Play one of 4 clips randomly when script activated:

GPRM0 = Random(256)
GPRM0 = GPRM0 & 3
if(GPRM0 = 0) then Link title: 'clip1', chapter: '1: Scene/Chapter'
if(GPRM0 = 1) then Link title: 'clip2', chapter: '1: Scene/Chapter'
if(GPRM0 = 2) then Link title: 'clip3', chapter: '1: Scene/Chapter'
if(GPRM0 = 3) then Link title: 'clip4', chapter: '1: Scene/Chapter'

Though admittedly the random playlist is probably easier. Couple things to be aware of; DVD players don't all implement pseudo-random numbers, or if they do, they may use the same seed on each insertion of the disk or power up, resulting in the same sequence of numbers being returned. I also doubt there's been much testing on the players to see how pseudo-random the numbers truely are.

--Scott

Nice one ScottW

That code seems to work in the script :)

But your point about how "random" it will actually be per dvd player is well taken -- big discussion on that over at the DLP Forums...

just received DVD Architect version 4.0 as an update to my DVD architect 3

looking forward to trying scripts

where to start ??

DVDArchitect Help system has nothing for keywords
Script, Scripting, GMPR, Application Scripting

help / 'show me how' does not have a topic

tried right click on buttons in a working project,
did not see an entry for scripts

'shortcut keys' entry / help did not list a key for scripts

google on sony media software website,
found product teasers, but no guides or tutorials or references

would appreciate pointers to where the scripting info is found !

(checked, am running DVD Architect version 4.0 build 25 copyright 2006)

thanks

ps, what does DVD ARchitect mean by "motion menus" another new 4.0 feature?
similarly not defined in help system.
(would love it to mean "mouse over" menus, but I guess that's not yet ready :-(

---------------------------

immediate problem ...
on a menu, display a cursor (graphic image) next to the active button
(highlight color schemes are poor)

only method I can see,
using the example of one menu with 4 choices,
have 4 duplicate menus and use autoactivate buttons to flip between them,
(unknown to the user)
major drawback -- every time the real menu changes, have to synchro update all 4 copies :-(

(checked, am running DVD Architect version 4.0 build 25 copyright 2006)

You have DVD Architect Studio. Scripting is only available in the regular version of DVD Architect.

what does DVD ARchitect mean by "motion menus" another new 4.0 feature?

Where did you see motion menus mentioned as a new feature? A motion menu is just one that has video for a background instead of a still image. DVD Architect has always had them.

Rob

on a menu, display a cursor (graphic image) next to the active button

Read bStro's posts here. This may meet your needs. I don't know if it is supported by DVD Architect Studio.

Ed

Good call, the problem was that I have DVDA Studio and not DVDA Production.

------------------------------------

thank you for the reference to a discussion on displaying a graphic
image by the current active button, aka using "switched menus"

Unfortunately both examples
planes.dar and planes2.dar
were created using DVD Architect Production.
they do not run under DVD Architect Studio.
When I tried to open the .dar file, receive an Error popup "Product Not Supported"

However, the ideas are what is important, so thank you.
(demo files are a bonus, not needed).

Suggestion 1 for Sony:
Sony DVDA Studio should be able to read and process .DAR files created
by Sony DVDA Production, provided they do not use any features
present only in "Production" model.

Suggestion 2 for Sony:
DVDA Studio should implement "switched menus" capability
behind the scenes, automatically duplicating and maintaining
the N sub-menus.

The caution about delays with switched menus is a good observation.
[Future] DVD players could eliminate that by using a file cache for
the menu system. A good general speedup.

S R,

Keep in mind the two techniques being discussed are different. The "Switched Menu" approach, or the "Inverse Selection" method.

The "Inverse Selection" method will have a realtime response, whereas "Switched Menus" will have the delay between menu switching.

Software that offers multiple menu cells can improve on the response time between "switching" by making the switch to a menu cell rather than a separate menu (but I don't think that is available in DVDA4).

Regards,
George