Removing Language Selection and Aspect Ratio Menus v3.0

[2COOL]

HTML guide (http://home.tiscali.be/debie.roland/pgcedit/third_party/2cool/remove_language_aspect_ratio_menus/remove_language_and_aspect_ratio_menus_intro.htm) hosted by r0lZ.

mirror (http://www.videohelp.com/~r0lZ/pgcedit/third_party/2cool/remove_language_aspect_ratio_menus/remove_language_and_aspect_ratio_menus_intro.htm)

[jeanl]

2COOL, in your very excellent guide, you spend some time explaining how to find the aspect-selection menu. Why not use the trace function to do that, since it'll be one of the first ones to show? Or do you think it's too complicated to explain?
Jeanl

[2COOL]

Yes, that is another method but since I was lazy on trying to reuse as much of my previous version, I forgot about it quickly.

[DMagic1]

Excellent faster guide.

One tool does it all. :D

[2COOL]

@suncat

Are you working on a DVD with a Aspect Ratio menu (Fullscreen/Widescreen)? Step 11 is executed if both buttons in your menu are identical. You shouldn't have both jumping to the same title. That defeats the purpose. They should be jumping to different titles.

Read the last sentence in Step 10.

[suncat]

No - it is a language selection menu. I think step 10 explains it - sorry for the trouble.

[blutach]

Another real good guide 2 COOL.

One suggestion - as an optional extra step, users could totally remove the blanked V/C ID (15/1 in your guide) by stripping it in IfoEdit (it will now just be unreferenced material).

Regards

[2COOL]

Originally posted by blutach
it will now just be unreferenced material.

Regards
I know. I've other guides to update too.

[NobbyNobbs]

I have learned a lot trough your guides ( The Ifo Edit ones ), and find it great that you update/make new ones for the new tools we now have.
Just one request, is it possible to make printable versions ?
I find that having the guide on paper, and being able to leaf trough it a couple of times before starting to use it really have helped me to understand what I am supposed to be doing. :)

[2COOL]

Originally posted by NobbyNobbs
Just one request, is it possible to make printable versions ?
I find that having the guide on paper, and being able to leaf trough it a couple of times before starting to use it really have helped me to understand what I am supposed to be doing. :) Hmmm? Doesn't the "Show printable version" option at the bottom of each thread page help you out?

[NobbyNobbs]

That is what I have been using with the guides you have in this forum, but I have not seen that on your new HTML guides.

[CoNS]

Hiya 2COOL,

I'm stuck in your guide (v3.0) at page 2, step 11. I'm currently editing Shrek 2 PAL edition, where I want to remove a language selection menu at the beginning of the disc. The button commands are the same, they're both:
[20 04 00 00 00 00 00 05] LinkPGCN PGC 5But when I bring up the command editor in PgcEdit after pasting this command as a cell command, I don't have the "highlight button" option as shown in step 11 in your guide. What do I do?

EDIT: One more question: If I succeed in bypassing the menu in question, I'd like to prohibit the user from selecting the menu using the remote control. This would be a logical step 4 to your guide, after bypassing (step 2) and blanking (step 3) the menu.

My menu is the title menu of the disc (whereas the main menu is the root menu). I've found out how to add a Prohibited User Operation on the menu call to the title menu using PgcEdit, but only per title (double-clicking the title and entering the PGC Editor). I'd like to disable the user from selecting this menu via the remote control at any point in the disc. Can I set some sort of a global PUOP or how can I do this?

[2COOL]

Originally posted by CoNS
I'm stuck in your guide (v3.0) at page 2, step 11. I'm currently editing Shrek 2 PAL edition, where I want to remove a language selection menu at the beginning of the disc. The button commands are the same, they're both:
[20 04 00 00 00 00 00 05] LinkPGCN PGC 5But when I bring up the command editor in PgcEdit after pasting this command as a cell command, I don't have the "highlight button" option as shown in step 11 in your guide. What do I do?Sigh...I had a feeling I missed out on an important scenario. Anyways, here's a workaround on your cell command. Go to Alphabetically > SetHL_BTN. Set your button and LinkPGCN number

http://img186.exs.cx/img186/2371/image0030en.png

EDIT: One more question: If I succeed in bypassing the menu in question, I'd like to prohibit the user from selecting the menu using the remote control. This would be a logical step 4 to your guide, after bypassing (step 2) and blanking (step 3) the menu.

My menu is the title menu of the disc (whereas the main menu is the root menu). I've found out how to add a Prohibited User Operation on the menu call to the title menu using PgcEdit, but only per title (double-clicking the title and entering the PGC Editor). I'd like to disable the user from selecting this menu via the remote control at any point in the disc. Can I set some sort of a global PUOP or how can I do this? Don't know if this would work but you can right click on your Title VMGM, select "Set Menu Type", and select None.

[r0lZ]

Don't know if this would work but you can right click on your Title VMGM, select "Set Menu Type", and select None. Sure, it will work.
But you must replace all occurences of JumpSS-VMGM-menu and CallSS-VMGM-menu by JumpSS-VMGM-pgc and CallSS-VMGM-pgc, using the original PGC number of the old Title menu.

[CoNS]

@2COOL: Thanks a lot for your help. Swift and precise as always. I'll test it later today when I get home from work.

@r0lz: Thanks to you, too! :) Only, I'm not sure exactly how to do what you describe. I'm very much a nOOb when it comes to command editing. Could you go a bit more into detail?

Also, is there an automated or semi-automated way to do the replacing of those calls? Or do I have to browse through all PGCs manually?

[r0lZ]

The simplest way to disable the Title menu button is this method (Looks complicated, but if you are lucky, it's verry simple):[list=1]
Locate the Title menu you want to remove, and note his PGC number (the third number of the PGC label)
Right click on its label, and select "Set Menu Type". Select none, and OK.
In the lower part of the main window, type in "VMGM Title menu" (w/o the quotes) in the search field.
Select the First Play PGC (just to position the cursor on the first pre-command label of the DVD).
Press >>
If you find a JumpSS or a CallSS to the VMGM Title Menu, then double click on it, and select respectively the JumpSS-VMGM-PGC or CallSS-VMGM-pgc command in the menu of the command editor.
In the VMGM PGC field, type in the PGC number of the Title Menu you remembered in step 1.
Repeat steps 5 to 8 until the search string is not found anymore.
Just to be sure, repeat step 4 and 5.
Save.
You need still to be sure that there are no jumps to the Title menu in the menu buttons commands. Select Info -> Menu Button Commands.
In the Find field, type in "VMGM Title menu" and search the text with the < and > buttons.
If you find some occurences of the command, then you're unlucky. Note the VTSM number or the VMGM label, and the VOB ID and the Cell ID numbers, and the button number for all occurences.
Use MenuEdit to change the commands in the menus. The VTSM number is the number of the menu VTS you have to open in MenuEdit (or open VIDEO_TS.VOB if it was VMGM) Then select the VOB and Cell ID, and click twice on the button. Click on "edit" and edit the command. If your menu is in 16:9 aspect ratio, then you will have to do that step for all the groups. Only the registered version of MenuEdit can access groups 2 and 3! Repeat this step for all occurences.
[/list=1]
BTW, the next major addition in PgcEdit will be a menu buttons editor. Last step will be feasible easily in PgcEdit...

[blutach]

Might the following work?

1. Using jeanl's method/2COOL's GUI to go automatically to the main menu?

2. Deleting any "go back" button in the main menu (Just change it to a NOP using MenuEdit as described by r0lZ above).

3. Redirecting the title menu to FP PGC after resetting what I think of as the "jeanl GPRM" back to 0.

Regards

[r0lZ]

Maybe.

My method is a relatively simple method to inhibit the Title Menu button on the whole DVD, regardless of what you want to do.

Of course, if there are only a few PGCs, it is more simple to change the PUOs in all the PGCs. But this method don't work with some low cost settop players which ignores the PUOs.

[blutach]

@r0lZ

My idea was simply to get around the need to look for all the various commands in an easy to implement method.

Best regards

[voo_doo99]

It has been a while since I have to do this ARM removal job. Was struggling with v2.0 on the "Breaking All The Rules" DVD. Found out about v3.0 and pronto, fast and sweet.

Thank you 2COOL for the updated guide. Thank you r0lZ for the super tool. http://www.dvdshrink.info/images/smiles/thumb_up.gif http://www.dvdshrink.info/images/smiles/eusa_dance.gif http://www.dvdshrink.info/images/smiles/eusa_clap.gif

[2COOL]

:thanks: :goodpost:

[rpboy]

2COOL,

I have used your guide for numerous other discs and its worked beautifully. But I just tried on Monster-in-Law (R1) and its not working. I believe I've done everything correctly, but regardless of what I do, the aspect ratio menu still appears. I thought that maybe I had missed a menu somewhere, so I used PGCedit to delete one of the buttons so I could tell, and its definitely that menu that I am coming to.

For some reason, it won't select that button. Any ideas? Would taking a look at the IFO files help you?

[2COOL]

but regardless of what I do, the aspect ratio menu still appears. I thought that maybe I had missed a menu somewhere, so I used PGCedit to delete one of the buttons so I could tell, and its definitely that menu that I am coming to.Do a trace with PgcEdit with your current files and see what cell it (aspect ratio menu) is in.

[rpboy]

Do a trace with PgcEdit with your current files and see what cell it (aspect ratio menu) is in.
It says:

******* Start playback VTSM 1 , LU 1 (en) , 16 (0:30) 6b....
******* Playing Program 1, Cell 1 (0:30.00) (3 buttons)

Incidentally, Cell 2 has the same menu.

Cell 1 had a Still Time of 0. Cell 2 has a Still Time of 255. I set both to 0. I added a new Cell Command with the option for widescreen (which I copied to the clipboard). It was now Cell Command 3. So I changed the Cell Cmd for both to 3. (Both were 0.)

I play the movie and it stops at the aspect ratio menu.

[r0lZ]

I use a different method to skip a single menu PGC easily. This method is derived from the Jump2PGC method.

[EDIT:] Take care: this method works only if it is OK to skip the whole PGC. Sometimes, there are several cells with different menus in the same PGC. If you want to bypass some of the cells but you still need some other ones, you must use another method! (In your case, you have 2 cells with the same buttons, so the method should work fine.)
The advantage of 2COOL's method is that it should work also in this case.


Set a pre/post breakpoint at the menu PGC.
Trace from the beginning upto the breakpoint.
Select State -> Clear 'Register Changed' Flags.
Click on the Step button several times. When the menu button viewer appear, select the button corresponding to the AR you want to keep. Continue to step until the pointer jumps outside the menu PGC (ie, stop the trace when you enter a new PGC.) Remember which PGC is now current.
Select Clipboard -> Copy Changed Registers as commands.
Select your menu PGC again, and be sure to select the first line (with "*** pre commands".) Click on the Paste After button.
Select the last line you have just inserted. (If there were no commands pasted in the previous step, just leave the cursor where it is, on the first line.) Then, click on Add After, to insert a NOP.
Edit this NOP command to jump to the PGC you noted at point 4. (Use the Jump and Call menu of the command editor to find the VM command to use.)
Restart the trace to verify if it works. Save and test with a software player.

Note: in one case, this method doesn't work: When you step in your menu PGC (at point 4), if you reach another PGC before the menu has been displayed, this means that a pre-command jumps outside of this PGC. But this technique is very rarely used in the menu domain, so I will not explain how to do in this case.

[blutach]

To skip an aspect ratio or language menu, I simply look at the command associated with the button I would press. Copy it to the clipboard.

Then I kill playback. Replace the NOP ahead of the post commands that are now pre-commands, with the command from the desired button (Paste). You can then blank the menu PGC.

Works every time.

Regards

[2COOL]

Then I kill playback. Replace the NOP ahead of the post commands that are now pre-commands, with the command from the desired button (Paste). You can then blank the menu PGC.

Works every time.The thing about replacing your converted post commands is that you might have LinkTailPGC button commands and LinkTailPGC commands are not supposed to be in you pre-commands. However most DVD players are out of specs. Remember this thread (http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?p=612605#post612605)?

I'd say you were being lucky.

[2COOL]

I added a new Cell Command with the option for widescreen (which I copied to the clipboard). It was now Cell Command 3. So I changed the Cell Cmd for both to 3. (Both were 0.)

I play the movie and it stops at the aspect ratio menu.What is your button command for your widescreen? for both menus, of course. ;)

[blutach]

The thing about replacing your converted post commands is that you might have LinkTailPGC button commands and LinkTailPGC commands are not supposed to be in you pre-commands. However most DVD players are out of specs. Remember this thread?

I'd say you were being lucky.If the buttons are simply LinktailPgc and HL button#, you just gotta figure out the button # pressed and then link into that part of the post commands (which are now pre commands). That's the only difference. Of course, you take the LinkTailPGC out as it can't be in the precommands.

Regards

[2COOL]

You're probably right but it was my early morning and I guess that would justify my lack of logic.

[rpboy]

What is your button command for your widescreen? for both menus, of course. ;)
Widescreen (the one I copy) is:
[71 01 00 05 00 01 00 0D] Set gprm(5) =(mov) 1 ; LinkTailPGC

Full screen is:
[71 01 00 05 00 02 00 0D] Set gprm(5) =(mov) 2 ; LinkTailPGC

[rpboy]

To skip an aspect ratio or language menu, I simply look at the command associated with the button I would press. Copy it to the clipboard.

Then I kill playback. Replace the NOP ahead of the post commands that are now pre-commands, with the command from the desired button (Paste). You can then blank the menu PGC.

Works every time.

Regards
Okay, that did work. For skipping the menu.

However, if I go to the "Select a scene" menus and click on one of the scenes, it goes to the chapter in the full screen version, not the widescreen version of the film.

[r0lZ]

Are you sure the "Set gprm(5) =(mov) 1" command is executed?

Also, you said you used blutach's method. Fine, but remember you cannot use a LinkTailPGC in the pre-commands section. This command can only be used as a button command, or a cell command.

[blutach]

Generally, the menu PGC will be entered with the relevant gprm set at something. If gprm(5) is alrready set to 1, you need not set it again. And yes, do get rid of the LinkTailPGC as that is illegal and may cause the command not to be executed.

To be sure, just start a trace and play through till you reach the end of this PGC (Set watch gprm(5) first).

Regards

[rpboy]

Are you sure the "Set gprm(5) =(mov) 1" command is executed?

Also, you said you used blutach's method. Fine, but remember you cannot use a LinkTailPGC in the pre-commands section. This command can only be used as a button command, or a cell command.
I tried it both ways. There already is a "Set gprm(5) =(mov) 1" command in the list, so if I don't add it, it plays the widescreen version. If I add it to the end of the pre-commands, it never gets there as it jumps to a different PGC before it hits it.

Now, if I play the widescreen version movie first, then go to the Scene Selection and choose a scene, it will jump to the chapter in the widescreen movie. If I don't start the movie first, it jumps to the chapter in the full screen movie.

[rpboy]

Another thing I tried was changing the scene select buttons. I changed them to link to the title. For example, I changed the scene 4 button to be:
[30 05 00 04 00 01 00 00] (JumpVTS_PTT) Jump to TTN 1, Chapter 4

TTN in that VTS is the widescreen version. The full screen version is in another VTS.

If I start the disc and select a chapter without starting the movie, same thing. It redirects to the full screen version chapter, even though the button is now pointing at the widescreen one. If I start the movie first, then go to Scene Select, they work fine.

This is probably one of the most confusing DVDs I have ever seen. This sucker constantly jumps from PGC to PGC.

[2COOL]

The thing about me removing aspect ratio menus is that I used to do a cheat sheet for whatever DVD, which had one, that I came across. If you know what you are doing, you can custom edit the DVD in more ways than one. After doing a few, I noticed that there was a common pattern and I wanted to capitalize on this generic process of getting rid of them, hence my guide was born. The only situation left out in the guide is this situation (http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?p=610861#post610861).

I believe that my guide is foolproof if you performed it on all aspect ratio menus found. PgcEdit's trace function is a godsend for locating them now but if you wanted to search all the cells manually, you can do it also but it would probably take a more time. ;)

[r0lZ]

Why don't you use the "Jump to PGC upon DVD insert" function? You will be sure of the result. Is it something you really wants to keep before the AR menu is shown? If it's the case, try my mini guide in this thread (post #25).

[rpboy]

The thing about me removing aspect ratio menus is that I used to do a cheat sheet for whatever DVD, which had one, that I came across. If you know what you are doing, you can custom edit the DVD in more ways than one. After doing a few, I noticed that there was a common pattern and I wanted to capitalize on this generic process of getting rid of them, hence my guide was born. The only left out in the guide is this situation (http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?p=610861#post610861).

I believe that my guide is foolproof if you performed it on all aspect ratio menus found. PgcEdit's trace function is a godsend for locating them now but if you wanted to search all the cells manually, you can do it also but it would probably take a more time. ;)
2COOL,

As I said before, your guide has been invaluable to me in the past. It has worked wonderfully for every DVD I have tried it with. This is the first one that has ever caused me problems.

I looked at the situation you linked to and I don't think that applies to my case. Both of my buttons have different commands. And my menu doesn't have a menu type set, so not sure if that will help me.

I only have the two instances of the aspect ratio. Both in the same PGC, one as cell 1 and one as cell 2. So its not like I have another one hidden somewhere. I've done the trace in Pgcedit to verify that. I think I will try R0lZ's other method to see if that works with this DVD.

Thanks for all your help and your great guides.

[rpboy]

Why don't you use the "Jump to PGC upon DVD insert" function? You will be sure of the result. Is it something you really wants to keep before the AR menu is shown? If it's the case, try my mini guide in this thread (post #25).
Okay, I tried the mini guide and it worked ... almost. :)
(It was easier than I thought after reading through it the first time. Thanks R0lz!)

Again, selecting the play movie button now goes correctly to the widescreen version. If I then go to the root menu and select scene selections, then pick a chapter it goes to the chapter in the widescreen version.

If I don't start the movie first, however, and go to the scene selection menu, when I pick the chapter (let's say chapter 4), it doesn't go to the correct chapter. It just starts the widescreen movie. If I go back to the main menu and select scene selection, then pick a scene, it will now jump correctly to the chapter.

Weird.


Update
I think I got it. When I pasted the changed commands on the menu PGC, they were:
[71 00 00 04 04 00 00 00] 1 Set gprm(4) =(mov) 1024
[71 00 00 05 00 01 00 00] 2 Set gprm(5) =(mov) 1
[71 00 00 0F 00 01 00 00] 3 Set gprm(15) =(mov) 1
[56 00 00 00 04 00 00 00] 4 (SetHL_BTN) Set Highlighted Button =(mov) 1024 (button 1)

I took the first three of those and pasted them at the beginning of the Chapter menu precommands. And now it appears to be working. If I start the DVD and go right to scene selections, it will jump correctly to the chapter.

I just wonder if I broke something else. ;)

[2COOL]

@rpboy

Just be glad I'm also in R1 and I will get your DVD is soon as I can and see what's up with it.

[rpboy]

Just be glad I'm also in R1 and I will get your DVD is soon as I can and see what's up with it.
Hahaha, and if you find out that I was an idiot and just did something stupid, well, I'll feel stupid. :)

[2COOL]

This DVD has two aspect ratio menus and they both resided in VTSM 1 , LU 1 (en) , 16 (0:30) 6b.

Here's what's in Pgc Editor.

http://img238.imageshack.us/img238/4417/screenhunter0198um.png (http://imageshack.us)

Both are identically the same as for number of buttons and buttons commands.

VTSM 1, VOB ID 24, Cell ID 1 (First NAV pack LBA=97109)
2 Groups Select but=0, Action but=0
button 1: Set gprm(5) =(mov) 1 ; LinkTailPGC (Widescreen)
button 2: Set gprm(5) =(mov) 2 ; LinkTailPGC (fullscreen)
button 3: Set gprm(5) =(mov) 99 ; LinkTailPGC (Main Menu)

VTSM 1, VOB ID 26, Cell ID 1 (First NAV pack LBA=97975)
2 Groups Select but=0, Action but=0
button 1: Set gprm(5) =(mov) 1 ; LinkTailPGC (Widescreen)
button 2: Set gprm(5) =(mov) 2 ; LinkTailPGC (fullscreen)
button 3: Set gprm(5) =(mov) 99 ; LinkTailPGC (Main Menu)

According to our cells in Pgc Editor above, cell 1 will play first. It is just a non-motion menu with 30 seconds of audio then it will go to cell 2, which is an exact replica minus the audio. Since cell 2 has a still time of 255, the menu stops here waiting for user interaction.

Here's the command table for this PGC.

http://img391.imageshack.us/img391/614/screenhunter0203zk.png (http://imageshack.us)

Even though there are cell commands, they aren't really used. Just look at the cell cmd column in Pgc Editor. So what I did from here is follow the guide to get my widescreen button's command as a new cell command 3 and then put a value of 3 in my cell 1's cell cmd. Cell 1 already had a still of 0 so I didn't have to change that.

http://img378.imageshack.us/img378/5364/screenhunter0217rg.png (http://imageshack.us)

http://img378.imageshack.us/img378/7578/screenhunter0239me.png (http://imageshack.us)

Now, I could've just followed the guide and also changed cell 2's still time to 0 and with a cell cmd of 3 but it didn't matter. It wouldn't play anyways due to cell 1 having a cell cmd 3.

After saving the DVD, I went and tested my edits. I had to keep in mind that cell 1 had 30 seconds of audio before the cell ended. If everything worked out, the aspect ratio menu would stop displaying and I'll be seeing the next video clip, which is my FBI warnings. I was right. :)

I also had to check to see if my aspect ratio menu would be bypassed after selecting a chapter in scene selection menu. It used the same cell 1 so after 30 seconds, the aspect ratio menu was bypassed.

It was just a matter of performing page 3 of guide to blank out the cells and now, I have a perfect DVD with no aspect ratio menu and playing my widescreen version. :D

With everything said, my generic guide works on this DVD.

[rpboy]

After saving the DVD, I went and tested my edits. I had to keep in mind that cell 1 had 30 seconds of audio before the cell ended.
Which I didn't do. I saw the aspect ratio menu appear and stopped there. I didn't realize that it would still play for 30 seconds. In the past, they've always just flashed and disappeared. When it appeared on the screen and I could move around the buttons, I thought something wasn't working.

I didn't know that if the still time was set to 0, that it would still continue to show like it did. That's good to know.

Thanks for all the help!

[2COOL]

Which I didn't do. I saw the aspect ratio menu appear and stopped there. In some DVDs, the aspect ratio menu can be a motion menu and you can really see it visually play to completion. But for this DVD, it wasn't... so you had to hear it out. Out of habit, I often look at the play time in PowerDVD when I'm viewing the cell.

Maybe, I should clarify this sentence, in Step 16, one day.

Since your menu was set to zero still time, you should see it play to completion and then see the next Title start playing.