PgcEdit v0.3.

[lamster]

VobBlanker has source available; it includes modified DVD2AVIdg source. So, that's one way to go.

The MSDN article Writing a DVD Playback Application in DirectShow (http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/dnwmt/html/writingadvdplaybackapplicationindirectshow.asp) lists some likely-looking commands in Table 1.

[r0lZ]

Originally posted by lamster
VobBlanker has source available; it includes modified DVD2AVIdg source. So, that's one way to go.

The MSDN article Writing a DVD Playback Application in DirectShow (http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/dnwmt/html/writingadvdplaybackapplicationindirectshow.asp) lists some likely-looking commands in Table 1. Thanks for the infos.

The modified DVD2AVI used by VobBlanker is driven by Windows messages send by the main app. Unfortunately, being a multi-platform language, Tcl doesn't have support to send such Windows messages (although it supports DDE messages via an additional module.)

And building a DirectX app is not really easy. I have never done that kind of programmation, and DirectX programming is well known to be a real black nightmare. Furthermore, I think DirectX has no provision for playing some specific cells out of a VOB.

Anyway, I want to complete some important improvments in PgcEdit (the Trace function and the ability to edit the menu button commands) before going to that tedious work. But it's on my TODO list...

[blutach]

Originally posted by lamster
First, I'd like the ability to configure where the backup goes - including the ability to specify a relative path. (This way, I don't have to remember to delete the backup directory when burning the VIDEO_TS directory.) Don't know what burner you are using, but when I burn using Nero v6.6 selecting DVD-Video mode, dragging the files in (even after a "Ctrl-A select all") does not drag in the sub-folders like PgcEdit backup.

Regards

[blutach]

Originally posted by 2COOL
@blutach
If the the NextPGCN is pointing to it's own PGC #, then at the last chapter, you will jump immediately to the post commands. So in VMGM PGC 3, Sajan will jump to it's own Post commands. Therefore, executing his LinkPGN 4 command.

PrevPGCN will jump to Pre commands. As usual, thanks 2COOL, I learn somethng new every day from you.

PS. Guide looks good - you decided to leave step 29 in?

@rolz
I know you are trying to complete the trace function, and this is something we have all been eagerly awaiting, but 2COOL's guide on chapter skipping would be a real winner as the next PgcEdit macro, don't you think?

[lamster]

Hello r0lZ,

The info about the DirectShow capabilities was really in response to the comment about only being able to "play" a DVD. I wouldn't really want to have to write a DirectX application just to do the preview.

As for DVD2AVI being driven by a message loop, that's where my idea of having a program from the Tools menu handle the preview comes into play. I was hoping to find some sample C / C++ source code that I could easily wrap to create a "glue" application that would act as the interface.

Unfortunately, I don't know Tcl, so I couldn't tell from looking at exec_tool how hard it would be to add a pluggable parameter to indicate the currently selected menu or PGC number.

[lamster]

Originally posted by blutach
Don't know what burner you are using, but when I burn using Nero v6.6 selecting DVD-Video mode, dragging the files in (even after a "Ctrl-A select all") does not drag in the sub-folders like PgcEdit backup.

I'm using Nero 5.5. I've always used UDF/ISO mode, and in that mode it does copy the subdirectories.

[jeanl]

Originally posted by lamster
Hello r0lZ,
The info about the DirectShow capabilities was really in response to the comment about only being able to "play" a DVD. I wouldn't really want to have to write a DirectX application just to do the preview.
what I meant by that was that that direct-X DVD support does not let you have access to individual cells/programs, not even to PGCs!!!! It gives you pretty much the same controls a user has with his/her remote! I'll take a look at the way jsoto did it for vobblanker though...

Jeanl

[Sajan]

Originally posted by 2COOL
I thought we were working on a freshly ripped DVD. I didn't know you had re-authored it. So, how did you do it to 3 discs? Note: Just woke up. :)
Najica Blitz Tactics (episodes 1-12) (2 DVD-9, about 6,5G each), region 5.
I'm trying to reauthorize it to 3 DVD-5 without recompressing of video.
Mmm... 2*6,5 = 3*4,5:)
I had to split episodes for 4 per DVD. Also threw away some addons (not enough DVD space) with hiding according buttons. Of course, removing PUOPs and making region-free. Correcting PrevPG,NextPG. In 2nd DVD-5 I had to merge some menus from both original DVD-9 (chapters and addons) with correcting links.
Note: For now it's time when I just woke up. :))

[lamster]

Originally posted by jeanl
what I meant by that was that that direct-X DVD support does not let you have access to individual cells/programs, not even to PGCs!!!! It gives you pretty much the same controls a user has with his/her remote! I'll take a look at the way jsoto did it for vobblanker though...
The stuff in the MSDN article sounded pretty good, but now that I've dug down a bit, I see what you mean. The IDvdControl2::ShowMenu() method only lets you specify the title, root, subpicture, audio, angle and chapter menus, not an arbitrary menu by PGC ID.

I tried getting the Media Player Classic source from SourceForge, but that uses the DirectShow stuff, so that's no good for this.

[jeanl]

The stuff in the MSDN article sounded pretty good, but now that I've dug down a bit, I see what you mean. The IDvdControl2::ShowMenu() method only lets you specify the title, root, subpicture, audio, angle and chapter menus, not an arbitrary menu by PGC ID.

yes, exactly! It's very very very limited. There's bound to be a way to do it (vobblanker has it), but I'm sure it's more intricate that I was hoping it would be. Best would be to adapt the code that vobblanker uses because it seems to work just fine. The question remains of how to communicate between tck/tk and windows. If you can call a C++ program from tcl/tk, then we could replicate jsoto's windows messages solution by having a small program forward calls from tcl/tk to windows... Pretty ugly but hey, as long as it does the job...
Jeanl

[blutach]

Originally posted by lamster
I'm using Nero 5.5. I've always used UDF/ISO mode, and in that mode it does copy the subdirectories. Any reason why you use UDF mode instead of DVD-Video mode (which works very well?

[r0lZ]

Originally posted by lamster
I'm using Nero 5.5. I've always used UDF/ISO mode, and in that mode it does copy the subdirectories. I made the backup the way it is, because it is easy to automate the backup creation when opening the DVD for the first time: if the backup directory doesn't already exists, then I can safely assume that I must create it.
If you use an arbitrary location, I cannot assume anymore that the directory used is related to the current DVD, and therefore I will need to remove the automatic creation, and the restore backup option.
Anyway, I think that selecting only the files before dragging them to Nero is not so difficult!

[r0lZ]

Originally posted by jeanl
yes, exactly! It's very very very limited. There's bound to be a way to do it (vobblanker has it), but I'm sure it's more intricate that I was hoping it would be. Best would be to adapt the code that vobblanker uses because it seems to work just fine. The question remains of how to communicate between tck/tk and windows. If you can call a C++ program from tcl/tk, then we could replicate jsoto's windows messages solution by having a small program forward calls from tcl/tk to windows... Pretty ugly but hey, as long as it does the job...
Jeanl Interesting idea. Tcl support DDE messages, as you can see here (http://tcltk.free.fr/man/TclCmd/dde.php3). Maybe it's the solution...

[r0lZ]

PgcEdit 0.3.8 released

New Edit -> Append to Scratchbook function to add the selected commands directly to the scratchbook. This option is also available in the menu buttons viewer (with the clipboard functions.)
PGC Editor: added the ability to edit the PG Playback Mode (sequential, random or shuffle mode.)
It is now possible to paste commands in full text format (copied with 'Copy as Text') directly in the main listbox. Note that the *** labels are not pasted: you may therefore paste the pre, post and cell commands in one operation, but all commands will be pasted in the same section.
New option "Include [hex codes] in Info / commands dumps ?".
Help -> ISO639 Language Codes now lists also the decimal and hex values.
Since CSetCLnk, CSetLnk and SetCLnk must have an IF condition, the IF checkbox has been removed from the GUI.
Now, the "New 'Play All' Title" utility display the new TTN number in the PGC selector.
Undo now mark the DVD as modified.

Also, thanks to Baldrick, there is now a new mirror of the PgcEdit's homepage at www.videohelp.com.

[lamster]

Originally posted by blutach
Any reason why you use UDF mode instead of DVD-Video mode (which works very well?
That's how one of the guides I read (on Doom9) said to do it, so that's how I did it for my first backup, and I've been doing it that way ever since.

From a post by coona:
Standalone players are able to read data in UDF mode. But computers need to use ISO. So that is why UDF/IFO is recommended -> to obtain best compatibility for standalones and computers.

Difference between DVD-VIDEO and UDF/ISO mode in Nero is version of UDF. In DVD-VIDEO mode was used version 1.05 but oficial standard for standalones is 1.02. This is the reason for problem with compatibility of DVDs burned with Nero. Some old players were unable to read newer version (1.05) UDF.
See also this thread (http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=49247)
Anyway, this is getting off of the topic at hand...

[lamster]

Originally posted by r0lZ
I made the backup the way it is, because it is easy to automate the backup creation when opening the DVD for the first time: if the backup directory doesn't already exists, then I can safely assume that I must create it.
Actually, that raises another point - it might be nice if there were an option to backup the IFO files when the first change is made. The reason for this is that I often examine the IFO files of the original rip while DVD-Rebuilder is running, so I can understand the changes that need to be made, but don't actually make any changes until after Rebuilder completes, at which point I open the IFO files in my "Rebuilt" directory, and those are the ones that I modify. So, I'd like to keep the ability to automatically back up the IFO's I'm editing, but I don't want to bother doing it for the ones I'm not.

If you use an arbitrary location, I cannot assume anymore that the directory used is related to the current DVD, and therefore I will need to remove the automatic creation, and the restore backup option.

I did say "including the ability to specify a relative path". I'd be happy if there was just a checkbox that said to create it in the parent directory of the VIDEO_TS directory.

Anyway, I think that selecting only the files before dragging them to Nero is not so difficult!
This is certainly not a show-stopper, or even particularly high priority; I'm just throwing it out as something that I'd like to see. (I think it would be "cleaner" that way.) If you don't think it's worth doing, I can live with that.

[jeanl]

Originally posted by r0lZ


It is now possible to paste commands in full text format (copied with 'Copy as Text') directly in the main listbox. Note that the *** labels are not pasted: you may therefore paste the pre, post and cell commands in one operation, but all commands will be pasted in the same section.

Now that's very coool!!!!
Thanks for all these updates and improvements r0lZ!!!
Jeanl

[jeanl]

Originally posted by r0lZ
Interesting idea. Tcl support DDE messages, as you can see here (http://tcltk.free.fr/man/TclCmd/dde.php3). Maybe it's the solution...
Interesting. Indeed, DDE provides a simple pipe to talk between Tcl and C++/windows programs. I wonder if that's what jsoto used to control DVD2AVI, although I think I remember he used Windows SendMessage...
Jeanl

[2COOL]

@r0lZ

I have a Scooby Doo 2(R1) that has it LUs not showing a menu language.

http://img95.exs.cx/img95/2788/Image_002.png

Is there anywhere in PgcEdit to edit this? I can do it in the VMGM_PGCI_UT or VTSM_PGCI_UT using IfoEdit.

2 requests:

1) PGC Program Map editing
2) PTT_SRPTI editing

[r0lZ]

No, you cannot edit the LU language with PgcEdit (for now.) Anyway, if the language is unset, you probably have only one LU. Editing it is therefore useless: it will be played anyway, regardless of the current player configuration.

And yes, the Program map and chapter table edition is on my todo list. It's an important feature to add. Please remind me later, when I will have some time...

[jsoto]

I wonder if that's what jsoto used to control DVD2AVI, although I think I remember he used Windows SendMessage...
Yes, I'm using SendMessage.
. If you can call a C++ program from tcl/tk, then we could replicate jsoto's windows messages solution by having a small program forward calls from tcl/tk to windows... Pretty ugly but hey, as long as it does the job... Yes, it can be done easily. Just an exe with the parameters to be used in SendMessage. And, also yes, pretty ugly...

jsoto

[lamster]

Originally posted by jsoto
Yes, I'm using SendMessage.
Yes, it can be done easily. Just an exe with the parameters to be used in SendMessage. And, also yes, pretty ugly...

Since there's supposedly a DLL-caller extension (http://tcltk.free.fr/tcltkfaq.php3?idxquery=229) (although the link it points at appears dead), might it be less ugly if you just loaded USER32.dll and called SendMessage directly? (Sorry if this is a dumb question; as I said, I'm not familiar with Tcl.)

[jeanl]

If that works, that's a very good suggestion! One fewer intermediate steps. PgcEdit could use the same modified DVD2AVI that jsoto came up with and talk to it via windows messages, the same way vobblanker talks to it...
Suddenly PgdEdit preview does not seem so out of reach ;)

EDIT: I also saw an extension of tcl called "CWind" that allows sending windows messages from tcl...
http://www.interq.or.jp/japan/s-imai/tcltk/cwind.html
Jeanl

[2COOL]

Originally posted by jeanl
If that works, that's a very good suggestion! One fewer intermediate steps. PgcEdit could use the same modified DVD2AVI that jsoto came up with and talk to it via windows messages, the same way vobblanker talks to it...
Suddenly PgdEdit preview does not seem so out of reach ;)

Jeanl "Without vision, we are blind to opportunity." ;)

[r0lZ]

Thanks to everybody here helping to implement a preview in PgcEdit. Great!
For your information, as this is not a programming thread, we are currently exchanging PMs and mails on this matter. I will keep you informed of the progress of the Preview...

[DMagic1]

Great work.

[2COOL]

@r0lZ

When we choose to "Jump to Target" in our menu buttons viewer, we can see the jump on the main window in the background. Can you have it so we do click on this button, the viewer would automatically close too? When I want to jump to the target, I "want" to jump to the target.

[blutach]

Fabulous, as usual, rolz. Just fantastic.

All the best

[r0lZ]

Originally posted by 2COOL
@r0lZ

When we choose to "Jump to Target" in our menu buttons viewer, we can see the jump on the main window in the background. Can you have it so we do click on this button, the viewer would automatically close too? When I want to jump to the target, I "want" to jump to the target. OK. Done.
Note that the viewer is not closed if the target is not found, or if the target is within the same PGC (for example, when the command is a LinkCN). In this latter case, the right cell is automatically selected and shown in the viewer.

[r0lZ]

@DMagic, blutach and everybody
Thanks for your kind words. :)

[2COOL]

Originally posted by r0lZ
OK. Done.
Note that the viewer is not closed if the target is not found, or if the target is within the same PGC (for example, when the command is a LinkCN). In this latter case, the right cell is automatically selected and shown in the viewer. CC

[2COOL]

@r0lZ

Enhancement request

When using the SetSTN command in Command Editor, I'm envisioning the languages next to the stream number in slidebar. Beats having to check the stream attributes on the side to figure out which to pick. No ()'s will work too.

http://img79.exs.cx/img79/892/Image_003.png

Also, I'm sure you can get the total number of streams,in question, in PGC to set/match the number of streams in slide bar too. So, if I only had 3 audios, my slide bar would only go up to 3.

This would make life easier, don't you think?

[r0lZ]

Originally posted by 2COOL
@r0lZ

Enhancement request

When using the SetSTN command in Command Editor, I'm envisioning the languages next to the stream number in slidebar. Beats having to check the stream attributes on the side to figure out which to pick. No ()'s will work too.

http://img79.exs.cx/img79/892/Image_003.png

Also, I'm sure you can get the total number of streams,in question, in PGC to set/match the number of streams in slide bar too. So, if I only had 3 audios, my slide bar would only go up to 3.

This would make life easier, don't you think? IMHO, you are taking things in the wrong order. The streams assignments you make in the PGC Selector (called stream status in IfoEdit) are directly referencing the streams in the VOB. There is no way for me to know what language there are supposed to be. Then, the domain stream attributes are referencing those assignments, and give them the language attributes.

[2COOL]

Originally posted by r0lZ
Then, the domain stream attributes are referencing those assignments, and give them the language attributes. I'm a little confused. You can't use code snippets of the language attributes dialog to set the slide bars? The dialog can get the languages so why can't the command editor. I'm sure you can up with some variables to store this.

Edit: We are already know what PGC we are in since it's still selected in the PGC Selector.

[r0lZ]

It's not a programming problem. It just doesn't make sense.
I'll try to explain again:

In your VOB, say you have 4 subpic streams:
0: English, widescreen
1: English, letterbox
2: French, widescreen
3: French, letterbox

In the PGC, you will probably have something like that:
Subpic 0: use VOB streams 0, 1, 1, 0
Subpic 1: use VOB streams 2, 3, 3, 2

In the domain stream attribs, you FINALLY have the description of the streams assignments made in the PGC:
Subpic 0: en
Subpic 1: fr

So, when you change the assignments in the PGC editor, you cannot say what are the languages of the physical streams in the VOB by looking at the domain stream attribs. And it's also impossible to say how many physical streams are in the VOB.

[jeanl]

This post is in reference to the problem northwind reported around here
http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=79853&perpage=20&pagenumber=17

This is slightly off topic, but the problem emerged when northwind started using PgcEdit.

northwind was able to prepare a small version of the problem DVD, which I was able to download for testing. I'm stumped! Here's what I'm seeing:
- The *original* DVD as made by northwind plays find in PowerDVD.
- But if I burn it on a DVD-RW, and try to play it from PowerDVD, PowerDVD reports an error and stops!

* I've tried 3 different discs, same result.
* I've tried to load it in IFOEdit and do a Get VTS Sector. Same result!

I'm puzzled. There's something wrong with the DVD to begin with, but I'm not sure what it is.
Does anybody have an idea what's going on here?
Jeanl

EDIT: Even more weird! The same DVD-RW that PowerDVD can't play will play on my sampo settop DVD player! :)

[2COOL]

Originally posted by r0lZ
It's not a programming problem. It just doesn't make sense.
I'll try to explain again:

In your VOB, say you have 4 subpic streams:
0: English, widescreen
1: English, letterbox
2: French, widescreen
3: French, letterbox

In the PGC, you will probably have something like that:
Subpic 0: use VOB streams 0, 1, 1, 0
Subpic 1: use VOB streams 2, 3, 3, 2

In the domain stream attribs, you FINALLY have the description of the streams assignments made in the PGC:
Subpic 0: en
Subpic 1: fr

So, when you change the assignments in the PGC editor, you cannot say what are the languages of the physical streams in the VOB by looking at the domain stream attribs.OK, little fuzzy but it'll come to me eventually.
And it's also impossible to say how many physical streams are in the VOB. I won't say it's impossible. You can parse the VOB streams using vStrip using a CLI command like this.

C:\vstrip\vStrip.exe c:\dvd_video\video_ts\VTS_01_1.VOB

Of course, it won't tell you any languages.

Oh BTW, I've read that the default setting for gprm(1) is 16, not 15. It's in my Ralph LaBarge book.

[r0lZ]

I won't say it's impossible. You can parse the VOB streams using vStrip using a CLI command like this. Of course, you can analyse the VOB. What I mean is that it's not possible to know how many subpic streams are in the VOBs only by looking in the domain stream attributes section (in VMGM_MAT/VTSI_MAT).

Oh BTW, I've read that the default setting for gprm(1) is 16, not 15. It's in my Ralph LaBarge book. Seems strange, since the value for 'not set' is 15. Anyway, I'll test that on my player immediately...

[EDIT:] The default for gprm(1) is 15, not 16. Ralph LaBarge is wrong. Confirmed with soft players, Sony and KISS.

[2COOL]

Originally posted by r0lZ
The default for gprm(1) is 15, not 16. Ralph LaBarge is wrong. Confirmed with soft players, Sony and KISS. :(

[M!ro]

there is a minor bug in pgcedit. in command editor menu, when the "value" option is selected, if the box is empty (no number entered), when you click the "B" button you get
application error: can't use empty string as operand of "/"
i think you first have to test if textbox isn't empty and then divde with 1024 ;)

[r0lZ]

Thanks M!ro. Indeed, it's easy to fix!

[blutach]

Originally posted by r0lZ
[EDIT:] The default for gprm(1) is 15, not 16. Ralph LaBarge is wrong. Confirmed with soft players, Sony and KISS. KISS, the rock group? Didn't know they were into DVDs. Music DVDs, I suppose. :D :D :D

[jeanl]

Originally posted by blutach
KISS, the rock group? Didn't know they were into DVDs. Music DVDs, I suppose. :D :D :D
geee blutach, that was lame! ;)
Jeanl

[blutach]

Sorry, Jean.

But someone might have got a laugh (or just a smile perhaps)?

Take care

[blutach]

@rolz

A question re PgcEdit and IfoEdit's Get VTS Sectors

After I have saved a disk in PgcEdit and load up an IFO in IfoEdit (usually by using the shortcut in the Tools menu), I do a GET VTS Sectors to load up the remaining IFOs on the disk.

Now, I have found that when there is no VIDEO_TS.VOB present (e.g it is all unreferenced material and has been eliminated), IFOEdit corrects the sectors.

But, I had already done a save in PgcEdit.

Is this a bug? If so, who's bug?

BTW: There is no problem if VIDEO_TS.VOB is present - even as a 10k blank. Only when it is 0k.

Hope you can help.

Regards

[jeanl]

About this GetVTS Sectors...

Can someone explain to me exactly what that does?
I have an intuitive understanding that it has something to do with the way a player accesses various places on the disc, based on sectors (instead of using the windows file system when playing out of a folder). Is that what's happening?

What's the consequence of having out of sync VTS sectors?
Does the DVD still play on, say PowerDVD in file mode (out of a VIDEO_TS folder)?
Does the DVD play on PowerDVD in ISO mode (from a mounted ISO image?)

Jeanl

[jsoto]

Now, I have found that when there is no VIDEO_TS.VOB present (e.g it is all unreferenced material and has been eliminated), IFOEdit corrects the sectors.
I didn't try, but seems to be a bug in pgcEdit.

Sector adjustment procedure:
See http://dvd.sourceforge.net/dvdinfo/ifo.html
Look to the green tables in the middle. The pointers are located in:
0x1C: Pointer to End of IFO
0xC0: Pointer to Start of menu VOB
0x0C: Pointer to End of VTS/VMG set of files (points to last sector of BUP
0xC4: Pointer to First sector of titles.

Pointers are relative to start of VTS/VMG set of files
Summarizing, being
- nIFOSectors the size (in sectors) of IFO
- nMenuSectors the size (in sectors) of Menu
- nVOBSectors the size (in sectors) of all title VTSs

0x1C= nIFOSectors-1;
0xC0= nIFOSectors;
0x0C= nIFOSectors*2+nMenuSectors+nVOBSectors-1;
0xC4= nIFOSectors+nMenuSectors;

But, you have to take into account the "special" cases:
If there is NO Menu file
0xC0=0;
If there is a 0 bytes menu file
0xC0= nIFOSectors*2+nVOBSectors-1; in VTSs
0xC0= nIFOSectors*2-1; in VMGs

So, in the case of a 0 bytes menu, when you delete it (to burn the files with Nero), you need to adjust (reset to zero) the 0xC0 pointer

And, in TT_SRPT (titles table) of VIDEO_TS.IFO there are absolute pointers (one per title) to the start of the VTS where the title is included.

The consecuence of having unadjusted VTS sectors is clear:
- DVD will not play in a settop.

I'm not absolutely sure but I believe powerDVD is still able to play the DVD, because it can access to the files based on file system, not in sectors.

jsoto

[jeanl]

jsoto,
Thanks for this very thorough explanation! GREAT! Thanks a bunch for spending the time to explain in great detail!
Jeanl

[jsoto]

Err.., just to complete the description, another point:

The values I've written in the post below are in the case of consecutive allocation of the files.

But there are some DVDs which have unused sectors between the different files. In this case the sector values are different from the formulas I've written. (Obviously, in these DVDs, if you do a "Get VTS sectors", IFOEdit will try to correct the sectors).

One reason for having this unused sectors in the middle is to have physical distance between the IFO and the BUP files, to guarantee the integrity of the BUP in the case of IFO corruption due physical damage of the DVD.

BTW, I do not know if Nero is able to burn the DVD with these "unused sectors" in the middle.

jsoto

[jeanl]

Originally posted by jsoto

BTW, I do not know if Nero is able to burn the DVD with these "unused sectors" in the middle.

jsoto
Funny you should mention that! I have a very weird phenomenon happening with a DVD (provided to me by Northwind), whereby discs burned with DVDDecrypter play fine everywhere (PC and settop) but discs burned with nero (from folder) do not!.

If I can't get to the bottom of that I will post a message...
Jeanl