Automated Cutting and Transcoding Guide Using Mencoder

[bbhank]

It almost certainly is a mencoder error. Comskip runs fine. Once information is started to be passed to mencoder is when the error happens. In the Microsoft report window the program runs then does a hex dump. No error message at all, just straight into hex.

mencoder needs to be able to either tell the what the frame rate is, be told what this is, or be made not to need this information. How is one of these done? Either would work.

Where does that command go in the script? Does it replace part of it? I tried it as a batch file by itself with the mencoder location changed but no result.

[-stattik-]

t the frame rate is, be told what this is, or be made not to need this information. How is one of these done? Either would work.

Where does that command go in the script? Does it replace part of it? I tried it as a batch file by itself with the mencoder location changed but no result.

As far as the script works, mplayer needs to find out the framerate to it can feed it to mencoder.

The command would be in a batch file itself. Add a PAUSE as the last line in the batch file. At least then you could see why it errors.

[bbhank]

How about if we go back to my original question which was how to automate this script. I need to know how to tell the program the information it asks for without it stopping for me to put it in. Once this is input the script runs fine and runs its course. I need it not to ask for the encode type which is always chosen to be type 2. I need it not to ask for the name change which is always input as no, and finally to cut and paste the file together as it does when I input these parameters.

I will deal with running the program on a watched folder after this part is solved. There are two separate issues here that have gotten mushed together and totally un-understandable here. So lets deal with the first and original question of how to input these 3 parameters so it does not stop on the drag and drop and ask me for them.

[-stattik-]

How about if we go back to my original question which was how to automate this script. I need to know how to tell the program the information it asks for without it stopping for me to put it in. Once this is input the script runs fine and runs its course. I need it not to ask for the encode type which is always chosen to be type 2. I need it not to ask for the name change which is always input as no, and finally to cut and paste the file together as it does when I input these parameters.

I will deal with running the program on a watched folder after this part is solved. There are two separate issues here that have gotten mushed together and totally un-understandable here. So lets deal with the first and original question of how to input these 3 parameters so it does not stop on the drag and drop and ask me for them.

I attached a script that should resolve the "asking for input" issue. Add the mencoder/mplayer/comskip paths and you should be set.

So first start up the script and see if it finds any files. That would be the second issue. In your earlier post it looks like it originally found 2 files but discarded them for some reason. Each MPG that you expect transcoded should have an EDL file associated with it and there shouldn't be an AVI, MKV or MP4 file associated with it.

Post your results. Good Luck.

[bbhank]

Made necessary changes to point to mencoder and comskip.

Had to change to run in comskip mode or it had no info to cut with.

For drag and drop guided has to be set to no.

For automated folders the folder were first were set as per instructions but program never recognized that there were files in the folder. If there was edl file in containing folder it would see that but not process the file. It shouldn't be looking in the containing folder at all, only the watched folder. I tried different combinations of naming and directions to the watched folder including creating an totally new one at the root of the drive only to have the same results.

Here's the file I used.

[-stattik-]

There's a few things that need to be changed for it to work.

You have this set twice:

Code:

SET target_extension=mpg

The target extension determines what files are added to the queue. You can use mpg or edl. I choose EDL because you don't want the script to try and transcode a file while it's being recorded. Plus the script renames the EDL file after it's done so the MPG file doesn't get processed again. Since you're cutting the file, setting it to EDL would be best.

Code:

SET transcode_extension=edl

This is the actual extension that gets transcoded. You would want this set to mpg.

The watch directories you set redundant which may end up adding each file to the transcode queue twice. Also note, the directories settings are case-sensitive so v:\Videos is different from v:\videos.


This is my suggestion for you config based on the script you sent me.

Code:

::    QUICK-START- The following settings are the minimal needed to get the script running
SET mencoder_path=V:\Encoder\mencoder\mencoder.exe
SET mplayer_path=V:\Encoder\mencoder\mplayer.exe
SET comskip_path=V:\Encoder\Comskip\comskip.exe
SET recordings_path=v:\Videos\
SET guide_mode=no

::    AUTO-TRANSCODE SETTINGS
SET directory_monitoring=yes
SET individual_transcode_directories=null
SET recursive_transcode_directory=v:\Videos\Transcode\
SET target_extension=edl
SET transcode_extension=mpg
SET secondary_transcode_extension=ts
SET script_wait=5

The above config will check for EDL files in v:\Videos\Transcode\ and any subdiretories. (IE: v:\Videos\Transcode\test.edl) For each EDL file it finds, it will add the MPG to the transcode list (IE: v:\Videos\Transcode\test.mpg.) Hopefully this will get you closer to what you want. I also set the wait time to 5 min since the script will immediately check for new material when it's done but will only wait when it finds nothing. Hopefully this will get you further to your goal.

[bbhank]

For whatever reason version 5.6 does not work for me.

I cheated a little and did some experimenting with the 5.1f, the one that stops the process and asks me to tell it what I want. Found that the information can be sent without my entering anything by remming all the stuff I didn't need and changing the /p to /a to change the input from manual to sticking it to the same setting and changed the script for that. Now I can drag and drop on the guided mode, which is the one that worked and have it go all the way through to a finished product.

If this can be worked on a watched folder OR modified to allow multiple file drop.

Modified script is attached.

Thank you.

[bbhank]

How can the scrips be made to recognize multiple files on drag and drop?

[-stattik-]

For whatever reason version 5.6 does not work for me.

I ran 5.6 successfully using your setting before I posted it. Did you make the changes in the previous post?

I cheated a little and did some experimenting with the 5.1f, the one that stops the process and asks me to tell it what I want. Found that the information can be sent without my entering anything by remming all the stuff I didn't need and changing the /p to /a to change the input from manual to sticking it to the same setting and changed the script for that. Now I can drag and drop on the guided mode, which is the one that worked and have it go all the way through to a finished product.

If this can be worked on a watched folder OR modified to allow multiple file drop.

You'll need to post the debug output. In order to get more of it, you'll have to increase the Screen Buffer Size of the window you're using. (Right-click on the window icon and get properties.)

[-stattik-]

How can the scrips be made to recognize multiple files on drag and drop?

The script would have to be re-written to accept multiple files.