MenuShrink Version 2.4 is here!

[jeanl]

MenuShrink Version 2.3 is here!
now 2.4

Version 2.3 has the following main new features:

You can preview all the menu cells if you want to. This allows you to keep menu transitions or video segments (interviews etc) that were placed in the menu domain and are normally eliminated by MenuShrink.
The overall DVD size is now displayed in the Log

along with a couple bug fixes.
Get the new version at the usual place:
http://www.videohelp.com/~menushrink/
Make sure to refresh the download page to get version 2.3!

Here's the change log.

UI:

You can preview all the cells that have more than 1 I-frame. This is useful
to keep or discard menu transitions, or buttonless videos that are put in the
menu domain (interviews etc).
The overall DVD size (including menus and title) is now displayed in the Log.

Engine:

MenuShrink now avoids bypassing a cell if doing so would yield a "repeating
menu" (a menu page that repeats once if the user presses one of the buttons).
Clicking "Abort" now skips updating the IFOs!
A warning is issued when the wrong video format is found in the PGC cell
times.
The cell playback time is now computed from scratch.

Bug Fixes:

If "keep audio" was unchecked and a cell was kept animated, the audio streams
were mistakingly reset.


Enjoy!
jeanl

[2COOL]

I've replied to you at DVD Shrink's forum and to add to it, great job!

[r0lZ]

Yeah! I think we have now everything we may ever need!
:thanks:

[blutach]

Terrific jeanl! Welcome back!

Regards

[Zyphon]

Thanks for the update jeanl. :)

[arsmori]

And an updated French version on top of that, I'm fulfill culturally :D
Thanks for all the work, mucho appreciated.

[jeanl]

You guys are all welcome. Ze pleajure izz mine!
J.

[rendez2k]

I've just tried running a disc through it (Max and Paddy), and the menu highlights don't work on 1 of my DVD players and PowerDVD, yet they work fine on Media Player Classic and my Sony DVD standalone! Any ideas? It was ripped with DVDFab if that makes any difference. First disc I've have trouble with.

[jeanl]

Darn! That's bad.
Could you possibly send me the output DVD? I would need all the menu vobs (not the title!) and all the IFOs. Try to use menushrink without audio (that will make the menus much smaller). Use www.yousendit.com and post the link that it sends back to you. Check that the highlights don't work if you use "no audio" before you send it though...

ALSO: Did the log say anything suspicious?

jeanl

[r0lZ]

Jean, I remember I've had a similar problem with a player. It was caused by a number of subpic streams being 0 in a table. I don't remember exactly which. Probably in VTSI_MAT. The DVD played fine in my Sony, but the highlights were not visible with my KISS.

[jeanl]

Thanks r0lZ, this might be the problem indeed!!! But in my (now extended) experience with subpics that refuse to show on various players, it's usually quite challenging to figure out what the problem is. Although if they really don't show on PowerDVD, it should be easier to figure out what the problem is. And now we also have DVDSubEdit, which will no doubt be helpful! :)
jeanl

[jeanl]

rendez2k,
I got your files, thanks!
- I can see a very obvious problem with VCID 1/10. THere's an "unknkown" pack (says vobedit) and that definitely shouldn't be the case.
- However, this isn't the problem. The main menu is VCID 1/1 (the first one of the vob) and I confirm that the highlights don't show up in PowerDVD.

I haven't been able to see anything wrong with this cell.
- The subpic packs are there, they do show in DVDSubEdit, and if I set their transparency to 15 (opaque), then I see them in PowerDVD. This tells me the subpic data is correct.
- The buttons are correctly defined, and I don't see anything wrong with the colorscheme.
- PTS values for the I-frame, the navpack and the subpics all match.
- Subpic streams are correctly defined in the ifo as far as I can tell.

I'm really puzzled here.... Could you possibly send me the original vob? If it's too big, simply send me cell 1/1 (you can extract it with IFOEdit).
Thanks in advance.
jeanl

[jeanl]

OK I've got it!!!
And now it's coming back to me, I remember r0lZ mentioning that to me... But I was able to figure it out, thanks to PgcEdit's colorscheme editor (I noticed that simply saving the colorscheme with no modification made the highlights show up!).
The answer is...
The "highlight status" (byte 8d in the navpack), which apparently MUST be set to 1 for the highlights to show. Menushrink (and vobblanker) does not modify this value, assuming it to be correct in the original. I'll change that.

The highlights show up in the original, I suspect, probably because one of the navpacks in the cell has this status set, but not the one I kept. Darn!

Anyway. jsoto, you might want to do that modification as well...
Thanks rendez2k for the bug report and the files!
jeanl
P.S. the funny thing is that I have a warning about that in the menushrink code (an assert that pops up a panel in debug mode) but no warning in the release version... :(

[jeanl]

rendez2k
Could you still send me VCID 1/10 so I can figure out where the "unknown pack" comes from (in the original???)
jeanl

[jeanl]

For those of you interested, I've posted an unofficial version of menushrink (V2.31) that fixes the status problem among other things.
http://www.videohelp.com/~menushrink/Binaries/MenuShrinkV2.31.zip

You have to use the direct link above to get that version.
Jeanl

[jeanl]

Thanks rendez2k,
Indeed, there was another (incredibly rare) problem with the way menushrink was fixing stop commands in the subpics. This only happened if the second set of command started in another subpic pack, but its timing was in the previous pack. This has been fixed...
The new version is here:
http://www.videohelp.com/~menushrink/Binaries/MenuShrinkV2.32.zip

Thanks a bunch.
jeanl

[jsoto]

Hi jeanl

Colud you send me the files (or the link to) to test the problem in VobBlanker?

About the second issue...Is it specific of menushrink code or may be it is also in VobBlanker?

jsoto

[jeanl]

jsoto, I don't have the original VOB but you can check whether vobblanker sets the highlight status to 1 in the navpack when it stills. If you don't, I suggest you change that (I think you don't, since I tried to process the menushrin-processed vob in vobblanker, and that didn't fix the problem).
The second issue I believe is a menushrink problem only. I think you do things differently so you won't have that problem (I remember you told me you gather all the subpic data in one big array, and write the whole thing back after modfying it).
I'll pm you the links though...
Jeanl

[jsoto]

Thanks, I got the links.
And yes, IIRC, VobBlanker does not touch the highlight status.
You're right, I put all the subs in a big array, but I'll test the strange case of subs, you never know...

jsoto

[jeanl]

MenuShrink Version 2.4 is here!


Here's the change log (this is a small update, despite the version number).

UI:

Added an "Open" button. This makes it possible to use MenuShrink in wine.
Added code to support wine. If not in native windows, overlay mode is disabled (not supported in wine) and the settings are stored in a .MenuShrink directory.

Bug Fixes:

The highlights status flag is now set to 1 in all cases. This caused highlights to not show up on Max and Paddy R2 (http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?p=763099#post763099)
Fixed an extremely rare problem with stop commands in subpics which could cause the subpic pack to become invalid.


Enjoy!
jeanl

[jsoto]

(this is a small update, despite the version number).
This is because the tool was close to be perfect. ;)
Many thanks for the update, and for analyzing and solving the problem. I took advantage about it .

jsoto

[jeanl]

You're welcome man! Congrats on your latest vobblanker, I really like the preview... And now we're done with the silly thank yous!
:D!
jeanl

[arsmori]

This is because the tool was close to be perfect. ;)
yep, just like free beer, you can't fault it :sly:

[r0lZ]

Thanks for this new release, jeanl!

Just to make things clear: the highlight status must be 1 only in the first nav pack.
It should be 2 in subsequent packs, unless something has changed in the subpic.
Of course, when the menu is stilled, I guess there is only one nav pack left, so you should force his HL status to 1.

[blutach]

And now we're done with the silly thank yous!
:D!
jeanlNo, we are not!

Merci Beaucoup Jean L :)

And Muchos gracias Jsoto for a brilliant 2.1.0.0!!!

Regards

[jsoto]

Just to make things clear: the highlight status must be 1 only in the first nav pack.
It should be 2 in subsequent packs, unless something has changed in the subpic.
Of course, when the menu is stilled, I guess there is only one nav pack left, so you should force his HL status to 1.
Err, In the case of still+audio there are more than one nav pack. I suppose the first one (the one with the subs) has to be 1, and the rest should be 2... VobBlanker currently modifies only the first nav (to be 1), but not the following ones (they should be correct before)... May be I have to change it too...

jsoto

[r0lZ]

Right. Of course, when you keep the audio, there are several nav packs.

No, I think you should keep the highlight status (except the first one) as they are. If you force them to 2, when something change in the buttons, it will be lost.

[voo_doo99]

MenuShrink Version 2.4 is here!

Congrats on the new version. I was eager to try it but the main site was down :( , may be you could list another site in your sig? :)

[bourtzovlakas]

http://www.videohelp.com/~menushrink/Binaries/MenuShrink2.4.zip

[jeanl]

Thanks bourtzovlakas, this is the better way to get menushrink (much much faster than free.fr). I'll change my sig...
jeanl
EDIT: well, that was the link in my sig... :)

[voo_doo99]

Thanks bourtzovlakas, this is the better way to get menushrink (much much faster than free.fr). I'll change my sig...
jeanl
EDIT: well, that was the link in my sig... :)
For some reason, this cracked me up :D :goodpost:
Yes, the videohelp site was down earlier. I looked around and was able to grab a link to your personal site from blutach sig. I thought you would want to list a second site on your sig like the other two Captains :p.

[r0lZ]

VideoHelp is usually very reliable and fast. But it was down yesterday. I think it's the first time it is down since I used it for the PgcEdit homepage!

[Video Dude]

This is a great program.

I used it for the first time today and I got a 400 MB menu down to 3 MB.

[jeanl]

Congrats video dude, for a first try, that's not bad! :D
But seriously, it's not always easy to find very very large menus...
jeanl

[voo_doo99]

Bug?
I drop my VTS_01_0.VOB on MenuShrink 2.41 and clicked "Process". The progress bar ran to about half point then a preview screen popped up asking me to select the I-frame. I cliked "Abort" and the status showed "Process aborted by user". And YET, the Menu VOB was replaced with a new smaller one and broke the DVD playing. A good thing was the "MenuShrinkBackup" existed and I could restore the Menu VOB manually. Not a satisfying experience! :D I think if process was aborted, the fail-safe response should have the backup restored by default, or inform user to perform the restore immediately.

Feature request:
I like the way you build DVDSubEdit, and maybe you could apply that to MenuShrink. You could integrate the Preview screen so it can display the Menu after the VOB was dropped in. I can pick I-frame, select options, then click "Process" to shrink the Menu. Or not processing, just "Quit". :p

[I]Probing question:
How difficult to add sound to preview?. Are we there, that would really be cool :)
:thanks:

[jeanl]

Bug?
I drop my VTS_01_0.VOB on MenuShrink 2.41 and clicked "Process". The progress bar ran to about half point then a preview screen popped up asking me to select the I-frame. I cliked "Abort" and the status showed "Process aborted by user". And YET, the Menu VOB was replaced with a new smaller one and broke the DVD playing. A good thing was the "MenuShrinkBackup" existed and I could restore the Menu VOB manually. Not a satisfying experience! :D I think if process was aborted, the fail-safe response should have the backup restored by default, or inform user to perform the restore immediately.

Well, I would think that if you abort the process right in the middle, you should expect to have a faulty output! All you had to do was click restore backup... Or process again for that matter. But I guess you're right, it probably would be best for the backup to be restored if the user clicks abort.

Feature request:
I like the way you build DVDSubEdit, and maybe you could apply that to MenuShrink. You could integrate the Preview screen so it can display the Menu after the VOB was dropped in. I can pick I-frame, select options, then click "Process" to shrink the Menu. Or not processing, just "Quit". :p

The menu? Which menu! :D :D! Every DVD has many menus, which one would Menushrink choose, and how? I don't think that's quite easy. I could see another option which would be a UI kind of like pgcedit or dvdremake, where you'd be able to select a menu amont the many and apply processing to that specific one. That's a big change and I'm not sure I see the value...

[I]Probing question:
How difficult to add sound to preview?. Are we there, that would really be cool :)
:thanks:
Sound is difficult... THe code is already in DVD2AVI, but it's not well separated so I don't have a very easy way to enable it and send it to the sound output... I've had that in the back of my mind, but it's not for today or tomorrow... :(

jeanl

[voo_doo99]

Well, I would think that if you abort the process right in the middle, you should expect to have a faulty output! All you had to do was click restore backup... Or process again for that matter. But I guess you're right, it probably would be best for the backup to be restored if the user clicks abort.

Thanks, call it "MenuShrink for Dummies...". :D


The menu? Which menu! :D :D! Every DVD has many menus, which one would Menushrink choose, and how? I don't think that's quite easy. I could see another option which would be a UI kind of like pgcedit or dvdremake, where you'd be able to select a menu amont the many and apply processing to that specific one. That's a big change and I'm not sure I see the value...

You got me, didn't think it through :p. How about this: take a page from VobBlanker and make it even hotter :). Integrate a nice big preview screen, and add a grid for the list of Menus with process/skip option. Clicking on a menu line will display the preview for I-frame selection. Voila, not big change, c'est chic, c'est fantasico; d'accord? [Pardon my French] :D


Sound is difficult... THe code is already in DVD2AVI, but it's not well separated so I don't have a very easy way to enable it and send it to the sound output... I've had that in the back of my mind, but it's not for today or tomorrow... :(
jeanl
Good to hear you are thinking about it. We have faith in you, so next week too soon? :D

[dirio49]

My Two Cents

I kind of like how MenuShrinks is now simple and fast.:D
Having a gui with a preview, not really important to me it works fine now and plus if there are like a ton of cells than you would have to click on each to select them.(times the menus that are present, that would be tons and tons ... of clicks) it would take a long time.;)

as for the sound, I don't know maybe , maybe not, i don't really care, it never bothered me. :D
all I do is drag the move go to the settings click preview all cells click process and then select the i-frame for the cells and i am done. Music would not influence me if i want to keep a menu.:)

Peace

P.S. But it would be cool for VobBlanker, when you strip the audio and you don't know which is which.

[jeanl]

Yes, having the audio would be great for vobblanker, pgcedit, and DVDSubEdit, perhaps less important for menushrink... But adding the audio seems daunting to me... We'll see...
Jeanl

[voo_doo99]

Yes, having the audio would be great for vobblanker, pgcedit, and DVDSubEdit, perhaps less important for menushrink... But adding the audio seems daunting to me... We'll see...
Jeanl
Yes, my question of adding audio to preview was generic, least applicable to MenuShrink. Just that you are the go-to-person for preview, jeanl :D

[voo_doo99]

My Two Cents

I kind of like how MenuShrinks is now simple and fast.:D
Having a gui with a preview, not really important to me it works fine now and plus if there are like a ton of cells than you would have to click on each to select them.(times the menus that are present, that would be tons and tons ... of clicks) it would take a long time.;)

I guess the point was it could get even better, friendlier, and slicker. All menu options could be pre-set to default [like before], and I doubted if processing would be any slower. More than a make-over, the main difference will be active vs. reactive. Given a choice, I would like to review and make all selections [or leave as defaults] before clicking "Process", rather than after.

jeanl raised the bar with a superb interface in DVDSubEdit, I would love to see the same quality standard in MenuShrink. :)

[dirio49]

Hey Jean,

is there anyway, to make menushrink to find cells that are never really called up in the menu or used(like padding cells), basically they are useless, and remove them, and only them without actually shrinking the cells that are normal.

Just an idea,


Thanks

[jeanl]

mmm, not entirely... If you click "preview all cells" and click "keep" on all the cells that show up, you'll get something like that though (because the crap cells won't show up) but it's a bit tedious...
Jeanl

[ruedas]

hello there..is there any way to disable overlay for vista compatibility?. There is in pgcedit and vobblanker. Its a must for vista users.

Thankyou. This one is my favorite tool to fix disappearing buttons and reduce menu size..

Thankyou..

[jeanl]

As a matter of fact, there is! Open your ini file (which you'll find in the %APPDATA%/menushrink directory, and change this line:
NoOverlayMode = 1
This will make sure menushrink does not use overlay...
Jeanl

[ricoman]

I had to reformat my HD and no longer have Menushrink. Did anyone manage to save it for others to access before it went down?

[dirio49]

doom9 download page :)

[ricoman]

Of course I tried the download page before I asked! Couldn't find it there and the links on this thread send me to a blank Videohelp page. Searched all over. So, once again, did anyone save it or is there an alternate site?

[SvT]

http://www.dvdr-digest.com/software/menushrink.html

Try our friends at digest ! Goodluck !

[setarip_old]

Hi!

A simple Googlesearch for "MenuShrink" and "download" (All one phrase, including quotation marks) yielded the following (among MANY others):

http://www.free-codecs.com/download/MenuShrink.htm