12_Modifying Annotations: merging, splitting and time modification (part 1)

This blogpost will cover the modification of annotations - merging, splitting and time modification 

The modification menu provides several options to modify already annotated time intervals. To view the modification menu, activate the desired annotation and right click. The functions of the modification tool covered in this blogpost include merging, splitting and modifying the time of annotations. 

 Figure 1: Image depicting the modification menu 

Merging annotation 

It is possible to merge two annotation into one. 

To do so, select the first annotation of the two you want to merge. Then either right click in the Timeline Viewer or click Annotation in the ELAN main menu and select Merge with Next Annotation. The resulting annotation starts where the first had started and it ends where the second had ended. It is also possible to merge with the annotation before the selected annotation. It works in the same way as "Merge with next annotation. To do so select Merge with Annotation Before instead of "Merge with next annotation" in the above mentioned options.

Figure 2: Image depicting a merged annotation 

Splitting annotations 

It is possible to merge two annotations into one. 

To split  an annotation exactly in the center, select the annotation, right click and select Split Annotation. This will split the annotation exactly in the center and both the annotations will have the same values.

To split an annotation at a specific point, select a annotation, position the crosshair at the point of split, right click on that point where you want to split the annotation, and select Split Annotation. This will split the annotation at the point where the right click is made.

Figure 3: Image depicting a split annotation 

Modify timing of annotation 

It is possible to move the annotation to a new location and also change the boundaries (i.e., timestamp) of an existing annotation. There are two way to do this using the keyboard or the mouse:

Keyboard

In the first method, click on an annotation to activate it > select the region you want the modified annotation to be place (using the keyboard shortcuts) > right click on the original active annotation > and select 'modify annotation time' (the first option) or press ctrl+enter. Now the length of the annotation becomes that of the selection from the second step (see figure 4)

Figure 4: Image depicting an annotation being modified in time (keyboard)

Mouse 

In the second method, the annotation can be adjusted with the mouse. To adjust the annotation as it is (without adjusting the boundaries), click on annotation to activate it, whilst also pressing ALT at the same time. A symbol will appear and using this, the annotation can be adjusted from left to right (the annotation will turn green). Note, the 'ALT' key must be continually held down until you click off the annotation, after adjustment. 

Similarly, to adjust the boundaries of the annotation using the mouse, click on the annotation to activate it, whilst also pressing ALT at the same time. Next, position your mouse to the left or right boundary of the annotation. A sizing symbol will appear and using this, the boundaries of the annotation can be adjusted from left to right (the annotation will turn green). The 'ALT' key must be continually held down until you click off the annotation, after adjustment. 

Figure 5: Image depicting an annotation being modified in time (mouse)