Use absolute paths.
-d, --edl-save-mkdir
Create the EDL save directory (the <path> value of
--edl-save-files-* options) if it does not exist.
-D, --edl-save-no-mkdir
Do not create the EDL save directory (the <path> value of
--edl-save-files-* options) if it does not exist. This is the de‐
fault.
-y, --edl-save-overwrite
Allow overwriting existing files when saving EDL files.
-Y, --edl-save-no-overwrite
Do not allow overwriting existing files when saving EDL files.
This is the default.
-o, --edl-ignore-missing
Omit segments with missing videos when generating EDL files. This
is the default.
If set, a warning message is shown listing subtitle files for
which no corresponding video file could be identified, but EDL
files are still generated if at least one relevant video file was
able to be found.
-O, --edl-no-ignore-missing
Do not omit segments with missing videos when generating EDL
files.
If set, an error message is shown listing subtitle files for
which no corresponding video file could be identified, In this
case, no EDL files are generated, and search-in-subs exits with
exit status 3.
--mpv-opts=[:[:]]<opts>
Options to mpv player.
<opts> is an option string that follows xargs quoting. It can be
preceded by a single colon, double colon, or nothing.
The leading colons control whether <opts> get appended to previ‐
ously set options, or replace them.
The phrase 'previously set options' refers to either the default
value of <opts> set by search-in-subs itself (''), or a value set
in the configuration file.
When a single colon (':') is used, <opts> replace the previously
set options.
When a double colon ('::') is used, <opts> are appended to the
previously set options.
When the leading colons are omitted, whether <opts> replace the
previously set options, or are appended to them is determined by
an *additonal* value that is yet again set either by search-in-
subs itself (append), or in the configuration file.
The name of the variable that controls this has the following
format: optdata__<opt_name>__<optdata_name> where <opt_name> is
the name of the option, and <optdata_name> is the name of the
piece of option data that the variable holds. In this case
<optdata_name> is 'append'. So if the option's variable is called
opt_mpv_opts, then the variable that controls what happens when
the leading colons are omitted is called
optdata__mpv_opts__append.
Other
--color[={always|auto|never}]
Colorize the output. The default value is 'auto'.
always Always colorize.
[auto] Colorize if stdout is connected to a terminal.
never Never colorize.
--no-color
Disable colorization of the output. Equivalent to -c, --color set
to 'never'.
--help Open the man page.
--version
Print version information.
--config[={auto|edit|generate|remove|none}]
Perform an action on the configuration file. See also CONFIGURA‐
TION and FILES below.
[auto] Generate a configuration file if it does not exist. If
it does, open it in a text editor.
edit Open an existing configuration file in a text editor.
generate Generate a new configuration file.
remove Delete an existing configuration file. If the configura‐
tion directory doesn't have any other files, it is also
deleted.
none Do not use the configuration file. Use the program in
its default configuration.
--no-config
Do not use the configuration file. Use the program in its default
configuration. Equivalent to --config set to 'none'.
CONFIGURATION
This is how command line options and configuration variables correspond
to each other. The command line option on the left sets the variable(s)
on the right internally.
Special symbols in the right column:
- This option is non-configurable.
" This option sets the same variable(s) as the one above.
-t, --search-term=<value> opt_search_term
-v, --verbose opt_verbose
-V, --no-verbose "
-i, --inverse opt_inverse
-I, --no-inverse "
-j, --filenames-only opt_filenames_only
-J, --no-filenames-only "
-q, --quiet opt_quiet
-Q, --no-quiet "
-r, --regex opt_regex
-R, --no-regex "
-c, --match-case opt_match_case
-C, --no-match-case "
-e, --exact-whitespace opt_exact_whitespace
-E, --no-exact-whitespace "
-s, --stats opt_stats
-S, --no-stats "
-h, --stats-headers opt_stats_headers
-H, --stats-no-headers "
-m, --stats-headers-compact opt_stats_headers_compact
-M, --stats-headers-no-compact "
-n, --stats-headers-file-numbers opt_stats_headers_file_numbers
-N, --stats-headers-no-file-numbers "
-w, --stats-wrap-filenames opt_stats_wrap_filenames
-W, --stats-no-wrap-filenames "
-p, --edl-play opt_edl_play
-P, --edl-no-play "
-k, --edl-play-keep-temporary opt_edl_play_keep_temporary
-K, --edl-play-no-keep-temporary "
-b, --edl-play-before=<value> opt_edl_play_before
-a, --edl-play-after=<value> opt_edl_play_after
-f, --edl-save=<value> opt_edl_save
--edl-save-paths=<value> opt_edl_save_paths
-d, --edl-save-mkdir opt_edl_save_mkdir
-D, --edl-save-no-mkdir "
-y, --edl-save-overwrite opt_edl_save_overwrite
-Y, --edl-save-no-overwrite "
-o, --edl-ignore-missing opt_edl_ignore_missing
-O, --edl-no-ignore-missing "
--mpv-opts=<value> opt_mpv_opts
optdata__mpv_opts__append
--color[=<value>] opt_color
--no-color "
--help -
--version -
--config[=<value>] -
Configuration file-only parameters
conf_default_glob
A shell glob pattern to use when no <file|dir> arguments are
specified, or when a <file|dir> argument is a directory. The de‐
fault is '*.srt'.
Shell options 'nullglob', 'extglob' and 'globstar' are enabled
internally in search-in-subs, thus the default glob pattern is
sensitive to those options.
conf_edl_default_name
The default name for a generated EDL file. The default value is
'search_results'.
conf_chapter_title
A generated EDL's chapter title. The value is a string with
placeholders. See also PLACEHOLDER FORMAT.
If set to an empty string (''), the result is equivalent to using
the value of '%{text_abbr}', but with a slight performance in‐
crease. The default value is ''.
The following placeholders are supported:
%{file_base}
Base name of the video file.
%{file_edl}
Path to the video file as it appears in the generated EDL.
%{file_rel}
Path to the video file relative to the current working di‐
rectory.
%{file_abs}
Absolute path to the video file.
%{n} Subtitle number as it appears in the SRT file.
%{timecodes_raw}
Timecodes as they appear in the SRT file.
%{timecode_start}
Opening timecode in the mpv format.
%{timecode_start_raw}
Opening timecode as it appears in the SRT file.
%{timecode_end}
Closing timecode in the mpv format.
%{timecode_end_raw}
Closing timecode as it appears in the SRT file.
%{text_tall}
Subtitle text as it appears in the SRT file. Formatting
tags such as <i></i> are removed.
%{text_long}
Like %{text_tall}, but with newlines replaced with spaces.
%{text_abbr}
Like %{text_tall}, but only showing the first line of the
subtitle.
EXIT STATUS
0 Success. No errors have occurred, and at least one match was
found.
1 A general error has occurred.
2 No matches were found.
3 EDL generation failed. Can only occur if
-O, --edl-no-ignore-missing is set.
ENVIRONMENT
The values of VISUAL and EDITOR environment variables determine the text
editor when opening configuration files with --config.
VISUAL is evaluated first. If that is not set, then EDITOR is evaluated.
If neither is set, nano is used as the text editor.
FILES
A configuration file can be used to change the default behavior of
search-in-subs.
The configuration file's location is "$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/search-in-subs/
config.bash". If "XDG_CONFIG_HOME" is not set, it defaults to "$HOME/
.config".
Temporary EDL files that are generated when using the -p, --edl-play op‐
tion are stored in a cache directory.
The cache directory's location is "$XDG_CACHE_HOME/search-in-subs". If
"XDG_CACHE_HOME" is not set, it defaults to "$HOME/.cache".
STATISTICS
If the -s, --stats option is enabled, search-in-subs gathers statistics
on the search that it performs and displays those statistics in a table
at the end of the output.
The 'Matched', 'Total', 'Unmatched' and 'Matched %' columns of that ta‐
ble contain the following data:
In the file rows:
Matched Number of subtitles in the file that had matches.
Total Total number of subtitles in the file.
Unmatched Number of subtitles in the file that did not have matches.
Matched % Percentage of subtitles in the file that had matches.
In the 'Average' row:
Matched Average number of subtitles per file that had matches.
Total Average number of subtitles per file.
Unmatched Average number of subtitles per file that did not have matches.
Matched % Average percentage of subtitles per file that had matches.
In the 'Total' row:
Matched Total number of subtitles in all files that had matches.
Total Total number of subtitles in all files.
Unmatched Total number of subtitles in all files that did not have matches.
Matched % Total percentage of subtitles in all files that had matches.
In the 'File' column of the 'Total' row, information is presented in the
following format:
<Matched> / <Total> (<Unmatched>) <Matched %>
Where the placeholder values represent the following:
<Matched> Total number of files that had matches.
<Total> Total number of files.
<Unmatched> Total number of files that did not have matches.
<Matched %> Percentage of files that had matches.
PLACEHOLDER FORMAT
(1) %<name>
or
(2) %{<name>:-<fallback>:+<override>}
:-<fallback> and :+<override> are optional and may go in any or‐
der.
<name> is a placeholder name.
<fallback> and <override> are also strings with placeholders just like
the entire string.
<fallback> is substituted if the replacement value is unavailable.
<override> is substituted instead of the replacement value allowing to,
for instance, insert extra characters next to it.
In strings with placeholders, '\', '%', '{', ':', and '}' are special
characters. They can be escaped with backslashes ('\') to represent
their literal values.
AUTHOR
Alex Rogers <https://github.com/linguisticmind>
HOMEPAGE
<https://github.com/linguisticmind/search-in-subs>
COPYRIGHT
Copyright © 2025 Alex Rogers. License GPLv3+: GNU GPL version 3 or later
<https://gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html>.
This is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it. There
is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.
SEARCH-IN-SUBS 0.4.0 2026-02-11 SEARCH-IN-SUBS(1)
