TMPGEnc DVD Author 2 project archived copied back to PC wont launch

[audioblaster]

Not sure if anyone can help but .. I copied a project to a DVD and when I copied it back to the HD I launched the .tda2 file but got an error that it could not located the .VOB files associated to the 4 movies. I have contacted tech support who say I have to copy it back to the HD exactly as it was created as the program uses an absolute path. Has anyone had this problem is it possible to read the .tda2 file to see where it is looking to replicate it on the HD? Thanks

[Alex_ander]

Do you mean you only have the final DVD? To use your project file you need your ORIGINAL files (MPEGs and pictures/sounds etc.) used for creation of your DVD, placed each at the same location as they were at working on the project. If you have the files, try opening the project file in a text editor like notepad to find the locations to put back your files.
I'm a TDAPro2.1 user and can't remember serious bugs in it.

[Alex_ander]

P.S. The project file itself probably should also be placed in its original location.

[audioblaster]

Hi
Thanks for the help. No it is the Project I have saved not a rendered DVD. Therefore it contains 4 sub directories each containing the video content and the main directory holds the .tda2 file, jpgs and png's to create the menus. I launch the .tda2 file and get the following message "Could not open file" "the clip (name of clip ) refers to a DVD file VTS_01_1.VOB that does not exist. Cannot read the clip" but this clip is in its sub directory within the main directory.

I have tried your suggestion with Notepad but could not read it.

I have asked tech support also if there is a way to read this file to ascertain the directory structure to rebuild it.

I am a bit confused with this method as this leads me to think that if you copied a project to DVD and went to another machine to do additional work it would not work? Other software such as Steinberg etc allow you to search the missing files for a project or point to a directory they are in ... a bit odd

Anyway will wait a little while before I have to create the whole thing again ...

[Alex_ander]

Did you copy it to another machine with the same disk letter/folder structure? It seems to be important since absolute pathes to files are written in .tda2. Try also to open the project file from the program's start window (project button on the right). I currently work on a project and delayed it at least twice or three times and always open it from the program without a problem. Did you output the project to DVD folder before saving the file (does the project file address output VOBs or VOBs from your source used for compilation)?

[audioblaster]

Thanks for your help Alex with your help and TMPG support I sorted it ... here is my last comms to them and what I did.

Hi

I have sorted it ... thanks

I used the import file for each menu item video file
When I had completed this I then went to the simulate stage.
At this point it told me it could not find my background graphic and logo I used on the project however what it did do was give me an error message with the original file structure I created the project under Ie E:\Creative Project\ShowCase. I recreated this and copied the data to this and hey presto loaded like a dream.

I do think though you have to do this at an earlier stage or add a feature that assumes the archive folder is the working directory and collects the info from this or tells you to copy the archived directory to the HD with the same structure. ( if you make this clear in the help docs and I have missed this then apologies )

Anyway I now know what to do in the future and thanks for your assistance


By the way ... You have a very good support team. You need to be commended on the quick response time and assistance you give. Make sure you get a pay rise


Regards


Neal Leggett

-----Original Message-----
From: TMPG Support [mailto:tmpgenc-e@pegasys-inc.com]
Sent: 31 October 2006 20:58
To: Neal Leggett
Subject: Re: [tmpgenc-e] RE: [technical-support] Support request for TMPGEnc DVD Author 2.0 / DVD AUTHOR PRO

Dear Mr. Leggett,

In DVD Author 2.0, there are two ways to add a VOB file from a DVD. The
first is to use the "Add file" button in the Source stage. This is not
recommended because it may not import a complete track. The second way
is to use the "Source Wizard" button in the Source stage. This method
imports DVD source files correctly.

The error message that you are seeing indicates that you originally(and
correctly) used the Source Wizard to import your DVD files in your
project. You may yet be able to salvage this project file, but it might
mix things up a little depending on how many VIDEO_TS folders were
imported into the original project.

Here's what you have to do: for every missing VOB message that you see,
you need to use the Source Wizard to import from the correct VIDEO_TS
folder. This should restore the video and allow you to keep your menu
settings. If you don't match the the right files to the right track, the
track thumbnails in your menus may point to the wrong video. However,
this can be corrected around by moving videos around in the Source stage.

Please let me know if I can be of further assistance.

Sincerely,
Jerry
TMPG Support
tmpgenc-e@pegasys-inc.com

[Alex_ander]

Thanks for posting the details, great support from their team and it's good you can do corrections at any stage without resetting the project - I'm in love with their software. Once I was even able to re-arrange chapters for one of the tracks in a finished project when noticed they weren't at proper time points in imported DVD source. I only had to re-type chapter names in already created menu.
There's an even faster way of importing a DVD source (without browsing for files from source wizard) they didn't mention. I simply drag main .ifo file to Source window (this works with their other new products - TMPGEncXpress and TMPG MPEG Editor). The original chapter info is imported as usual.