how to modify an existing DVD menu?

[wijnstra]

Hi,

I'm using Pinnacle Studio to make DVDs with multi-level menu's. I make a top level menu that links to various underlying menus. The problem that I have is that when selecting an underlying menu, not the first button of the underlying menu is always highlighted. For example, when I use the 3rd button of the top level menu to go to an underlying meny, then the 3rd button of the underlying menu is initially highlighted. This should be the first button. It looks like some kind of button variable is not reset when going to an underlying menu. I dont know how to solve this in Pinnacle Studio.

Is it possible to repair the menus that I have made Pinnacle Studio with another tool, so that the first button of each underlying menu is initially hghlighted? Thanks in advance!

[jeanl]

Yes it is. If you can't find a way to fix that in pinnacle, you can use PGCEdit (free tool) after authoring. You will need to locate the PGC of the menus (there's a preview to help you do that) and put the following command at the top of the pre-commands.
[56 00 00 00 04 00 00 00] 1 (SetHL_BTN) Set Highlighted Button =(mov) 1024 (button 1)

Post back if you need more info...
Jeanl

[wijnstra]

Thanx very much! I have used the tool you suggested and it was really easy to modify the menus. This really solves my problem!

[jeanl]

PgcEdit rocks!
Jeanl

[wijnstra]

Hi Jeanl,

The problem I had first is solved, but now I still have a question about the command to set the highlighted button. The issue is that the menu that I have made has a playing time of 12 seconds. After that, the menu is played from the start and also the first button is highlighted again. When navigating through the menu, this is not what I would like. Do you know how to solve this? Thanx in advance!

[jeanl]

mmm, the problem is that it loops to the beginning of the PGC and executes the pre-command again.
Could you possibly post the details of the PGC in question? Select it in PgcEdit, then right-click and select "Info:PGC", copy the whole thing and post back.

One way to fix the problem would be to set the highlighted button in the previous PGC (the main menu I guess) where you came from before that menu. That may or may not be easy.
Otherwise, we can probably fix it by modifying the way the menu loops around. I'm guessing there's a cell command that links to top PGC, but we'll be able to see that better if you post the info... In that case, you could modify that cell command to a LinkTopCell (which would not execute the pre-command).

Just post back the info, and we'll figure it out .

Jeanl

[wijnstra]

I have attach the PGC info for one of the sub-menu's.
Another way to solve the problem would be to set the highlighted button to 1 only when jumping from the high level menu to one of the sub-menus. This means that the action connected to a menu button must be changed. With the version of PgcEdit that I have, this does not seem possible. Is this true?

VTSM 1 , LU 1 (en) , 2 (0:12) 6b. - Chapters: n/a, Programs: 1, Cells: 1

********** pre commands:
[56 00 00 00 04 00 00 00] 1 (SetHL_BTN) Set Highlighted Button =(mov) 1024 (button 1)
[71 00 00 00 00 63 00 00] 2 Set gprm(0) =(mov) 99
[71 00 00 01 00 63 00 00] 3 Set gprm(1) =(mov) 99
[71 00 00 02 00 02 00 00] 4 Set gprm(2) =(mov) 2
********** post commands:
[71 00 00 03 00 02 00 00] 1 Set gprm(3) =(mov) 2
[20 04 00 00 00 00 00 02] 2 LinkPGCN PGC 2
********** cell commands:

********** menu buttons commands:
VOB ID 2, Cell ID 1 (First NAV pack LBA=257)
1 Group Select button=0, Action button=0
button 1: [30 05 00 02 00 01 00 00] (JumpVTS_PTT) Jump to TTN 1, Chapter 2
button 2: [30 05 00 03 00 01 00 00] (JumpVTS_PTT) Jump to TTN 1, Chapter 3
button 3: [30 05 00 04 00 01 00 00] (JumpVTS_PTT) Jump to TTN 1, Chapter 4
button 4: [30 05 00 05 00 01 00 00] (JumpVTS_PTT) Jump to TTN 1, Chapter 5
button 5: [30 05 00 06 00 01 00 00] (JumpVTS_PTT) Jump to TTN 1, Chapter 6
button 6: [71 04 00 02 00 01 00 01] Set gprm(2) =(mov) 1 ; LinkPGCN PGC 1


Playback time: 00:00:12.00 (at 25 fps)
PG Playback mode: sequential
PUOs: 0 (0x00000000)
NextPGCN: 0
PrevPGCN: 0
GoUpPGCN: 0
PGC Still Time: 0
Audio stream 1 status: 0x00008000 (stream=0)
Subpic stream 1 status: 0x80000000 (streams for 4:3=0, wide=0, letterbox=0, pan&scan=0)

But- Prog. Cell Type Layer Res- Still Cell Playback End Entry First Last Last VOB Cell
tons Flags Break tric- Time Cmd. Time Time VOBU ILVU VOBU VOBU ID ID
ted. sector End Start End

6 1 1 2 yes no 0 0 00:00:12.00 00:00:12.00 257 0 519

[jeanl]

Yes, you're right pgcedit can't edit a menu command (yet), I"ll look at your code and post back. I have to run right now... Later!

Jeanl
P.S> Try this: replace the LinkPGCN PGC 2 with a LinkTopCell, that might do the trick.

[wijnstra]

Hi,

If I replace the LinkPGCN PGC 2 with LinkTopCell, the DVD player software exists the menu after 12 secs.

[djelimon]

Menuedit (free or pay verisons) will let you edit menu button commands

[jeanl]

Yes menuedit is good for editing menus.
OK my mistake. I think LinkTopCell isn't valid in a menu, and it's only good as a cell command (I think).
This should work: put a LinkCN to cell 1 as a cell command for your cell. To do that, you add the command as a cell command, and you edit the PGC (by double clicking) and put a "1" in the cell command field of cell 1. That should work.

Jeanl

[jeanl]

Another thing that would work (I tested it) is a LinkPGN 1 (link to program 1). This also skips the pre-command, and it can be used as a post-command (does not have to be a cell command). I found a couple DVDs with that command to loop a menu...
Jeanl

[wijnstra]

I have applied the LinkPGN 1. This solves the problem of restarting after 12 secs. Thanks! (Is the difference with the original command that the pre-commands are skipped?)
I have also tried to change the commands related to a button (add a highlight command there), but it seems as if only one command can be associated with a button. Is this the case?

[jeanl]

Yes and Yes.
LinkPGN does not go through the precommands, that's why it's used to loop menus (it's much faster).
You can only have 1 command per button. But most commands can be compounded (i.e. set this register and then jump here etc). PgcEdit shows you which commands you can compound in the command editor. pretty cool. I'm glad you fixed your problem!

Jeanl