Creating a 'Play All' button which will play individual tracks

Question

I've created a DVD with a main menu with connections to three sub menus which each have several separate tracks, each with their own individual buttons. The tracks do not have chapters. I would like to make a 'play all' button on each sub menu, so that all the tracks play one after another. I have tried it in a 'story' but found I can't link separate tracks--that seems to only be for linking chapters within the same track.
I am already at 4.6 GB on a DVD 5 so I was hoping not to have to recreate another track with all of the movies in one... then I think I would have to jump up to a DVD 9. ... or...? Anyone have any info?

Answer 1

The easiest way to do this is as Eric said - create one track and put ALL your clips into it, delete the other tracks. You'll need to set chapter markers up, and use stories to play the different sections on their own, but you can then make a simple play all scenario.
If you really don't want to do that, you'll need to script this. The model to have in your head is that when you use the 'play all' button you set 'flag'. The first track plays and at the end the jump goes to a short script that looks to see if the 'flag' is in place - if it is you jump to the next track. If not, you go back to the menu. This continues for every track you need to include - each end jump goes to a short script which looks for the 'flag'.
the 'flag' is simply a value that you put into a memory slot. You have got 8 memory slots to play with, called 'GPRMs' (General Parameter Register Memory). They are sometimes called variables.
As with almost everything else in DVDSP, there are several ways to create this scripted solution. One way is here:
http://www.dvdstudiopro.co.uk/tutorials/play-all-1/
It has a set of sample files to download and explore. The thing to remember is that the sample layouts are not intended to be used for a real project, only prove the concept. A couple of additional things need to be done to make them suitable for full production.
If you are comfortable with scripting in general, a slightly more complex solution is here:
http://www.dvdstudiopro.co.uk/tutorials/play-all-3/
This last one uses just three scripts, and makes use of the internal numbering system to identify which track and menu you were just on, or going back to. Three scripts is simple, but the detail of the scripts is a little more complex! Once again, these are just examples and in order to use this particular sample layout a couple of other things need to be added to ensure it will work in a production disc. All very simple to do, of course.