VGP-XL1B Support for Windows XP Applications

Ok, here I go again. I fixed a couple of more bugs. I think the disc display in Fullsots and Allslots stays up to date better now, after Mount, etc.

Also, as I mentioned before, I tripped over the capability of the Title Scan function to be used as a "poor man's" batch CD rip. Basically, I was annoyed by WMP 11 loading every time I scanned a disc, so when I went to turn off AutoPlay on the changer drive, I spotted the "Rip CD Using Mediaplayer" option. So I messed with it, and added a way to specify "rip" while scanning, and a cancellable delay. For me it needs to be set between 5 and 6 minutes. So, with AutoPlay on, I have ripped a whole bunch of CDs to lossless WMA using 049x. No way is this as robust or even intended as an alternative to Shizzle's Delphi app. It's just a little side function that I got almost for free. If you are using the GUI already, and you have a few CDs to rip, and you are usually near the machine while it's happening, then it'll work for you.

The CD rip function does not recover from errors such as: (1) An enhanced CD - looks like a DVD, and so is skipped, (2) WMP creates a message box with reply, requiring a manual "start rip" intervention - happens about 5% of the time, (3) WMP starts playing the CD - better keep your volume down!

Otherwise, I have found WMP to be quite good at downloading metadata. And even when it fails, or partially fails, it has an excellent metadata editing capability.

Anyway, enjoy.

@Autorip - I hope you don't mind that I continue to make changes. I will use the "x" for my series. Basically, I'm making things available that I want for myself.

I plan to add:
- Disc label / title edit (you can already do this manually)
- Search and sort in Fullslots / Allslots
- Cross changer view in Fullslots / Allslots
- Server monitor for client/server version of mediachanger.exe

If you prefer that I don't ship to the Forum, I will agree to ship to you for consideration. I don't want to "step on your toes," so to speak. I have too much respect and appreciation for what you have done and taught me, to get on your bad side!

I guess with this thread, we might not need the myspace blog I set up - not sure, but I will continue posting there if anybody wants to try it.

Edit: Just added the file. Unpack the contents into the 048x directory, or copy the contents of 048x into the 049x directory.

 

GUI-049x.zip 273.0234375k . file

Looks like you were (are) way ahead of the curve! Anyway, I'm finally enjoying the same ... WMP is truly awesome, even though Vista stinks. And ironically, I finished ripping my last 40 or so CDs while testing, so now I don't need it any more either!

I know its a stupid question, but where is the gui expecting mediachanger.exe to be? I have it in the same directory, but i am getting errors. I can use mediachanger from the command line, but am excited to see what your gui adds (i hate writing scripts).

Sorry, I was trying to make it easier. To get around the 500KB upload limit of this forum, the 049x package is an add-on to 048x. So first download and unpack 048x, and then overlay the contents of 049x. You can then rename the folder t o 048x if you want. you could also delete GUI-048x.exe.

Just curious, is there a patch file, or new zip file to the updated MediaChanger.exe?

-pd

The first post in this thread has the zip file that contains everything. mediachanger.exe is in the \ emp folder, per the orginal AutoRip design. If you want GUI-049x, the GUI-049x.exe from the zip file posted earlier should be copied into the GUI-048x folder. It uses the same version of mediachanger.exe, which hasn't changed for awhile now. I hope this finally clears up where everything is!

Actually I was referring to the source code to mediachanger.exe itself as I wanted to look at some of the changes.

-pd

@pdermody: Oh, I see. Ok will zip up the files and edit this post shortly. Would appreciate any constructive comments. One thing I would like to do is to automatically associate the "\\\\?\\ ...." style changer path to the drive letter. I have read a bunch of stuff - seems to be hard to do. One technique involves looping through structures that you get from the device IO subsystem that was over my head. So if you know how to do that, send me a code snippet. The reason for this is that the changer can be controlled just fine without the drive letter, but for file operations, such as getting the volume label, directory, saving and loading files, you need the conventional windows style path name.

@galileo2000: Coding and testing like crazy (along with normal family duties and entertaining weekend guests!) I've fixed that elusive Allslots/Fullslots bug(s) involving keeping the lists up to date. I'm adding all kinds of options for customized batch scanning of CD,s, DVDs and Data discs. Turned out to be a bit more work that I thought because I keep adding stuff that I need(want) and trying to cover for error cases, etc etc. For example, I added a log. I really need a data directory with the ability to play video/audio file from any changer / slot from a master list that I can sort, etc. in various ways. That's what is taking the time. I will offer something soon, but it will not be complete (will it ever?), but I'll have some placeholder menus that will suggest what I have in mind. Then others can either comment or supply code snippets to fill in the gaps, or whatever. Another day or two probably ...

Edit: Ok, added the source for mediachanger.exe. The changes I made were for multiple changer support, load / eject from IE port. I also made changes required to get a clean (no warnings) compile under MS Virtual Studio 2005 C++. I don't profess to be the most elegant coder. My goal is to get stuff to work and to eliminate bugs, and not do any damage. Elegance comes in somewhere after all that.

 

MediaChangerSource.zip 7.2041015625k . file

If by "current" you mean the file that was attached to my last post - yes, that was the source for mediachanger.exe requested by pdermody.

I'm new to this forum site. I work for a company and my boss has put his eyes onto this changer, but he doesn't wish to use it for cd ripping or dvd storage. He wants to use the changer for software storage. My question is with the Media changer could I controll the Sony changer on an XP Pro workstation to catalouge, store, and "offer" any software cd/dvd that I have loaded? Thanks again, and sorry if this is in the forum.

That's exactly how I justified buying 3 of them. One for DVDs, and ther other two for a mix of data backups and archive - audio, video, programs, whatever.

GUI .050x, due soon, will catalogue your data from all your changers and then save the catalog to a file. You can select and "open" (play / edit, whatever) the file from the list.

I read through all 12 pages of the original thread where this all started from and a lot of the items that were talked about kinda got lost in my head. In order to get the VGP-XL1B(2,3) to work I need to:

1) disable the RMS(I think thats what it was)
2) flash the firmware on the VGP(if it doesn't already have the latest)
3) do not install the sony software

Besides those three items the VGP should pretty much work out of the box with the Mediachanger software on a XP SP2 Pro workstation with all current critical patchs installed.

You did a pretty good job of sifting thru stuff. The only one of those that is critical is disabling RSM. I was using my changers with no problem for quite awhile before doing the firmware upgrade.

Another change I think is necessary, but I've forgotten how it happens: on a stock XP system, the changers will not be installed as SONY branded, and mediachanger.exe will not work. Maybe somebody else can post the answer - I did it so long ago, I forgot!

He he .. well, I , er, um ... bit off a bit much. As I said, I'm basically offering the stuff that I have dreamed of having for myself. So I get to using it while testing, then think - "wouldn't it be better if?", or "hmmm ... that doesn't make sense" or "that's not working right ..." and it goes on and on. But I will have smething today I think. (and I sincerely hope that it will be worth the wait)

WARNING - LONG POST - MAY EDIT LATER - PLEASE DO NOT "QUOTE" ENTIRE CONTENTS - SAVE FORUM SPACE - Thanks!

Here is the download site. The zipped package includes mediachanger.exe and the source for GUI-050x.

http://mediadogg.files-upload.com/20...-050x.zip.html

I apologize for this long post, but I wanted to put out some "usage notes." Later, I will strip down the post, and put the notes into a Help file. That's why I hope people don't quote the whole mess.

Bugs Fixed:

Allslots / Fullslots work better. May still be an obscure bug or two.

Bugs added:

Probably numerous. I appreciate your patience and feedback.

Old functions:

Allslots, Fullslots, Next, Previous, Mount, Unmount, Eject, Accept - all work pretty much as before, with the exception that Fullslots has been enhanced with a "picklist" function for selection of which discs to scan (more later).

New Functions:

(1) Automatic changer identification: Serial number is displayed in lieu of drive letter, untill YOU select the logo screen and manually associate a drive with each installed changer (maybe this was in 049x - I forgot).

(2) Bypass Changer Query: You need populate Fullslots / Allslots only once per session. The information will be retained if you check "Bypass ...", otherwise, the changer will be queried each time a scan-type function is requested. You should do this of course, if you manually change the contents of a changer while the GUI is running (not a good idea).

(3) AutoPlay / ID Scan: There are files in the \ emp directory, one for each changer, that contain a listing of all full slots and the disc label for each disc. These are called "known" discs. Discs can only become known if the disc is actually mounted, and the drive letter has been assigned. Any time a disc is mounted, the disc label is updated UNLESS you manually edit the file and replace the "?" preceeding the disc label, with a "!". Then you may edit the label and make it your own personal title, and it will be retained. The label files are loaded on startup and saved on exit, and one backup copy is made. Please make your own backups. When this button is pressed, the changer is spun from slot 0 up to slot 199, and only discs that are "unknown" (full slots) are mounted and their labels captured. Subsequent ID scans will skip over any disc that is "known", however, known labels are overwritten each time the disc is mounted unless there is the "!" indicator in the file. YOU MUST TURN OFF AUTOPLAY otherwise windows will attempt to do whatever you have set up as the default for that media (e.g. play DVD).

(4) AutoPlay / ID Scan + Delay: If the Delay box is checked, the ID scan will revert to "CD Rip" mode. It assumes that you have AutoPlay enabled on the changer drive, and that you have associated WMP (or equivalent) program with the loading of a CD. Whenever a CD is loaded in this mode, GUI-050x will delay for the number of minutes you have specified before going on to the next CD. On my system, I needed 6 - 8 minutes per CD using WMP 11 and lossless WMA. You can interrupt the delay at any time, or you can stop the scan at any time. Depending on where the changer is in its cycle, it could take up to a minute for things to quiesce.

(5) Scan Batch: In this mode, the changer is spun from slot 0 up to 199, only for discs in slots that have been picked using the picklist function in Fullslots. The picklist is initially null, so if you hit this by accident, nothing happens. For the selected discs, each disc is mounted in turn, and control is passed to SCANBATCH.BAT. The file SCANBATCH.BAT is expected to be in the \ emp directory, and the GUI will execute it and wait for its completion. GUI will pass the changer number, slot number, drive letter and disc label each time it is called. Also, SCANBATCH.BAT is called once at the beginning of the scan (changer = -1, slot = -1), and once at the end (changer = -2, slot = -2) to allow your program to setup and cleanup. This processing can be used for anything you want to do to a disc. Only full slots are processed (per the fullslots picklist). YOU MUST TURN OFF AUTOPLAY in this mode, unless your batch processing needs that function.

Here is a sample bat file that I used to rip a few DVDs using DVDDecrypter:
@echo off
rem ======================================================
rem Example 1: Rip a DVD to an ISO file if it comes from changer 0, slots 14 thru 16 - use disc label as filename
rem ========================================================
IF %1 == 0 (
IF %2 GEQ 14 (
IF %2 LEQ 16 (
rem "c:\\Program Files\\DVD Decrypter"\\DVDDecrypter.exe /MODE ISOREAD /SRC %4 /OVERWRITE YES /START /CLOSE /DEST c:\\DVDISOS\\%4.ISO
)
)
)
rem ==========================================================
rem Example 2: Rip a DVD to an ISO file if it comes from changer 0, slot 2 - use default disc label
rem ==========================================================
IF %1 == 0 (
IF %2 == 2 (
rem "c:\\Program Files\\DVD Decrypter"\\DVDDecrypter.exe /MODE ISOREAD /SRC %4 /OVERWRITE YES /START /CLOSE /DEST c:\\DVDISOS\\[DISC_LABEL].iso
)
)

(6) Directory Scan: This is designed to allow maintaining a master list of the contents of Data Discs. Audio, Blank, and DVD discs are not processed. Only disks of filetype = CDFS are processed. You can sort on any column and scroll. You can load/save the directory, giving any name you choose. Changer serial is stored in the data file, so the file should be portable. I plug my changers into one of three systems - XP, MCE 2005 or Vista. Again, TURN OFF AUTOPLAY or it will take much longer to run.

Here is a listing of the Menus in Directory Scan:

File
-New
-Load
-Save
-Copy Checked
-Delete Checked (future)
-Export CSV (future)
-Export XML (future)
-Print (future)

Edit
-Check All
-Uncheck All
-Invert Checks

Directory Scan
-Go - this starts the scan based on picklist. You get a chance to load first

Search (future)

View (future)

Help (future)

Context Menu - right click on selected item
-Open/Play
-Copy

Ok, again, sorry for the long post. I want to thank AutoRip yet one more time for turning me on to the AutoIt scripting tool, and for being so tolerant of my changes to his initial concept. I truly appreciate it.

Anyone wanting to contribute code snippets for the (future) stuff, PM me. I will not accept modified versions of the source file - only snippets. It's hard enough to manage my own! Anyway, enjoy!

I'm glad, but c'mon guy. Do me a favor and edit out the quote ... puleeez! (edited out the nasty face! )

Sorry about that. It may be because my browser was still pointed to that page. I closed it. I will try going in again without logging on and if I can't download, I will find an alternative. Sorry about that. Man I sure would hate to dampen the enthusiasm of such a great supporter!
Edit: Ok, I logged out, clicked on the link in my post, waited 12 seconds and it worked. Would you mind trying again? Thanks.

I cleared out some of the bugs I had bumped into in this program. Particularly the conflicts between some modes that caused problems if both CD and DVD media was processed as a part of a single operation. Few people may have noticed this, but it has messed me up a few times. Basically if you had some DVD media in and some CD media in and had the program process all of them it would crash when shifting from DVD to CD media with 'some' settings. I also made some of the DVD functions 'slightly' faster by eliminating some old code... Otherwise this is the same as the one in the first message.

The download is at: http://www.sendspace.com/file/05abrr