Burning ".DAT" file on the MAC

[Sirach]

I recently downloaded a movie file with the file extension ".DAT" I tried to burn the file as the VCD on the Toast Titanium 5.2. But when I drag the file into Toast's VCD feature, an error message "The file cannot be created as VCD because it contains MEPG data in an unsupported format" appeared. How could I burn these kind of file into VCDs?? What steps should I take and what programs do I need??

Thank you very much for helping me solve this issue

[unison]

To view the file on your computer you don't really have to burn it to vcd. Just drag the file icon into the quicktime player icon and it will play (it remains with chapeters as well).

But, if you want to burn the dat into vcd, say for watching it on your dvd player, you just have to get a software called vcd gear. There you can select to conver from dat to mpeg (and you can check the options to make the mpeg already Toast compatible). It will take less then 2 minutes if you are running a powerful computer (Im running a G4 733 and it never takes a minute).

There you have it! Hope it helps!

[Sirach]

Thank you Unison for helping me. This does help a lot. However, where can I download the most recent version of VCDGear for MAC OS X?? I checked the www.vcdgear.com and download a file called "vcdgear V 1.6e(Console)" and the folder extracted from it doesn't seem to contain the right program. It has something like "Terminal" stuff and I have no idea what that is and how that work........^^lll Thank you again for helping^^

[unison]

I cant exactly remember where I got it, I think it was from a topic in here where there was a link to the basic mac programs for vcd creation. You should also read this topic:

http://www.vcdhelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=66642&highlight=software

I cant really remember where I got it, but Im also runniung OS 9.

[Sirach]

Thanks Unison, I have tried and successfully burned a vcd from a ".dat" file. Although I have to run vcdgear in the classic mode, but that will do for now. Thanks a million

[bilestyle]

if you want a GUI for the vcdgear1.6e go to my mac homepage, i made one that covers pretty much every vcdgear 1.6e feature and all in a nice little GUI

homepage.mac.com/comfortableliar

[Sirach]

Dear bilestyle, I downloaded vcdgearx 0.3.1 sit, is this the right file?? Because when I open the application, the error message
"AppleScript Error
cp:
0.3.1/vcdgearx.app//contents/resources/vcdgearx1.6e: No such file or directory
cp:/Applications/vcdgearx: No such file or directory(1)"showed, but the program still showed up. I than put the file that I want to convert into the input line and name the saved as line and clicked start; another error message
"AppleScript Error
zsh: No such file or directory:
/Applications/vcdgearx(1)" showed up and the program stop running.

What should I do to fix this problem??

Thank you very much for helping me

[bilestyle]

i havent updated vcdgearx 0.3.1 for a while (Since before 10.2) and i guess i failed to realize that i needed to update it for 10.2 in a few different ways before it would work. I need to personally update it to fix your problem so hopefully sometime this week ill have more time to program and update all these apps as necessary.

[bilestyle]

actually i was wrong.. that part of the script you got an error with was rendered unessesary with a different coding in my program... so i just removed the offending script and ill put together a new program tonight and hopefully that will work okay for you.. if not ill have to do some re-scripting that may take a little longer than my time will permit right now.

-- i made the changes, 0.3.2 is now available.

-- pick it up while you can (today is the last day b4 .mac expires), so if you dont get it today im not sure when you will be able to cuz im not payin for something that used to be free , sometime soon hopefully ill get a chance to setup a webpage, till then no more public releases of my updates if anyone knows a good free site that doesnt overload your page with crappy banners and banner ads, let me know.

[Sirach]

Dear Bilestyle,

I have downloaded the VCDGEARX 0.3.2. There is no error message showing up when I started the program. However, as I finished all the procedures and hit the "Start" buttom to begin conversion, the message in the "Terminal"

"Welcome to Darwin!
cd /Users/apple/Desktop/
/Applications/VCDGearX 0.3.2/VcdGearX.app//Contents/Resources/VCDGearOSX1.6e -dat2mpg -toast /Users/apple/Desktop/?????-??????.dat /Users/apple/Desktop/Converted
[localhost:~] apple% cd /Users/apple/Desktop/
[localhost:~/Desktop] apple% /Applications/VCDGearX 0.3.2/VcdGearX.app//Contents/Resources/VCDGearOSX1.6e -dat2mpg -toast /Users/apple/Desktop/--

No help file for /Applications/VCDGearX
[localhost:~/Desktop] apple% /Applications/VCDGearX 0.3.2/VcdGearX.app//Contents/Resources/VCDGearOSX1.6e -dat2mpg -toast /Users/apple/Desktop/--.................................................. .................................................d at /Users/apple/Desktop/Converted
/Applications/VCDGearX: Command not found.
logout



[Process completed]"

had shown up and there is no converted file...............^^lll

I am sorry that I fotgot to mention before, I am using the MAC OX 10.1.5. I haven't got a chance to update to the 10.2 version. Could this be the problem??

Thank you very much for everything that you have done for me^^

[bilestyle]

well the fact that you DONT have 10.2 SHOULDn't hurt, I saw another mistake that may have caused the problem, but it also appears that the setup isnt too happy with your input file name, or did you put all the ??? there? your output is confusing because one minute the name is "?????-??????.dat" when another time it appears as the EXTREMELY odd "--.................................................. .................................................d at /"

if your not in CLI mode you should be, but i assume you are since you are giving me terminal output... i made some minor adjustments to the program but unfortunately .mac has expired so I can't post a new version till i find a replacement for hosting my files.

[Sirach]

Dear Bilestyle,

I have changed the file name to all English. It used to be in Chinese when I downloaded the file. This is the message showed in the Terminal after I changed the file name and tried to convert it again.

"Welcome to Darwin!
cd /Users/apple/Desktop/
/Users/apple/Desktop/VCDGearX 0.3.2/VcdGearX.app//Contents/Resources/VCDGearOSX1.6e -dat2mpg -toast /Users/apple/Desktop/peep.dat /Users/apple/Desktop/Converted
[localhost:~] apple% cd /Users/apple/Desktop/
[localhost:~/Desktop] apple% /Users/apple/Desktop/VCDGearX 0.3.2/VcdGearX.app//Contents/Resources/VCDGearOSX1.6e -dat2mpg -toast /Users/apple/Desktop/peep.dat /Users/apple/Desktop/Converted
/Users/apple/Desktop/VCDGearX: Command not found.
[localhost:~/Desktop] apple% "

There is still no converted file..........^^lll

Could you please send the updated version to me through my email??
My email address is "aaron.lin@verizon.net"

It would mean a great deal to me.

Thanks a million

[bilestyle]

hopefully this new version works for you "its in the mail" heh

[Sirach]

Dear Bilestyle,

Thank you for sending the program to me. But I still can't get this version to work...........^^lll When I started the program, the error message

""AppleScript Error
cp:
0.3.1/vcdgearx.app//contents/resources/vcdgearx1.6e: No such file or directory
cp:/Applications/vcdgearx: No such file or directory(1)" showed and I still finished all the procedure and hit the start buttom.

This is the message showed in the Terminal screen

"Welcome to Darwin!
cd /Users/apple/Desktop/ ; VCDGearOSX1.6e -dat2mpg -toast /Users/apple/Desktop/peep.dat /Users/apple/Desktop/Converted
[localhost:~] apple% cd /Users/apple/Desktop/ ; VCDGearOSX1.6e -dat2mpg -toast /Users/apple/Desktop/peep.dat /Users/apple/Desktop/Converted
VCDGearOSX1.6e: Command not found.
[localhost:~/Desktop] apple% "

Again, there is no converted file..........^^lll

I begain to feel real bad for causing you all these troubles.......^^lll
Please take your time and take it easy on the updating, and if you finish the program, I hope you can send a copy to me.^^

Again, thank you so so soooooooooo much for all your afforts, and I am really sorry for the troubles that I have caused you.

[bilestyle]

well the problem is rooted in the fact that It's not correctly installing VCDGear1.6e into your ~/bin folder. You can do that yourself if your feeling adventerous, but it appears I'm just going to have to make a install package that installs the binary for you... hopefully the package will work on 10.1.5, im not sure if there is a problem between them

here is the steps you need to follow to install the binary. It would probably be easier to download the binary file from the website and then install that instead of the other way i would consider doing it

http://www.vcdgear.com/files/VCDGear%20for%20OSX%201.0.sit

after you unstuff the file it SHOULD be called VCDGearOSX1.6e
if it is not rename it that way. Then make a bin folder inside your home folder (if one isnt already there) and drag the binary inside. after this you SHOULD be able to run the program succesfully. if you STILL have issues let me know.. i'm in the process of making a new website to post my releases on, but till then this should be a temporary solution to your problem.

[Sirach]

Dear Bilestyle,

I have followed your steps and this time it worked! The .dat file had been converted to the toast compatible mpeg file. However, there are still two little, minor problems..........^^lll

First, when I started the program the error message

"AppleScript Error
cp:
0.3.2r2/vcdgearx.app//contents/resources/vcdgearx1.6e: No such file or directory
cp:/Applications/vcdgearx: No such file or directory(1)" had shown up again.

Second, after the file has been successfully converted, the program generated two files. One is the right file that's burn-able, the other one is called "Converted.mpeg.rsrc", I forgot to check the size of this .rsrc file and it appears to be un-usable.

I am super happy that the program is working, and I hope that this post helps you create the perfect GUI version^^

Thanks a million

[bilestyle]

that error still occurs because its having a problem doing the step i layed out for you, the program tries to install the binary in that folder but stumbles over the directory names, im not certain why, but it does.. it works on my comp im not sure why it doesnt work for you.. im glad it works for you now

[Sirach]

Dear Bilestyle,

I think I have found the reason why the message keeps showing up. I just updated my OS to 10.2, and the problem still occurs. I am using the Traditional Chinese as my default language set. When I switch to the English language set, the message didn't show up and everything works wonderful, but when I am using the Chinese language set, the AppleScripts Error message showed up but after that the program still works. Is there any way to fix this problem??

Thank you

[M-Jay]

@Bilestyle

I saw that your link to VCDGEARX isn't working...do you have an other site where I can download it?

M-Jay

[Sirach]

Dear M-Jay,

You can download the needed file at www.vcdgear.com

[M-Jay]

@Sirach

Thank you for the reply, but I was searching for the GUI version and that one is called VCDGearX with th X. Bilestyle gave me the new address.

http://www.angelfire.com/mac/videoconversion/

Bye![/b]