Urgent help please - iDVD from iLife 09 - Won't start normal, can't quit ..

Over 100GB. I have a back up system on an external drive I can boot. I'm wondering if the templates got fouled up somehow. Is there a way I can restore the back up system iDVD files back to the boot drive? It is a replica, albeit a couple of weeks old.

Jay S.

Jay_S wrote:
Over 100GB. I have a back up system on an external drive I can boot. I'm wondering if the templates got fouled up somehow. Is there a way I can restore the back up system iDVD files back to the boot drive? It is a replica, albeit a couple of weeks old.

Jay S.

Also, all project files and source movies and pictures are on external drives.

Jay S.

SDMacuser wrote:
Sounds like you have adequate boot volume space. What I would try first is to copy all video assets for iDvd to the boot volume since iDvd likes things where it can easily find them. Then I'd eject the 3rd party ext. HHD. Pro apps give you a bit more latitude in this regard but iDvd tends to be picky about what it will or will not use (at least when compared to apple's pro apps / DVDSP).


Btw, you did properly format the ext. firewire HDD with apple's disc utility, did you not?





Message was edited by: SDMacuser

Location of the assets has never been a problem and isn't here (nor should it be, else Apple wouldn't give us the ability to put projects elsewhere) 🙂 .

It can work with every bit of the asset if I drop the project file onto the dock icon. I also have and use Final Cut Studio Pro so I'm well aware of its capabilities. All drives, eSATA, FW800, and USB are formatted correctly for Intel based Mac.

I hooked up the backup system drive, copied the plist from there, and renames all the DVDPROJ files so iDVD could not find them. A bit Draconian, but so far it is letting me back in normally, and exit normally. I'll have to retrace the steps, but as long as it holds hopefully I won't hit it again.

Interestingly, after my first attempt at deleting the prefs file, iDVD did not generate a new one, which was odd. So hopefully I'm back to a solid starting point.

On a side note, is there ANYWAY at all to add additional font sizes to the drop down list for text? I know in earlier versions there were sliders that allowed for font sizes to be changed. There are a few places on this project (4:3) where I'd like to keep things in bounds for SD NTSC output, but have text a bit larger.

Thanks again...

Jay S.

SDMacuser wrote:
Interestingly, after my first attempt at deleting the prefs file, iDVD did not generate a new one, which was odd.




Indeed. iDvd will always generate a new plist unless the app has not yet been properly launched at least one time.



Where exactly are you looking for iDvd's plist?





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So hopefully I'm back to a solid starting point.



Hopefully but then again I'm not one to assume this.






Message was edited by: SDMacuser

User -> Library -> Preferences -> com.apple.iDVD.plist

Preference changes are being kept but file shows a date of Jan. 31, 2007 ??? Same as the backup drive and I've made changes to iDVD preferences in the past as well. Odd..

Back to the project, I've recreated just about each step, doing a save and close window and quit. The only thing I've not added back on to the chapter pages is the "Add Title Menu Button". So far, everything is working. I made a copy of the working project file (it seems once these unexpected "quits" happen when trying to close, eliminating the offending projects gets me back again).

I've done that button though in past projects.. Will let you know if that triggers the bad behavior again.

Jay S.

Looks like I'm not the only one with Plist not coming back??

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=11980282&#11980282

bug in iDVD?? He's able to launch as well.. Where are prefs going??

Jay S.

SDMacuser wrote:
User -> Library -> Preferences -> com.apple.iDVD.plist




That's not where iDvd's plist is located. You need to start with the HOME folder (the one that looks like a house) -> Library -> Preferences -> com.apple.iDVD.plist

Well, that clears that one up and I solved the other, many thanks.. continue to learn something each and every day.. so why is there a plist for iDVD in the other location as well?

Found the issue on the iDVD terminating. It was associated with the Add Title menu button. I was doing a cut and paste from chapter panel to chapter panel (also changing text, but don't think that was it).. As soon as I tried to save the project after "pasting" the Title Menu button, the save failed. May be a bug. I certainly have enough fail logs to send in with it. 🙂 Once I get done I'll go back and see if the text change had anything to do with it.. for now, I've got to get the project done! Again thanks!

Jay S.

Message was edited by: Jay_S

SDMacuser wrote:
You are most welcome.

It was definitely the Copy/Paste operation of the Create Main Menu Button. Adding them one by one to each panel accomplished what I needed but odd that the Copy/Paste created such a fit. Will let Apple know, but given they've not updated iDVD not likely it will be first on the list of things to do.

Thanks again,
Jay S.