I had tried the filepath in notes earlier on in my testing, but that was when I had added my own quotes to my load string ie: "c:\program files\daemon tools\daemon.exe" -mount 0,"%6".

It would probably work now without my added quotes. But it also means I'd have to type [Filepath] and [/filepath] in addition to the complete filename\file. Less typing, I guess I'm lazy that's why I'm looking for a way to strip the quotes out...

Thanks,

Kevin

Great find Mediadogg! It works, my PlayFromDisk.bat now looks like this:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@echo off
rem %1 DescriptionSideA
rem %2 profileid - this is usually the UPS code
rem %3 disc#
rem %4 slot#
rem %5 DVD Title
rem %6 filepath
rem %7 mediatype = "DVD", "HD" or "BluRay"
rem %8 and thereafter - remainder of Location field

if %7=="DVD" goto DVD
if %7=="HD" goto HD
if %7=="BluRay" goto BluRay
goto end


:DVD
@echo off
%8\%5\Video_TS\Video_ts.ifo
goto end

:HD
@echo off

set moviedrive=%8
set moviefolder=%5
set movieiso=%5
set moviepath=%moviedrive%\%moviefolder:~1,-1%\%movieiso:~1,-1%

"c:\program files\daemon tools\daemon.exe" -unmount 0
"c:\program files\daemon tools\daemon.exe" -mount 0,%1
start /max C:\Progra~1\CyberLink\PowerDVD\PowerDVD.exe /p
goto end

:BluRay
@echo off

set moviedrive=%8
set moviefolder=%5
set movieiso=%5
set moviepath=%moviedrive%\%moviefolder:~1,-1%\%movieiso:~1,-1%

"c:\program files\daemon tools\daemon.exe" -unmount 0
"c:\program files\daemon tools\daemon.exe" -mount 0,"%moviepath%.iso"
start /max C:\Progra~1\CyberLink\PowerDVD\PowerDVD.exe /p
goto end

:end
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Now, I'm finding that my lazy way of doing things (using the DVD Title field as my directory and iso name creates additional problems.
  1. Some titles are waaaayyyyy too long ie. Scrubs-The Complete Second Season Disc 2 ends up being m:\Scrubs-The Complete Second Season Disc 2\Scrubs-The Complete Second Season Disc 2.iso.
  2. Some titles come across with characters that aren't allowed in folder names ie. ":","?", etc.

So i've decided that i'm going back to the following PlayFromDisk.bat:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@echo off
rem %1 DescriptionSideA
rem %2 profileid - this is usually the UPS code
rem %3 disc#
rem %4 slot#
rem %5 DVD Title
rem %6 filepath
rem %7 mediatype = "DVD", "HD" or "BluRay"
rem %8 and thereafter - remainder of Location field

if %7=="DVD" goto DVD
if %7=="HD" goto HD
if %7=="BluRay" goto BluRay
goto end


:DVD
@echo off
%1\Video_TS\Video_ts.ifo
goto end

:HD
@echo off
"c:\program files\daemon tools\daemon.exe" -unmount 0
"c:\program files\daemon tools\daemon.exe" -mount 0,%1
start /max C:\Progra~1\CyberLink\PowerDVD\PowerDVD.exe /p
goto end

:BluRay
@echo off
"c:\program files\daemon tools\daemon.exe" -unmount 0
"c:\program files\daemon tools\daemon.exe" -mount 0,%1
start /max C:\Progra~1\CyberLink\PowerDVD\PowerDVD.exe /p
goto end

:end
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

For NON-HD discs
I put play in the Location field
I put the path in the DescriptionSideA field

For HD/BD discs
I put play in the location field
I put the path INCLUDING the name of the ISO file in the DescriptionSideA field

This makes it more consistant and easier to remember.

Thanks Mediadogg for all your efforts with this plugin and especailly for your efforts to help with my ideas/troubles.

Kevin

Thanks!

i would like to see your example of the slot values and the filepaths in the .bat file, when you get a chance.

Thanks again!

Kevin

I just loaded the DVD Profiler and went to add the Location and Slot information, but I cannot find out how to enter the data.  I have one disc in the collection, and the Help file "didn't".

What should I do?

is it normal that the plug-in seriously slows down profile switching, it usually takes about a second for a profile to "load", after I installed it it took about 3-4 seconds

I'm very interested in using this great looking LoadDVD plug-in with Dacal carousels. My HTPC is Windows XP/SP2.

Unfortunately I am not a computer whiz but I can usually figure things out with some assistance.

Can someone tell me exactly what steps I need to take to get this plug-in to work after I download and install it, I have already entered my entire collection into Profiler?

Many of my DVD's that I want to load into the Dacal carousel units are archive DVD copies that are split between two discs (the originals are a single discs). I think I understand that I will have to specify code in the Personal notes section for each split DVD. Are there detailed directions on excactly how to do this somewhere? What I have read so far in this thread on this subject is not clear to me. For example how would I handle specific split DVD in my Collection: Van Helsing, Collection Number 618? Can someone tell me exactly what information I need to enter in the Personal Information/Notes field so I can retrieve both discs with one search, can the Dacal unit actually handle this type of retrieval (two discs at a time)?

Finally, I am using my HTPC with TheaterTek software to play my DVD's so Windows Media Player is turned off, when I insert a DVD in the DVD drive tray TheaterTek is automatically launced. I have Profiler installed on this PC as well. Will the LoadDVD plug-in with Daacal carousel units still function correctly under these conditions, what might I have to change here?

Sorry for the long post.

Thank you.

Quoting itsme:

Quote:
I'm very interested in using this great looking LoadDVD plug-in with Dacal carousels. My HTPC is Windows XP/SP2.

Unfortunately I am not a computer whiz but I can usually figure things out with some assistance.

Can someone tell me exactly what steps I need to take to get this plug-in to work after I download and install it, I have already entered my entire collection into Profiler?

Many of my DVD's that I want to load into the Dacal carousel units are archive DVD copies that are split between two discs (the originals are a single discs). I think I understand that I will have to specify code in the Personal notes section for each split DVD. Are there detailed directions on excactly how to do this somewhere? What I have read so far in this thread on this subject is not clear to me. For example how would I handle specific split DVD in my Collection: Van Helsing, Collection Number 618? Can someone tell me exactly what information I need to enter in the Personal Information/Notes field so I can retrieve both discs with one search, can the Dacal unit actually handle this type of retrieval (two discs at a time)?

Finally, I am using my HTPC with TheaterTek software to play my DVD's so Windows Media Player is turned off, when I insert a DVD in the DVD drive tray TheaterTek is automatically launced. I have Profiler installed on this PC as well. Will the LoadDVD plug-in with Daacal carousel units still function correctly under these conditions, what might I have to change here?

Sorry for the long post.

Thank you.

Okay dokay. Nice meaty post to respond to (cookies and soda nearby).

(1) For multiple discs in a profile, you merely need to add additional disks in "Edit Profile" as you need, Many profiles already come downloaded with the correct number of discs pre-defined. Some profiles unfortunately have no discs defined. You have to edit them. If there are two disk for the profile in collection number 618, you will get two icons to click on.

(2) DVDProfiler, LoadDVD and the Dacal/Ziotek support are all totally compatiibe with your TheaterTek system. The only thing you have to watch out for is conflcting responses to disc insertion. Set up DVDProfiler (Tools/ System) to not have a default disk drive.

(3) Retrieving two disks at a time - well, nobody has thought of that before!!!! So, it is not in LoadDVD now, but maybe in the future. For now, you will have to select them one at a time. Fortunately the icons are side-by-side, and the Dacal has smart logic so it will spin only the exact number of spaces it needs. If they are loaded side by side in the unit, it should be very fast. Click, remove, click. remove., enjoy.

(4) Now, how to make it work.

First of all, LoadDVD comes pre-configured with Dacal/Ziotek as the default changer. If your units are plugged in, go ahead and try it. Some disk will pop out when you click the icon. It works like this:

Unit 1, discs 1 - 150 will be selected from collection numbers 1 - 150.
Unit 2, discs 1 - 150 are selected from collection numbers 151 - 300.
and so forth ...

(these defaults can be changed in the LoadDVD Options panel).

So, all you need to do is load your discs according to that scheme - and type nothing into DVDProfiler. Cool, huh?

But what about multiple discs? The scheme I described works only for one disc. For those profiles that have multiple discs, you will have to type in something for the second disk only. You can always override default behavior by coding "dacal1" or "dacal2", up to "dacal127" (no quotes) in the Location field, and the slot number in the Slot field.

Perhaps there is another scheme that will come to mind from one of us as we proceed.

Please keep me posted.

Edit: Got an idea already. But you will have to edit collection numbers. Just skip the number of slots you need to.

Eaxmple: Profile at collection 618 has two discs, the next profile has one disc, the next prolfie 3 discs, etc.

Profile at collection #618: Put disc1 at unit 4, slot 18 and disc2 at unit 4, slot 19. Next profile gets collection number 620 (unit 4, slot 20), next profile get collection# 621 (unit 4, slot 21 has disc 1, unit 4, slot 22 has disc 2 and unit 4, slot 23 has disc 3), next profile is at collection #624 - get it?

When you click on an icon, the Dacal will spin to the correct slot (or you can manually hit the "next" arrow on the console).

Oh well, that's one idea anyway.

Quoting itsme:

Quote:
mediadogg,

Thanks for the fast detailed answers, much appreciated!

Most of it seems clear to me now.

I'm still not enirely clear on how to handle my DVD titles that were not originally on two discs but are now because I made an archive copy that had to be on two discs because it would noit fit on one.

Using my example of the DVD Van Helsing, it is originally on one disc, when I made my archive copy I had to split it between two discs, in this instance what exactly do I have to add to the Personal Information/Notes field in Profiler to make the two disc retrieval work?  What steps will I have to make to actually retrieve these two discs after the coding work is done?

I'm fairly certain that I read somewhere that the Dacal units will actually retrieve two discs on one search, I'll try to find that reference and let you know

Thank you.

Itsme, don't mean to be rude, but my entire post was designed to answer that very question even with a detailed example. Could you try re-reading it? Thanks.

By thge way, please don't spend any time researching Dacal. I wrote my own code. I know that it will not rettrieve two disks. You have to press the next button. Sorry.