TitleWriter ver 4.21 - add DVD text/Menus/Automation - 19 May2007

[FallenAngel]

Both Titlewriterfiles and simplemenus -- The beta is just that (Betas are testing code Sometimes unstable or buggy -- Releases are more stable) -- Look at .rtf files inside the TW folder for Help.

Whats so special about the minicam menus??

[gonwk]

Hi FallenAngel,

Now that I somewhat got handle on your TW ... I love it.

Q1: How would I go about modifying one of your pre-written "MENUS" ... basically customizing it with my own .jpgs for buttons ... or can it be done?

Q2: Can I make my own menus and insert it in TW?

THANKS A LOT,
G!

[FallenAngel]

I believe there is a way to change background - Via Vobblanker
Don't think there is a way to easily change the buttons without the various Lab Pro sub parts (.dal .vobs etc)

Of course you could always design your own generic in Lab Pro (or anything else for that matter) just follow the KISS rule and keep your menu navigation localized to 1 VTS.

I think I remember making a .SWF guide for Making a Menu. Though it assumes Knowledge of DVD_LAB pro

[blutach]

Definintely VobBlanker can help in substituting a background. You can move the highlights with DVDSubEdit and change the commands (if you want) with PgcEdit.

Regards

[gonwk]

Hi Fallen Angel & Blutach,

Thanks for your responses ... I'll play around with your suggestions till I get better.

G!

[FallenAngel]

Just Uploaded TW Ver 3.0 Major Update

Rev 3.0 9/27/06 Major Revision (Download both TitleWriterFiles and SimpleMenus folders)

Added -- Support (In Happyface) if "Main" menu is in Video_ts with "Sub" menus (Chapter,setup etc.) in a VTS

Added Help (Guides) via Menu TitleWriter Help >> Help (All other guides are invalid/removed)

All Changes in MenuEditor/HappyFace will be reflected in all Vts LU's

Added --Completely changed the Backup Support for Multiple Backup (restore Points)
Caution: If opening an "Old" TW modified file (Pre 2.7)
Some sub files will be missing and the UNDO feature will not work

BugFix -- At some point I busted the Export DVDText for a Title -- Oops

Added -- TW can now Autosetup DVDShrink for Movie Only Compiliations (ReAuthor mode to Just Movie) + ReAdd Orig Menu)

To Use: Open Ripped compiliation in TW and Hit The DVDShrink icon (See Settings)--Then click yes)
DVDShrink Target size (I am Assuming Single Layer 4464) will be reduced by size of largest Vts Menu + Vmg Menu
And Reauthor mode will be started
(I'm almost lazy enough/tempted to step right over the cliff and
DBLCLK largest Movie entry on DVDShrink Browser list)
When Done Shrinking TW will Parse DVDShrink target folder
name to (DVDText) Volume and Title (Altering Underscores to spaces for title and removing them for Volume
and readd (Largest Vts Menu from Ripped folder) menu


Increased DVDTEXT support size to 32Kb from 2Kb -- Should eliminate need to ever Compress DVDText

Added -- Get Vts Sectors (Standard method -- Same as Ifoedits) Located in File Menu

Removed -- Menu Is Generic (Never liked this tickbox -- to confusing)
Note: If creating your own custom Switcher/Generic menu you MUST set provider field of VMG menu to "GENERIC"

In HappyFace -- Increased allowed variances/conditions in Initial loading of Chapter pages (re Button position size(
for preloading chapter pages --(Ie Silent Hill)
(Should more accurately determine "What is a Chapter page")

BugFix -- DVDCommand to string GUI was misreporting On/Off states of subtitle commands

Added -- In Dvd Commands editor -- list of frequently used commands -- for Quick pasting of common Commands

Bugfix -- Crash caused by clicking on next vob icon before before clicking on a line entry in MenuEditor

Changed --the default logic behind when to NOP Killed buttons (Default (unticked in Settings) is now to NOP command)
or to NOP command if Settings field is unticked


Added -- New SimpleMenus
Menu Buttons for all Vts Root Menu's
Play All (Gels nicely with DVDShrink Reauthor mode pre post ttn logic)
Note: Play All will stop if Main (VMG/Movie chooser menu) is entered)
For those who create custom vts menu's Add Movie pre command (gprm 0=0 ) and post command (gprm 0=sprm(4))
(or the VTS title number) (This matches DVDShrink post ttn strategy)

Added -- AutoKill of Menu buttons leading to removed VTS Root menus in VMG main menu

Added -- AutoFix the Class (Root,Audio,Chapter, etc) Pgc modification during Happyface of Pgc's being simplified (Turn on in Settings)

Pgc Class modification (Highlight the Pgc --Option in Menu)

BugFixs -- All over to better support Multiple vts menu import(original/custom) with a Generic Simplemenu as a switcher

Updated -- Happyface GUI to fix non-sequential (And screwed up) chapter menus aka "Final Destination 3" and "Edison force"
All Chapter Pgc's (pages) will be now handled individually
--to edit individual number entries in Advanced mode
click on number you wish to change on a already highlighted line (A selector will open)
-- New entries (Missed chapter pages on initial startup) can be created via drag drop pgc from viewer
to last "blank" line in list or Add button

Updated -- Happyface Wizard for above changes

BugFix -- Title in Vts_0? in Chapter jumps wasn't always correctly being updated to Title 1 of current Vts in HappyFace

http://www.dvdshrink.info/titlewriter

FAllenAngel

[rahzel]

nice release, FA.

with v2.7, i was having problems with chapter menu of Pirates of the Caribbean. for some odd reason, the first 2 chapters of each page would direct me to the audio setup (i think) menu, and yes, i made sure everything was correct. with the new version, and the new chapter fix layout, it works fine now. at first, i was a little confused with the new layout, but i read the helpful, and its easier than the old layout for sure.

one question though... in the same movie (POTC) i reauthored the movie with dvdshrink to only have DTS audio (which is the 3rd button on the list in the audio menu, it goes English DD 5.1, French DD 5.1, then DTS). when i added the original menu with titlewriter, all the audio buttons were still there (E/F DD5.1 and DTS). so in the audio section of happyface (advanced mode) for the first audio button, i entered 1, and for the last audio button, i entered 3. but when i simplified the menu, only the first button was selectable (English DD 5.1). i undid all changes, and instead of putting 1 as the first button, i put 3, and for the last audio button, i also put 3; now, all the buttons are selectable.

i realize that i shouldnt worry about the audio section, as i only have 1 audio track in the DVD (and for 98% of the movies i do, i will only have 1 audio track), but i'm just wondering how this should be setup.

[FallenAngel]

Yes 2.7Beta had foibles (It was a beta)

the New layout for chapter fix handles a much wider variety of non sequential
chapter pages though it still relies on buttons within each page being sequential

As to Audio Fix -- You did it right the first time -- And fooled it the second (The extra buttons could have been killed via Drag/Drop to Trashcan)

I'm aware of the audio (and subtitle) auto remapping problem

It actually isn't in TW but a rather strange DVDShrink quirk
Sometimes DVDShrink alters the code groups (in vtsi_mat) describing audio/sub streams
(perhaps a bugish sort of -- I really think those code groups describing streams should be copied as is not altered during transcoding)

So sometimes for example an English 5.1 stream will be changed to English 6.0 and when TW looks up the 5.1 stream during import/Happyface it can't find it -- then tw will kick a message in the log stating that "No Audio Streams match between target and source -- Disabling Remapping)"
and then use the stream # to Button # to remapp (Button position 1st button to Audio 0 2nd to audio 1 etc for killing)

Its on the TODO list -- Very tricky trying to figure out when DVDShrink rewrites the audio/sub codes (sometimes it doesn't seem to) or the changes match the original (Wish the author was still around)

[blutach]

Thanks for the big new release FA.

Regards

[FallenAngel]

Just Uploaded Ver 3.1

BugFix with Generic Menu Subtitle/audio buttons

[jandmbensham]

Hi
I just downloaded and started using the latest version of TW and am having playback/navigation problems with the menu structure. This is my first post so i'm sorry if this thread is the wrong place to request assistance and i should have used a separate thread instead. Can a mod please move this if this is the wrong place.
I have 4 converted avi's for a TV series(now in DVD format) sitting in separate VIDEO_TS folders. I then reauthored these in Shrink to pull them into 1 single VIDEO_TS folder(as per thumbnail attached).



The intention being to fit these onto 1 Dvd and use TW to create a simple menu to navigate between the 4 episodes. I'm hoping the screenshot will show the files as being in the correct format. I'm assuming that since they have been reauthored in Shrink the files will be DVD compliant or at the very least, in a format acceptable to TW to process, and that this is therefore not the source of my problem.

When i fired up TW, i browsed to the abovementioned single VIDEO_TS folder, checked the Add Selected Menus to Compilation box, clicked the 1st line, navigated to the Menu4Movie template, clicked Saved Changes. I then checked the DVD in ifoedit, the 4 menu structure appeared as expected. I can click on any of the 4 episodes in the menu and it navigates to that episode. However, when i stop whichever episode is playing, then click the menu button in ifoedit(either title or root) nothing happens, it does not return to the menu structure to allow me to navigate to a different episode.

I have read so many different threads on the forum that i cant see the wood for the trees. One thread mentioned, that in addition to pointing to the relevant Menu"n"Movie template, that i also needed to browse to the vts that contains the Menu for each individual movie/episode. But when i click on the second line (and each subsequent line for that matter), and try to navigate to the ripped folder, TW does not see/pick up any Vts Ifo files(Vts*0.vob) in that folder, the only vobs it sees are the ones in the Menu"n"Movie template folders?! I am sure i am missing something fundamental here. Can someone advise me where i am going wrong. If you need any further information before you can guide me, let me know and i will try to provide this.

Thanks in advance

[FallenAngel]

Hmm -- just checked in ifoedit and can't duplicate that behavior -- It stops movie playback and when root menu (why the Root Menu/Title Menu buttons are activated but dead I can't imagine - other soft players respond properly) is selected (via "menu" pulldown) it goes to that menu (Inactivated) Hitting resume starts menu (A foible of ifoedit)

Such a compiliation plays properly on my hardware (Pioneer/sony) tests -- During playback -- Stop then Menu starts the vts menu

I tested a commercial dvd (snakes on a plane)in ifoedit and the behavior is the same (You can't reach menus while stopped except via the menu button pulldown) (actually ifoedit locked up)

You must remember stop means stop (resume possible or "play button" will resume with rootmenu/movie playback) if you want menu you should be hitting menu during play -- each software/hardware player handles this situation somewhat differently

I usually use Media player classic it seems to mimic the hardware players better

I have read so many different threads on the forum that i cant see the wood for the trees. One thread mentioned, that in addition to pointing to the relevant Menu"n"Movie template, that i also needed to browse to the vts that contains the Menu for each individual movie/episode. But when i click on the second line (and each subsequent line for that matter), and try to navigate to the ripped folder, TW does not see/pick up any Vts Ifo files(Vts*0.vob) in that folder, the only vobs it sees are the ones in the Menu"n"Movie template folders?! I am sure i am missing something fundamental here. Can someone advise me where i am going wrong. If you need any further information before you can guide me, let me know and i will try to provide this.

Okay the above applies if you are using TW's Main Movie selector and say readding original menus for each movie -- not if using the generic as is

In other words multiple movies with original menus on one disc (then you point Tw to each orig menu for each vts (Movie))


Hope this helps

[jandmbensham]

FA, thanks for the reply. I just checked ifoedit again and your right pressing the menu button whilst the episode is still playing rather than stopping and then pressing the menu button works. This was the same behaviour exhibited on my standalone sony, it would not return to the menu structure if i stopped an episode playing and then pressed menu. Normally i can stop a commercial movie and press the menu button and it will return to the menu structure?! Oh well, at least i know what to do to get around this now.
Thanks for also clarifying my misunderstanding over the use of generic menus and readding original menus. It is appreciated.
Cheers

[FallenAngel]

Rev 3.12
Bugfix: During Simple Menu Import Tw was altering cell duration time of Vts 2 -- resulting in a crash
Bugfix Dvd Command editor wasn't accepting changes in First play or Movie pre post commands
Bugfix In Simple menus import Tw was occasionally (and wrongly) Killing buttons for existing Audio/Subtitle streams
Tweaked the "What is a Chapter algorithm" (In Happyface)

http://www.dvdshrink.info/titlewriter

FAllenAngel

[Caasi]

simple walkthrough

hey Fallen,

By any chance is there a simple walk through on how to create a quick and simple menu ? I've looked an all these other threads are too technical just yet I'm sure I'll be using them in the future once i figure the simple stuff out.