1. Getting Started
iPad / Mac App
- Download from the App Store.
- Choose Import Local Video for a file on your device, or choose Web Service to open a web video service.
- The selected video opens with playback controls, bookmarks, loop tools, and notes in the study workspace.
- Optionally sign in to Cloud Sync to receive your latest bookmarks automatically.
2. Interface Overview
Workspace Areas
| Area | Description |
|---|---|
| Video Player | Plays local files or supported web video pages opened from Web Service. |
| Study Panel | Playback controls, A-B Loop, markers, notes, and tag groups. |
| Library | Saved videos, playlists, and study sessions in one place. |
| Cloud Sync | Account sign-in, snapshot restore, backup, and sync status. |
Status Indicators
- Home - No active study source is open.
- Playlist Mode - A group playlist is playing sequentially.
- Cloud status - Sync panels show whether sign-in, upload, restore, or merge is in progress.
3. Playback Controls
| Button | Action |
|---|---|
| ⏮ Restart | Jump to the beginning |
| ⏪ -10s | Rewind 10 seconds |
| ⏯ Play/Pause | Toggle playback |
| ⏩ +10s | Fast-forward 10 seconds |
Playback Speed
Drag the speed slider (0.25x - 3.0x) or use preset buttons: 0.5x 1.0x 1.5x 2.0x.
Keyboard: Shift+, to decrease and Shift+. to increase by 0.05x.
4. A-B Loop Practice
Repeat any video segment - perfect for music practice, language shadowing, or focused study.
Steps
- Set Point A - Play to your target position and press [ or click "Set A".
- Set Point B - Continue playing and press ] or click "Set B".
- Enable Loop - Press Shift+] to toggle the loop.
- Jump to A - Press Shift+[ to return instantly to the start.
- Fine-tune - Edit timestamps directly in the input fields (
mm:ss). - Clear - Click the clear button to reset both points.
5. Timeline Markers
Drop timestamped markers anywhere on a video and jump back with one click.
| Action | How |
|---|---|
| Add a marker | Press A or click "+ Add Marker" |
| Restart segment | Press R |
| Follow playback | Toggle "Follow" switch or press S |
| Browse markers | ↑ / ↓ |
Marker Groups
Create separate groups for different learning contexts (e.g. Default, Vocabulary, Grammar). Each group is completely independent.
Import / Export
Back up all markers to a JSON file via the export icon. Restore anytime by importing the same file.
6. Library & Playlists
Saving a Video
Click the Save button to save the current video with its A-B points and all markers to your Library.
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Batch management | Enter edit mode to bulk-delete or move videos between groups. |
| Index sorting | Type an index number to precisely reorder videos in a group. |
| Clone Session | Duplicate the current session for an independent variation of the same video. |
| Set as Default | This session auto-loads next time you open the video. |
Group Playlist Mode
- Go to Library, select a group, and click Play Group.
- The player enters Playlist Mode with a banner and Prev/Next buttons.
- Videos play sequentially and transition automatically.
- Use Alt+[ / Alt+] to switch manually.
7. Cloud Sync
Sign In
- Open the Cloud Sync panel from the app toolbar.
- Enter your email and click "Send 6-Digit Code".
- Enter the code and click "Verify" to complete sign-in.
- Use the same credentials on iPad and Mac to keep your study data linked.
Automatic Sync Flow
| Trigger | Action |
|---|---|
| App launches | Downloads latest cloud data and smart-merges with local. |
| Switching back to CueRack | Automatically merges again when the app returns to the foreground. |
| 5 s after your last change | Silently uploads the snapshot (debounced). |
Manual Sync
- Open Cloud Sync and review the current account and snapshot status.
- Click Restore to overwrite local with the cloud snapshot.
- Or click Merge to intelligently combine both (recommended).
8. iPad / Mac App Guide
| Orientation | Layout |
|---|---|
| Landscape | Video player on the left, controls on the right. Drag the divider to resize. |
| Portrait | Player on top, controls at the bottom. Drag the handle bar to resize. |
Key Actions
- Home - Return to the neutral video source picker.
- Import Local Video - Open a video file from your device.
- Web Service - Choose a web video website or enter a video URL. This is not limited to a single service.
- Save - Save the video with all markers and A-B settings.
- Library button - Browse all saved videos and playlists.
- Cloud Sync panel - Manage your cloud account and sync state.
- ? Help - View keyboard shortcuts and sync mechanism summary.
9. Hints for Smoother Study Sessions
When opening a Web Service
Allow the page a moment to load before using playback controls. If a sign-in page or unsupported navigation appears, use the message on screen to sign in, retry, or return Home.
Keep the controls out of the way
Resize the study panel for the current layout. On iPad, drag the divider or handle; on Mac, use the horizontal controls and the panel collapse button when you need more video space.
Use A-B Loop for focused practice
Set Point A and Point B around the exact passage you want to repeat. You can pause between setting the two points and fine-tune either timestamp afterward.
Return to the active Playlist
When a Playlist is playing, open Library to return to the current Playlist and continue with its controls. Use the playback panel for pause, stop, previous, and next actions.
10. Keyboard Shortcuts
Playback
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| Space / K | Play / Pause |
| J | Rewind 10s |
| L | Forward 10s |
| ← / → | Seek +/-5s |
| , / . | Frame Back / Forward (+/-0.05s) |
| 0-9 | Jump to 0%-90% |
Speed
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| Shift+, | Speed -0.05x |
| Shift+. | Speed +0.05x |
A-B Loop
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| [ | Set Point A |
| ] | Set Point B |
| Shift+[ | Jump to Point A |
| Shift+] | Toggle A-B Loop |
Markers & Navigation
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| A | Add Marker at current time |
| S | Toggle Follow Playback |
| R | Restart current segment |
| ↑ / ↓ | Jump to previous / next marker |
| Alt+[ | Previous video (Playlist mode) |
| Alt+] | Next video (Playlist mode) |
11. FAQ
Controls stopped working after switching tabs?
Return Home and reopen the local video or Web Service entry if needed. If the issue happens after the app returns from the background, pause and play once to re-establish the web player state.
Cloud data isn't updating?
Open Cloud Sync and click Merge. You can also switch to another app and switch back - sync runs automatically when CueRack returns to the foreground.
Accidentally deleted important markers?
Import your JSON backup if available. With Cloud Sync enabled, go to Cloud Snapshots > Restore to recover a previous version.
How to sync between iPad and Mac?
Sign in with the same Supabase account on each device. Your profile snapshots are available wherever you use CueRack.