I don't know how many Dune (Prime, Center, and soon Base) owners we have in here, or that use DVD Profiler, but I wanted to see if anyone was working on a Dune plugin (similar to the very awesome Tvix plugin that already exists). I wanted to try my hand at creating a plugin, but didn't want to duplicate any effort or project that was already underway. I did a search on the term Dune and came up empty, so I would suspect that means that no one else is working on a plugin, but still wanted to double check.

And on that same note, I will be doing some searching for plugin creation related resources and information after work this afternoon. So any hints, pointers, or URLs to that end would be helpful (and would save me a bit of digging/searching).

TIA 

I am thinking that I may be able to do this w/o a sepearate plugin by using the awesome Tvix and Loop plugins. The Tvix does a fantastic job of generating the background and icon (in jpg) and a simple batch script can be called from the Loop plugin to convert those to Dune's proprietary format, aai (and copy/create the dune_folder.txt file). The end result I would envision however would be to have a dune_folder template that could be edited from the plugin that would be populated as needed/configured and the icons/backgrounds converted to aai w/o the intermediary jpg (or more specifcally the jpg would be a temp file that would be cleaned up).

All of that can still bre accomplished through the use of the 2 separate plugins (although I still need to test/prove that we can use the Loop plugin as needed). But it would be nice to have a sinlge plugin/action to do the conversion/set up.

I do the conversion and setup now, in a batch script, using the output from Movie GUI Builder (for the Tvix). There are many reasons I like the Tvix plugin better, but I won't go into those here. I like having both icons and backgrounds (in jpg and aai), since we have a Tvix and a Dune, but it would bee a simple matter to have the conversion script also clean up the Tvix jpg files if they are not needed after the conversion to aai. The only thing I really need to test is that the Loop plugin can/will call my script and feed it the right paramteres to find the jpgs and do what it needs to do.

If you are interested I can share what I have now (once I test that it will work, hopefully later on this evening).

Against my better judgement, but mainly because I don't know when I will be able to get back to this today, here is the script so far :

IF %1=="" GOTO End
IF %1==2 GOTO End
@echo off
echo Processing ...
set PATHTOAAI="c:\path"
set DIR="C:\Tvix Icons\DVDProfiler"
set FOLDER=%1
Set FOLDER=%FOLDER::=%
rem echo %1 %DIR%\%FOLDER%
%PATHTOAAI%\aaimagegen %DIR%\%FOLDER%\folder.jpg %DIR%\%FOLDER%\.folder.aai
%PATHTOAAI%\aaimagegen %DIR%\%FOLDER%\tvix.jpg %DIR%\%FOLDER%\.tvix.aai
copy %DIR%\dune_folder2.txt %DIR%\%FOLDER%\dune_folder.txt
mkdir %DIR%\Processed\%FOLDER%
copy %DIR%\dune_folder3.txt %DIR%\Processed\%FOLDER%\dune_folder.txt
copy %DIR%\%FOLDER%\.tvix.aai %DIR%\Processed\%FOLDER%
copy %DIR%\%FOLDER%\.folder.aai %DIR%\Processed\%FOLDER%
:End

EDIT : This script is what you need to call with the Loop plugin, using ONLY the Title element to be passed to it.

The DIR var is the path to wherever you have the Tvix plugin configured to create the icons/backgrounds and PATHTOAAI is where you have the aaimagegen program stored. You also need a template dune_folder.txt2 and/or 3 in the same dir as you have the Tvix pluing create the icons. This is just so that the script has something to cop into the right dirs. I have two sets created. One that works for the Tvix player and Dune (when lauching a video directly using the media_url option, so no backgrounds for the Dune with this one) and another just for the Dune that will support multiple files in the directory w/ a background (so no auto-launch of a title with this one). The former is created in the same dir that the Tvix plugin created. The latter in a dir called Processed that gets created in that same Tvix icons dir. This may well be very confusing, but if you look at the output and check the contents of the dune_folder templates, it should be more clear, especially for any Dune owners that have tweaked their dune_folder files themselves.

Here are the contents of the two dune_folder templates

dune_folder2.txt

icon_path = .folder.aai
media_url = .mkv
icon_dx = 0
icon_dy = 0
icon_valign = Center
use_icon_view = no
num_cols = 5
num_rows = 3
icon_top = 15
text_bottom = 0


dune_folder3.txt

icon_path = .folder.aai
background_path = .tvix.aai
background_width = 1920
background_height = 1080
icon_dx = 0
icon_dy = 0
icon_valign = Center
use_icon_view = yes
num_cols = 1
num_rows = 5
icon_top = 35
icon_bottom = 20
text_bottom = 0



I also noticed that the Tvix plugin defautls to a 500 X 500 icon, we used a smaller one ourselves, so I am unsure how that will affect the num_rows and num_cols settings. Not to mention that all of those settings are very much personal preferrence. I did notice in some minor testing that the background_width and height did not work for the tvix output (but they worked for the old MGB output), so I need to play around to find the right setting for those (between both the Tvix plugin and the dune_folder parameters). But again, that can also be partly personal preferrence


If all you want is the Dune output, then it would be easy enough to add some clean up commands to delete the Tvix jpgs once they are converted, not to mention not really needing the whole "Processed" set of actions if you are only doing movies, or vice versa if always wanting to see the background. I wioll do my best to test and work out the right settings for each piece. I also strongly caution against adding any destructive commands (like the afore mentioned deletes), unless you are very comfortable with scripting, etc.

Cheers 

Thanks for the kudos and generous offer mediadogg. I am hoping to start a dialogue with the Tvix author myself to see if I can entice him to add the Dune piece to his plugin. If we can hook into his process it wouldn't be necessary to shell out to a separate script (but would still need to do a system call to the aai conversion program). The one main difference between the Tvix and Dune is that the Tvix uses jpgs for icons and backgrounds and the Dune uses a proprietary format (aai, that retains transparency like png). If I can talk to them about adding a flag/option for Dune and then call the HDI conversion program if Dune is selected, then 95% of it is done. The majority of the script that I call with your plugin is just to work with the output of the Tvix plugin, if I was able to hook into his process flow there are several steps that could be cut out 

But in the mean time what I have cobbled together will suffice, and is still a world of difference easier than how I maintain and generate the icons now  I just hope that it is useful and helpful to someone else also. I suppose it shouldn't really be in this forum, since it isn't a plugin per se, even though my original intent was to create one. Since the direction has changed I will leave it up to the mods as to whether they want to move it to another forum or not. But since the process I have laid out leverages 2 separate plugins, I personally think that it is still a valid thread for this forum  .


BTW mediadogg, I have already used 2 of your plugins now, the Loop and the Bulkedit one (for another purpose beside what I had posted in you Bulkedit thread for ). Looks like I owe you more kudos back, and a donation here shortly 

Many thanks to you, and also the Tvix author, for making my "Dune process" possible.

Mediadogg, I wondered if I could open a conversation thread with you regarding your Loop plugin ? Is it, or would it, be possible to set up profiles within the plugin ? Essentially creating "actions" or a sort of a suedo-macro. Basically the ability to set the script being called and the elemenets being passed to it and encapsalate that into a single plugin choice or profile, like your Process Flagged and Process Tagged profiles, but extend those to include another level of granulrity for pre-selected external script and parameters to send to it.

I can post this in your Loop Plugin thread if that is more appropriate, but since you had already chimed in on this one I thought my request would be more self-explanatory if I posted it here first.

TIA

P.S. I still owe you that donation  , I haven't forgotten, just have been tied up trying to get DVD Profiler to work for us.

Amaaaaaaaazing!!!!

Little update. The Tvix plugin author has been seriously hard at work. I have updated my "post" script to work with his latest 1.0 beta 3. I know that my origanization and hosting schema is a bit much for most people, but it works for me, so I include all of it here. It can easily be pared down to accomadate just about any level of organization or media hosting structure. Also, the menu generation routine will create a menu that should work on both the Dune and Tvix . About all folder generation (menu and hosting), the plugin has some capabilities for sub folder genearation that I have not played around with yet, so a good portion of this script may be obsolete once I figure out how best to leverage that new feature, I don't know . Also, for the menu there still needs to be a little manual intervention in the form of icons for the various genre folders, etc. Since they only need to be done once, I didn't feel it necessary to automate them, but I do automate creating the genre folders, in case a new genre ever gets added to DVDP, then the folder would get created, and populated, with at leats a default dune_folder.txt file.

The script will be first, followed by the contents of the 4 dune_folder files.

Here are the settings I use (needed) to use all of the functions of the script :

Image Processor tab

Checked Generate folder image
Checked Generate background image
Unchecked Generate background image with folder source for name ** This would require a change to the post script to accomdate, but is possible if really desired.

Checked Convert image to AAI format (Dune Player)
Unchecked Delete original source (JPEG file) ** Only need to leave unchecked if 1. You want to use the menu generation portion or 2. you have a Tvix also


External procesor tab

Select Step : DVD_POST_PROCESS  from the pull down menu
Checked External processor enable
Input data:
Checked Write in arguements
Unchecked Write in text file  ** May not matter, I haven't played around with it much. But I left it unchecked in my testing.

Select Fields (you can get these, and their order, from the remarks in the header of the script below

One note is that I really like being able to reorder the data elements being sent to the post script. It really makes it alot easier to add/remove data elements

Output data
I left both unchecked -- haven't experimented with these that much yet. Will do later when I get the time to see what they might offer in terms of functionality and flexibility


------------ SCRIPT START ------------

@echo off
rem %1 = Configuration.OutputDirectory
rem %2 = Film.FormatedGenres
rem %3 = Film.Discs[0].Location
rem %4 = Film.Discs[0].Slot
rem %5 = ProcessDvdFolderName
rem %6 = Film.MediaBluRay
rem %7 = Film.MediaDVD
rem %8 = Film.MediaHDDVD
set configdir=%1
set genres=%2
set location=%3
set slot=%4
set title=%5
set isbluray=%6
set isdvd=%7
set ishddvd=%8
Rem Clean up any / in the genres, which would be invalid for a directory name, and get them ready to be parsed
set genres=%genres:/=%
set genres=%genres: =%
set genres=%genres:,= %
set ORIGDIR=%configdir%\%title%
set BASEDIR="%configdir%\.."
echo Processing %title% ...
if %isbluray%=="True" goto BDFOLDERS
if %slot%=="KidsSeries" goto KIDSSERIES
if %slot%=="KidsMovies" goto KIDSMOVIES
if %slot%=="Series" goto SERIES
if %slot%=="Movies" goto MOVIES
if %slot%=="Asian" goto ASIAN

rem something to pick up any that didn't have a type set
goto DEFAULT

:KIDSMOVIES
set DIR=%BASEDIR%\KidsMovies\%title%
goto MAKE_FOLDERS

:KIDSSERIES
set DIR=%BASEDIR%\Kids\%title%
goto MAKE_FOLDERS

:MOVIES
set DIR=%BASEDIR%\Kids\Movies\%title%
goto MAKE_FOLDERS

:SERIES
set DIR=%BASEDIR%\Series\%title%
goto MAKE_FOLDERS

:ASIAN
set DIR=%BASEDIR%\Asian\%title%
goto MAKE_FOLDERS

:DEFAULT
set DIR=%BASEDIR%\Unsorted\%title%
goto MAKE_FOLDERS

:BDFOLDERS
set BD_BASEDIR=%BASEDIR%\Bluray
set BD_PARENT_DIR=%BD_BASEDIR%\%location%
set DIR=%BD_PARENT_DIR%\%title%
set MENU_DIR=%BASEDIR%\Menu
set MENU_ALL_DIR=%MENU_DIR%\All\%title%
set MENU_HARDDRIVE_DIR=%MENU_DIR%\HardDrives\%location%
set MENU_HD_BD_DIR=%MENU_HARDDRIVE_DIR%\%title%

if exist %BD_PARENT_DIR% goto BD_EXISTS
mkdir %BD_PARENT_DIR%
copy %BASEDIR%\.bluray.aai %BD_PARENT_DIR%\.bluray.aai
copy %BASEDIR%\dune_folder_bd_parent.txt %BD_PARENT_DIR%\dune_folder.txt
:BD_EXISTS

if exist %MENU_HARDDRIVE_DIR% goto HD_EXISTS
mkdir %MENU_HARDDRIVE_DIR%
copy %BASEDIR%\dune_folder_menu_base.txt %MENU_HARDDRIVE_DIR%\dune_folder.txt
:HD_EXISTS

mkdir %MENU_ALL_DIR%
copy %ORIGDIR%\*.jpg %MENU_ALL_DIR%\
copy %ORIGDIR%\folder.aai %MENU_ALL_DIR%\.folder.aai
copy %BASEDIR%\dune_folder_menu.txt %MENU_ALL_DIR%\dune_folder.txt
xcopy /E /Q /Y /I %MENU_ALL_DIR% %MENU_HD_BD_DIR%

if %genres%=="" goto NOGENRES
for /f "useback tokens=*" %%a in ('%genres%') do set genres=%%~a
for %%A in (%genres%) do call :MAKE_MENU_GENRES %%A

:NOGENRES

:MAKE_FOLDERS
mkdir %DIR%
copy %BASEDIR%\dune_folder_default.txt %DIR%\dune_folder.txt
copy %ORIGDIR%\TViX.aai %DIR%\.dune.aai
copy %ORIGDIR%\folder.aai %DIR%\.folder.aai
goto END

:MAKE_MENU_GENRES
set GENRE_DIR=%MENU_DIR%\%*
set BD_DIR_BYGENRE=%GENRE_DIR%\%title%
if exist %GENRE_DIR% goto GENRE_EXISTS
mkdir %GENRE_DIR%
copy %BASEDIR%\dune_folder_menu_base.txt %GENRE_DIR%\dune_folder.txt
:GENRE_EXISTS

xcopy /E /Q /Y /I %MENU_ALL_DIR% %BD_DIR_BYGENRE%
goto :EOF

:END


------------- SCRIPT END -------------


Some of these have defautl values in them. I had put the parameters in so that I could tweak/adjust them, but some I haven't gotten around to yet. Naturally alot of these are open to adjustement for personal preference.

dune_folder_bd_parent.txt

icon_path = .bluray.aai
icon_dx = 0
icon_dy = 0
icon_valign = Center
use_icon_view = yes
num_cols = 5
num_rows = 3
icon_top = 15
text_bottom = 0


dune_folder_default.txt

icon_path = .folder.aai
background_path = .dune.aai
background_width = 1920
background_height = 1080
icon_dx = 0
icon_dy = 0
icon_valign = Center
use_icon_view = yes
num_cols = 5
num_rows = 1
icon_top = 0


dune_folder_menu.txt

icon_path = .folder.aai
media_url = TViX.jpg
icon_dx = 0
icon_dy = 0
icon_valign = Center
use_icon_view = yes


dune_folder_menu_base.txt

icon_path = .folder.aai
icon_dx = 0
icon_dy = 0
icon_valign = Center
use_icon_view = yes
num_cols = 5
num_rows = 3
icon_top = 20
icon_bottom = 20
text_bottom = 0


.bluray.aai is an icon I got from the TViX backgrounds/icon thread over at MPC (and of course converted to aai).

I will post some notes about my organization strucutre a little later, but one note first. I use 5 character identifiers in the Disc Location (on the personal information tab of the profile) to keep track of what hard drive I have each disc image on. IE: SAM01, SAM02, WD001, WD002, etc (for Samsung and Western Digital drives), but anything will do. I also use the slot to indicate media type, such as series, foreign (mainly Asian, Japanese, Chinese, Korean and Thai), Kids, etc. I may rework that to do it all with genres, but for now the easiest was to just use "tags" in the slot field.

Keep up the good work. Anybody who is using this, please give the author some props and feedback!