Trying to backup a flipper to DVD+R DL while retaining menus

[r0lZ]

OK, thanks for the IFOs. I'll have a look tomorrow. It's time to go to bed here...

[spyhawk]

I have a different approach, which makes use of GPRMs and very slick insertion of commands at different parts of the DVD. I just follow the authoring style of this DVD. If this is difficult for you to follow, I guess you just have to wait for r0lZ's help. There are always different ways in what you want to do.

Steps to highlight button 2 or 3 for VTSM2,1,cell 3:

1. First off, delete VMGM PGC 7-10. My steps do not need them. We're going to use existing VMGM PGC to route to VTST7.
2. In VTSM2,1,cell 3, change button 2 command to "Set gprm(5) = (mov) 9; LinkTailPGC" and button 3 command to "Set gprm(5) = (mov) 10; LinkTailPGC". This is an imitation of other button commands with the next higher assignment number.
   
3. In VTSM2,1,post commands, 'duplicate' line 10. A new line 11 is inserted. Change line 11 to "if ( gprm(5) == 9 ) then { Set gprm(6) = (mov) 7 }". This sets up gprm(6) to be used in VMGM 4, which is the place where it decides which VTS to jump to.
4. Now 'duplicate' line 11. A new line 12 is inserted. Change line 12 to "if ( gprm(5) == 10 ) then { Set gprm(6) = (mov) 7 }".
   
5. In VTSM2,1,pre commands, change line 6 to "if ( gprm(4) == 9 ) then { Set gprm(4) = (mov) 7 }". This will highlight button 2 in cell 3.
6. Now 'copy' and 'paste after' on line 6. Change line 7 to "if ( gprm(4) == 10 ) then { Set gprm(4) = (mov) 8 }". This will highlight button 3 in cell 3.
7. In VTSM2,1,pre commands, 'copy' and 'paste before' line 12. Change line 12 to "if ( gprm(1) > 8 ) then { LinkPGN Program 3 }". This will link cell 3.
   
8. In VMGM 4, 'copy' and 'paste after' on line 9. Change line 10 to "if ( gprm(6) == gprm(4) ) then { (JumpSS) to VTSM 7, Angle menu (TTN 1) }". Don't worry about the highlight error. We will create the angle menu in VTSM7.
   
9. Since VTS7 routing behavior is similar to VTS5, we're going to duplicate it.
   1. Copy ALL pre-commands in VTSM5,1 and replace it in VTSM7,1, pre commands. This will go back to the main menu.
   2. Create a new dummy PGC in VTSM7. This will be VTSM7,2. Set menu type to Angle Menu.
   3. Copy ALL pre-commands in VTSM5,2 and replace it in VTSM7,2, pre commands. This decides which TTN to jump to.
   4. Change line 2 to "Set gprm(4) = (mov) 10". Initialize gprm(4) to contain number 10 by default to be used in the comparison. Number 10 coincides with gprm(5) for button 3 in cell 3.
   5. Delete the last pre command "(JumpVTS_PTT) Jump to TTN 3, Chapter 1". There's no TTN 3.
   6. Copy post command #2 in VTST5,1 and replace it over post command #2 for VTST7,1 and VTST7,2. This jumps to root menu of current VTS.

Hope this will do the trick for you.

PS. Sorry r0lZ if I butt in. Just thought of taking the load off for you while you snooze.

EDIT: sorry, there's a minor flaw when you're trying to go back to the main menu, instead it'll go to VTS7. I edited the steps above highlighted in red.

EDIT2: Yet, another minor flaw - only highlights button 2. Edited steps are in blue and some more explanations are included in the steps.

[r0lZ]

No problem, spyhawk! I haven't analysed the nav of the original DVD yet, but I'm sure your method is correct.

I have proposed the other method (with the creation of several new dummies in the VMGM) as it's easier to understand for a beginner.

To implement your method, you have to analyse and understand how the navigation works, and change it to take the new titleset into account. Of course, the steps you have described above can work only in this specific case. On the other hand, my method can theoretically be implemented on any DVD.

Anyway, I'm glad you posted your message, as I have not much time for now.

@rdkapp
Try the method explained by spyhawk, and if you don't understand something, let us know...

[spyhawk]

Yes, r0lZ, your method will work on any DVD. I just follow the authoring style of this DVD only. This will give rdkapp something to process.

@rkdapp, if you don't understand the logic behind my steps. Let us know. If you wish, I can change the steps totally to follow r0lZ's method (what you had originally on your last uploaded files), but to highlight button 2 or 3 in cell 3 you'll still require the use of a free GPRM and some conditional statements.

[rdkapp]

@spyhawk & r0lZ, I copied all of my files so that I could use spyhawk's method without affecting what I had already done. So, I've got another copy to try another method, if necessary.

Spyhawk's method worked just fine, and it was easy to copy the command modifications with his excellent instructions. Everything worked when I tested it, especially after the latest edit. However, I can't say that I understood any of the commands that I was changing or the reasons for each change. I would really like to understand those commands, but I know it would take significant time and effort to explain each command modification. So, I don't fault spyhawk for not explaining them. Perhaps explaining a couple of them would get me going.

As far as which method to use on my final DVD, it really doesn't matter much to me, as long as it works. I'd just like to understand those commands.

EDIT: sorry, there's a minor flaw when you're trying to go back to the main menu, instead it'll go to VTS7. I edited the steps above highlighted in red.

Just FYI . . . . Before the edit, when I tested it and clicked on the Main Menu button, it didn't go to VTS7. The DVD just shut down and went to the PowerDVD splash screen. After the edit, it now returns to the Main Menu.

[spyhawk]

Just FYI . . . . Before the edit, when I tested it and clicked on the Main Menu button, it didn't go to VTS7. The DVD just shut down and went to the PowerDVD splash screen. After the edit, it now returns to the Main Menu.

Actually it did route to VTS7 before the edit. It just doesn't meet the condition so the DVD stops playing due to having no default redirection. So in a way you don't see VTS7 being actually played.

So, which commands or steps would you like to explain?

[rdkapp]

EDIT2: Yet, another minor flaw - only highlights button 2. Edited steps are in blue and some more explanations are included in the steps.

Thanks for EDIT2, spyhawk. However, I discovered another flaw or problem. In the Special Features Menu cell 3 (i.e. VTSM 2,1, cell 3), if I let it sit (and time out), it jumps to another Special Features sub-menu from a hidden button in VTSM 2,1, cell 1, button 1. It should replay by a continuous loop like cells 1 and 2 do. OTOH, if I play a Special Feature in cell 3 (button 2 or 3) and let it return to the menu (VTSM 2,1, cell 3), and then if I let it sit (and time out), it jumps to a Special Feature from VTSM 2,1, cell 2, button 3. I don't know why it acts differently if a VTS 7 title plays, but this should also replay by a continuous loop like cells 1 and 2.

Is this something that can be fixed with commands, or was it caused by blanking out menus with buttons, or hiding buttons?

So, which commands or steps would you like to explain?

Perhaps if there is a fix for the above, you can provide the details and explanation.

[spyhawk]

I'm confused, aren't these Special Features menu cells (VTSM2,1, cells 1-3) still menus? They have still time set to 255, which is infinite, so they shouldn't loop at all. If these are motion menus, then in the PGC Editor set the cell still time to 0 for all 3 cells and assign cell 3 to reference cell command #1.

[rdkapp]

I'm confused, aren't these Special Features menu cells (VTSM2,1, cells 1-3) still menus? They have still time set to 255, which is infinite, so they shouldn't loop at all. If these are motion menus, then in the PGC Editor set the cell still time to 0 for all 3 cells and assign cell 3 to reference cell command #1.

No, they're not still menus. They have an American flag waving in the background. You may be remembering r0lZ and my discussion about the Chapter menus, which were still. In PGC Editor, the cell still time for cells 1-3 is set to 0. I'm not sure where you saw 255, but I did assign cell 3 to reference cell command #1 and that did the trick.

Thanks spyhawk (again), but that was not a very elaborate fix to explain. Perhaps you can explain in detail, your changes in #1 and #2 of your modifcations post above.

Also, there's no angle setting on this DVD, so why did we create an Angle menu? Just curious.

[r0lZ]

I guess the cell still time is 255 in the IFOs with the menushrinked VOBs.

[spyhawk]

Thanks spyhawk (again), but that was not a very elaborate fix to explain. Perhaps you can explain in detail, your changes in #1 and #2 of your modifcations post above.

Which post? post #227? I have some explanations in steps 1 and 2. Step 1 is obvious. You want me to elaborate step 2?

Also, there's no angle setting on this DVD, so why did we create an Angle menu? Just curious.

The 2 are not related. The Angle menu is one of the menu types that you can call directly from the VMGM domain and within the same VTSM and VTST domains. In this case, it is created so it can be called from the VMGM domain, particularly VMGM 4. The other angle is related to the multi-angle title, which you don't have.

[rdkapp]

Which post? post #227? I have some explanations in steps 1 and 2. Step 1 is obvious. You want me to elaborate step 2?

Yes, post #227. Crap, I meant to type Steps 2 & 3; not 1 & 2. Sorry spyhawk. I'd like details on Steps 2 & 3.

[spyhawk]

In step 2, if you look at the button commands for cells 1 and 2, you see that it makes use of gprm(5) and linktailpgc. Since the last highest value in gprm(5) is 8 (shown in button 3 of cell 2), I just imitate it with the next higher assignment number (9 and 10) for buttons 2 and 3 in cell 3.

As for steps 3 and 4, you know that the post commands will be executed after you select a button. Where to insert these commands is the tricky part. You just have to evaluate ahead where they go, and it happens that VMGM 4 is where it decides which VTS to jump to based on the gprm(6) value. So I decided to duplicate line 10 and modify accordingly in steps 3 and 4. In this case, I want to check if gprm(5) has the value 9 or 10 so I can assign gprm(6) to be 7. Why gprm(6) value is 7 is related to step 8, which I will explain below. After you completed steps 3 and 4, the new line #14 test condition is true (7 != 0), so it jumps to VMGM 4.

In step 8, gprm(4) is used as a temporary check counter to test against gprm(6), if the test condition is true (7 == 7), then it jumps to VTSM7 Angle menu.

Hope you can follow my explanation.

[r0lZ]

Rdkapp, to easily understand how the new commands work, use the trace mode, and be sure to open the GPRM watch window. Navigate to the menu, and then step through the commands, and watch how the GPRM values change, and how they are compared by the VM commands to decide where to jump.
IMO, it's the easiest way to learn...