GfD development version

[john3voltas]

Did I say "fail"? If I did, make it ""rejects".

No you didn't, Alan.

On the other hand there are several things where MuxMan 'fails' completly, like non standard resolutions, different audio bitrates in one title,...

It was Borax himself who used the word fail but he used comas to soften its meaning.
I guess he didn't find another word in that moment to express how he thinks that Muxman is not a good contender in several aspects when compared to dvdauthor, that's all .
By all means, I didn't write to start a misunderstanding or anything.
I just stated that even when Muxman does not do what we want, it doesn't make it a worse muxing engine when compared with dvdauthor.
It just so happens that Muxman is very mux tight on standards when dvdauthor is much looser on standards.
Cheers guys

[john3voltas]

but sync is WAY out in Muxman, several seconds, and also fails using stand-alone Muxman.

Now that's intriguing .
I wonder...
Does that only happens with AVIs?
I mean, if you rip a dvd and if you run it through Muxman you also get an audio desync?
Maybe you should really get in touch with Mpucoder.
Cheers

[borax]

Ok, 'fail' is probably the wrong wording... But as most players have no problems with such things, I would prefer that MuxMan would create the structure nevertheless and just warn that the DVD is 'non standard' as it already does for long GOPs. I have quite often non standard resolutions from German DVB streams (544x576) and all players tested so far have no problem to show the resulting DVDs created by dvdauthor (only 16:9 is a problem sometimes).

@AlanHK
>Sync problem: happens every time I use a 23.976 fps AVI file...
Are there any free sources for such streams? I don't want you to upload any copyright protected material...

[tvholic]

I'm glad I found this thread, because the new "Play All" button is exactly what I wanted. One other feature that would be great would be to automatically set the active button on the title menu back to the previously-active button when a title finishes playing. I've been doing this by overriding the "button=" command in the menu's "Pre" code, which led me to discover a bug in the "Post" code generator for the menu, where GFD enters the closing tag as "<Post> instead of "</Post>".

The only other issue I have is that because I normally use a video resolution of 800x600, some of the dialogs appear somewhat off the screen and off-center. I don't expect apps to be designed with 800x600 in mind, but it would be nice if the last window coordinates were remembered, especially for the main program window.

[AlanHK]

One other feature that would be great would be to automatically set the active button on the title menu back to the previously-active button when a title finishes playing.

Yes, that would be nice. I make a lot of compilations, and soon will be doing one of about 20 short cartoons. It can be frustrating to come back to the menu and not remember which one is "next". I thought that I'd have to make a separate submenu for each item to make that work, so gave up on the idea. If it could be a single default setting I'd leave it on always.

[tvholic]

It can be frustrating to come back to the menu and not remember which one is "next". I thought that I'd have to make a separate submenu for each item to make that work, so gave up on the idea.

If it would help, this is how I do it (in Advanced mode, of course):

Right-click on the menu background and select "Menu Properties", then select "Advanced Pre/Post Command Editor", and in the "Pre Commands" box enter:

if (g1 eq 0) g1=1; if (g3 eq 0) g3=1; button=g3*1024;

And press OK (twice).

Then, right-click on each menu item button and prepend "g3=#" to its "Action" field, where # is its item number. For example, change "jump titleset 1 menu;" to

g3=1; jump titleset 1 menu;

And change "jump titleset 2 menu;" to

g3=2; jump titleset 2 menu;

Etc. To make the menu advance to the next item, just set g3 to 1 higher than its item number, with the last one either pointing to itself or to 1, depending whether you want it to wrap back to the top of the menu. For example:

g3=2; jump titleset 1 menu;
g3=3; jump titleset 2 menu;
...
g3=9; jump titleset 9 menu; [--OR--] g3=1; jump titleset 9 menu;

[Edited to use register g3 instead of g2, because I realized the "Play All" button is using g2]

[borax]

...where GFD enters the closing tag as "<Post> instead of "</Post>".
THX! Will be fixed soon. Concerning 'remember' the last button: I will think about it. But it isn't as simple if you have a multi page main menu. And even more complex if a swichted menu is used. For MuxMan it is completely 'out of scope' as only one command for a button is possible (same is true for dvdauthor, but dvdauthor has some internal code to circumvent the problem).

[AlanHK]

If it would help, this is how I do it

Thanks. I'll give it a try.

[borax]

Concerning 'remember' the last button:
I have probably another idea which would be simpler to implement...
I could create a setting to always set a register (lets say: g10/GPRM10 for MuxMan) to the actual playing title within the title's pre command. Then you can use this register to calculate the button to highlight in the main menu's pre command when the title has finished playing (and returns to the main menu). For multipage main menus it would also be your responsibility to calculate the correct button to highlight (which is possible, but depends on the overall menu structure).
With this procedure you would only need to set the main menu pre commands 'by hand' and this solution would work for dvdauthor and MuxMan.

@john3voltas
Concerning the audio delay(s)...
Is it really necessary to have a different delay for each audio stream, or would one offset be sufficient? I would like to use the possibility to specify an audio offset for both MuxMan and dvdauthor, but mplex only allows one offset (not different ones for each audio stream)

[tvholic]

I could create a setting to always set a register (lets say: g10/GPRM10 for MuxMan) to the actual playing title within the title's pre command.

That sounds good, and maybe also add a "button" field to the menu properties that would specify the item to be activated when the menu loads. Then you take whatever value the user enters (eg, "1" or "g10" or "g10+1") and enter it in the menu "Pre" code in the expression "button=(value)*1024", to avoid the user having to edit the "Pre" code directly.

I found another "issue". I set GFD to all default values, in basic mode (no custom scripting), and made a simple titleset menu by dragging over 3 items. Then I burned it to a DVD and played it in my standalone (Panasonic) DVD player. I select any item on the menu, it starts playing, and while it's playing I press the "Menu" button on the remote control to return to the main menu, which it does. Then I press the "Menu" button again and it resumes playback where it left off, just like it should. But if I press the "Menu" button once again, it starts playing the title from the beginning, instead of going back to the menu. However, if I use the "Top Menu" button instead of the "Menu" button, it works properly every time, toggling between loading the menu and resuming playback.

[AlanHK]

Concerning 'remember' the last button:
I have probably another idea which would be simpler to implement...
I could create a setting to always set a register

Great. If you can get this in the next revision I'd be very happy.

[john3voltas]

@john3voltas
Concerning the audio delay(s)...
Is it really necessary to have a different delay for each audio stream, or would one offset be sufficient? I would like to use the possibility to specify an audio offset for both MuxMan and dvdauthor, but mplex only allows one offset (not different ones for each audio stream)

You mean a single delay for all the audio streams in the same vts/movie?
I think so.
I only do encodes with 1 audio track per movie so it doesn't affect me much and I may be biased here.
But on the other hand I would say that all the DVDs out there that come with a delay they may have the same delay on all audio tracks.
At least that sounds obvious to me while in the end it may be wrong.
On the other hand if by chance you were talking about a single delay for all the audio tracks in a vgm, that is a "no go" if you ask me.
Anyway I think you were referring in the same vts/movie, right?
Cheers

[borax]

...Anyway I think you were referring in the same vts/movie, right?
Yes. So one entry within the 'Video + audio files' dialog will be there to set the delay(for all audio streams associated to the title)

...you take whatever value the user enters (eg, "1" or "g10" or "g10+1")
Ok, I can add those 'presets'. But still the user is responsible for 'strange' results, if for example a menu has buttons to start the film directly or start the associated titleset menu.

...if I use the "Top Menu" button instead of the "Menu" button, it works properly every time
If no titleset menu is specified, it depends on the pre command settings of the menus and on the player itself what happens, if just the 'Menu' button is pressed ('Menu' on the remote usually means titleset menu for a multi vts dvd).

[tvholic]

The "TV Safe Area" seems to be showing a 16:9 area for 4:3 menus, and vice versa.

[borax]

Could you explain a little more what disturbs you?
The TV Safe Area shows a ~91% and ~82% range of the screen for 4:3 menus on a 4:3 TV (or 16:9 TV as it doesn't matter this way). For 16:9 menus it shows the 'absolute' safe area for a 4:3 TV which is visible even if Pan&Scan mode is used.

[tvholic]

Ah, now that I understand it more clearly, let me restate the problem. When you load an existing project with a 16:9 menu, the TV Safe Area shows the area for a 4:3 menu instead of a 16:9 menu. To fix it, you have to change the Menu settings to 4:3 and then back to 16:9.

[tvholic]

After a little more trial and error, I discovered that by unchecking the "Use Titlesets" option in the project settings, it solved all the navigation problems I was having (ie, the active menu selection not being remembered, and the "Menu" button on the remote sometimes not loading the menu). For my simple menu of TV episodes, I should have been using titles instead of titlesets all along. Now it seems to work just like a "normal" DVD.

But of course I have to report a small glitch with that. If I use titles instead of titlesets, then whenever I go to the video properties for an existing item and use the dialog to replace the video file, I get a "Video properties changed" warning, even if the properties are the same, even if I re-select the exact same file.

[tvholic]

If I pause a title and then press the "Menu" button on the remote, the menu comes up totally blank. If I press the "Play" button, the menu plays. I assume this is a bug in dvdauthor itself.

[borax]

>To fix it, you have to change the Menu settings to 4:3 and then back to 16:9.
OK! Will be fixed in the next version.
>I get a "Video properties changed" warning
Dito.
>I assume this is a bug in dvdauthor itself.
Possible. I've never tried it myself. It may also be player dependent.

[john3voltas]

This GfD/GfM's development thread and I don't know if I should post this here but I don't know where else to post.
So here goes.
I have already mastered the basics of this wonderful authoring tool.
I have been using it mostly for 2 x movies KDVDs.
All have main menus with 2 "pictures" (one from each movie) and 2 "Play" buttons (one for each movie).
All has been going wonderful.
Now I wanted to start adding another 2 "Chapters" buttons (one for each movie) that would lead to a 2nd menu (for each movie).
There I would have 8 chapters pictures along with 8 chapter buttons and 2 additional buttons, one "Back" button to move up to the main menu again and one "More Chapters" button to move to 3rd menu that would have another 8 chapter buttons...etc...
I guess you get my point, right?
Now my problem starts with the first Chapter button.
Shall I right click the main menu and click "insert: Text button" or shall I click the "insert: Menu"?
Then what action do I choose from the combo box?
How do I know what each one does?
I assure you I have read the fine manual that comes with GfD but this part is not thoroughly discussed in the manual.
Can someone help me with this, please?
TIA
Cheers

[AlanHK]

Right-click on the menu background and select "Menu Properties", then select "Advanced Pre/Post Command Editor", and in the "Pre Commands" box enter:
if (g1 eq 0) g1=1; if (g3 eq 0) g3=1; button=g3*1024;
...
[Edited to use register g3 instead of g2, because I realized the "Play All" button is using g2]

Okay, just tried that, worked well even though I did use g2.

-- So where are all these g variables documented? Which have set or conventional meanings, which can be freely used?

-- And in GfD, in Advanced Pre/Post Command Editor, I can edit the Pre commands. I can see the Button commands, but this is read only. It would be convenient if I could edit the button commands for all the buttons together here.

[borax]

>So where are all these g variables documented?
Within GfD g0 to g2 are used for internal purposes (g3 is used only if 'loop with jump menu' is activated). g12 to g15 are used by dvdauthor itself. At least g4 to g11 are freely available for anything you like (depending on the overal structure sometimes only g1 is used by GfD). Some doku for GfD itself can be found here:
http://download.videohelp.com/gfd/Help/Variables_concept.html

For dvdauthor see: http://nfs.shawnfumo.com/wiki/DVDAuthor/VMLanguage
For MuxMan the advanced information is 'commercial' (you have to register at mpucoder's forum).

For the Advanced Pre/Post Command Editor, I will check if it would be possible to change button commands too (will take some time, not very easy...).

@john3voltas
The doku for GfD using MuxMan is not yet finished. The necessary information will be there...

If you are using TitleSets, the chapter menus are already created.
I assume now that you are using MuxMan, use titlesets and the start action for titlesets = play movie.
The button commands which are 'created' by GfD if the titles are inserted will be:
JumpTT TitleSet1_Title1, JumpTT TitleSet2_Title1...

The titleset menus are also created and have already the back button in place. To link to these menus, load the main menu, use the 'Add button' command in GfD (text or graph button is your choise) and use the action:
JumpSS vts_1, vts_ttn_1 : RootMenu
to go to the first titleset menu (wher the first list of chapters can be added), to go to the second titleset menu insert a second button and use the action:
JumpSS vts_2, vts_ttn_1 : RootMenu

Load the first titleset menu and add the first list of chapters (as documented in the GfD help) Then use 'Add menu' to create the first submenu of the titleset1menu for the second list of chapters.
On the dialog box simply use the defaults. The created button will link to the submenu of the titleset1menu for the second list of chapters. Load the TS1SubMenu1, add the chapters...

Again to your question:
...click "insert: Text button" or shall I click the "insert: Menu"
Insert button just inserts a button on the actual menu to give you the possibility to do something. The 'something' is not predefined and has to be set by yourself.
Insert Menu does much more: 1. Inserts a button on the actual menu with the predefined action to go to the new menu. 2. Add a new menu in the project explorer list and add a 'back' button on the new menu to go back to the menu where you have inserted the new menu.

[john3voltas]

OMG!! It's that easy? 8)
I can't thank you enough for your help, Borax.
I'm not in for professional good looking menus but I really would like to add a basic thing like chapter menus.
Not that I'm going to use them much but at least they'll be there and my family will be able to use them.
Thanks Borax

[john3voltas]

EDIT:
Please disregard this post.
I have already found myself the answer.
I had already read the help 3 or 4 times but I missed the part where I can load a text file and push GO.
As said, this software looks awesome.
Cheers

Hi there,
It's me again bugging you with more stupid questions .
Are you guys sure that there is no GfD support thread somewhere?
A better thread to post general questions regarding GfD instead of this one?
Because this one is in the Programming section and it would be logical that this one would be reserved for discussing/requesting new features and point out any bugs.
Any Mod feel free to move this post to a better fitting place.
With that said, I gotta say that I am really well impressed with GfD's features.
It's just outstanding.
One thing that bothers me a bit though is adding the chapters in ChapEditGFD .
This is how I have been using it.
I see all my chapters (list of frames "à lá" IfoEdit previously loaded through a text file) inside a box called "File Chapters".
Then I double click one of the timings inside that box, the movie preview shows me that specific frame and then I press the "Save image+chapter" button.
And I use exactly the same procedure for all the chapters inside the "File Chapter" box.
This is a somewhat tedious procedure IMHO.
Is there a way of making this easier for people who just want to add ALL the chapters inside the "File Chapters" box WITH image AND mark?
If there is such easier way could someone please give me a hand showing me how ?
If there isn't, could I politely ask Borax to consider such new feature and maybe put it on the bottom of his to-do list ?
Thanks guys.
Cheers

[AlanHK]

Are you guys sure that there is no GfD support thread somewhere?
A better thread to post general questions regarding GfD instead of this one?

In the Authoring forum. Put GfD in the title.

[john3voltas]

In the Authoring forum. Put GfD in the title.

Hmmm, you mean any thread will do.
Just put GfD in the post title.
Ok, will do so from now on.
Cheers

[borax]

In the Authoring forum. Put GfD in the title.

Good idea! But for MuxMan specific topics, better put 'GfD development version' in the title.

Bugfix: Check for 'Video properties changed' if Use Titlesets=off.
Bugfix: TV Safe Area for 16:9 menus using saved projects.
New: Audio Delay (1 Audio Delay for all audio streams) MuxMan + dvdauthor
Version 0.99.0026

Concerning 'remember' the last button (if Use Titlesets=on):
There is no need to set a register to the actual title, as a system register (SPRM4 or s4) already holds this value.

For a simple main menu (just one button per title) you can use the code below to set the highlighted button to the last title. Use the 'Advanced Pre/Post Command Editor' button on the menu background dialog for the main menu. Use a pre command like:

1. MuxMan engine

Mov GPRM0, 1
if ( GPRM0 == SPRM4 ) SetHL_BTNN HL_BTNN=1
Mov GPRM0, 2
if ( GPRM0 == SPRM4 ) SetHL_BTNN HL_BTNN=2
Mov GPRM0, 3
if ( GPRM0 == SPRM4 ) SetHL_BTNN HL_BTNN=3
...
Mov GPRM0, 1

Use the sequence:
Mov GPRM0, X
if ( GPRM0 == SPRM4 ) SetHL_BTNN HL_BTNN=X
for each title (or titleset respectively) on the menu.

1. dvdauthor engine

g1=1; button=g1*1024;
g0=1;
if (g0 eq s4) button=1024;
g0=2;
if (g0 eq s4) button=2048;
g0=3; 
if (g0 eq s4) button=3072;
...

Use the sequence:
g0=X;
if (g0 eq s4) button=X*1024;
for each title (or titleset respectively) on the menu
(BTW: The simple command: 'if (s4 eq X) button=' is not allowed by the DVD VM specs).

You can also use another register (like g4/GPRM4) to make sure that no unwanted side effects take place, as g0 (GPRM0) is also used for PlayAll (I have not yet checked this myself).

For multipage main menus, you can also use this code, but you need to adapt the values, as the titles on the second page will probably be 10 to 20 but the buttons to start them will be 1 to 10 (button=1024 to 10240) again and additional buttons for next menu and back exist too.

[tvholic]

Use the sequence:
g0=X;
if (g0 eq s4) button=X*1024;
for each title (or titleset respectively) on the menu

This works for me (on the main title menu):

button=s4*1024;

FYI, when you use the Calc Standard button, the code it inserts has an extra semi-colon at the beginning.

[borax]

FYI, when you use the Calc Standard button, the code it inserts has an extra semi-colon at the beginning.

Could you tell me exactly how I can reproduce this error?
If I test it with my standard project, there is no extra semi-colon to find...

[tvholic]

If I test it with my standard project, there is no extra semi-colon to find...

It's when Use Titlesets is turned off. Then when you select the menu properties and select Calc Standard for the Pre section it inserts:

{ if (g1 eq 0) { button = 1024;} else  { button = g1*1024;}