Programming Assignment CloneDVD Plugin

[jorgen.boberg]

Hello,
I wrote to Slysoft support regaring this issue however understandably they were to busy to take on the task. However they suggested I post on the forum. I have read the rules and I hope my question is ok. Otherwise please inform me and I'll delete it.

My problem is this. I purchased a MFDigital 7604 Audio/Video ripping machine a while back so that I could digitize all my media. Included in the option I purchased was and Audio rip component and one for video. The audio software is graet and I have no complaints there however the video component leaves much to be desired. So what I would like to do is have someone write me a plugin for CloneDVD/AnyDVD so that it can be used with the robotic arm feature of this device. From what I gather the robot arm is controlled via a USB->serial interface with simple commands. I know this as one can use hyperterminal to calibrate it. I guess one could snoop what the original software sends and then simply use that. However somehow this needs to be tied in with CloneDVD so that once a disk is done it sends a code to remove and place a new disc in the tray etc. Also there needs to be renaming of files and such.

Is there anyone that could take on a programming assignment like this for monetary compensation? If so please get in touch with me so we can discuss the details.

Thanks.

// jpb

 

[bhoar]

jorgen -

I'm looking at the problem from a different perspective. I already have tools I've written for automating duplicator robotics (over a dozen types of robots). While it's possible to use AutoIT to automate CloneDVD2, it gets rather hairy to do esp. with the multiple language support of the tool.

What *I'd* prefer would be a command line interface into CloneDVD2, e.g. (ignoring the write function for this example):

CloneDVD2.exe --copytype={clonedvd,copytitles} --copytitles={largest,first,all} --copytitlespreservemenus={yes,no} --sourcedrive=X: --sourcepath=\VIDEO_TS --outputsize={DVD-5,DVD+/-RDL,MiniDVD,DVD-RAM,CD-R,Custom} --outputsizecustom=xxxxMB --audiolanguages={all,primary} --audioproperties={all,primary,none} --subtitlelanguages={all,primary} --outputmethod={DVDfiles,ISOUDFimage,DVDwriter} --outputdvdfilespath="X:\path\to\files" --outputtoISOUDFImage="X:\path\to\isofile.iso" --outputtoDVDwritedrive=Y: --outputtoDVDwriterspeed={max,1x,2-2.4x,4x,6x,8x,12x,16x,20x} --outputlabel="DVD-label-info" --outputtempdir="C:\path\to\tempdir" --outputtempfilesdelete={yes,no} --prefReadingIO={internal,filesystem} --prefWritingOverwrite={yes,no} --prefRemasteringAutoRemove={yes,no} --ejectwhendone={yes,no}

In addition, if the string {label} is found on the command line, it will be replaced by the source DVDs label (e.g. useful for creating unique paths for temporary files and output). Similar for {date} and {time} (e.g. 20081012 and 161532), being the local date and time this clonedvd2 process started, to ensure unique paths for DVDs with no/generic labels and/or to keep track of the order of DVD rips.

Errors would be returned to the calling application using the standard exit return code technique.

And James, if you're reading...it would be really awesome if you added a command line interface to or added a command line wrapper for clonedvd2.exe. I'd instantly write scripts for using robots with it. It is the best DVD ripping core out there.

-brendan

 

[James]

And James, if you're reading...

I am....

 

[bhoar]

I am....

Cool. I hope these ideas make their way into your development cycle.

-brendan

 

[bhoar]

While it's possible to use AutoIT to automate CloneDVD2, it gets rather hairy to do esp. with the multiple language support of the tool.

Hmm, turns out that the multi-language is not the main problem in automating the GUI. It is a combination of what appears (to my neophyte eyes) to be the use of custom UI components/controls (that seem to not be sharing their text values with the rest of the system) as well as the controls having shifting ID numbers in some cases (when I return to a screen, they're different). Looks like the best effort at GUI automation would be using simulated keystrokes, which works but makes it difficult, if not impossible, to manipulate the GUI in the background.

This is not a complaint about the software at all, it's just how it was made. I take it the custom UI was meant to make things easier for less tech-savvy end users (or the lazy among us like myself, heh)?

EDIT: Ah, it's a QT GUI based app, I see.

-brendan

 

[ToyMaster458]

I would also like to see these features in both CloneDVD2 and ConeDVDmobile

 

[bhoar]

I would also like to see these features in both CloneDVD2 and ConeDVDmobile

What hardware are you running?

-brendan

 

[xxx666]

I would love to see command line for clonedvd

It would make automating everything associated with ripping much, much easier.

Please, please add this to the product.

Thanks.

 

[mike_r]

Did you guys consider automation software like Auto-IT or AutoHotKey ?

 

[bhoar]

Did you guys consider automation software like Auto-IT or AutoHotKey ?

The interface toolkit used for CloneDVD2 makes automation with AutoIT/AutoHotKey perilous at best, nearly impossible at worst. The control IDs are all custom and generally impervious to reading/manipulation through these tools. A lot of manipulation must be performed by tabbing around the interface and sendkeying blindly.

I've found that even the control ID number shift around unexpectedly sometimes, which can break even this approach. You definitely want to quit the tool when it is finished processing a DVD and open it up again for the next DVD instead of trying to reuse the interface.

-brendan