Seek / Next Button in DVD-Lab

[CaZeek]

Hello,
Is there a way to set options to skip from movie to movie or from movie to menu using the "next" button w/ DVD-Lab? Some examples:

1) I have a first play movie, but I want to be able to skip right to the menu if I do't want to watch the first play movie.

2) I have several movies, and I want the next button to skip from movie to movie.

Thank you!

[Josef K]

1) I have a first play movie, but I want to be able to skip right to the menu if I do't want to watch the first play movie.

I'm unable to comment on this one since I don't use any clips as first play - I always use a menu.

2) I have several movies, and I want the next button to skip from movie to movie.

The beginning of any MPEG asset is, by default, a chapter. So, assuming you haven't entered any chapters by yourself, then the next button should skip correctly to the next Movie. This is also assuming you have linked each Movie correctly in the Connections window.

The thought occurs that you may be using different VTSs. Why not tell us how you have been authoring so far? DVDlab is a great product. DVDlab Pro is immensely satisfying to use. Which one are you using?

[CaZeek]

Thanks for the reply.. I haven't actually tried the movie -> movie thing, so that should work according to what you are saying. The first play movie, however, is still making things difficult. This is actually my first time using DVD-Lab (not Pro). I've been using DVDit! before this.

[Josef K]

This is actually my first time using DVD-Lab (not Pro).

I would recommend that you keep an eye on DVDlab - it's going places.

As for the linking, all you have to do is make sure you're in the Connections window. You'll see your Menus and Movies all together. Now, to the left of that, you should see some icons, with the arrow cursor already selected. Below that is a cross icon. Just click that icon and now you can click your first Movie and drag to your second, from second to third, etc.

All that icon does is allow you to define endpoints for after each Movie has played. Since the beginning of each Movie is a chapter, you should then be able to press next to advance as you would expect. Until you define return links, you'll notice that there is a short greyed-out line at a 45 degree angle with the word 'RET'. Because it's pointing to nothing, it'll return to the place it was called from.

[CaZeek]

I actually just tried out the theory that movie -> movie would work with the next button, but that isn't working either. I have them connected in the connections menu, but the only result is that the 2nd movie will play after the 1st ends. The "next" button is still useless.

[awlchu]

Put a chapter at the end of the movie. Thus next will skip to the end of the movie and start the next one.

Chapters, or PTTs, are title aligned, they cannot cross titles.

I actually just tried out the theory that movie -> movie would work with the next button, but that isn't working either. I have them connected in the connections menu, but the only result is that the 2nd movie will play after the 1st ends. The "next" button is still useless.

[CaZeek]

Great idea, thanks! This should work very well.