PgcEdit v9.2 released! (16 February 2009)

[r0lZ]

PgcEdit v9.2 (February 16, 2009) changelog

E. Thanks to M_Knox, there are now nice looking new icons in the standard "yes/no/cancel", "please wait" and "donation reminder" dialogs.
E. Delete Uncalled PGCs did not delete some PGCs considered as unsafe due to multiple sets of buttons/BOVs, even if all PGCs containing the multiple sets of buttons/BOVs were uncalled.
F. Delete Uncalled PGCs deleted the uncalled PGCs that were NOT safe to delete due to multiple sets of buttons/BOVs when ALL uncalled PGCs were unsafe!
E. When Go To Calling Command finds no jump to the current PGC, the PGC is now automatically marked as <uncalled>.
F. Go To Calling Command: Bugs when the function was launched several times without closing the result window fixed by M_Knox. Thanks!
E. Delete PGC and Kill Playback (with option to remove the cells) in menu: When all remaining PGCs in the menu are dummies, PgcEdit offers now to delete the menu VOB file and remove the VOB tables from the IFO.
E. Delete Uncalled PGCs improved for speed.
E. Info -> GPRM has now an option to search for the commands containing a GPRM in "All", "Read" or "Write" modes, so you can now, for example, find if a GPRM is used in read mode only, but never initialized by a Set command.
E. Info -> Multiple Sets Of Buttons/BOVs: added a summary with the list of all PGCs containing multiple sets of buttons/BOVs.
E. Info -> Multiple Sets Of Buttons/BOVs: When the option "Command Editor -> Allow PgcEdit to add automatic comments in the PGC labels" is ON, the comment "<MBS>" is now added to all PGCs containing multiple button sets.
F. Fixed some typos, and renamed "Exit Domain" to "Exit State".
F. After having loaded a Scratchbook file in the scratchbook, the sub-menu of Append To Scratchbook (with the scratchbook sections) was not updated.
F. Trace mode: When playing a multi-angle cell, PgcEdit was unable to identify the correct angle cell to play (except for angle 1), and issued a warning.
F. Trace mode: The Menu Viewer was not closed when the user selected the GoUp button to resume to the Title domain (when the GoUpPGCN link = 0xFFFF).
F. Trace mode: The Control+Arrow shortcut keys used to control the trace interfered with the Arrow keys shortcuts in the main window.
E. Jump To PGC Upon DVD Insert: The explanation on how to use the function was not displayed any more in v9.1 when it was launched from the FP-PGC.
F. PGC Editor: PgcEdit highlights now in red illegal values of the Prev and Next PGCN links in the Menu domains.
F. PGC Editor: It was possible to use the PTT Editor on a not-one_sequential Title if the current PGC was a dummy (or a cell has just been created.)
F. Load DVD: PgcEdit deleted all LUs or all PGCs in a menu domain when a LU or PGC was a clone of another one because its offset pointer was pointing to the other LU or PGC. Now, it deletes automatically the cloned LUs, and prompts the user to keep or remove the cloned PGCs.
F. Several small GUI bugs fixed by M_KNOX.


New manual, updated for PgcEdit v9.2!

Thanks to Blutach and Wombler, the documentation has been updated. You can consult the online HTML documentation here (http://www.digital-digest.com/~blutach/PgcEdit_help/WEB/PgcEdit_Manual.htm), here (http://download.videohelp.com/r0lZ/pgcedit/doc/PgcEdit_Manual.htm), or here (http://home.tele2allin.be/vt6328799/pgcedit/doc/PgcEdit_Manual.htm).

There is a discussion thread about the manual here at Doom9 (http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?t=144601).

The compiled HTML documentation file for Windows (PgcEdit_Manual.chm) is included in the PgcEdit_v9.2_winexe.zip file, but not in the Linux archive. You can also download it separately here (http://download.videohelp.com/r0lZ/pgcedit/versions/PgcEdit_Manual_chm.zip) or here (http://home.tele2allin.be/vt6328799/pgcedit/versions/PgcEdit_Manual_chm.zip). To install it, create a directory "doc" in your PgcEdit installation folder, and copy the CHM file in that directory. This way, PgcEdit will be able to access it from its Help menu.

If you prefer to install the HTML version, download it here (http://download.videohelp.com/r0lZ/pgcedit/versions/PgcEdit_Manual_html.zip) or here (http://home.tele2allin.be/vt6328799/pgcedit/versions/PgcEdit_Manual_html.zip). Extract the files and folders in a "doc" subdirectory in the PgcEdit installation folder.

If PgcEdit cannot find the CHM or HTML documentation locally, it will open your browser and display the online HTML doc. Therefore, it is not necessary to install it locally.


German version of PgcEdit v9.1

The German PgcEdit site is closed, but a new translation has been made, and is available via my homepage.
You can download it here (http://download.videohelp.com/r0lZ/pgcedit/versions/PgcEdit_v9.1_german_and_all_plugins.zip) or here (http://home.tele2allin.be/vt6328799/pgcedit/versions/PgcEdit_v9.1_german_and_all_plugins.zip).
Note that currently, this is still v9.1! V9.2 should be available soon.


Updated Hexbit Operands plugin

Thanks to M_Knox, the Hexbit Operands plugin has been updated to v0.8:

added option to display hexadecimal values for all Set operations
added option to display descriptions for IF operations


Have fun!

[blutach]

Many thanks r0lZ!

Regards

[CakeOrDeath]

Thanks a bunch! Your work is greatly appreciated.

[Wombler]

Thanks for that r0lZ. Much appreciated.


Wombler

[jm1647]

PgcEdit v9.2 (February 16, 2009)


Have fun!

It's always fun using PgcEdit :) Thanks for the update r0lZ!!

And thanks to blutach, Wombler and M_Knox too

[r0lZ]

... and to all the beta team, as well as to the new donors!

[tom942]

Thanks r0lz for the new update. I'm already using the new v9 series -I don´t know if you remember that I was reticent to change from 8.6 to the new one when I asked about the minimun PUO's that you use to set- and it just improves and improves and I could continue to the infinity... :).

And thank you blutach and wombler for the new manual, it's really useful the info inside. Aps, I can see the icons properly :).

[blutach]

Those icons have caused us headaches tom (and still are a bit!)

New context-sensitive help is on the way, thanks to a plugin we are testing written by M_Knox. This is a big improvement. Keep a look out for its release.

Regards

[Wombler]

Those icons have caused us headaches tom (and still are a bit!)


Yes, remarkably so.

I blame Microsoft though for unforseen incompatibilities. :)


Wombler

[r0lZ]

The German version of PgcEdit v9.2 is now available. See the Download section of the PgcEdit homepage (http://download.videohelp.com/r0lZ/pgcedit/#download).

[bibile]

Hi,

I've one simple question : is it possible to merge some pgc?
Why : I try to encode my Japanese Anime but for one episode there are 3 pgc (50 sec, 19.30 min and 1.57 min) and the encoder cannot encode/merge the 3 pgc (Automkv).

I've tried to find by myself but without any result...

Thanks

[r0lZ]

If the 3 PGCs are in the same VTS, try to use Title -> New PlayAll Title. (You may have to delete or reorder some cells in the PGC Editor.)

If the 3 PGCs are in different PGCs, you cannot merge them with PgcEdit. Use a tool such as Womble MPEG Video Wizard DVD or VideoReDo (not free). You can also try the IfoEdit option "Merge Clips", but imo it doesn't work well.

[bibile]

That is what I've done first but nothing happened. After that I get the plugin and the result is simply amazing : AMKV outputs a single file.

Thanks a lot for this great tool

[kikatu]

Thanks!

[david42]

I like to edit DVD's down dramatically and often this involves finding out which PGC's don't ever get called.

I see "Trace->Clear all PGC breakpoints" exists so I was wondering if you would add "Trace->Set all PGC breakpoints" as a new command?

It would help me edit out selected extras (buttons and previews) that I deem useless VOB calls then see what doesn't get called by running my changes in Trace mode to navigate to everything I left in (movie, some extras, audio choices). I would then be able to edit PGC's calling all the extra useless stuff and quickly make a much smaller DVD structure.

THANX

PS: I apologize if this post goes in the wrong place. I have yet to figure out how to initiate a post in the right place on this forum. I believe this one should have gone in a RFE for v9.2 thread.

[r0lZ]

I don't understand why setting a breakpoint on all PGCs could help you locate which PGCs are never called. IMO, the yellow highlights in the left pane and the new option "State -> Mark played PGCs as 'Played'" are much more useful. You don't need to break to discover if a PGC has been played.

Anyway, there are numerous ways to break at every PGC. You can turn on the "Breakpoints -> Break At All Menus" and "Breat At All Titles" options. They break at the first command of every PGC. You can also "Break at Log Output" and type "Entering" in the Break box. You can also use the "--> Next PB" button if you want to break only when the video content of a PGC is played.

The manual Pre/Post and Playback breakpoints are made to turn on a breakpoint on a specific PGC, for example to continue the trace step by step, analyse the registers at that point, or launch "Jump To PGC". IMO, forcing a manual breakpoint on every PGC doesn't make sense.


Side note: If you use the trace to discover which PGCs are never called, you should search the random operations, and check them carefully. When a GPRM is set with the ?= (RND) operator, it's often to jump to randomly selected PGCs. So, tracing the commands containing a RND only once could not be sufficient to locate all PGCs called indirectly by that PGC. I suggest therefore to Break at All Titles and Menus, and Break at Log Output "RND". Then, every time a specific RND operator is executed, you can force a different valid value in the affected GPRM by typing it in the Watch window (don't forget to press Return to record your change!), and continue the trace, to be sure to locate all possibly played PGCs.


PS: Don't worry. You have posted at the right place (although you could have posted a new thread in this "IFO/VOB Editors" section as well.)

[blutach]

Or you could just use "Step mode" or when in a PGC use the State menu to return to various important parts of the DVD.

On r0lZ's point about "RND" just search in the search box for RND first. Most DVDs will turn up nothing, so you don't have to worry about it and you can break on all menus and all titles only.

Regards

[david42]

I don't understand why setting a breakpoint on all PGCs could help you locate which PGCs are never called.

Often developers and users who know every nook and cranny of the features because they have evolved with the program since inception are perplexed at how nubies think and how they use a tool to solve their problems.

I'll see what I can do to use the responses this thread answer spawned. I have so little time to read every past posting to catch up. Perhaps a built-in help and user how-to guide (pulling together the PgcEdit wisdom into 1 place) would help those of us who have limited time to study every past posting and side document in existence (the ones I've checked out are great but scattered all over the place and time consuming to pull together).

Let me try to walk through your current responses...

IMO, the yellow highlights in the left pane and the new option "State -> Mark played PGCs as 'Played'" are much more useful.

I tried using these. They are cleared back to white the 1st time I click on an uncalled PGC to investigate where it is called (Cntrl-G). That's why setting all BP's feels simpler and persistent.

You don't need to break to discover if a PGC has been played.

Yet I have found that extremely useful to date, apparently my original post explanation was insufficient (my bad).

Anyway, there are numerous ways to break at every PGC. You can turn on the "Breakpoints -> Break At All Menus" and "Breat At All Titles" options. They break at the first command of every PGC. You can also "Break at Log Output" and type "Entering" in the Break box. You can also use the "--> Next PB" button if you want to break only when the video content of a PGC is played.

If I understand your suggestion... You want me to click on 2 options then click through Next PB multiple (3-100's) times to accomplish what I suggested be a 1 click Set all PGC breakpoints options. I was trying to suggest a RFE for simplifying the amount of clicks a user needs to do to accomplish their approach to using your great program.

The manual Pre/Post and Playback breakpoints are made to turn on a breakpoint on a specific PGC, for example to continue the trace step by step, analyse the registers at that point, or launch "Jump To PGC". IMO, forcing a manual breakpoint on every PGC doesn't make sense.

These features are excellent and powerful which is why (perhaps) I see an enhancement to expand them 1 more level.

Rhetorical questions :

1. Is setting a breakpoint at every PGC a difficult change?

2. Would it have medium to high potential to create a new bug?

3. Would it have medium to high potential to break unrelated features in PgcEdit?

4. Is it the type of change that would cause grief due to a side-effect which would cause a support (or forum threads) nightmare?

Side note: If you use the trace to discover which PGCs are never called, you should search the random operations, and check them carefully. When a GPRM is set with the ?= (RND) operator, it's often to jump to randomly selected PGCs. So, tracing the commands containing a RND only once could not be sufficient to locate all PGCs called indirectly by that PGC. I suggest therefore to Break at All Titles and Menus, and Break at Log Output "RND". Then, every time a specific RND operator is executed, you can force a different valid value in the affected GPRM by typing it in the Watch window (don't forget to press Return to record your change!), and continue the trace, to be sure to locate all possibly played PGCs.

Ah-ha MAJOR GOOD POINT ... RND is something new to me. I'll have to watch out for those. Thanks for the heads up and info on how to check into them!

I never used the Trace-Breakpoint Button before EXCEPT to see if it had the set all breakpoints option I RFE'd. Looking at it now I see the 3 things you are writing about and will try them out. It still seems to me that 1 option selection is much easier than 3. It is at times like this that it occurs to me that built in help explanations of the various options choices would make it easier to learn PgcEdit and possible cut down the 'what does that do' chatter on the forum.

I'll check out your recommendations.

[blutach]

I'll see what I can do to use the responses this thread answer spawned. I have so little time to read every past posting to catch up. Perhaps a built-in help and user how-to guide (pulling together the PgcEdit wisdom into 1 place) would help those of us who have limited time to study every past posting and side document in existence (the ones I've checked out are great but scattered all over the place and time consuming to pull together).
It's called the help file. Soon, it will be context sensitive (version 9.3). In the meantime, download it from the PgcEdit site. And read this (http://www.digital-digest.com/~blutach/PgcEdit_help/WEB/Trace_menu_breakpoints.htm). After that, I am afraid you'll need to do some more work for yourself.
If I understand your suggestion... You want me to click on 2 options then click through Next PB multiple (3-100's) times to accomplish what I suggested be a 1 click Set all PGC breakpoints options. I was trying to suggest a RFE for simplifying the amount of clicks a user needs to do to accomplish their approach to using your great program.
That will accomplish what you want - to break on all PGCs. Or use Next PB if that is more akin to your needs.

As for your rhetorical questions, what r0lZ is saying is that the functionality is there already. There no need for it, even though I am sure it won't break anything or be hard to implement - it's just not needed. Just try what has been suggested.

It still seems to me that 1 option selection is much easier than 3.
One option may be simpler but would actually lose functionality. Sometimes, you want to break at a playback point, other times at the entry/exit point. Sometimes, you wanna break on menu PGCs only, other times, titles, and in your case, all of the them. Anyway, once set, the functions are remembered until you unset them or restart PgcEdit.

I repeat, the functionality is there. Read the help file.

Regards

[david42]

It's called the help file. Soon, it will be context sensitive (version 9.3). In the meantime, download it from the PgcEdit site. And read this (http://www.digital-digest.com/~blutach/PgcEdit_help/WEB/Trace_menu_breakpoints.htm). After that, I am afraid you'll need to do some more work for yourself.
That will accomplish what you want - to break on all PGCs. Or use Next PB if that is more akin to your needs.

As for your rhetorical questions, what r0lZ is saying is that the functionality is there already. There no need for it, even though I am sure it won't break anything or be hard to implement - it's just not needed. Just try what has been suggested.


One option may be simpler but would actually lose functionality. Sometimes, you want to break at a playback point, other times at the entry/exit point. Sometimes, you wanna break on menu PGCs only, other times, titles, and in your case, all of the them. Anyway, once set, the functions are remembered until you unset them or restart PgcEdit.

I repeat, the functionality is there. Read the help file.

Regards

I just tried Trace Mode->Breakpoints and selected Breakpoints (for Menus, Titles, & Log Output) then ran the session doing what I normally do. It highlighted each PGC after execution HOWEVER the 1st time I found a preview that I checked 'blank' on it unhighlighted everything that had been executed and proceeded to highlight the new executions when I went back to Run. When I was done lots of executions that I'd gone over were not highlighted. That wasn't quite what I'm hoping for.

The other thing about doing it this way is that I'm unable to unset PGC breakpoints as I execute to them. So I have to do lots of extra (re)Run's that would be optimized away if the 'set all PGC breakpoints' approach was used instead.

Another thing about turning on the 3 breakpoint at modes is that it doesn't mark the PGC's in red like toggling a breakpoint does. I was using that as a marker. I'd do various edits of menu buttons and PGCs manually, then toggle each BP on manually, then trace through the movie. If I wanted a PGC to stay in the execution flow I'd toggle it off then keep running until I'd been through the movie, language menus, and deleted scenes. When done the red PGCs could be carefully removed, then run the DVD remove useless stuff to finish off the cleanup. Clear all the breakpoints and trace through to make sure all is still well, then run FixVTS and the shorter DVD was good to go.

Sorry I'm unable to cite every reason why the RFE would be a nice (hopefully painless) addition. You're points are true that I can turn on lots of modes (or just write down each PGC as I trace through them) and tweak the others as I trace through. My goal is to reduce the movie with minimal mouse/keyboard invocations (probably because of the tendonitis).

I am concerned about your point that the RFE would take away some functionality. What would be lost? I definitely do not want to lose anything. It seemed to me that if all breakpoints can be cleared doing the opposite would help me because I could just turn ones off as I execute to them.

Maybe I'm missing something. Can I use the Trace Mode-> Breakpoint's (Menu, Title, & Log Output) and toggle off individual PGC breakpoints the 1st time I trace to them so the other breakpoints still exist but the manual turning off of individual PGC breaks also coexists? That's kinda the crux of what I'm after.

I agree that PgcEdit is extremely powerful and way cool, especially all the great upgrades that came in v9.

I guess it's not uncommon for latecomers to see other paths to reach their goal, when using the tools, that the architects perform using the steps they've gotten used to from their inception.

Either way, excellent tool!

THANX

[blutach]

I just tried Trace Mode->Breakpoints and selected Breakpoints (for Menus, Titles, & Log Output) then ran the session doing what I normally do. It highlighted each PGC after execution HOWEVER the 1st time I found a preview that I checked 'blank' on it unhighlighted everything that had been executed and proceeded to highlight the new executions when I went back to Run. When I was done lots of executions that I'd gone over were not highlighted. That wasn't quite what I'm hoping for.
Have you tried the State --> Mark played PGCs as Played function? It just runs through the DVD marking which PGCs are entered. That might be more to your liking cos that way, you don't have to set or unset breakpoints. Then, you can go to Next PB all the time, preview the cell and decide whether to blank or not etc etc. When the PGCs are marked as "played", they are actually marked as a comment - this means they are non-destructive. When you are finished, you can delete the comments and labels, if you wish.

As for your RFE, I guess what is being said is the functionality exists in break on menus/titles (and log output if that's what you want - it would be rare to use it in conjunction with both of the others, but on it's own it could be useful - eg seeing which SetSTN's are actually executed).

Regards

[r0lZ]

To break at every PGC, you don't need to use Break at all Menus and Titles AND at Log Output, but only at Menus and Titles OR Log Output. I've explained two ways to accomplish the same thing: break every time a PGC is entered. ([->> Next PB] is a third method, but it is different, as it breaks only when the video content of a PGC is played, and therefore will never break on dummy PGCs or on non-dummy PGCs on which you have applied Kill PGC Playback.)

Anyway, since with your method, you use the breakpoint to highlight the PGCs that have not been entered yet, using those methods are not suitable for you, as nothing is highlighted, and the breaks are permanent (until you turn them off.) Forget the break idea, as imo you use a feature that is not intended for this usage.

I've also explained how to mark all visited PGCs. With your method, you have to break at all PGCs, then remove the breakpoint manually. That's slow and you have to turn off many breakpoints. My method is much more simple and fast: just turn on the "Mark Played PGCs as Played" option, and run the trace. You don't need to break at all (except perhaps on PGCs containing RND operators, to examine them carefully.) When you have finished to navigate in the whole DVD, the PGCs that have never been reached will NOT have the 'played' comment, and you can locate them easily.

And BTW, the yellow highlights are not permanent, that's right, but the 'played' comments are really permanent, and, unlike the breakpoints, they persist from session to session (until you delete the PgcEdit_backup folder or clear them with the appropriate option of the State menu.) According to your new explanations, the only thing you need is to turn on the "Mark Played PGCs as Played" option, and run the trace. One single click, and the trace will be much faster! Try it!

One more thing: I highly recommend to run Info -> Find Jumps to Nowhere after you have removed the uncalled PGCs, as if, per chance, you forgot to trace to a specific PGC, it might have been removed even through it is useful.

[EDIT: I haven't noticed blu's post on the top of this page. He explain exactly the same thing.]

[roux]

I'm using the linux version of 9.2
When i start PgcEdit it creates an bin directory in home containing PgcEditPreview.exe. Is there a way to configure were to put this dir?

[david42]

Have you tried the State --> Mark played PGCs as Played function? It just runs through the DVD marking which PGCs are entered. That might be more to your liking cos that way, you don't have to set or unset breakpoints. Then, you can go to Next PB all the time, preview the cell and decide whether to blank or not etc etc. When the PGCs are marked as "played", they are actually marked as a comment - this means they are non-destructive. When you are finished, you can delete the comments and labels, if you wish.

I tried "mark played PGCs as played". This works well to help me identify what doesn't get played (as stated by you). Thanks for understanding that some of us haven't explored the copious amount of options in the tool!

THANX

[david42]

My method is much more simple and fast: just turn on the "Mark Played PGCs as Played" option, and run the trace. You don't need to break at all (except perhaps on PGCs containing RND operators, to examine them carefully.) When you have finished to navigate in the whole DVD, the PGCs that have never been reached will NOT have the 'played' comment, and you can locate them easily.

One more thing: I highly recommend to run Info -> Find Jumps to Nowhere after you have removed the uncalled PGCs, as if, per chance, you forgot to trace to a specific PGC, it might have been removed even through it is useful.

Could you elaborate on RND operators please? My take on this is you are warning me that some PGCs may have IFs that could cause jumps to unplayed PGCs or cells directives to use previous/next PGC links that were not executed when I traced using mark played pgcs. Normally my instincts are to evaluate all possible PGCs that show as jumping to the unplayed PGCs and edit out jumps to unplayed PGCs (carefully). Is that what you warn about when referring to RND operators?

THANX

[blutach]

First search for RND in your DVD. 99.9% of DVDs don't have them.

If you find one that does, then a single trace can only emulate one of the possible outcomes of a RND. e.g. the following statement has 2 possible outcomes (1 and 2).
[78 00 00 00 00 02 00 00] 1 Set gprm(0) ?=(rnd) 2
These will usually be tested in the next statement or somewhere not too far down the line. You obviously can't eliminate entirely any PGCs referred to by a test of a gprm after a RND. You can only eliminate out-of-range values.

So, if you see this in the next 2 statements, then each of PGCs 1 and 2 are visited (you can do a number of traces until all the values of the RND are used, if you like):
[20 A4 00 00 00 01 00 01] 2 if ( gprm(0) == 1 ) then { LinkPGCN PGC 1 }
[20 A4 00 00 00 02 00 02] 3 if ( gprm(0) == 2 ) then { LinkPGCN PGC 2 }

But the next 3 statements will always be false and therefore unless PGCs 3-5 are called by other PGCs, they can be eliminated (easiest to just delete statements 4-6 and then do Delete Uncalled PGCs)
[20 A4 00 00 00 03 00 03] 4 if ( gprm(0) == 3 ) then { LinkPGCN PGC 3 }
[20 A4 00 00 00 04 00 04] 5 if ( gprm(0) == 4 ) then { LinkPGCN PGC 4 }
[20 A4 00 00 00 05 00 05] 6 if ( gprm(0) == 5 ) then { LinkPGCN PGC 5 }
I hope you understand this now.

Regards

[roux]

Is there a way to turn of searching for BOV on startup like the older versions of PgcEdit?

[blutach]

Not sure, but why would you do that? If definitely KNOW there's no BOVs, then click "Assume No BOVs". Otherwise, let the scan do its thing (use a scan every 30 VOBUs with deep scan ticked - this is quite fast) and that way PgcEdit can get a complete picture of your DVD. Otherwise, things like Delete Uncalled PGCs can be very unsafe.

Regards

[r0lZ]

I'm using the linux version of 9.2
When i start PgcEdit it creates an bin directory in home containing PgcEditPreview.exe. Is there a way to configure were to put this dir?
Sorry for the late reply. After a system crash, I had to buy a new PC, which came pre-installed with Vista! Aaargh! And it was very difficult to install XP, because the XP CD has no support for the SATA drives! Finally, I have a running system, and I'm back!

Sorry, the bin (and lib and plugins) directories cannot be relocated, but you can probably copy them elsewhere, and replace the original directories by links to the new locations. I haven't tested, and I have no Linux installed yet, but that should work.

[r0lZ]

So, if you see this in the next 2 statements, then each of PGCs 1 and 2 are visited (you can do a number of traces until all the values of the RND are used, if you like):
There is also a way to force a specific value in a GPRM during the trace. So, say the first time you ran the trace the RND value was 1, and you still want to test the value 2. After having executed the command containing the RND, if, per chance, the GPRM value is again 1, you can force it to 2. Be sure to open the Watch window (the GPRMs and the Input sections are needed.) Then, select the GPRM you want to change by clicking its label. The value of the GPRM should be displayed in the input window. Change the decimal field to 0, and press Enter. (Pressing Enter is necessary to record the change.) A note telling that a GPRM value has been forced by the user is inserted in the log. Now, you can continue to trace.

[r0lZ]

(use a scan every 30 VOBUs with deep scan ticked - this is quite fast)
BTW, this is now the default for fresh installations of PgcEdit.

[david42]

First search for RND in your DVD. 99.9% of DVDs don't have them.

If you find one that does, then a single trace can only emulate one of the possible outcomes of a RND. e.g. the following statement has 2 possible outcomes (1 and 2).

These will usually be tested in the next statement or somewhere not too far down the line. You obviously can't eliminate entirely any PGCs referred to by a test of a gprm after a RND. You can only eliminate out-of-range values.

So, if you see this in the next 2 statements, then each of PGCs 1 and 2 are visited (you can do a number of traces until all the values of the RND are used, if you like):


But the next 3 statements will always be false and therefore unless PGCs 3-5 are called by other PGCs, they can be eliminated (easiest to just delete statements 4-6 and then do Delete Uncalled PGCs)

I hope you understand this now.

Regards

I found this in an unofficial DVD Spec on the web concerning how RND works. Is this description wrong OR if the seed in your example is 2 how would one know what range the GPRM would end up containing?

Compute a new random value using the contents of a GPRM or a constant value (immediate 16-bit number) as the seed value. The seed value cannot be 0.
SPRM is not allowed as operands in this command.

Example:
1) Rnd GPRM0,GPRM1
(Store a new random value in GPRM0 using the contents of GPRM1 as the seed value. The previous value of GPRM0 is lost after the command executes.)

2) Rnd GPRM0,2
(Store a new random value in GPRM0 using 2 as the seed value)

[r0lZ]

Where have you found that info? The description is wrong. The value is not the seed, but the upper limit. There is no way to change the seed value. In their second example, a value of 1 or 2 is set in GPRM 0. In the first example, a value between 1 and the content of GPRM 1 is set in GPRM 0.

[david42]

Where have you found that info? The description is wrong. The value is not the seed, but the upper limit. There is no way to change the seed value. In their second example, a value of 1 or 2 is set in GPRM 0. In the first example, a value between 1 and the content of GPRM 1 is set in GPRM 0.

I found it at http://www.dvd-replica.com/DVD/setgprmops.php . Apparently it's difficult to find a free copy of the DVD spec on a site that wants to sell it. Thanks for the hint that they have faulty info.

Can you point me at a real pdf that explains all the PGC commands and how they really work please? I'd also like a pdf copy of the whole DVD spec if free. I see no point in paying for standards that should be free.

[david42]

First search for RND in your DVD. 99.9% of DVDs don't have them.

How do I search for RND, please? I found how to do it on a single PGC but the right commands window already gives me that info. I suspect there's a way to find any/all RND's in the whole DVD in one search and would appreciate directions on how to invoke it.

[r0lZ]

Usually, DVD Replica is not too bad, but I do not visit it often.
Mpucoder's DVD Information site (http://www.mpucoder.com/DVD/) is the best one, but not completely free, and somewhat technical.
There are also good books (notably Jim Taylor's DVD Demystified and a book by Ralph LaBarge), probably available in pdf format. Search Google.

You can search for strings in all commands of the DVD (including in button commands) by typing the string to search in the search field in the bottom right corner of the main PgcEdit window, and clicking the "All" button.

[mpucoder]

Mpucoder's DVD Information site (http://www.mpucoder.com/DVD/) is the best one, but not completely free, and somewhat technical.

As of April 1 the site's information is free. I also recommend reading JimTaylor's book, and using my site to fill in the blanks that Kermit (inside joke) could not publish without breaking the NDA he signed. Ralph LaBarge's book covers more aspects of the workflow to make a DVD, but less detail of the nuts and bolts.

[r0lZ]

I didn't know that. Thanks for sharing your knowledge with everybody!

[vwpassion]

Not sure, but why would you do that? If definitely KNOW there's no BOVs, then click "Assume No BOVs". Otherwise, let the scan do its thing (use a scan every 30 VOBUs with deep scan ticked - this is quite fast) and that way PgcEdit can get a complete picture of your DVD. Otherwise, things like Delete Uncalled PGCs can be very unsafe.

Regards

Please beware that in some cases, using "Scan only one VOBU every 30 VOBUs" plus deep-scan will not detect Disney Fast Play "Menus/Buttons". This may lead to undesirable results when further editing the DVD.

Addendum: Setting "Scan only one VOBU every 29 VOBUs" does the trick and will find the Fast Play buttons.

[r0lZ]

Hum, I use those settings since ages, and I have never missed any BOV. Can you be more precise? Which Disney DVD and which region?

[vwpassion]

It's the PAL DVD of Bedtime Stories (Disney).

[blutach]

As of April 1 the site's information is free. I also recommend reading JimTaylor's book, and using my site to fill in the blanks that Kermit (inside joke) could not publish without breaking the NDA he signed. Ralph LaBarge's book covers more aspects of the workflow to make a DVD, but less detail of the nuts and bolts.

Thanks for that mpucoder!

Regards

[david42]

I found it at http://www.dvd-replica.com/DVD/setgprmops.php . Apparently it's difficult to find a free copy of the DVD spec on a site that wants to sell it. Thanks for the hint that they have faulty info.

Correction... A minor RND description fault. The site is great and to be thanked for sharing all the accurate info it contains!

Can you point me at a real pdf that explains all the PGC commands and how they really work please? I'd also like a pdf copy of the whole DVD spec if free. I see no point in paying for standards that should be free.

I can't always be online. Is there any chance of getting a pdf of the site's spec (free of course)?

[blutach]

david - despite what you think, the standards are only released to those who pay $5,000 AND sign a non-disclosure agreement.

No-one can, or will, give you this.

Should you wish to purchase DVD Replica's unofficial document, you are free to do so.

Regards

[david42]

david - despite what you think, the standards are only released to those who pay $5,000 AND sign a non-disclosure agreement.

No-one can, or will, give you this.

Should you wish to purchase DVD Replica's unofficial document, you are free to do so.

Regards

Ok, got it now. I was unsure if my search effort was flawed or it was out there and just required an extra exhaustive attempt to track it down.

[turbojet]

Is there any plans for blanking and/or stripping streams like vobblanker does?

If so, is there any plans on blanking/stripping through menu buttons?

Some examples I can think of using this are:
1. hide button for trailers that plays VTS2 PGC 1,2,3 it asks if you want to blank all the targets, if yes it blanks and moves VTS2 PGC 1, 2, 3 vob's to backup folder when you save dvd.
2. hide french audio or sub menu button it asks if you want to strip the stream, if yes it strips the stream and moves original to backup on save dvd.
3. kill pgc playback instead of asking to blank cells for vobblanker it would remove the cells content on save dvd.
4. disable an audio or sub stream through the pgc editor it would ask if you want to remove the stream, backs up original vob on save dvd.

[blutach]

PgcEdit does not strip streams and there is no intention to do the things you mentioned.

Regards

[turbojet]

Bummer, would make the program much more user friendly but I can understand it would be some work to implement it.

I'll just keep on swapping apps like I have been, tracing in one blanking in another.

Hopefully BD menu editing/blanking/stripping comes in one program.

[r0lZ]

What you suggest would really be nice, but PgcEdit is not at all a VOB file editor (although it can modify the menu buttons, append tiny black cells, or blank entire domains.) Furthermore, the philosophy of PgcEdit is to be as fast as possible. It's possible only because it doesn't modify the VOBs, and doesn't have to rewrite them. Since there are good apps (such as VobBlanker) to do what you want, I have no intention to implement that kind of thing.

Also, detecting what PGC is called by a menu button is not always simple. A full trace of the DVD must be done to be sure that the real target(s) is (are) detected. And if you have to do a trace anyway, it is as easy to blank the cells from the preview, and process the VOBs with VobBlanker of FixVTS when you have finished. Combined with the Blank All PGCs in Domain and Remove Useless Stuff functions, you have everything you need to clean your DVD up. (BTW, I use VobBlanker only to replace the cells or the menu backgrounds, and I do all the blanking job with PgcEdit and FixVTS, without having to quit PgcEdit.)

[Nordin]

Hi
I have a problem with Pgcedit.
I used v9.1 and one time it went wrong (at Wxp). The PreView funktion lost. In all windows the PreView buttons animate, but the PreView window not appears, however the Pgcedit runs, in Trace mode it counts the time and steps the next track or pg. (PreView menu also not works)
Manually start the PgcEditPreview.exe runs, its blanc window appears.
I uninstalled PgcEdit with Options menu, deleted it's folders from the Program Files and Documents and Settings, cleared marks from the Registry and deleted it's files from the Windows\Prefetch folder. I installed again(v9.2), but the mistake same.
I uninstalled once more as like up and installed v8.6. The result better, but not perfect: in Tace mode the PreView window appears, sorry the PreView buttons not work.
What have I do?
Please Help?
Thanks