DVD@ccess problems

I'm using DVD studio Pro 3.0.2 and I can't get DVD@ccess to work at all. I follow what the book tells me to do exactly and it just won't work. It doesn't open my browser and link to the website, it just sits there on the menu that I enable the @ccess on. What am I missing? These are the steps I've taken:
1. Create a new menu.
2. Enable DVD@ccess on that menu
3. Type in the url complete with the http://
4. Link menu to desired button from main menu.
5. Simulate and test
I've doubled checked to make sure "Embed Text Data" is still activated and it still won't work. Please help, what the heck am I missing?!!

You don't mention enabling DVD@cess links for simulator in the prefs - this is off by default in the simulator prefs in DVDSP, as well as off by default in Apple DVD Player.
Also, since typing a buch of slashes and colons always feels like greek to me, and I usually get it wrong, I almost always copy and paste a url from my web browser after checking it there, rather than typing it in. An invalid url will cause DVD@ccess to appear to do nothing, even if it is enabled.
You might consider providing a local html page on the ROM sector of the disc instead of the web url, in case users are not connected to the internet.
Hope this helps -
Max Average

Similar Messages

DVD-ROM Feature (DVD@ccess)

I recently finished creating a DL DVD and in one of the videos I put a DVD@cces marker to connect to a website. I followed the instructions in many tutorials and books to a tee. I burned the DVD and tried it in my Apple DVD player (after enabling DVD@ccess web links in the preferences) and it doesn't work.
Any thoughts?
One more concern:
Assuming I fix the problem, will this marker work on PC DVD players?
Thanks.

In principle, the idea of DVD@ccess or creating enhanced content DVDs is rather cool. In practice, the experience was never anything but variable. Whilst DVD@ccess seemed to work for Macs, and some PCs the result was never reliable on a PC. Alternative solutions on PCs, including Sonic's eDVD, have also since been abandoned. There is no single standards based system for creating interactive links and that is what is needed for all discs to work.
If you want to put a microsite on a DVD then you can, and you can use a menu screen to inform your viewers that it is there. All that is missing is the ability to click a link in a menu and run the index file. You might get it working for some people, but not for all... but if you include it on a disc then at least there is something there for them to see.
The other thing to consider is that if you do include some HTML pages on your disc, when they are played in an internet enabled PC you can rely on the usual html links to call up further content not based on the DVD.

Dvd@ccess not working with windows (windows media pleyer)

i have build my dvd using the dvd@ccess works fine only on mac
not working on window even after installing the dvd@ccess
is there a way for it to work?

Years ago when DVDs first hit the market, everyone was trying to put weblinks on their DVD. The problem was that no one had a seemless system that worked on all computers (there are alternatives to dvd@ccess). No matter what anyone did there were ALWAYS customers who complained, "It doesn't work." So as a result it is now almost impossible to find any new DVD releases that use weblinks.
The best advice is to not have any weblinks on your DVD. No matter what you do, there will always be someone out there who will complain, "It doesn't work."

DVD@ccess on PC

Hi guys
I'm authoring a DVD for PC and the client needs links to pdf's and websites.
Now as far as i'm aware i need to include software on the cd for it to work on a PC.
Is there no easier option?
My client assumes that the end user will not have the technical know-how or time to load this app.
would greatly appreciate any insight
jammy
ps: if no one helps me i'll probably end up hurting my client so pls help

You have only a few options, but two require the end user to either already have the right software installed, or to install the software themselves.
The first is to use DVD@ccess and require the PC user to install that on their machine. This is a Mac based system and so works easily on Macs.
The second is to use a PC and write the interactive stuff using eDVD from Sonic and make use of the Interactual player. It is much more versatile, but suffers from the same problem of needing to have software installed. A lot of PCs do already have it because they have used it before and previously installed it - it is a widely used player. Macs will need to install it.
The only other thing to do is to include the content on the disc but not make it open automatically. Just inform the viewer (by using text in a menu) that there is additional content and tell them how to get to it. If you include the PDFs in a folder they will be able to open them with whatever PDF reader they use. You could do the same with a web site - place a single page in a folder which, when it is opened in a browser, has text to tell the viewer that they now need to be online and a link to click which takes them to the right web site.
That way, no interactive players or software needs to be installed, but your viewer needs to be made aware of the content.

DVD@ccess Burned Disk Tip

I just fixed my problem and so thought I would share what I did in the hopes that it will help someone else.
I built a DVD with DVD@ccess files on it. It worked great in Simulator but did not open the files once I burned the DVD. I was totally confused. Then I decided to try renaming the .pdf files I was including so there were no spaces (e.g. My Document.pdf became My_Document.pdf). Now the DVD works.
I had to go in and change all my DVD@ccess links to the new name, but it's working now.
Hope that helps someone.
~Luke

Yep, that seems to be the issue, project built in HD. However, when I go into the project, the selection buttons for HD (selected) and SD are greyed out and cannot be changed. Is there a way to change that, or do I rebuild from square one?
Thanks in advance.
Dan

DVD@ccess & eDVD together?

Hi There,
I'm making a DVD-rom with a lot of PDF material. I was recently well advised to use Sonic eDVD for better compatibility with PCs, however this looks like it will reduce functionality with Macs. So here's the question:
Can I use the Mac's DVD@ccess feature AND the eDVD feature on the same project ?
I imagine I just link the @ccess links to track markers, then build the VideoTS file and do it again in eDVD? So in theory a Mac will play the DVD through DVD Player and a PC will play it through whatever PCs play with.
BTW: I tried to post this on the Creative Cow forum but I can't seem to access it right now. Anyone else having this problem?
P

Hi Peter, I just caught this on the other thread...
My advice would be to stick to one or the other, not both. The reason being that whilst I think that you are right in theory, I don't think it would work in practice, simply because of the erratic way @ccess seems to work on PCs. Imagine the links all opening at once for no real reason, and the user not understanding why - this is a very likely prospect with @ccess present on a PC, regardless of whether or not the user has installed the @ccess.exe software, it seems (I am only going by what others have said about it, so apologies if this is incorrect).
If you can guarantee that no @ccess links will open on a PC (and this could be as simple as not providing the .exe software to install) then your idea might work. I am being particularly cautious as I simply don't know the answer, I'm afraid.

DVD@ccess and PDF linking

So I've successfully linked a 94 page PDF document, and it works no problem. (Although I can't wait to run the DVD on a PC) I use a track and set the DVD@ccess through the chapter points.
My question is; *does anyone know if DVD@ccess can direct a PDF reader to a specific page in the document?*
A client wants to be able to access certain pages of the PDF document from the DVD menu, as opposed to a menu within the document. And while I've read many articles on how to direct the reader via HTML, this doesn't seem to translate over to DVD@ccess.
Any thoughts, notes, hints, etc.
Thanks.

Hi Gary - I'm not knocking Intellidisc or how it works, but am bemoaning the fact that there isn't a reliable cross platform solution available. eDVD was as close as it got IMO, and I am of the opinion that the 1% of people do matter. The fact is that we as authors cannot reliably create a blended content disc that plays seamlessly on all platforms.
The issues with Vista will no doubt eventually be resolved. It is, after all, a new (ish) product and software will need to be revised in order to catch up. I also agree that a lot of folk won't migrate to vista very quickly, but there is inevitably a percentage who will do so. The proportion of folk who cannot play the content therefore increases beyond the 1% of mac users (until Vista issues are resolved) and thus, until Intellidisc, eDVD or @ccess can be made to work they are not providing a total solution.
We therefore come down to a numbers game. Which of these apps will give us the best coverage of end user machines, and best flexibility for the content we are adding? For example, @ccess can launch any app where the file type is known... as can eDVD, but Intellidisc works better if the file is a web based link?
I don't think I can say which is best - none of them give us what we need and each of us therefore has to choose between them when creating a disc with enhanced content. I ought to give Intellidisc a try - I have used the other two with fair degrees of success and ought to have some first hand knowledge of Intellidisc. I would like to know, for example, if the end user needs to run the .exe file and install some software - if so, what is the benefit over @ccess in that respect? If the install is automatic, then the argument will surely be why not include the same function with @ccess? The issues for me come back to the fact that @ccess and eDVD will launch any content (if they work at all) and Intellidisc is restricted to web based links and files.
But I agree entirely with the need for DVDSP to have this kind of thing built in - the software already does at least go some way towards it with the ROM content tools. All we need is a version of @ccess which reliably plays on a PC under all circumstances. Or for eDVD (or interactual) to fix the issues with the player in vista AND mac and make it available as a stand-alone... or for intellidisc to launch different types of content, and we should be home and dry... right?

Why does firefox not open the address in the browser window via dvd@ccess?

I am building a dvd with dvd studio 4 latest version on a brand new MB Pro / Snow Leapard. dvd@ccess is enabled in dvd studio pro 4 as well as on my computer. The function opens a browser window, but firefox does NOT automatically type in the required address. Therefore the browser does not look it up. This is not likely related to dvd studio pro, since dvd@ccess links to mailto: with no problem, and entourage correctly opens a new mail with the proper address. Please help. Fast – I am supposed to deliver a project! Thanks ;-)

Ok, well I found it quickly without really finding the source of the problem. I created my account here in order to post this problem, and when I received the account confirmation email to activate my account, clicking the hotlink opened a browser window WITHOUT the address! So I restarted firefox and lo and behold, I could confirm my account via the hotlink and dvd@ccess now works, even in the dvd studio pro simulator. Why this bug appeared remains to be answered. Thanks and good luck.

DVD-ROM/DVD@ccess

I want to include some .pdf files on my dvd. I think I have followed the instructions in the manual correctly and can access the files directly on the burnt dvd so I am obviously getting part of the process right. However, I want the user to click on a button and a particular .pdf to open up. I have done the DVD@ccess bit on a menu and wonder if I am getting it wrong on the file path bit. Anyone got experience of doing this process?
Thanks in advance.
Niamh

I have in the past got internet access working and I do agree with you on the client situation if they have a PC. I've checked out Roxio eDVD on the internet and Sonic. Alas, these packages only work on a PC.
Since my first posting I have managed to get the internet and .pdf access working on the simulator but not on the burnt disc. I'm wondering if this could be a memory problem on my laptop and I'm about to visit the local library to check it out the disc on a PC.
Thank you for responding.
Niamh

DVD drive problems : should I buy the new iMac ?

Hello, being new to these discussions, I don't know if this question was answered before.
My last iMac's DVD drive stopped working after 3 years use. And from reading the discussions, this problem seemed quite common.
But 3 years is not bad, considering the posts talking about the DVD drive not working on NEW iMacs.
Does anybody know if Apple is going to do something about this soon ? My computer is a working tool, and I cannot spend time or money on repairs all the time.
Thank you.
A Mac user since 1985

+"Well, since nobody has an answer, I suppose I will wait until I no longer see the DVD drive problems on the discussions."+
That might be a while. I bought my iMac Oct. 15 and the DVD drive is already not responding. Backing up files, I had burned 2 DVDs from the same package, Toast says this one is a CD-RW and unwritable, and makes a noise like it's trying to eject it but nothing happens. Disk utility says the DVD drive is empty and nothing shows up in the Finder. Using Terminal (drutil eject) and starting up with the mouse button held down makes the same noise as trying to eject it in Toast, with the same results - nothing.
Still trying to find the receipt to take it back & get it repaired. I sure miss the hole for the paper clip.

DVD@ACCESS PROBLEM URGENT!!!

I'm putting together a multimedia DVD and I have all of the menus and video assests set up and ready to run in any dvd player. I just can't seem to get the DVD@ACCESS feature to work so that I can link a PDF file. I set it all up like it says in the manual but when I click Build, it doesn't copy the pdf file into the build folder. This project could mean about $15,000 worth of scholarship money for college.
Message was edited by: loganbest

If you've run through all the steps correctly (and included the proper amount of "/"s) then you should be good. It's been a little while since I did the DVD@ccess thing, but it may be that the build doesn't actually put the PDFs in the folder. It may take you burning a test disk to see it.
There was something odd about needing to burn the disk to check it... I just don't recall what it was exactly. Try burning the disk and see if that helps.
Hope that helps!
~Luke

Leopard DVD player problems

every time I launch the DVD player program it crashes instantly i've tried to restart cause I thought it might need a restart but it still does even after the restart.

I too am having DVD Player problems, though certainly not that consistently. About 1 in 10 times I start up DVD Player it will immediately dim the screen and display in front the multilingual "you must restart your computer" message. Never happened with Tiger, but that was also a different computer. Doesn't matter whether I'm playing a VIDEO_TS folder or whether I'm playing a disc, doesn't matter whether there is even a disc in the player or not. For VIDEO_TS folder doesn't seem to matter if the folder is local or on a network. Also, I have had the same effect when viewing VIDEO_TS movies through Front Row; thus I think the problem may be pretty deep in the OS's video code, perhaps even in the driver. My system has Santa Rosa motherboard with x3100 built-in graphics.

DVD@ccess and replication

I'm just getting into this issue, and I've researched some past threads on DVD@ccess for linking to urls and also pdfs. It seems the conventional wisdom is that, for maximum compatibility and interactivity, Sonic's eDVD is preferred to DVD@ccess. Is this a fair assessment?
Also, does replication alter the equation in any way? What I mean is, will the replication process smooth out any operational issues that might plague simple burning a disc?
G4 Mac OS X (10.2.x)

Yeah I'd say that is fair. eDVD is prefered. But not having links can often be best! as both have their issues...
Nope replication doesn't alter the equation regarding the 'Enhanced'features,
-Jake

Using DVD@ccess for .PDF (not clear to me in Manual)

So I've got a link typed into a certain page of the DVD to link to a .pdf file. The link is typed as:
file:///DVDname/foldername/file.pdf
This is how it tells me to link it in the Manual, however whenever I burn a test disc, put it in the computer, check the "enable DVD@ccess" box in the DVD Player prefs, and test it, it does not open the file. How is this not working? Do I have to place the folder in a specific location when the DVD begins to build and format, or do I have to include the full line of folder names (folders within folders) when I type in the address above? Am I selecting the wrong folder when I choose the "content" folder before building the DVD?

Good links from Drew...
The process is complicated. I'll try to make it simple.
First off, your pdf file needs to be in a folder somewhere on your machine - let's call it EXTRAS. That folder itself now needs to be in a parent folder as well, let's call that one ROM_CONTENT. For simplicity just set this up on your desktop for now.
From within DVDSP you need to set the location of the pdf file in the property inspector, but you do this in two places. First off, click on the disc icon in the outline view and then look in the property inspector for the ROM section. Use the 'Browse' facility to specify the outer folder you made earlier, and make sure the path in the property inspector points to the location of 'ROM_CONTENT'.
Now, in the menu that is going to hold the DVD@ccess link you also specify the path to the file, but this time you set up the path as it would appear after the disc is built. If your pdf file is called 'products' and your DVD itself is called 'My_Disc' then the URL that you put in the menu needs to be:
file:///My_Disc/EXTRAS/products.pdf
Note that you *do not* use the name of the parent folder... this is very important!
When DVDSP builds the disc it will place the Video_TS and Audio_TS folders at the root level (the first thing you see if you open the disc in your finder). When you use DVD@ccess it will also put a folder to hold the @ccess.exe file with instructions to PC users, and it will also put whatever it finds inside the ROM_CONTENT folder at the root level of the disc. In the example here it finds a folder called EXTRAS and so the root of your disc looks nice and tidy - four folders. If you didn't use the inner folder then your pdf would appear as a file on the root... which to me is plain messy.
Now, since the folder called EXTRAS is now at the root level and holding the file to launch, that's what you MUST specify when writing the menu URL.
Finally, in order to see this working on your Mac (simulator) you need to turn on the DVD@ccess prefs in both DVDSP and DVD Player. Once done, the file should launch your default pdf viewer (probably 'Preview'). If it doesn't then there is either something wrong with the paths you have used inside DVDSP, or there is something wrong with your Mac! I'd suspect the paths before anything else...

Tips for making DVD@ccess works on PC reliably !!!

Anyone here have experience Authoring in DVDSP using DVD@ccess where your DVD will be played on a PC ??
I beleive you need to install the DVD@ccess plug-in but i can't seem to find it anywhere on the net. Also someone told me the plug in ( for PC ) is installed on the DVD once you authored with DVD@ccess but i can't seem to find it either. Any suggestion ??? Thanks

When you burn an image with DVD@ccess checked in your buld and burn window, it adds the file to the image -- NOTE: As I recall this only happens when you burn an image or master to a Tape backup.
Also, you can put an autostart.ini file on the DVD-rom portion of the disk that runs DVD@access, but unless you get a little fancy with you autostart file, it will try to install it every time!!!
Bottom line is, it's a little quirky!!! Good luck.
Jason
PS - there are some DVD programs that flat will not work with DVD@ccess. I think POWER DVD is one, but I can't remember.

DVD@ccess problems

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