A layer break is handled by the burning software as a prior step to the actual burning -- it's not something that exists before or after that, & in fact, if you create an ISO image of a DL DVD, it won't contain it either. Whatever software you're burning with, DVDA, ImgBurn etc, should prompt you at that time.

Background if it helps...
While the LB is just the point where the reading laser reverses directions, prep involves finding/designing the place on your DVD least likely to be effected should there be a slight delay. Ideally it should be very close to the mid-point for all data you're burning, & if it occurs somewhere in a title video, it should have minimal audio & video going on. An LB is ideal between titles, but when it comes in the middle of one it can only happen where there's a cell [all chapters are cells, but not all cells are chapters], that cell should NOT be marked seamless as most (all?) other cells, & it should be flagged "STC [SCR] discontinuity [2]" (from PGCEdit dialog box). If you want to create a DL ISO that includes LB placement, ImgBurn's MDS file that accompanies an ISO is the only way I'm aware of.

Be aware that burning DL can present challenges, many (most?) media related. Cheaper blanks in my experience will not work when you approach max DL capacity. I've found creating an ISO in PGCEdit, then burning that with ImgBurn to work much more often than other methods ***when using cheap blanks***.

Optional...
As more players have more RAM or buffer, it's not as necessary anymore, but optionally for best results my preferred method is to design the LB when at all possible before final mpg2/AC3 render, making sure audio goes a bit quiet to match a lull in action or a scene change, then placing a marker to make sure there's an I frame there. The rest of the work goes normally, and after everything's done in DVDA, *IF* there isn't a chapter at the planned LB, add one as a very last step. The DVDs then rendered to hdd, opened in PGCEdit, if I added the LB chapter I remove it (keeping the cell), then create the ISO in PGCEdit, burning that with ImgBurn at half media-rated speed. The biggest hassle is predicting where to put the LB initially, which actually isn't hard to guesstimate as DVDA is very predictable when it comes to menu IFO & VOB layout/size, plus you can always move things around, changing the structure in the tree [on the left].

1) The layer break prompt will only appear if you have first selected the proper disc size in your Project Properties.
2) The layer break prompt will appear during the Prepare phase, not the Burn phase, in order to place the appropriate Smart Prepare data in the prepared folder.
3) I always go with DVDA's suggested break point. It may not like the one you choose and refuse to burn the disc.

Thanks for the info.

>"The layer break prompt will appear during the Prepare phase, not the Burn
>phase..."

Not to quibble on semantics, or disagree for that matter, it's the burning routine in the app that sets the LB, & I would assume DVDA then goes back & sets the cell flags etc. This happens before the actual burn, so would be in the prepare phase, but it's absent when rendering the DVD layout to hard drive. That seems to confuse a whole lot of newer DVDA users, or anyone with most DVD authoring software if they've not done Dual Layer before -- reason I mention it.

>"I always go with DVDA's suggested break point. It may not like the one you
> choose and refuse to burn the disc. "

Makes me glad I don't use DVDA for burning. ;?P
In all fairness I don't think most of the competition is any better -- guess we're s'posed to be too dumb to work with cells if we don't shell out the really big bucks. ;?P

Musicvid,

The one time I did a DL using DVDA, the layer break prompt did not appear under prepare. It appeared under Burn.

You can put a chapter mark where you want a layer break and as long as it fits the requirements of the DVD architecture (layer size, etc) you can break there.

Dave T2