Yet another GUI...

[Rico]

Hi,

For the last couple of weeks I've been toying with a GUI for GNU VCDImager (version 0.7.7, it works with XML). It has reached the astounding version of 0.1, so don't expect any miracles. Something it does though, is that it reads (and uses) VCDImager XML as it's file format (though it saves files with the extension "vcm" they are still XML), so You can load Your XML files and work on from there.

It can be found at http://www.algonet.se/~pretzel/VCDComposer/vcdcomposer.html
where You can see a couple of screenshots, etc.

There isn't really any documentation for it yet, but I hope it is easy enough to use if You have some experience with the XML involved, or have been using GNU VCDImager before...

Comments are most welcomed, as is suggestions on Wizard-style base-VCD creation, better default values, etc. And even though I prefer getting them by mail, sharing it on this Forum is of course beneficial as well.

Keep in mind that it is early beta stage, so save Your work often (a hint worth remembering when working with Windows anyway)

Cheers,
Rico

[hvr]

Finally a GUI which allows to read back the XML files...

that's quite useful, since it allows to interoperate with other GUIs on the XML level... i.e. create your XML descriptions with any of the other GUIs and then load it up in vcd composer you can customize it further...

When some of the other GUIs start being able to read back the XML files, we might finally see what power and flexibility lays in a common file format which is human readable as well (and is even standarized by w3c)...

btw, as to the upcoming 0.7.10, I'll try to finish it up in the next 24h... so I urge you to take a look asap, in order to report any potential problems with it (fyi, a pre(view) is available in the usual .testing dir... )

[CornelisJ]

From the information and screenshots on the VCDComposer site I must say this program looks very promising to me.

Unfortunately the program does not work on my system.
When I run VCDComposer, the program causes an "illegal operation". Error message:

VCDCOMPOSER heeft een fout met betrekking tot een ongeldige pagina veroorzaakt in
module MFC42.DLL op0187:6c37d682.
Registers:
EAX=000001b7 CS=0187 EIP=6c37d682 EFLGS=00010206
EBX=6c382bf0 SS=018f ESP=0069f5a0 EBP=0069f634
ECX=007c1050 DS=018f ESI=007c1050 FS=11cf
EDX=00000000 ES=018f EDI=007c1050 GS=45f7
Bytes in CS:EIP:
83 38 00 74 0f 68 00 e9 00 00 50 e8 0a 00 00 00
Stackdump:
6c37c3ba 0069f78e 000001b7 0069f78e 6c382bff 0069f78e 000001b7 6c371f1b 0069f78e 007c1050 007c1050 00570160 008e85e6 00001707 11df85f8 00830000

I use Windows 98 SE, Dutch language version.

[Rico]

Hm, it seems like there is a problem with Win98/ME systems. I'm looking into that right now, and will hopefully have a solution up tomorrow.
I have also got some other bug-reports which I will look into as well...

Regards,
Rico

[Rico]

I think I managed to track down the bug that made it un-runnable under Win 98. At least it works on my Win 98 now. I don't have a Win ME installation so I couldn't test that though.
There have also been a couple of other bug fixes that people made me aware of.
You can download the zip installer file, or only download the new exe-file (~400 k).

Please keep the bug reports and suggestions comming...

/Rico

[Cosmo Kramer]

Tried the fix-up .exe with W98SE, but this was the result just like the last time.

VCDCOMPOSER caused an invalid page fault in
module MSDXM.OCX at 0167:1d351cd9.
Registers:
EAX=00000000 CS=0167 EIP=1d351cd9 EFLGS=00010246
EBX=00000000 SS=016f ESP=0069e5a4 EBP=0069f1e0
ECX=00000001 DS=016f ESI=006c4b4c FS=1b17
EDX=0069f1a8 ES=016f EDI=006c48c4 GS=0000
Bytes at CS:EIP:
8b 08 ff 51 18 8b 36 8d 4d cc 51 56 8b 06 ff 50
Stack dump:
00000000 0069f1a8 8007000e 006c48c4 00000000 000075f0 0069e90c bff7186d 75d033b7 00000000 32ff75d0 00000000 00000246 0000764a 0069e62e 16df16df

CK.

[CornelisJ]

Two more problems to report (under Windows 98 SE):

1) I use VCDImager version 0.7.9. VCDComposer reports: "Could not execute vcdxbuild.exe to get version information". I have Vcdxbuild.exe in a folder c:\video\tools that is in PATH. The problem remains when vcdxbuild.exe is copied to the VCDComposer folder.

2) After leaving VCDComposer, all folder and program icons disappear from Windows Explorer! Also the icons from the Windows 98 "Quicklaunch" area disappear. Luckily no permanent damage is done, the icons are there again after Windows is restarted.

I still think VCDComposer might become a usefull program. I will be waiting for the next version...

Addition: I do not have the problem that Cosmo Kramer reports, but that may be due to the fact that I did not install msxml3, because some weeks ago I already installed msxml3sp1 om my system. During installation VCDComposer asked if msdxm.ocx may be overwritten, but did not allow to do so.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: CornelisJ on 2001-08-21 13:13:15 ]</font>

[Rico]

The msdxm.ocx is the control for the Microsoft MediaPlayer, and I've noticed that it asks about overwriting it on some of the machines I've installed the program on. On some I've installed the version that is included in the installer, on some I've kept the existing file. Haven't seen the problem described by Cosmo though.
I really don't dare to recommend anyone to install something that seems to be an issue for the installer. Windows systems have a tendency to break down as soon as you update something that wasn't broke...

What version of Microsoft MediaPlayer are You running Cramer???

About those disappearing icons... It seems really bad. It have happened to me also (but not with this program though). I'm looking into it as I write this...

The path-issue; The path should be set from within the settings dialog in VCDComposer to point to the folder where VCDImager and the related programs have been placed...

/Rico

[bugande]

I get the error vcdcomposer caused an error in msdxm.ocx and will now close. It does and that is it. I am running Windows Me.

[CornelisJ]

I downloaded the latest version 0.1b, and everything works fine now under Windows 98 SE. No more lost icons!
The path issue was my fault, I overlooked the settings dialog. Once the path to the vcdimager executables is set, everything works fine. Now comes the time to actually use VCDComposer for a new VideoCD, but that may take a while.

Thank you Rico for this program.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: CornelisJ on 2001-08-21 15:39:17 ]</font>

[Cosmo Kramer]

<TABLE BORDER=0 ALIGN=CENTER WIDTH=85%><TR><TD><font size=-1>Quote:</font><HR size=1 color=black></TD></TR><TR><TD><FONT SIZE=-1><BLOCKQUOTE>
What version of Microsoft MediaPlayer are You running Cramer???
</BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></TD></TR><TR><TD><HR size=1 color=black></TD></TR></TABLE>

The version that came with W98SE... havent updated it. Now after i installed the "msdxm.ocx" (?) that was suggested, the Mediaplayer wont even load anymore. I think i'll need to update the new Mediaplayer version someday or just forget whole W98SE. I do have W2K installed as well.

CK.


<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Cosmo Kramer on 2001-08-23 01:27:47 ]</font>

[Rico]

This msdxm.ocx seems to be quite a bit of problem. Some guys have replaced the file installed with a "fresh" (esp. for WinME) copy and then everything seems to work.
The "fun" thing is that the version that I ship is a newer one than the one installed by (atleast mine) WinME... Therefor the installer thinks it's okay to overwrite the existing one...

Anyway, I've noted this on the homepage and suggests people with WinME to try do just download the .exe for now. This may work if You already have a decent version of mfc42.dll installed (most do, I think)...
I'm looking into a solution to this, and probably removes the ocx from the installer totally...

As a "side-note" there is a version 0.1d up at the website right now, which corrects some other bugs (problems with multiple selects in a menu for instance)...

Cheers!
Rico





<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Rico on 2001-08-24 00:31:34 ]</font>

[Rico]

Again a small note to say that I have just put up a small bug-fixed and GNU VCDImager 0.7.10 (for now it won't really wotk with lower versions, will fix this tonight) enhanced version of VCDComposer.
This contains some bugfixes and also includes support for default-entry and multi-default elements. Also added support for the new options made available in 0.7.10...

Some old bugs fixed are:

* Changing between objects of same type (i.e. from one playlist to another) didn't update values correctly.

* Deleting the last entry-point wouldn't allow more entry-points to be added for this sequence

* HotSpots are given reasonable start values (easier to navigate), and are disabled in playlists.

* Better update of the XML, responds better to changes in the (S)VCD

* Installer change to NOT include the malicious ocx-file that caused WinME and Win98 problems... For some reason these choked on the newer version of the ocx I included...

It still isn't possible to double-click on a VCDComposer file in explorer and get it to start (under Win98/ME)...

The new functionality also probably caused some new bugs, but I haven't seen them during my tests atleast!
Please keep me posted about them... The problem of writing tools like these is that You don't have the time to work with them (which is way different from testing them)

Program can be found on http://www.algonet.se/~pretzel/VCDComposer/vcdcomposer.html

/Rico

[Dethroner]

Wow! I like it!!!
It gives full control over the (X)(S)VCD structure and can read VCDImager .XML files!
And I like the entrypoint stuff!
Thanks, Rico!

[neodago]

Is there a way to author a XVCD with this structure?

-----------
| INTRO.MPG |
-----------
|
--------> | <---------------------------------------------
| ------------- |
| | MENU.JPG | |
| ------------- ------------ ------------ |
| | selection 1 | --> | video1.mpg | --> | video2.mpg |--
| | | ------------ ------------
| | selection 2 | ---|
| ------------- |
| | <-----------------------------
| ------------- |
| | MENU2.JPG | |
| ------------- ------------ |
| | selection 1 | --> | video1.mpg | --|
| | | ------------ |
| | selection 2 | --> | video2.mpg | --|
| | | ------------
--------------- | selection 3 |
-------------

Please let me know...

Thanx, neodago

[neodago]

SORRY, all messed up!!!!!!!!

My question was:

Is there a way to author a XVCD with a structure like this:

1) one intro

2) menu1 with 2 possible selections

if you choose sel.1 it plays video1, video2 and then returns to menu1

if you choose sel 2 it goes to menu2

3) menu2 with 3 possible selections

if you choose sel.1 it plays video1 and then returns to menu2

if you choose sel.2 it plays video2 and then returns to menu2

if you choose sel.3 it returns to menu1

Thanx and sorry again...
neodago

[vitualis]

The answer is YES, and that it is quite easy... once you've understand the XML.

Regards.