Testing my Blu-ray and avchd authoring application

[wiseant]

Hi

I have been working on a simple freeware Blu-ray and avchd authoring application

here is a link to a small 4 min Blu-ray with top menu and chapter menu that I created
http://files.videohelp.com/u/139027/July11.part1.rar and http://files.videohelp.com/u/139027/July11.part2.rar

Edit - delete attachments Oct 25, 2012

just download the two .rar files and open with 7-zip or winrar and extract to the folder of your choice

I would appreciate it if you could test this file on your Blu-ray player, PowerDVD, TMT, or MP-HC

Here are some links to png chapter menu samples:
http://files.videohelp.com/u/139027/192x108.png
http://files.videohelp.com/u/139027/224x126.png
http://files.videohelp.com/u/139027/256x144.png
http://files.videohelp.com/u/139027/288x162.png
http://files.videohelp.com/u/139027/320x180.png
http://files.videohelp.com/u/139027/352x198.png

TIA

[aedipuss]

vlc plays the movie then menus but can't select anything in menus. mpc-hc only plays the movie part.

[wiseant]

thanks aedipuss
In order to use the chapter navigation you would need PowerDVD or Arcsoft TMT

[videobruger]

Testet with TMT 5.0.1.114

Movie plays OK (Don't return to menu though when movie ends ?)
Scene menu works OK - Starts the movie at the choosen scene and play the rest of the movie

[aedipuss]

burned to dvd and it plays as avchd disc on lg bd670. menus work.

[wiseant]

videobruger - thanks for testing
re "(Don't return to menu though when movie ends ?)"

I'll have to look into this - after the movie ends it should return to the top menu


aedipuss - thanks for testing on your blu-ray player


I hope to add 3x3 and 2x2 menus as well

[dragonkeeper]

How long do you envision before you have the app ready to for us to play with?

[wiseant]

Hi dragonkeeper

I hope to have a basic working version in 10 days or so.

I will be posting some more samples with different chapter menus -> 2x2 and 3x3 grids - also I have a slightly modified 4x3 chapter menu
One thing I need to familiarize myself with is the best way to handle subtitles . . . any suggestions are welcome

[dragonkeeper]

Hi dragonkeeper

I hope to have a basic working version in 10 days or so.

I will be posting some more samples with different chapter menus -> 2x2 and 3x3 grids - also I have a slightly modified 4x3 chapter menu
One thing I need to familiarize myself with is the best way to handle subtitles . . . any suggestions are welcome

I not done any programming centering around video applications; but wouldn't mind starting to learn to do so. What language/framework or you using to write your app?

[wiseant]

dragonkeeper:

Sorry that I didn't get back to you sooner . . .

I am using a bunch of free tools - avisynth, tsmuxer, x264, and VirtualDub
All I am doing with my application is creating avisynth scripts, writing some batch and text files primarily - for this I am using QBasic 4.5/7.1 and will have a simple text-based UI - if/when I make a GUI I will use VisualBasic6
It depends what you want to do - I think that most video "programming" can be done using avisynth

Older programmers probably started with Basic or C, then C+, VisualBasic, Visual C+
Microsoft has some free programming tools - I consider most of Net Framework 3,3.5, 4 etc to be bloatware.
Some people like Delphi, others use Java, Perl scripts, etc

I guess it depends on what programming you have done in the past.
I would recommend learning about using GScript with Avisynth, as well as the Avisynth built-in functions

[dragonkeeper]

Keeping it simple, nice i like simple. Sounds like your doing something I've been desiring to do just have been to lazy to get started. I was going to create a scripts as you are then wrap everything in an HTA for those who needed a gui.

[wiseant]

dragonkeeper

Thanks for the tip re HTA - I'm looking into this right now - looks like I could use this

[dragonkeeper]

Yah I use HTA a lot now between VbScript, javascript, perl and WSH. I can pretty much do anything that an exe does. There have been a few times i've had to resort to using autoit only because it made the task at hand simpler.

[wiseant]

dragonkeeper:

working on an hta - easy to write my avs files and my batch files - but having a problem with using shell to run the bat files

seems to be a directory problem - any suggestions?

[dragonkeeper]

dragonkeeper:

working on an hta - easy to write my avs files and my batch files - but having a problem with using shell to run the bat files

seems to be a directory problem - any suggestions?

Directory problems are generally easy to fix, using fully qualified paths fixes most problems. In most scripting languages be sure to escape back slashes for instance "c:\myApp\runMyBat.bat" becomes "c:\\myApp\\runMyBat.bat". In some cases you have to use more than the normal number of back slashes (like when passing path as a variable you might need to use "c:\\\\myApp\\\\runMyBat.bat". Throug an alert/msg box or echo\print line in it to see if the path is being displayed properly.

Also passing everything to your activeX control as a variable can solve a lot of issues such as;

 
cmdHide = window.location.pathname.replace(/%20/g, ' ').replace(/(.*[\/\\])([^\/\\]+\.hta$)/, '$1'); 
cmdHide = cmdHide.replace(/\\/g, '\\\\')+"Exe\\\\chp.exe" ;
var wsh=new ActiveXObject("WScript.Shell"); 
command='"'+cmdHide+'" cmd.exe /c taskkill /im mpc-hc.exe /f & sleep 2 & "C:\\Program Files\\MPC HomeCinema\\mpc-hc.exe" "'+vid+'"  /fullscreen /play /close';    
wsh.run(command);
wsh='';

Line 1:
Is used to get the the full path to file being ran, i then remove the url encoding of spaces, and finally strip the file name from the path. Resulting the location of the main folder.

Line 2:
I then format the path correctly, then add folder(s) and file name of I wish to run.

Line 3:
Create an instance of the scripting host

line 4:
build the command line i wish to run and assign it to a variable

Line 5:
pass the variable to the activeX control to be run.

This is kinda of convoluted but it works,
Could possible be of more help if i knew what you were trying to accomplish.

[wiseant]

dragonkeeper:

Thanks again for your time. I think I figured it out. I have narrowed things down to three different ways:

1. Shell.run

Sub chaptermenu264
Set Shell = CreateObject("Wscript.Shell")
Shell.run("C:\QBasic\pp.bat")
End Sub

the hta was run from C:\QBasic

and it works in a different directory:
Shell.run("C:\x264\blu_ray1.bat")

or

Shell.run("C:\QBasic\VirtualDub 70709.avs") for an avs file


2. Shell.Exec
Sub VDubPreview
Dim Shell,Exec ' don't know if this is needed
Set Shell = createobject("wscript.shell")
Set Exec = Shell.Exec("C:\QBasic\VirtualDub 70709.avs")
End Sub

doesn't seem to work with different directory
doesn't work with batch file


3. Shell.run "cmd . .

Sub chaptermenu264
Dim Shell ' don't know if this is needed
Set Shell = CreateObject ("WScript.shell")
Shell.run "cmd /K CD C:\QBasic"
Shell.run "cmd /K C:\QBasic\VirtualDub 70709.avs"
Set Shell = Nothing
End Sub

and from different directory:

Sub chaptermenu264
Dim Shell
Set Shell = CreateObject ("WScript.shell")
Shell.run "cmd /K C:\x264\blu_rayNEW.bat"
Set Shell = Nothing
End Sub

These all work fine on XP - I am going to check re Vista32 and Vista64 - I can't check it on Windows7 - could you?

Of these methods is there one that is preferable?

TIA

[dragonkeeper]

3. Shell.run "cmd . .

Sub chaptermenu264
Dim Shell ' don't know if this is needed
Set Shell = CreateObject ("WScript.shell")
Shell.run "cmd /K CD C:\QBasic"
Shell.run "cmd /K C:\QBasic\VirtualDub 70709.avs"
Set Shell = Nothing
End Sub

and from different directory:

Sub chaptermenu264
Dim Shell
Set Shell = CreateObject ("WScript.shell")
Shell.run "cmd /K C:\x264\blu_rayNEW.bat"
Set Shell = Nothing
End Sub

These all work fine on XP - I am going to check re Vista32 and Vista64 - I can't check it on Windows7 - could you?

Of these methods is there one that is preferable?

TIA

I would go with option 3. Typically you can run any file from a command line and also pass parameters to the file if needed. I've used the shell.run command in all three OS (XP, vist, and Win 7) and it works fine (bat files are another thing esp on multi-core systems "sometimes its useful to set the MSHTA.exe affinity to 1 on a multi-core system" ). I have a windows 7 box set up and I'd be more than happy to test it out if you like, shoot me some files and i will try it out.

[wiseant]

dragonkeeper :

I am in the process of sending you an almost complete hta - but I am having a braincramp:

when I use this to open a file:

<p align="left"><font face="serif" size="2"> Please select the Video clip.</font>
</br>
<input name="vclip" type="file" size="62"/>

how can I set a [string] variable = name of the file opened?

for example if the file is D:\Movies\elephantsdream.mp4 how can I make vclip="D:\Movies\elephantsdream.mp4"

TIA

[dragonkeeper]

dragonkeeper :

I am in the process of sending you an almost complete hta - but I am having a braincramp:

when I use this to open a file:

<p align="left"><font face="serif" size="2"> Please select the Video clip.</font>
</br>
<input name="vclip" type="file" size="62"/>

how can I set a [string] variable = name of the file opened?

for example if the file is D:\Movies\elephantsdream.mp4 how can I make vclip="D:\Movies\elephantsdream.mp4"

TIA

Use the getElementByName property. Personally i prefer to use the id property over the name property.

   <input name="vclip" type="file" size="62"/>
   var vclip=document.getElementByName("vclip").innerHTML

[wiseant]

dragonkeeper:

Thanks again - before I read your reply, I used this routine:

sub openit
Set ObjFSO = CreateObject("UserAccounts.CommonDialog")
ObjFSO.Filter = "All Files*.*"
ObjFSO.InitialDir = "c:\"
InitFSO = ObjFSO.ShowOpen
MsgBox "You selected " & ObjFSO.FileName
vclip=ObjFSO.FileName
end sub

seems to work to assign the filename to variable vclip and the use of the MsgBox to "confirm" complete filename - but I am trying to get this string variable vclip to appear in a textbox - and I am running into problems trying to do this within the html

anyway - I'll be back at it tomorrow - hope to send you an hta then

[wiseant]

dragonkeeper:

I uploaded a couple of hta's ->

http://files.videohelp.com/u/139027/Edit2.hta - file deleted July24/12

http://files.videohelp.com/u/139027/writeavs.hta - - file deleted July24/12

Edit2.hta - which has three empty subroutines: vdubpreview, encode264, writeavs

writeavs.hta - need to add in some variables: vclip, chapters, duration, vheight, vwidth which I will get from Edit2.hta

I seem to have a problem with mytime= left(time,1)+ mid(time,3,2)+mid(time,6,2) +".avs"
I don't think it is formatted properly . . I just want to convert the system time to variable mytime
e.g. 12:59:23 PM to 125923.avs
e.g. 6:27.03 to 62703.avs

Your assistance is appreciated with this. Thanks

[dragonkeeper]

I seem to have a problem with mytime= left(time,1)+ mid(time,3,2)+mid(time,6,2) +".avs"
I don't think it is formatted properly . . I just want to convert the system time to variable mytime
e.g. 12:59:23 PM to 125923.avs
e.g. 6:27.03 to 62703.avs

Your assistance is appreciated with this. Thanks

First off to answer your question about the myTime variable i took a different approach that seems to work well;

   myTime = left(replace(replace(time, ":","")," ","" ),len(replace(replace(time, ":","")," ","" ))-2 )+".avs"

I've changed the line in the "writeavs.hta" and tested it on XP and Win7


"UserAccounts.CommonDialog" does not work on Win7, thus it throws an error when loading the subroutine.

Why create a sub routine to open the video file, the functionality to open a file exist in the browser aka input type "file". It is generally used for file uploads but you can also use it to get the path to a file;
example.

<input id="myVideoFile"  type="file" />

I've changed your "Edit2.hta" to use the input tag with the file attribute, which corrected the file open dialog in windows 7.

[wiseant]

dragonkeeper:

Thanks again. That code for mytime looks pretty funky.

I did finish another hta that processes all of the variables - with commands to write an avs file for previewing, a slightly different avs for encoding, as well as the commands for Preview in VirtualDub and Encode with x264

I'll incorporate your changes and upload tomorrow - at least one will be able to open a video clip, set number of chapters, thumbnail size, motion menu duration, preview and encode the motion menu

[dragonkeeper]

dragonkeeper:

Thanks again. That code for mytime looks pretty funky.

It's pretty simple really; start with the most inner grouping i first remove the colon, the next grouping removes the white space, the outer grouping then takes the length of the resulting string and removes the last two characters.

Regex would have been much cleaner and simpler, but vbscript is a little weak when it come to regex that's why i prefer javascript for string manipulation.

[wiseant]

dragonkeeper:

I got my new hta done, except for one problem

How do I use this:

<input type="file" value="Load Video" id="myVideoFile" size="60" onChange="alert(document.getElementById('myVideoFi le').value)">

to assign this value to my variable vclip -[the name and location of the video clip]

I had been using this sub: -> vclip=ObjFSO.FileName

sub openit
Set ObjFSO = CreateObject("UserAccounts.CommonDialog")
ObjFSO.Filter = "All Files*.*"
' ObjFSO.InitialDir = "c:\"
InitFSO = ObjFSO.ShowOpen
MsgBox "You selected " & ObjFSO.FileName
vclip=ObjFSO.FileName
Set Shell = CreateObject ("WScript.shell")
Shell.CurrentDirectory = "C:\MYHTA"
end sub

TIA

[dragonkeeper]

dragonkeeper:


How do I use this:

<input type="file" value="Load Video" id="myVideoFile" size="60" onChange="alert(document.getElementById('myVideoFi le').value)">

to assign this value to my variable vclip -[the name and location of the video clip]

Pretty much the same way as with VBscript ; but instead of building a subroutine and calling it you will build a function and call it.

    <script language="JavaScript">
        function assignVclip(){
            vClip=document.getElementById('myVideoFile').value;
            vClip=vClip.replace(/\\/g, '\\\\');
        }
    </script>

call the script with your onchange event like

<input type="file" value="Load Video" id="myVideoFile" size="60"  onChange="assignVclip()">

But if you insist on displaying an alert box with the path information, you can call mutiple functions with a single event by separating them with semi-colons.

<input type="file" value="Load Video" id="myVideoFile" size="60"  onChange="alert(document.getElementById('myVideoFile').value); assignVclip()">

[wiseant]

dragonkeeper:

I tried to implement your javascript function but I couldn't get it working

It seemed to disable the vbscript subs that followed
I have read that using javascript and vbscript in an hta can cause problems
One supposed solution is to use onclick="VBScript:radiobuttons"

However, I found that I could just use a vb sub:

sub assignVclip
Vclip=document.getElementById("myVideoFile").value
end sub

with

<input type="file" value="Load Video" id="myVideoFile" size="60" onChange="assignVclip()">

I am attaching Motion1.zip - and now I am removing it - I spotted a problem

Will attach new file July 25/12

[dragonkeeper]

getting an invalid attachment when i try to download?

oops never mind

[wiseant]

dragonkeeper

sorry - I deleted it

here it is

[wiseant]

dragonkeeper

That Motion1.hta had a problem with a misplaced variable

This hta should work as long as VirtualDub.exe, and x264.exe are in the same folder as the hta
It also requires avisynth, gscript plugin for avisynth, and ffms2.dll [for ffvideosource]

Two avs files are created - one for Preview and the other for Encoding.

A text file is also created that gives the chapter times for use in TSMuxer

Should be ok as long as number of chapter is between 2 and 12

I haven't done any error-checking . . .