How to put 2 movies together with original menus intact

[fatice]

Hi

First of all, sorry for my broken English because my first langurage is Chinese.

Now, let's move onto my questions:

I bought a DVD recently that has the movie Babe, Babe2 (the little pig)on one DVD-9 disc. It was made in such a way that when DVD is inserted, a special menu is popped up to choose between "Babe" and "Babe2". After your choice is made, the original menu and special features for "Babe" or "Babe2" is then shown, just like the single disc version of the movie.

I wonder how can this be done ?
Is there a way that given two DVD5 movie directories, it will join these two movies and its original menu to form a new movie ? Of course, it will need another menu to choose between these two at the beginning.

Most of the help I found, such as this one
https://www.videohelp.com/guides.php?formatconversionselect=DVDs+to+one+DVDR&search3=Search+
are teaching how to combin 2 movies into one DVD5 or DVD9 with re-authorization. But re-authorization destory the original menus and leads to fresh new backups.


Regards
fatice

[jimmalenko]

There is a guide by MackemX which uses DVDRemake here.

[fatice]

Thanks for the link.

This one is especially useful
http://www.deano.dsl.pipex.com/dvdremake/guides/merging/add_vmg_menu_pgc.htm

But it is not finished yet . Nevertheless, I will give it a try tonight.

Thanks
fatice

[Gurm]

Sadly, not all movies work with this guide.

There is no generic way to do this, and for some movies you just won't be able to.

- Gurm

[MackemX]

there are 2 joining guides on my site. The first is to join Star Wars Eps 1 & 2 but I cheated a bit as I just added Ep 2 movie to Ep 1 and dropped the rest of the VTS in Ep 2. I also used the weblink button as a switch between the 2 movies as they basically had identical structures, so it didn't need a main menu to switch between the 2 movies

the other guide goes a little further and adds a First Play menu that gives the choice of either movie at the start of playback. This is what allows the user to switch between any two movies of their choice

it looks a lot more complicated (and probably is to a newbie) as it could possibly involve a lot of manual editing of commands to keep all the original menus/extras acting like they should. Once you get the idea of which few things to look for then it gets easier and easier like most things DVD related. The trick is to add the least complicated DVD (donor) to the more complicated DVD (host) as only the donor DVD really get's modified

as a test I decided to add The Matrix (some will know what The Matrix DVD structure is like) to another random 'host' DVD and it took me 10 minutes to update it all. The White Rabbit feature/extras etc all worked perfectly even when switching DVD's via the main menu I added . I can see a use for this feature along with DVDShrink with D/L discs though I still haven't bought a D/L burner just yet

@fatice, I keep meaning to update the guide but haven't had the time. It's mostly the command updating that's to be finished but it tells you in basic form. If there is anything you cannot follow then just let me know and I will try to help you. I don't think I've mentioned in the guide to edither add or edit a button on both DVD menu's that calls the First Play PGC so keep that in mind

[fatice]

MackemX thanks for your guides. I can see you have put in a lot of effort in the guides to help others. The guides helped me to certain extend, then I stucked.

Here are the questions I wanted to ask:
1. In the adding of basic menu: (http://www.deano.dsl.pipex.com/dvdremake/guides/merging/add_basic_menu.htm), I missed the method of how you add a backgroup image to the newly created menu. How can it be done ? Can I add background image to each button I create ?

2. Also, editing of the command is hard, but it will be easier if all the basic syntax are explained in DVDRemake documentation. However, nothing was found there. Syntax such as "Jump VMG ..." "Jump VTS ..., title set, chapter #....". I am not really sure where will these commands jump if I set them.

Comeback to my trial work, I actually edit to a point that I though I got it. But after I exported its test menu, it does not even display a single image on my WinDVD5 player. Since there is no debugger for this job, I saved my file and gave it up.

How I wish we can have a scripting language to do all this in a text file.

Regards
fatice

[MackemX]

DVDRemake does not allow you to create a menu with buttons from nothing. That's why I created the default template. If you already have an authoring program such as Ulead or DVDLAB, you can create your own menu with 2 buttons for each movie. If not then you could use something like DVDAuthorGUI and create your own menu with 2 buttons. Once you have your menu, you just replace my menu cell with your own and modify the button commmands

anything that refers to the VMG (PGC or Title) is in the Video ManaGer (VIDEO_TS) at the top (the brains )

I will try to do a little DVD Map layout that may help with identifying which Domain the command will jump to

It's very hard to follow, especially on your first attempt as I know it all looks like a new language. Once you get the idea of where each domain is and which parts you can and cannot jump to then it will get a lot easier

[MackemX]

thanks for the files fatice but you won't get anywhere using 2.2.0. Only you know the 'truth' as to where you got this version but I'm pretty certain which version you are using

now it may be that you just don't check for updates but the latest version is 2.3.4. which you can get from HERE and you can also subscribe for updates HERE

update the program and send me the files again and then I will help show you how to join them

for now, you are just wasting your time using the 'buggy' 2.2.0 version that you have and you may as well delete it

[fatice]

Thanks for the advice MackemX

I will do that.

fatice

[MackemX]

pleased to hear that and feel free to send it again when you do

[jimmalenko]

thanks for the files fatice but you won't get anywhere using 2.2.0. Only you know the 'truth' as to where you got this version but I'm pretty certain which version you are using

knowingly aiding and abetting ?

[MackemX]

lol , are you implying that I'm knowingly aiding and abetting or have I misinterpreted it?

read it again mate regardless

I've told him to update to 2.3.4. and then send the files. Seeing as there is no 'warez' version of 2.3.4. and only 2.2.0 then I'm far from what you are implying and the complete reverse

rather than jumping on his back for using 2.2.0. I chose to simply tell him either he updates from 2.2.0.

or he actually buys the program instead of using the warez version as sometimes people forget to update

[jimmalenko]

lol , are you implying that I'm knowingly aiding and abetting or have I misinterpreted it?

read it again mate regardless

I've told him to update to 2.3.4. and then send the files. Seeing as there is no 'warez' version of 2.3.4. and only 2.2.0 then I'm far from what you are implying and the complete reverse

rather than jumping on his back for using 2.2.0. I chose to simply tell him either he updates from 2.2.0.

or he actually buys the program instead of using the warez version as sometimes people forget to update

I like it. Nice use of the "read it again" phrase. You left out the dumbass comment though

I was just referencing a conversation we had about a week ago regarding the prevalence of this version throughout the forum. I think I made a comment like "who keeps selling it to them" or something like that.

Don't ask, don't tell I guess