Chapter question

[BCbear]

I am new to DVD authoring and using DVD Architect 4.0. I have created a menu with chapters and all is well except for one issue. While watching the videos I can press next on my remote and it takes me to the next chapter which is great but when I press next while on the final chapter it does nothing. I would like to be sent back to the main menu. How do I achieve this?

Thanks in advance for any assistance.

[Alex_ander]

Not sure you can change it at authoring but if you have DVDRemake Pro you can edit it in the compiled DVD. While authoring, create a fake chapter (unreferenced from menu) close to the end (alternatively, to avoid reauthoring you can do it in DVDRemake by adding an empty cell or splitting the last program). In DVDRemake you can add a cell command from right-click menu (a command executed before a cell is played) to it. Depending on location of your menu that command should address either VTS menu or video manager PGC (in case the menu is outside current VTS; that new PGC can have proper pre-command for getting to your desired menu). If you want to go to a particular page in menu, set menu category (any unused, like 'angle' etc.). It should work the same at playback and from remote.

[tinker]

I do not know DVD Architect, but for $500 price tag it should have some options where you can modify commands.
DVD Lab Pro is half that and in connection window you can go from the end of your movie anywhere you want and also use commands for navigation.
I would investigate that possibility in Architect, because according to there specs is is pretty comprehensive software.

[navi310]

You could always create a chapter like 1 second long at the end of the video & it would do the trick.

[Alex_ander]

I do not know DVD Architect, but for $500 price tag it should have some options where you can modify commands.

For that money Sony only suggests to create a script (after learning corresponding language) and edit the command of your choice .

[Cornucopia]

I do not know DVD Architect, but for $500 price tag it should have some options where you can modify commands.
DVD Lab Pro is half that and in connection window you can go from the end of your movie anywhere you want and also use commands for navigation.
I would investigate that possibility in Architect, because according to there specs is is pretty comprehensive software.

OP isn't talking about the what happens when the movie ends. Architect can do that kind of setting easily. He's talking about [Chapter Search-Next] which is a specific command that could only be changed by an authoring app that allows editing at the cell pre-command and post-command points. Only ones I know that do that are Scenarist, Maestro and DLP.

If you think about it, it's not normally supposed to do that anyway. If you're "in the last chapter", a "next chapter" command/button shouldn't do anything. If you want to go to the menu while in the middle of the last chapter, that's what the "menu" button is for. It's already "pre-wired".

Scott

[Alex_ander]

You could always create a chapter like 1 second long at the end of the video & it would do the trick.

Lol, it's enough to solve the problem (if by default playback goes to proper menu in the end).

[Cornucopia]

I guess.
(The neat freak in me gets feathers ruffled at the thought)

Scott

[tinker]

editing at the cell pre-command and post-command points.

As far as I know cell does not have Pre and Post command it can refer to them only by a cell command..

[BCbear]

Thanks. I think I understand.

Cornucopia, I was just thinking it was natural to hit the next button on the remote rather than the menu button. I will be giving this DVD to a few people and I was thinking of how they might be navigating through the DVD.

[GeorgeW]

The NEXT button during the last chapter of a button has been the subject of many debates (i.e. what should happen "Next"). The suggestion to add a "dummy" chapter just before the end of the Title usually helps (assuming the regular Title End-Action is the desired result).

In DVDA4 you can actually move the Titles to be in a specific order physically on the DVD -- this sometimes allows the NEXT to go to the right Title, but doesn't always work depending on how you want the DVD to play.

Regards,
George

[Cornucopia]

Sorry, I posted a reply yesterday, but my ISP crashed right during my post, so ~~LIMBO~~...

To recap,

BCbear,
to me, the natural thing would be: NEXT-->NEXT-->NEXT, (oops I'm on the last chapter)-->MENU.

tinker,
In fact, there are [Pre-Cell], [Cell], and [Post-Cell] commands. You can do quite alot with these and dummy PGCs, depending upon your authoring/editing app. In addition to those I mentioned previously, you maybe could add IFOEdit/PGCEdit.

for more info about the command choices there's http://www.dvd-replica.com, or you could look at the DVD Demystified manual. Both worth their price.

I do think that for this scenario, the Dummy end chapter (1 sec before true end) is probably the easiest way to go. Even if you did a Chapter Menu, you wouldn't necessarily have to add it as a button if you didn't want to. [Chapter Search] would take you to it (it wouldn't be "hidden"), but so what?

Scott

[Alex_ander]

In fact, there are [Pre-Cell], [Cell], and [Post-Cell] commands.

In my undestanding it can only be true if a program chain contains a single program of a single cell.
Pre-commands (executed before a PGC starts) and post-commands (executed after a PGC ends or LinkTailPGC command is applied) are properties of the whole PGC containing one or more programs (consisting of one or more cells). A cell command (a single command executed before a cell is played; not too often used on DVDs) is the only property of individual cell.
Am I missing something and can you refer to the source describing such a thing as 'pre-cell command'?

[EddyH]

Cornucopia, I was just thinking it was natural to hit the next button on the remote rather than the menu button. I will be giving this DVD to a few people and I was thinking of how they might be navigating through the DVD.

Honourable, no doubt, but that's more effort than most makers of commercial movie discs go to so I shouldn't fret about it, so long as your authoring program properly sets the MENU button to nip them back to the main menu... (something i've had problems with, hehe)

After all your CD player doesn't stop if you push FWD when it's on the last track, you have to press STOP. I'd hope your audience have the necessary smarts to figure it out (even if it means they press Eject or Power twice, not menu once!), or the patience to just deal with sitting through the final chapter should they reach it and want to exit. Could always do what I did on my old VCDs and add a couple of instruction lines on the menu screen (in that case, one saying to press number + ok to select a video, and another as a reminder to press Menu to exit back to the start)

[spyhawk]

In my undestanding it can only be true if a program chain contains a single program of a single cell.
Pre-commands (executed before a PGC starts) and post-commands (executed after a PGC ends or LinkTailPGC command is applied) are properties of the whole PGC containing one or more programs (consisting of one or more cells). A cell command (a single command executed before a cell is played; not too often used on DVDs) is the only property of individual cell.

Just some minor corrections =>

A program can have one or more cells.

The play sequence is:
1. pre-commands
2. cells (following cell commands as encountered)
3. post-commands
4. NextPGCN link if post command does not exist or has no jumps.

Suggestion of adding a dummy chapter at the end is the way to go. The procedure is very easy. Use PgcEdit to create a new cell with the option to create a new program and chapter and a new blank VOB cell. Be sure a backup of the original VOB is checked.

[navi310]

BCbear wrote:

I am new to DVD authoring and using DVD Architect 4.0. I have created a menu with chapters and all is well except for one issue. While watching the videos I can press next on my remote and it takes me to the next chapter which is great but when I press next while on the final chapter it does nothing. I would like to be sent back to the main menu. How do I achieve this?

Adobe Encore DVD 2.0 does it automatically !!!