Getting "layer break" error message when trying to Preview a single sided DVD, or build an ISO image or disk folder

Question

Hi!  Hoping someone might be able to help with an odd problem.  I haven't found anything in the forums or the web that match my symptoms.
I've been using Encore CS6 (v6.0.1.013) on a MacBook retina over the past year to successfully create a number of single sided DVDs with menus, chapters, and all that.  I usually make a copy of a previous DVD project, and then replace video assets with the new files and transcodes, move and rename chapter markers, and rework the menus in Photoshop.  I then will build ISO images for both DVD and Blu-Ray (both single-sided), and use those to burn many copies of each DVD for clients.
This week, while developing one of these projects, when trying to build a DVD ISO image that looked like it would fit on a 4.7 GB DVD, I received the "layer break" message ("The chosen layer break does not satisfy dual layer requirements.  To fix this, either set a new layer break manually, or choose to set layer break automatically.") because (I'm guessing) the material was too long for the 4.7 GB DVD (the Build screen now shows about 5GB of material are in the project).  This is the first time I've seen that message - usually Encore just tells me the material is too big for the DVD.
I re-transcoded the material down to well under 4.7 GB (about 3.9 GB), reverted and replaced the transcoded files, and now the DVD build screen shows that there are about 700MB free on a 4.7 GB DVD.  But I still have not been able to build any version of the DVD (image, folder, disc), without getting the "layer break" message.  I also now get this same layer break message when trying to "Preview from Here" any menu, killing my ability to preview the DVD menus in Encore.
Just to see what would happen, I chose an 8.4GB Dual Layer DVD, and chose "manual" instead of "automatic" for the layer break selection, but never got the layer break selection dialog box, just the "layer break" error message.
I typically build both DVD and Blu-Ray images from the same material in the same project.  I use different transcoding settings for each, and I have been able to build a Blu-Ray ISO without this "layer break" error on the Blu-Ray build (which is about 24.5GB when built).  And as I mentioned before, this is the first project on which I've even seen this layer break message.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!  I'd rather not recreate the project from scratch, but I'm worried that I may have to.
Thanks
Jon

Answer 1

The total project being small enough may mean you have one layer that is too big. Both layers have to be smaller than half the disk, right?
Be sure you "run as administrator" for dual layer projects.
Encore may set the layer break correctly if it finds a good place, but there are numerous complaints about it being unreliable.
Build to a folder (no layer break is set), then use ImgBurn to build and ask to be prompted for layer break. ImgBurn is also unreliable under some circumstances.
The most frequent problems appear to be when there is no good location for a break. Do a search for "layer break imgburn" and you will see a variety of strategies.
http://forum.imgburn.com/index.php?/topic/1777-how-to-create-a-double-layer-dvd-video-imag e-file-using-imgburn/
Also see these posts:
Neil Wilkes
http://forums.adobe.com/message/3466255#3466255
Neil Wilkes
http://forums.adobe.com/message/4054265#4054265
Neil Wilkes
http://forums.adobe.com/message/4054269#4054269
Jon Geddes
http://forums.adobe.com/message/4002647#4002647
shuchi shrivastava
http://forums.adobe.com/message/3905911#3905911
Jon Geddes and Neil Wilkes
http://forums.adobe.com/message/4003221#4003221