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[Script Info]
Title: 10
Original Script: 10
ScriptType: v4.00+
PlayResX: 384
PlayResY: 288
ScaledBorderAndShadow: yes
YCbCr Matrix: None

[V4+ Styles]
Format: Name, Fontname, Fontsize, PrimaryColour, SecondaryColour, OutlineColour, BackColour, Bold, Italic, Underline, StrikeOut, ScaleX, ScaleY, Spacing, Angle, BorderStyle, Outline, Shadow, Alignment, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, Encoding
Style: Default,Arial,16,&H00FFFFFF,&H00FFFFFF,&H80000000,&H80000000,0,0,0,0,100,100,0,0,1,1,0,2,10,10,10,1

[Events]
Format: Layer, Start, End, Style, Name, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, Effect, Text
Dialogue: 0,00:00:00.76,00:00:04.07,Default,,0,0,0,,Organic molecules discovered in an ancient galaxy.
Dialogue: 0,00:00:04.07,00:00:07.16,Default,,0,0,0,,How far are we from third contact?
Dialogue: 0,00:00:07.16,00:00:20.12,Default,,0,0,0,,It's been a year since Webb officially began its imaging mission, and many previously unphotographable images have recently been sent back. In early June, astronomers published this photo in the journal Nature.
Dialogue: 0,00:00:20.12,00:00:28.36,Default,,0,0,0,,A ring of orange light encircles a blue core. This is a galaxy-scale donut, a portal.
Dialogue: 0,00:00:28.36,00:00:43.91,Default,,0,0,0,,This is the birth ring of an alien civilization. Actually, it is an ancient galaxy containing organic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, its name is SPT0418-47. Because the name is long, we will refer to it as SPT0418 below.
Dialogue: 0,00:00:43.91,00:00:45.92,Default,,0,0,0,,Doesn't seem much shorter.

Welcome to the powerful world of ASS subtitles! Unlike SRT subtitles, which only allow you to change the font and color, ASS (Advanced SubStation Alpha) lets you control every detail of your subtitles with designer-like precision. This guide will take you step-by-step to uncover its mysteries.

Part 1: Understanding Your ASS File ​

An .ass file is essentially a plain text file that you can open with any text editor (like Notepad, VS Code). Its content consists mainly of three parts:

  1. [Script Info]: The script information section. This contains the metadata of the subtitle, such as the title, original resolution (PlayResX and PlayResY), etc. For beginners, the most important thing to pay attention to is PlayResX/Y, which defines the size of the "virtual canvas" for subtitle layout.

  2. [V4+ Styles]: The style definition section. This is the core of our learning today! It defines preset templates for all subtitle "appearances."

  3. [Events]: The events section. This is the actual content of the subtitles, and each line of "Dialogue" contains the subtitle's appearance time, end time, content, and the style name it applies.

Core Logic: We define various styles (such as "dialogue style", "note style") in the [V4+ Styles] section, and then specify which style to use for each subtitle line in the [Events] section.

Part 2: Unveiling the Core - [V4+ Styles] Explained ​

In the style section, you'll see two key lines of information: Format: and Style:.

  • Format: line: This is the header row, which defines the order of each parameter in the Style: rows below.
  • Style: line: This is the data row, containing all the parameter values for a specific style.

Below, we will analyze the most important parameters in the Style: line one by one:

Parameter NameExplanationExample and Notes
NameStyle NameDefault, Note. A clear name for calling in the [Events] section.
FontnameFont NameArial, SimHei. Note: The viewer's computer must have the font installed for it to display correctly.
FontsizeFont Size28, 50.
PrimaryColourPrimary ColorCore Parameter. The color of the text itself.
SecondaryColourSecondary ColorMainly used for Karaoke effects, the color of the sung parts of the text.
OutlineColourOutline ColorCore Parameter. The color of the text's outline and shadow.
BackColourBackground ColorCore Parameter. The background color of the box when BorderStyle=3.
BoldBold0 for No, -1 for Yes.
ItalicItalic0 for No, -1 for Yes.
OutlineOutline WidthCore Parameter. The width of the outline in pixels. 0 means no outline.
ShadowShadow DistanceCore Parameter. The distance between the shadow and the text, in pixels. 0 means no shadow.
AlignmentAlignmentCore Parameter. Uses the numeric keypad layout to define the position. Very important!
MarginL, MarginRLeft and Right MarginThe minimum distance between the subtitle and the left and right edges of the screen.
MarginVVertical MarginThe minimum distance between the subtitle and the top and bottom edges of the screen.
Deep Understanding of Key Parameters ​

  • Color Format (Colour) The ASS color format is &H<AA><BB><GG><RR>, the order is Transparency-Blue-Green-Red, all in hexadecimal.

    • AA (Alpha/Transparency): 00 = Completely opaque, FF = Completely transparent. 80 is about 50% semi-transparent.
    • Examples:
      • &H00FFFFFF: Pure white (opaque)
      • &H00000000: Pure black (opaque)
      • &H000000FF: Pure red (opaque)
      • &H80000000: Semi-transparent black

  • Alignment (Alignment) It uses the numeric keypad to control the subtitle's position in a 3x3 grid on the screen:

    7 (Top Left)  8 (Top Center)  9 (Top Right)

4 (Middle Left)  5 (Middle Center)  6 (Middle Right)

1 (Bottom Left)  2 (Bottom Center)  3 (Bottom Right)

    2 is the most common bottom center. 8 is often used for top notes.

Part 3: The Soul - Deep Dive into BorderStyle ​

The BorderStyle parameter connects many of the above parameters and determines the final rendering mode.

BorderStyle = 1: Standard Outline (Most Common) ​
  • Meaning: Adds an outline and shadow to the text, with a transparent background.
  • How it works: Enables the OutlineColour, Outline, and Shadow parameters.
  • Use case: The default choice for all ordinary dialogue subtitles.
  • Configuration points:
    1. Set BorderStyle to 1.
    2. Set Outline > 0 (e.g. 2) to get an outline.
    3. Set Shadow > 0 (e.g. 1) to get a shadow.
    4. Define the color of the outline and shadow with OutlineColour.
BorderStyle = 3: Background Box Mode ​
  • Meaning: Adds a rectangular background box to the text, while disabling the outline.
  • How it works: Enables the BackColour parameter, but completely ignores the Outline parameter.
  • Use case: Karaoke, translator's notes, screen text that needs strong emphasis.
  • Configuration points:
    1. Set BorderStyle to 3.
    2. Define the color and transparency of the background box with BackColour.
    3. [Important] For maximum compatibility, set OutlineColour and BackColour to the exact same value!
BorderStyle = 4: Precise Positioning Mode (Advanced) ​
  • Meaning: A technical rule that ensures that the layout and positioning of the subtitles remain consistent on any screen.
  • How it works: Forces all coordinate and dimension calculations to be based on the PlayResX/Y defined in [Script Info].
  • Use case: Advanced effects subtitles (ASS FX), complex typesetting, vector drawing.
  • Configuration points:
    1. For effects that require precise positioning, set BorderStyle to 4.
    2. If you also need an outline effect, you can set it to 5 (1+4) to ensure compatibility across all renderers.

Part 4: Practical Exercises - "I want..." Configuration Recipes ​

Now, you can directly copy the following Style: line code and replace the styles in your file to achieve the desired effect.

Recipe 1: The Classic "White Text Black Outline" Dialogue Subtitle

  • Effect: White text, 2-pixel black outline, 1-pixel black shadow, bottom center.
  • Code:
    Style: Dialog-Classic,Arial,28,&H00FFFFFF,&H000000FF,&H00000000,&H00000000,0,0,0,0,100,100,0,0,1,2,1,2,10,10,10,1

Recipe 2: Semi-Transparent Black Background "Note Subtitle"

  • Effect: White text with a semi-transparent black background box, top center.
  • Code (Note that OutlineColour and BackColour are the same):
    Style: Note-Box,Arial,22,&H00FFFFFF,&H000000FF,&H80000000,&H80000000,0,0,0,0,100,100,0,0,3,1,0,8,10,10,10,1

Recipe 3: "Minimalist Subtitle" Without Any Borders or Shadows

  • Effect: Pure white text, without any decoration, bottom center.
  • Code:
    Style: Minimalist,Arial,28,&H00FFFFFF,&H000000FF,&H00000000,&H00000000,0,0,0,0,100,100,0,0,1,0,0,2,10,10,10,1
    (Just set Outline and Shadow to 0 in a BorderStyle=1 style)

Recipe 4: Basic Style for "Effect Subtitles" Requiring Precise Positioning

  • Effect: Same appearance as "White Text Black Outline", but with precise positioning mode enabled.
  • Code:
    Style: FX-Base,Arial,28,&H00FFFFFF,&H000000FF,&H00000000,&H00000000,0,0,0,0,100,100,0,0,5,2,1,2,10,10,10,1

Part 5: Final Reminders - Common Pitfalls and Best Practices ​

  1. Compatibility Pitfall of BorderStyle=3: Again, when using BorderStyle=3, be sure to set OutlineColour and BackColour to the same value, otherwise the color may be inconsistent on different players.
  2. Font Missing Issue: If your subtitle turns into SimSun font on someone else's computer, it is likely because they don't have the font you specified installed. Either choose a common font (such as Arial, SimHei), or package and share the font file together.
  3. Confusion with Color Codes: Remember that after &H is Transparency-Blue-Green-Red (AABBGGRR). Many online color pickers provide the RRGGBB format, so you need to manually swap the positions of B and R when using them.

At this point, you have mastered all the core knowledge of customizing ASS subtitle styles. Now, feel free to experiment and combine these parameters to create your own beautiful and easy-to-read subtitles!