Add internal CD/DVD burning to TC? (FoxBurner SDK)

[Hacker]

m^2,

t's GPL, so no.

1. That does not have to be a problem in general. AFAIK we have some plugins based on GPL code.
2. A commercial licence is available, perhaps it would be affordable.

Not gonna argue too much, though.

Roman

[m^2]

2Hacker,
Yes, but the topic is about internal solution, isn't it?
In order to include something GPLed, Christian would have to release TC's code under GNU compatible license.

[ghisler(Author)]

Yes, that's correct - that's why I was considering to include the FoxBurner DLL with Total Commander. I have already bought the code of the plugin from the author, but I'm not yet sure how I will integrate it - on the drive letter itself or like it is used now.

[Lefteous]

I'm not yet sure how I will integrate it

My idea idea would be to integrate virtual volumes (also called virtual folders) at this point. Each virtual volume created by the user should have an item in the drive bar. The content of such a virtual volume can be burned directly to a cd. For example dragging files to an empty space in this bar will create a new virtual volume.
I also think a vertically volume bar would allow more meaningful volume names. This is how the Finder in Mac OS X presents volumes to the user. It shows volumes by name, computers in the network environment, favorite folders, and user-defined searches grouped in a vertical bar.
http://images.apple.com/macosx/features/images/finder_gallery04_20071016.jpg

[fenix_productions]

I stand for virtual volumes too. I hope that if Christian will implement that, it will be more functional and user friendly than tree view is.

[JohnFredC]

Please! No need to distinguish the burning tool by giving it a separate interface. Important not to, actually. We need integration with TC, not a modal facsimile of a 3rd party burner with a TC imprimatur.

Just make the existing folder tree more functional, please!

- Drag/copy files to create/populate a virtual volume/folder.

- Select the virtual folder (or its individual contents).

- Execute command cm_Burn

- Verify/change default options (device, speed, volume label, finalize, etc).

- Go.

[Hacker]

Lefteous,

Each virtual volume created by the user should have an item in this bar.

What bar?

TIA
Roman

[djgtram]

that's why I was considering to include the FoxBurner DLL with Total Commander.

But is this really necessary? The Image Mastering API is bundled with XP, Server and Vista. XP has version 1 that only can burn CDs, not DVDs while version 2 in Vista can burn DVDs as well, including DL ones. And version 2 can be downloaded as an upgrade from Microsoft for free. So, there is a complete built-in burning SDK already in Windows, why not use it instead of bundling another one with your product?

Bye,
Gábor

[woefdram]

For the same reason people use TC instead of Explorer?

[djgtram]

For the same reason people use TC instead of Explorer?

Am I right in assuming that you're not a developer yourself? I'm not suggesting a standalone program, I was speaking about an SDK and an API.

Windows provides a plethora of services that programs like TC build upon, from the user interface to many other features. TC doesn't draw its own menus and dialog boxes, for instance, but uses the services of the platform to do it. The IMAPI I suggested was just another example, XP, Server and Vista has built in programmer's support so that programs wanting to implement CD/DVD burning can use it freely. Using an API doesn't mean direct exposure to a program like Explorer, it means using the underlying services of the system behind the scenes.

Bye,
Gábor

[woefdram]

Maybe I should have said: for the same reason people program in Delphi or Python instead of .net or VB.
There's a difference between basic OS functions and extras. Consider the fact that there are web browsers that build upon the Windows functionality IE uses and browsers that bring their own.
I don't know if there are limitations or insecurities or bugs built into the burning services that come with Windows but one might not want Steve Ballmer & co dictate the way one's application works too much.

[djgtram]

Yes, that sounds a little bit different but some people were concerned about the size the FoxBurner DLL would add to TC and using something already bundled with the operating system would certainly cut that down.

I have other concerns, actually, I suspect a FoxBurner issue with one of my DVD drives (TCBurner can't get the real speed list, only the max value, it works with CDs but not DVDs and it works in the other DVD drive; theoretically, it might be a drive firmware issue but other burning programs can get it all right). So, whatever the solution might be, I'd like to see some progress with the plugin because using an external burner program, although there are many excellent ones, is not something I'd prefer after having spoiled by TCBurner...

Bye,
Gábor

[djgtram]

I know this is not the perfectly appropriate place for it, but with the demise of the TCBurner forum...

I still have the problems mentioned in the previous post, although I'm now on brand new motherboard, a different DVD writer and a fresh installation of XP. The previous writer was an Asus one, this one is the latest Sony NEC Optiarc. TCBurner fails to list all supported write speeds (when it is instructed to do so, of course) for DVD disks, only the numeric value of Max is repeated below the Max entry. With CD disks, there is no problem. Drive firmware is new and some other burning programs read it correctly, so hardware problems are not likely.

Does anybody else have similar experience? Because I most definitely don't want to write my DVDs at 18x speed, data security is much more important than that, this makes TCBurner useless in my case, much to my regret.

Bye,
Gábor

[Sam_Zen]

Hmm. I've not followed this discussion thoroughly, but I would never want to use a burning app. which only offers the max. speed.
It's just asking for trouble. Any empty medium can have more or less doubtful regions. Buffering plays a role too.

There's even a common rule from practice to burn audio-cd's at a speed, a step lower, than burning data. To avoid drop-outs.

[Stitscher]

2ghisler(Author)
Do you have any news how foxburner DLL will be included in TC?

Thanks