free dvd authoring tool

[Compugup]

Hello,

Found the cause of the different behaviors:

If you run setup from cygwin.com and select "Install from internet"
then you get a screen where you can choose "Default text file type". That is the same screen as everybody got when you installed Cygwin for the first time.
I had mine on "unix" and I bet that for who spumux did not work it was on "dos".
I know for sure because I tried this at my installation and spumux had the same behavior as for VMesquita and Adamandhelen.

You can check for yourself do the change above and leave the rest of your installation untouched and select next, next, next etc. finish.

But thanks to trcjunky it is already solved.

Compugup.

[adamandhelen]

spumux refuses to accept any bmp images. I have posted a question regarding this at SF. This is the response but as I have compiled this wonder if anyone can address this. thanks

<That means that imagemagick was not linked in when you compiled the package. Look at your config.log and look in config.h (HAVE_MAGICK 1?)>

[Compugup]

RENEWED

Hello,

Newest version DVDauthor 6.8 is out!

It has some nice new features including:
- Rendering of text subtitles (.srt, .sub, .ssa and many others) to graphics with Spumux
- DVD unauthoring an exisisting DVD

You can find the sources and Windows binaries here:
http://dvdauthor.sourceforge.net/

Compugup.

[Compugup]

New version of DVDAuthor, see previous renewed post.

[liquid217]

If anyone is interested, ive changed/added a number of things to the basic gui i wrote a while back. Some features include:
multiple titles
a basic vmgm menu
chapters
multiple audio streams
ability to edit post commands
iso creation

Im not a programmer by trade, so im sure you will find bugs in it.
you can find it here:
https://www.videohelp.com/tools?tool=450#comments

[mats.hogberg]

U know there's a cross platform DVDAuthor GUI in development too? Have neither seen it nor tested it, but it seems very much in the early stage: http://dvdstyler.sourceforge.net

/Mats

[Compugup]

Great job liquid!
In fact this is where this topic was all about, a GUI for DVDA.

I saw you used the new 6.8 version already (I updated the release message above).
Any plans on adding subtitle support?

Compugup.

[vmesquita287]

@Compugup
This new version looks very good, looks like there will be no need for MaestroSBT anymore for me! I am doing many test on the university now, but I can't wait to try this on my vacations!

[]'s
VMesquita

[liquid217]

Hi Compugup, thanks for the compliment. I tried adding subtitle support a while back using the original submux-dvd. At best it was very clunky, and time consuming, since you had to use multiple tools (Maestro-sbt,substation alpha, etc). Now that spumux supports different formats, im going to start looking into that.

Normally im not that eager to update the binarys, but 0.6.8 had some major improvements in handling mpeg1 video streams. I figured that may be useful to those who want to put author vcd mpeg streams onto dvd format.

Right now im in a learning stage, trying to come up with some better ways of doing various things inside the program. I really would like to get away from using the windows media activeX controls in the menu editor. Directshow mpeg2 filters are really flaky (imho). So far, ive tested with the Powerdvd mpeg2 filter, and the ligos filter. Also, im playing around with some other ideas on using buttons (instead of just an underline effect) for the menus.

[Compugup]

Hi, Liquid.

Looking forward to your subtitle implementation.

What kind of development environment are you using (tools, compiler, programming language, OS, platform etc.)?

Compugup.

[liquid217]

At this time, the gui is written completely in Visual Basic. Ive considered porting to a more portable language, but I haven't decided which way to go yet. I was reading up on wxwindows, and considered trying to write the gui using the MinGW studio ide.

The holidays are kinda sneaking up on me now, so i won't have much time to add any new features for the moment. Hard to believe its only a week till Christmas. When i get some more free time, i want to start reading up on ImageMagik, which could be used to manipulate button information in the menu editor.

[vmesquita287]

@liquid217

Some Advice. Use MinGW as the compiler, BloodShed DevC++ as IDE, WxWindows as multiplataform GUI and etc lib, wxGlade as GUI designer, Inno Setup Compiler to create setups. A Full Powerfull and free C++ developer KIT! I used MinGW developer studio a while ago (it's also good) but I figured out Dev-C++ is more powerful and still free.
Hope it helped!

[Baldrick]

- Rendering of text subtitles (.srt, .sub, .ssa and many others) to graphics

How exactly do I that? Can't find any documentation about it.

[Compugup]

Hi Baldrick,

You are correct, documentation is still under construction:

Spumux is now able to handle text subtitles which will be rendered to graphics.
A lot of different text formats are supported (.sub, .srt, .ssa, .smi, .rt , .txt, .aqt, .jss, .js, .ass), Spumux will try to determine the format automatically.

Following XML-file gives an example and also contains the default settings, only the textsub filename is mandatory.
If you're fine with the default settings you don't have to include them in your XML.

<subpictures>
   <stream>
      <textsub filename="demo1.srt"
       characterset="ISO8859-1" fontsize="28.0" font="tahoma.ttf"
       horizontal-alignment="left" vertical-alignment="bottom"
       left-margin="60" right-margin="60" top-margin="20" bottom-margin="30"
       subtitle-fps="25"
       movie-fps="25" movie-width="720" movie-height="574"/>
   </stream>
</subpictures>

[In the above, e.g. <bottom-margin> could be splitted by the forum-editor but it needs to be one solid string]

You need (if you are not using the Windows binaries compiled package) to install the freetype2 (http://www.freetype.org) package and provide at least one font (for Windows binaries users: Spumux will look in your windows directory for the font).
If you don't have timed subs (frame numbers in the text file in stead of time stamps), you need to provide the sub fps and the movie fps, then Spumux will automatically re-calculate the timings.

Default, Spumux will use the unicode character set.
If you install the iconv (included in the Windows binaries) package, Spumux will be able to handle a flood of character sets (Japanese, Hebrew etc.).
In Europe the iso8859-1 font is very popular (supports e.g. French accented characters).
If you install the fribidi (included in the Windows binaries) package, Spumux will also support right to left writing.

Spumux is able to handle a textsub stream OR a menu/spu stream, they can't be handled both together.

If you compile the package yourself then it may be necessary to manually enable the iconv and fribidi options in config.h (that is fixed already in the alpha releases).


Compugup.

[Baldrick]

Hi Baldrick,

You are correct, documentation is still under construction:

Spumux is now able to handle text subtitles which will be rendered to graphics.
A lot of different text formats are supported (.sub, .srt, .ssa, .smi, .rt , .txt, .aqt, .jss, .js, .ass), Spumux will try to determine the format automatically.

Following XML-file gives an example and also contains the default settings, only the textsub filename is mandatory.
If you're fine with the default settings you don't have to include them in your XML.

<subpictures>
   <stream>
      <textsub filename="demo1.srt"
       characterset="ISO8859-1" fontsize="28.0" font="tahoma.ttf"
       horizontal-alignment="left" vertical-alignment="bottom"
       left-margin="60" right-margin="60" top-margin="20" bottom-margin="30"
       subtitle-fps="25"
       movie-fps="25" movie-width="720" movie-height="574"/>
   </stream>
</subpictures>

[In the above, e.g. <bottom-margin> could be splitted by the forum-editor but it needs to be one solid string]

You need (if you are not using the Windows binaries compiled package) to install the freetype2 (http://www.freetype.org) package and provide at least one font (for Windows binaries users: Spumux will look in your windows directory for the font).
If you don't have timed subs (frame numbers in the text file in stead of time stamps), you need to provide the sub fps and the movie fps, then Spumux will automatically re-calculate the timings.

Default, Spumux will use the unicode character set.
If you install the iconv (included in the Windows binaries) package, Spumux will be able to handle a flood of character sets (Japanese, Hebrew etc.).
In Europe the iso8859-1 font is very popular (supports e.g. French accented characters).
If you install the fribidi (included in the Windows binaries) package, Spumux will also support right to left writing.

Spumux is able to handle a textsub stream OR a menu/spu stream, they can't be handled both together.

If you compile the package yourself then it may be necessary to manually enable the iconv and fribidi options in config.h (that is fixed already in the alpha releases).


Compugup.

Thanks. I will test if after the holidays...and also maybe finish my gui(it will be a kinda simple gui like liquids).

[fmctm1sw]

Thanks. I will test if after the holidays...and also maybe finish my gui(it will be a kinda simple gui like liquids).

I am very anxiously awaiting a GUI for DVDauthor. I started out with Liquids GUI and I was able to use the resulting "script.bat" file to get more than one DVD on a disk. For some reason my XML file doesn't update with the GUI so I have to edit that too when I make a DVD. I am currently tring to figure out a menu. I utilize basic tools for imaging (like Paint and Imaging). I'd like to end up having 15 or 20 episodes of something on a DVD and being able to pick whih one plays. Happy Holidays everyone!

[disturbed1]

Using Liquid's GUI, the output isn't compatible with a Playstation2. The video freezes, and skips.

I did a simple single title with 2/0 ac3. Authored with DVD Author, burnt on Taiyo Yuden media. Did the same project with Reel DVD and same media.

Both discs play fine in all of my set tops, but only the DVD Author made one doesn't play correctly in the PS2.

Can someone else check this?

BTW, my PS2s are version 3 and 4. It doesn't work with any of these.

[KYUSS]

If anyone is interested, ive changed/added a number of things to the basic gui i wrote a while back. Some features include:
multiple titles
a basic vmgm menu
chapters
multiple audio streams
ability to edit post commands
iso creation

Im not a programmer by trade, so im sure you will find bugs in it.
you can find it here:
https://www.videohelp.com/tools?tool=450#comments

thats just excellent m8
how do i set up the menu?

thanks
KYUSS

[vhelp]

yeah, I'm having a little trouble w/ menus too, but more so w/ chapter pointes

There doesn't seem to be any guides on liquids217 's menu or chapter, that
I could find (am I blind) ??

I'm also searching alternatives to making multiple VOBs from multiple .mpg files.
I dont' wan't to merge them into one VOB :O

Thanks all,
-vhelp

[fmctm1sw]

Liquid has put a lot of work in to this over the last two weeks. I think he has an unreleased version that addresses a lot of the issues you are having. I havn't heard from him in a few days, he may be gone for the holidays or something. But I have made a DVD with 11 titles and a menu with his GUI.

[vhelp]

.
.
At the moment, his GUI doesn't support multiple titles. You know.. more
than one VOB per project. It only does one VOB. Or, if you have mulitpe
titles (ie, more than 1 .mpg source) it will "merge" them into 1 VOB.

I'm looking to use multiple .mpg source files, and author to mulitp VOBs
and I'm exhausted researching this (using freeware tools of course)
.
.
I have to resort to free because my OS is windows 98 gold, and there really
isn't any software that supports this OS (no, i'm not gonna change to XP !! )

"DVD Author GUI' brook that barrier for me, but since my needs are for
multi VOBs, I'm strapped with failure

And, on another note, I have ben unsuccess w/ trying other DVD+RW brand
disks for my test platform. I can't get any DVD+RW's to work in my AD-1500.
TDK's DVD+RW 2.4x one's will: format (you have to run it through twice)
and then burn w/ Nero at 2.4k and all will be fine. But, currently NONE of
my DVD players will play this disk (says "no disk") not even my Pioneer DVD-ROM
player either

I'm almost going nuts here

Anyways, thanks for the help guys,
-vhelp

[fmctm1sw]

Maybe there is a way for you to manipulate the "menu.xml" and "config.xml" to do this. BTW, what is Windows 98 gold?

[liquid217]

hello guys, just a slight correction. The simple gui i threw together doesn't support multiple titlesets.. it does support multiple titles though.
If you use DVDauthor by itself, (without the gui), the possibilities are allmost limitless. From what ive seen, it should be fairly easy to make a highly complex dvd if needed (multiple titlesets/titles, etc)

@ disturbed1
Ive tested on 2 playstation2 systems, and they've worked flawlessly. Are you using the iso that Mkisofs generates? if so, try burning just the vob/ifo/bup files by themselves (nero or something similar)

@ KYUSS
I threw together a simple guide that outlines how to add a menu. Keep in mind the menu must be a previously created dvd-compliant mpeg.
http://users.adelphia.net/~liquid64/dvdauthorguiguide.html

I haven't had much time here lately to work on the gui that much. (Family and work has been keeping me quite busy ). Ive been eyeing some sourceforge projects in development that might be interesting. Here are a few links.
http://qdvdauthor.sourceforge.net/

Also the upcoming version of dvd2svcd is suppost to have dvdauthor/mplex/spumux/mkisofs support.
http://www.dvd2dvd.org/readme.txt <-- look under the HISTORY section

[vhelp]

@ fmctm1sw,

Windows 98 Gold is the Original or first Windows 98 OS. In other words, NOT
Windows 98SE !! 98SE was a sooped up 98 w/ some added driver support,
ie, DV etc.


Hi liquid217,

thanks for responding back here

yeah, I'm soo exhausted busting my brain out w/ my DVD+RW disks not
being able to be writen to - thanks to my OptroRite drive or the media itself.

I do hope (and look forward) to you upgrading your GUI to include the multi VOB support :P

I'm about to flash my writer to v2.30 (just found out about it) maybe that
will cure my problems writing to +RW disks maybe.

Definately give your GUI an upgrade please.. looking forward to it soon :P

Thanks all, for all the support here,
-vhelp

[vhelp]

Just a quick update..

Seems that Chapters I've created in some of my longer test encodes to a
DVD-R are working in my AD-1500 player. But, chapters do not seem to
work under software players (ie, powerdvd and windvd) - - must be a
software thing :P but, it works on hardware players :P

-vhelp

[KYUSS]

menus do not work for me with this gui.....it says compile successful but it creates no IFO's!!!!

it creates the menu vob tho


any ideas anyone?

who has successfully done menus with this gui?


thanks
KYUSS

ps are there any other guis to try?

[liquid217]

KYUSS, there is a log file that the gui generated after the process is finished in the application's directory named dvdauthorguilog.txt. email that to liquid_217@hotmail.com or PM it to me and ill see if i can help.

[KYUSS]

ok m8 i will try again in the morning.

what directory will it be in again m8? as dvdgui is just an exe isn't it?

i just unzipped to desktop and have been using it from there...is that correct?

i will try same movie again tomorrow and i will post here or mail you m8.


thanks for the reply and hopefully help

cheers
KYUSS

[KYUSS]

ignore that i'm tired lol

found directory and log mailing you now m8

[liquid217]

I just realized that i wasn't handling the button data correctly whenever the menu is PAL. Ive made the changes and have uploaded the updated version of the gui. Refer to the link above to download it (version 0.4.8 ). Im not sure if this is what is causing KYUSS's problem or not, but i will look over that log.