Videos playing sequentially in GUI For DVD Author

[Garibaldi]

I was wondering how to make it so the vids I am putting into GUI for DVD Author will play one after another, not going back to the menu after each. Here is my exact setup:

Special Features: Slideshows:
Feature 1 Slideshow 1
Feature 2 Slideshow 2
Feature 3 Slideshow 3
............ ...............

So what I want to do is click play on the slideshow 1 and then have it play through all the slideshows and then return to the main menu. Then I would like to have it so that you click on a special feature, it plays, and then returns to the menu. I do know about the stacking process for GUI for DVD Author, where the Slideshow 1 video must be imported first, the slideshow 2 video 2nd and so on so it will play in that order. Thanks for any help you can give.

[mgh]

If i understand right-what you want is two options
One-all the slideshows play one after the other
Two-you play one of the slideshows and then it gets back to the menu.
I do not think that it is possible without some kind of if statement somewhere
You may find some solution in the last part of the tutorial on the site when you scroll down the page.
I use DVDAuthorGui-not this one. But I am doubtful whether two different actions at the end of playing a title are possible depending on how the title was started.
In commercial DVDs I have seen-when such facilities are available- there is a duplication of the video on the DVD

[Garibaldi]

If i understand right-what you want is two options
One-all the slideshows play one after the other
Two-you play one of the slideshows and then it gets back to the menu.

Actually I want it to play through a certian selection of slideshows and then go back to the menu, like chapters in a movie, you don't go back to the menu after each one. The other part that I want to have could be thought of as deleted scenes on a dvd. You click on one and it plays and then goes back to the menu, where you can select another and it will repeat the same process. These two sets of slideshow are not the same slideshows.

[mgh]

Use two menus
One main menu-one link to your sequence of slideshows-second link to next menu fpr the individual slide shows
next menu-links to individualslideshows.

[Garibaldi]

Use two menus
One main menu-one link to your sequence of slideshows-second link to next menu fpr the individual slide shows
next menu-links to individualslideshows.

Could you tell me how to make 2 main menus? I tried modifing the stack of folders on the right but I couldn't seem to do anything.

[borax]

If I understand you right, you want to create something like this:

Main Menu:
---------------------------------------------------
'Movies'
Slideshow 1 -> next Slideshow
Slideshow 2 -> next Slideshow
Slideshow 3 -> next Slideshow
... Slideshow X -> Main Menu
'Special Features'
Special Features Menu
---------------------------------------------------


Special Features Menu:
------------------------------------------------------
Slideshow 1a -> Back to Special Features Menu
Slideshow 2a -> Back to Special Features Menu
Slideshow Xa -> Back to Special Features Menu
Main Menu
------------------------------------------------------

If that 'interpretation' is correct, it is possible, but you will have to tweak the menu xml files a little bit. I can post an explanation here if necessary.

[Garibaldi]

That is exactly what I want to do. To make it easier, let me post an image:

The Special Features menu would be the one that would play each slideshow and then go back to the menu after each. The menu to right would play all the slideshows through without stopping and then go back to menu. Thanks for the help.

[borax]

As it seems you want to create only 1 main menu, where some titles will play sequentially, and others should return to this main menu after playing. That is even more easy.

Again an interpretation:

                       Text: Car Shows

                                               Button: Introduction
Text: Special features                         Button: Belleville
Button: Outtakes                               Button: Dearfield
Button: Dash plaque                            Button: Cross Plains
Button: Volo Auto                              Button: Credits

Do you want/need other menus (chapters/language...)?
Have all the slideshows (movies) the same properties (resolution, aspect ratio, videonorm)?
Or in short: Do you need titlesets?

Assuming the simple case: No titlesets

Default settings: Untag 'Use titlesets', set 'End action for Titles' = 'Next title'
Add your movies (slideshows) in this order:
1. Introduction
2. Belleville
3. Dearfield
4. Cross Plains
5. Credits
6. Outtakes
7. Dash plaque
8. Volo Auto

Use 'Create Batch' to author the control files and images.
Open the Author.xml file with a texteditor (notepad)
It should look somehow like this:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<dvdauthor dest="c:\Filme">
<vmgm>
    <menus>
    <video format="pal"></video>
      <pgc>
        <vob file="c:\Filme\MMMenu.mpg" pause="inf"/>
        <button name="MMB1">jump title 1;</button>
        <button name="MMB2">jump title 2;</button>
        <button name="MMB3">jump title 3;</button>
        <button name="MMB4">jump title 4;</button>
        <button name="MMB5">jump title 5;</button>
        <button name="MMB6">jump title 6;</button>
        <button name="MMB7">jump title 7;</button>
        <button name="MMB8">jump title 8;</button>
      </pgc>
    </menus>
</vmgm>
<titleset>
    <menus>
      <pgc>
        <vob file="c:\Filme\EmptyBackg.mpg" />
        <post>jump vmgm menu 1;</post>
      </pgc>
    </menus>
    <titles>
      <pgc>
        <vob file="c:\Filme\Introduction.mpg" chapters="00:00:00.000"/>
        <post>jump title 2;</post>
      </pgc>
      <pgc>
        <vob file="c:\Filme\Belleville.mpg" chapters="00:00:00.000"/>
        <post>jump title 3;</post>
      </pgc>
      <pgc>
        <vob file="c:\Filme\Dearfield.mpg" chapters="00:00:00.000"/>
        <post>jump title 4;</post>
      </pgc>
      <pgc>
        <vob file="c:\Filme\Cross Plains.mpg" chapters="00:00:00.000"/>
        <post>jump title 5;</post>
      </pgc>
      <pgc>
        <vob file="c:\Filme\Credits.mpg" chapters="00:00:00.000"/>
        <post>jump title 6;</post>
      </pgc>
      <pgc>
        <vob file="c:\Filme\Outtakes.mpg" chapters="00:00:00.000"/>
        <post>jump title 7;</post>
      </pgc>
      <pgc>
        <vob file="c:\Filme\Dash plaque.mpg" chapters="00:00:00.000"/>
        <post>jump title 8;</post>
      </pgc>
      <pgc>
        <vob file="c:\Filme\Volo Auto.mpg" chapters="00:00:00.000"/>
        <post>call vmgm menu 1;</post>
      </pgc>
    </titles>
  </titleset>
</dvdauthor>

Now change the following lines:

        <vob file="c:\Filme\Credits.mpg" chapters="00:00:00.000"/>
        <post>jump title 6;</post>

to

        <vob file="c:\Filme\Credits.mpg" chapters="00:00:00.000"/>
        <post>call vmgm menu 1;</post>

and same for the lines:
<post>jump title 7;</post> to <post>call vmgm menu 1;</post>
<post>jump title 8;</post> to <post>call vmgm menu 1;</post>

Save the Author.xml file
Run the MainBatch.bat file
Ready

If you need titlesets and/or other menus, the xml file is a little bit more complicated...
In this case it may be better if you could send me the 'raw' author.xml file and I will send you the necessary changes.

[Garibaldi]

Thanks alot Borax. Let me try that and get back to you.

[Garibaldi]

Borax,
I set up everything according to your instructions, but I ran into a glitch. I opened up the author.xml file after doing the batch, and the xml file looked like this:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<dvdauthor dest="C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\My Documents\My Program Files\DVD Author GUI">
<vmgm>
<menus>
<video format="pal"></video>
<pgc entry="title">
<pre> { g1=1; } </pre>
<vob file="C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\My Documents\My Program Files\DVD Author GUI\MMMenu.mpg" pause="inf"/>
<button name="MMB1">jump titleset 1 menu;</button>
<button name="MMB2">jump titleset 2 menu;</button>
</pgc>
</menus>
</vmgm>
<titleset>
<menus>
<pgc entry="root">
<pre> { if (g1 eq 1) jump title 1 chapter 1;
if (g1 eq 0) jump vmgm menu;} </pre>
<vob file="C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\My Documents\My Program Files\DVD Author GUI\TS1Menu.mpg" pause="inf"/>
<button name="TS1B0">jump vmgm menu;</button>
</pgc>
</menus>
<titles>
<pgc>
<pre> { g1=0; } </pre>
<vob file="C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\My Documents\My Videos\Slideshows\Deerfield Car Show.mpg" chapters="00:00:00.00"/>
<post>call vmgm menu;</post>
</pgc>
</titles>
</titleset>
<titleset>
<menus>
<pgc entry="root">
<pre> { if (g1 eq 1) jump title 1 chapter 1;
if (g1 eq 0) jump vmgm menu;} </pre>
<vob file="C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\My Documents\My Program Files\DVD Author GUI\TS2Menu.mpg" pause="inf"/>
<button name="TS2B0">jump vmgm menu;</button>
</pgc>
</menus>
<titles>
<pgc>
<pre> { g1=0; } </pre>
<vob file="C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\My Documents\My Videos\Slideshows\Klassarama.mpg" chapters="00:00:00.00"/>
<post>call vmgm menu;</post>
</pgc>
</titles>
</titleset>
</dvdauthor>

It looks like the xml file from one of my earlier attempts at a dvd. What can I do so that it will update to this dvd? Thanks.

[Garibaldi]

Disregard that last post: I had the wrong output folder set!

[Garibaldi]

Thanks for all the help. It turned out great!