PgcEdit v9.3 released! (March 22, 2010)

[r0lZ]

Have you tested the DVD produced with muxman (with the re-authored title alone)? If VLC doesn't accept it, that means that PgcEdit is not the culprit.

Anyway, I can't understand what's wrong. When the title is replaced, PgcEdit does only this: it replaces the VOBs in the folder, and it copies the various tables from the re-authored IFOs to the original IFO. As long as the tables are correct in the re-authored DVD, that should work. Some tables are not replaced if you tell PgcEdit to keep them. For example, the chapter table is kept unchanged when it's possible (when the number of cells of the re-authored title is equal to the number of cells of the original table). BTW, have you accepted the option to keep the original tables? Perhaps there is a bug here.

[skaleton]

Thank you for your reply, r0lZ.
Yes, VLC accepts the re-authored title alone. Also, since there is no problem with the VobBlanker replacement method, I doubt that the re-authoring could be the culprit.
In both cases, since I didn't make any other change than adding a subtitle, I chose yes when asked whether to keep the original tables.
I just re-authored it again but this time choosing not to keep the original tables. There were no commands left and I had to import them from another copy. But the new re-authored DVD was accepted by VLC.
So, as you suggest, the problem seems to be with the option to keep or not the original tables.

But why would it work with players like PowerDvd and MPC-HC and not with VLC (I didn't test any other player)? Could it be because VLC doesn't seem to follow the navigation instructions of the .ifo files as it usually goes directly to the main menu?

[r0lZ]

Thanks for the precision. I will have a look at the way the tables are kept from the original IFO.

I wonder if reimporting exactly the same title (from another exact copy) but asking PgcEdit to keep the original tables will produce the same behaviour. Unfortunately, I have only the portable version of VLC, and I'm not sure it's the latest version. So, if you can do the test yourself, I will appreciate it.

I don't know why VLC doesn't accept the IFOs. Honestly, I don't like VLC to much, at least as a DVD player, as it has several problems (mainly with the menus), and it is not really standard compliant. Currently, I do most of my tests with The KMPlayer. Although it has some problems with TS and M2TS files, it is excellent for the DVD playback. Another good way to test your DVD is the player integrated in IfoEdit. It's not at all a beautiful player (and it has some problems with the menu button highlights), but you can watch the GPRM changes, and in some occasions, it's invaluable.

Originally Posted by skaleton

Could it be because VLC doesn't seem to follow the navigation instructions of the .ifo files as it usually goes directly to the main menu?

Yes, that might be the problem. Bypassing some parts of the normal navigation is extremely dangerous, as usually, some GPRMs are not set as they should be, and the navigation can crash later, or at least lead to unexpected results. The Jump to PGC upon DVD insert PgcEdit function does just that, but it tries to clone the GPRMs and SPRMs state as it is when the navigation is followed normally. (It's why you have to trace to the target PGC.) Other rough methods, such as the method used by AnyDVD, often do not work as expected. I don't know at all the method used by VLC.

Also, another possible cause of the problem is a mismatch in the Domain Track Attributes tables. Since there is an additional subpic stream, maybe the problem is that that new stream is not referenced correctly. (It's also why I would like to know if the problem persists when importing a title without additional streams.)

[skaleton]

Glad if I can help improving this wondreful software of yours.

Originally Posted by r0lZ

I wonder if reimporting exactly the same title (from another exact copy) but asking PgcEdit to keep the original tables will produce the same behaviour.

No, VLC doesn't seem to complain with replacing the main title by the exact same copy.

Originally Posted by r0lZ

Currently, I do most of my tests with The KMPlayer. Although it has some problems with TS and M2TS files, it is excellent for the DVD playback. Another good way to test your DVD is the player integrated in IfoEdit. It's not at all a beautiful player (and it has some problems with the menu button highlights), but you can watch the GPRM changes, and in some occasions, it's invaluable.

I am quite happy with MPC-HC for quick checks and PowerDvd for the final check, as it is less pliable. For instance, I have DVD that plays fine in MPC-HC but won't start at the beginning in PowerDvd. Through a quick Trace (Such an amazing tool!), I found out that from the menu play button, the main title starts directly through the RSM function, which PowerDvd doesn't like, for good reason IMO otherwise it wouldn't be called "Resume".
I tried the DVD Play in IfoEdit but everytime I got the error

* No Valid DVD-Video volume could be located
Do you still want to continue?

although I tested perfectly valid DVD's.

[r0lZ]

To use a RSM to launch a movie, the navigation must "visit" the main movie just before jumping to the main menu. The movie doesn't need to be played. It is sufficient to execute some pre-commands. For example, the FP-PGC can set a GPRM to 1, then jump to the main movie, where the pre-comands test if the GPRM value is 1, and if it's the case, it resets it to 0 and calls the main menu (otherwise, it plays the movie normally). That way, the RSM in the main menu will have a valid resume point upon DVD insert.

The message of IfoEdit is irritating, but normal. IfoEdit can work on IFO files only, if you copy them on your HDD. When you launch the player, it tries to find the missing VOBs in your DVD drive. Of course, it uses the VOBs on the HDD if they are present, so that message makes sense only if some VOBs have not been copied with the IFOs, but it is issued anyway.

[skaleton]

Interesting and useful piece of information on the way the navigation works.

Thanks for the tip to ignore the error message. I mounted a .iso file in Virtual CloneDrive and there was no error message.

[david42]

Originally Posted by r0lZ

Yes, v9.3 is still the current version, sorry. I'll try to finalize v9.4 soon...

What ever became of the v9.4 release with the 2 v9.3 bug fixes?

The only thing I've run into is a few DVDs (can't remember which ones) that the retentive reauthorers, like myself, find multiple "fake" titles of the movie and when I try doing the (v9.3 March 22, 2010) DVD->Remove Useless Stuff option finds uncalled titles dependant upon only each other so the unused PGCs are blocked from being automatically removed. Paramount & Dreamworks did this in their authoring for the last 2 years (only on some movies).

My workaround was to start at the bottom of the DVD I was backing up and delete unused PGC commands on all PGCs that weren't played when I Traced through the Menu navigations I choosed to keep. After that the phony titlesets had no commands to loop between each other so the recursion issue that had decided some unused PGC were unsafe to remove now had no conflict so it took them away. It is QUITE TEDIOUS manual editing to work around the "can't automatically delete unsafe PGCs" issue in the "Remove Useless Stuff" feature. It's found in movies that have multiple titles inonetitleset of which only 1 title is actually played even though several others in the titleset are similar times for the unplayed titles.

All in all the developers produced an amazing project. I hope it continues. Perhaps more of the (freeloader, no insult intended) users should actually DONATE!?

[r0lZ]

Well, PgcEdit is still (slowly) developed. I should have released v9.4 already, but I haven't much time. I'll try to release it before this Spring...

Originally Posted by david42

Perhaps more of the (freeloader, no insult intended) users should actually DONATE!?

Not a bad idea, indeed!

[tandi]

hi, i need some help here with PgcEdit, run in win 7, already set compability to win xp sp 2, in security already set to full control
but still get this message :

PgcEdit version 9.3 (March 22, 2010)
Running as a wrapped script under FreeWrap v 6.42.4.
Current character encoding: cp1252
Console character encoding: cp437

Error sourcing /Tcl/work/PGCEDIT/PgcEdit.tcl: invalid command name "::msgbox::MsgBox"
() 1 %

[Chetwood]

Works fine on Win7 64 bit without setting compatibility mode.

[r0lZ]

Your PgcEdit file is probably corrupted. Try re-downloading PgcEdit from my homepage.

Chetwood is right; compatibility mode is not necessary.
If you have installed PgcEdit in a folder requiring admin privileges (such as in Program Files), be sure to run PgcEdit as administrator the first time (including after an update), as it needs to write files in the installation folder. Then, you can run it normally.

[tandi]

i already redownload
and i try to put in Program Files, and run PgcEdit as administrator
but the message is still the same

[r0lZ]

Well, that's strange. Try to move it in another folder, where you don't need administrative privileges. Does it work?

[tandi]

it just appear same message, but when i look in window task manager, it's in there

[r0lZ]

Yes, the message is printed to the PgcEdit console. Btw, to quit it, you can type "exit" in the console.

I can just say that that error comes often when the program file is damaged. Clear your internet cache, and download the ZIP file again.

Try this direct download link, if that can help.

Sorry, I can't help much more.

[tandi]

after try from your direct link , got this message

PgcEdit version 9.3 (March 22, 2010)
Running as a wrapped script under FreeWrap v 6.42.4.
Installing the binaries v9.3 in "I:\pgcedit\bin".
You need write permission on this folder and its parent to complete the install.
Also, be sure to close all instances of PgcEdit before launching a new version.
Binaries v9.3 copied successfully.
Current character encoding: cp1252
Console character encoding: cp437

Error sourcing /Tcl/work/PGCEDIT/PgcEdit.tcl: invalid command name "::msgbox::MsgBox"
() 1 %

[r0lZ]

Have you cleared your internet cache?
If not, try this link. (It's the version on the Belgian mirror, and you should not have it in your cache.)

[ggtop]

Hi,

I remember having the same problem some years ago. If I remember correctly the config file "pgcedit.cfg" got damaged somehow.
I'm also running Win7 64 bit. Locate it under "C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Roaming\PgcEdit".

I would try to make a backup of the whole parent folder and re-start letting PGCEdit create a new one from scratch. Your settings will be lost. You could then try to restore them by comparing the cfg files.

ggtop

[r0lZ]

Oh, yes, corrupt settings files can also cause that kind of problem.

BTW, the AppData folder is hidden. To open it easily, type this in the Search field of the Windows start menu:

%appdata%\PgcEdit

[tandi]

yes it work, thanks a lot for your help r0lZ and ggtop