LoadDVD � 2007 Jim Richards

APlugin for Invelos Software DVD Profiler

Purpose: This plugin allows the user of DVDProfiler to load the current selected (highlighted) DVD from a Sony VAIO VGPXL1B1/2/3,  Sony CX995V, Dacal™ Carousel, Sony CX777ES, USBURT device or  from an arbitrary location in the user’s network environment. This means that an ISO, avi, jpeg or other file can be loaded in response to selecting the LoadDVD menu item. The file will be opened just as though the user had double-clicked on the file in Windows Explorer.

Execution: (Updated 5/1/2008): LoadDVD creates a custom toolbar as each DVD profile is selected. The toolbar will have one icon for each disc defined in the profile. The icon drawing process may be too slow for some users' taste, so there is an option to use text that can be set in the LoadDVD options panel (Tools\View Plugins\LoadDVD\Options). If a menu is desired, use the context menu (right-click) in the Collections window, and you will see "Play/Retrieve Disc" with a submenu for each disk in the profile.

This plugin makes use of the "location", "slot" and "notes" fields of the Personal Information section of the DVD Profile. The use of the "notes" field is non-exclusive. You may still use the notes field just as it was intended. However, you may add file description information specially formatted for LoadDVD, described later.

Operations available:

(1)    Load of a DVD disc from a SONY VAIO VGPXLIB1/2/3 200-disc changer. If windowsAutoPlay is turned on, the associated program will be automatically loaded and run by windows.

Personal Information Location: changer0  - for the first changer in the series. Use changer1 through changer4, for up to 5 daisy-chained changers hanging off a single firewire port. (Not tested: changers on multiple ports).

Personal Information Slot: slot# - an integer from 0 - 199 representing the slot location of the disc in the 200 disc changer

Personal Information Notes: (not used)

(2)      Open a file stored on a data disc (CD or DVD) from a SONY VGPXL1Bx changer:

Location: changer0 file  (or changer1 - changer4)

Slot: Slot#      from 0 - 199

Notes: [filepath]path to file that is to be opened[/filepath]  - this sequence will be searched for and parsed anywhere in the notes field; beginning, middle or end.

Valid file paths are typical windows filepaths (without the quotes) such as: "f:\2007OscarTrailers\LastKing.mpg" or "d:\MovieScores\KingKongTheme.mp3". Note that in this case, playing from a data disc, the drive letter must correspond to the correct changer (changer0 - changer4).

(3)    "Open" of a file located anywhere in the network environment. This is like "double click" on a file under Windows Explorer. The result of the open depends on the nature of the file and the type of file association that has been set up by you, windows or other applications.

Location: file

Slot: (not used)

Notes:[filepath]path to file that is to be opened[/filepath]  - this sequence will be searched for and parsed anywhere in the notes field; beginning, middle or end.

Valid file paths are typical windows filepaths (without the quotes) such as:

 "f:\2007OscarTrailers\LastKing.avi", or

"\\ISOARCHIVE\Action\MissionImpossible3.ISO".

(4)    Support for multiple discs (SideA only) within a DVD Profile

When more than one disc is present, the LoadDVD menu item presents a submenu – disc1 through disc n, where n is the number of discs. So, the filepath specification has an extension that allows you to specify multiple files to be loaded with the Personal Information Notes field.

The filepath specification is extended as follows (n = disc number):

[filepath disc=n]c:\mypath\myfile[/filepath]

Will be scanned for in the Notes field of the Personal Information section of the profile. If disc=1, then the standard style of filepath is also supported. (Note: there are no spaces in the disc=n, and only once space between “filepath” and “disc” – the format has to be exact.)

(5)     Support for RS232 and USB-IRT type changers (preliminary)

There is no native support built-in. However, you may specify “RS232” or “USBIRT” (without quotes) in the Location field of the Personal Information section of the DVD Profile. When the LoadDVD menu is pressed (followd by discn if more than 1 disc), if either RS232 or USBIRT has been coded, then the corresponding RS232.BAT or USBIRT.BAT file will be called from the {DVDPro}\Plugins\LoadDVD subdirectory. A sample file has been provided during installation.

The RS232.BAT or USBIRT.BAT will be called with the following parameters:

“DiscLabelA-DescriptionA” profileid disc# slot#   …. remainder, if any, of the location field …

So, you can call whatever program you want, and use those parameters. You have control over the slot#, DescriptionA, and the remaining contents of the Location field to pass you own information to the .BAT file.

Normally, the execution of the .BAT file will be hidden, but for test purposes, you may code RS232/s or USBIRT/s , and the LoadDVD will call the .BAT files in a window so that you can see the parameters that are being passed. By using a “pause” command in the .BAT file, you will have time to examine things for debugging purposes.

The  sample RS232.BAT file was designed for the cs777.exe program from Sourceforge. I also included cx777.exe  as part of the LoadDVD installation. THIS IS UNTESTED except that I have verified that cx777.exe at least runs, and gets the correct parameters from LoadDVD. But I do not own a Sony cx777es, so I have no way to test it. Any feedback would be welcomed.

(6)     Support for Dacal™ - style disc carousels. The LoadDVD menu item , “(Auto)Play|Open|Select”, in this case will select the disc corresponding to the information in Personal Information as follows:

 Personal Information Location: dacal1  - for the first carousel in the series. Use dacal1 through dacal127, for up to 127 USB – attached carousels.

Personal Information Slot: slot# - an integer from 1 - 150 representing the slot location of the disc in the 150 disc carousel.

Personal Information Notes: (not used)

Note: There may be other brands and models of disc carousel they may respond to the Dacal commands. Any feedback would be appreciated.

(7) Support for user-scripted operations on the selected DVD profile. This is accomplished in a similar manner to the USBIRT and RS232 bat file calls. There is a new Location verb, “play”, that will cause LoadDVD to call the bat file PlayFromDisk.bat. One popular use for this capability is to mount ISO files using daemon tools and then playing the file with a specific player.

The following parameters are passed to PlayFromDIsk.bat (as well as USBIRT.bat and RS232.bat):

  %1 DescriptionSideA
  %2 profileid - this is usually the UPC code
  %3 disc#
  %4 slot#
  %5 LabelSideA
  %6 filepath  embedded in the Notes field

  %7 mediatype = "DVD", "HD" or "BluRay"
  %8 and thereafter - remainder of Location field

To use this capability, code “play” or “play/s” (without quotes) in the Personal Information Location field.

V1.0 Additional Functions:

• Support for Options - Tools/Plugins/LoadDVD/Options
• Support for Dacal and Sony VAIO changer device maps, edit on options panel
• Automatic recognition of attached Dacal and Sony VAIO changers
• "AutoSlot" function computes disc location based on collection# 

V1.1 Additional Features

• Support for Sony CX995V 400 disc changer via USB-Uirt device.
• Supports up to three CX995V changers using IR control mode 1, 2, or 3.

Advanced Usage Example:

Perhaps you have already figured out by now that you could add as many “discs” as you want to a DVD profile to take advantage of LoadDVD. Here is a hypothetical, rather extreme,  example  (remember, you don’t actually type in the quotes):

�         Disc1: Slot=”slot#”  , Location=”changer1”  plays the Main Feature from a Sony VAIO Changer 1

�         Disc2: Slot=”slot#”  , Location=”changer0”  plays the  Bonus Materials from a Sony VAIO Changer 0

�         Disc3: Slot=”slot#”  , Location=”changer2”  ,  Notes=”[filepath disc=3]p:\mytrailers\trailer.avi[/filepath]”  plays  an video movie trailer from a data disk in changer2 (mounted by windows as drive p:\).

�         Disc4: Slot=”slot#”  , Location=”RS232” to send IR signals to play the CD sound track

�         Disc5: Slot=”slot#”  , Location=”USBIRT” to send  IR signals to play the Blu-Ray DVD

�         Disc6: Slot= (not used)  , Location=”file” ,  Embedded in Notes:  

”[filepath disc=6]g:\mythemes\themesong.mp3[/filepath]”  plays  an mp3 movie theme song from disk .

Both of the filepath specifications (for discs 3 and 6) must appear somewhere in the Notes field - notnecessisarily contiguously nor in disc order. But, if you choose to line them up in order at the end, that works just as well.

Caution: As this plugin could possible be used to "open" any file, including an executable file, you should not accept profiles or database backups from unknown sources. Be sure to know what is in the "Notes" field of any DVD profile that you use LoadDVD with. This exposure has been reduced by disallowing executable extensions in the filepath, such as .exe, .bat, .com, etc.  The full list can be discussed in the support forum.

Usage Considerations:

(1) This plugin interacts heavily with the Autoplay features of MS Windows. For best operation, you generally want to have AutoPlay ON for DVDs / CDs / Video CDs (LoadDVD doesn't know or care what kind of disc is being loaded), and AutoPlay OFF for mixed media, video and audio (eg. mp3) data discs.

(2) This plugin presently uses the program mediachanger.exe, written by Alex Wetmore, and modified by me. The program is automatically installed in the {DVDPro}\plugins\LoadDVD folder, and is deleted upon an uninstall. Tampering with or moving this program may lead to unpredicatable results.

(3) This plugin is installed in the {DVDPro}\plugins\LoadDVD subdirectory. You will find unins000.bat there, which when executed, should remove all traces of the plugin from your system, including registry entries. If this file or the accompanying file unins000.dat get lost or corrupted, you may regenerate them by re-installing the plugin. At that point, you may execute unins000.bat for a clean uninstall.

Additional Change History (Incomplete)

Support: This plugin will be supported via the Plugins Forum at http://www.Invelos.com