What does HRESULT 0x00040280 (VFW_S_DVD_NON_ONE_SEQUENTIAL) mean?

VFW_S_DVD_NON_ONE_SEQUENTIAL

DVD title timing is not one continuous sequential program chain

VFW_S_DVD_NON_ONE_SEQUENTIAL is HRESULT 262784 (0x00040280) from Video for Windows. The documented description is “The current title was not a sequential set of chapters (PGC), and the returned timing information might not be continuous.” The high-order severity bit is clear, so this is a success result, but it carries more information than plain S_OK.

DVD navigation succeeded, but the current title is not a single sequential PGC, so returned timing may contain discontinuities.

Where the result is encountered

• This result can appear in DVD Navigator title playback; record the producing interface and method.
• This result can appear in branching or multi-angle DVD content; record the producing interface and method.
• It can appear in applications building a timeline from DVD timing information; record the producing interface and method.

Diagnostic sequence

• Capture the raw HRESULT 0x00040280 immediately after the returning method and record whether the caller used SUCCEEDED, FAILED, equality testing, or exception translation.
• Verify the method-specific state: the caller does not assume monotonically continuous title time across branches, cells, or program-chain transitions.

State to verify

The central question is whether the caller does not assume monotonically continuous title time across branches, cells, or program-chain transitions.

Correct handling, retry, and recovery

Use DVD navigation events and chapter/cell information instead of treating title time as a simple linear media clock. Avoid frame-accurate calculations across discontinuities.

Evidence to preserve

• Preserve title and PGC identifiers.
• Preserve cell and chapter sequence.
• Preserve current domain and angle.
• Preserve reported time before and after branch points.
• Preserve disc region and navigation events.

Difference from nearby HRESULT values

VFW_S_DVD_NOT_ACCURATE concerns seek precision; it concerns the structure of the title timeline itself.

Developer and administrator guidance

Practical validation scenario

An interactive DVD branches to alternate scenes. The player receives this status, marks the timeline as discontinuous, and uses navigator events to update position after each branch.

References

• Microsoft: DirectShow error and success codes
• Microsoft: DirectShow overview
• Microsoft: DirectShow DVD applications