DVD Decrypter:

[Rich]

Provided you have selected Mode -> IFO I using DVD decrypter you will have all the data you need from the DVD.

So when you have finished, you can remove the DVD from the drive.

Then simply load up AutoGK, select the DVD Input thing, select the Video directory where DVD decrypter has put the files (usually called VIDEO_TS directory).

Then select Output file, and make sure you have an output filename, VIDEO_TS.avi or something.

Leave the Audio Track box, AutoGK will sort all that out for you.

Select size, I would go with, Predefined Size -> 1/5 DVDR

Click Advanced Settings, and select Fixed Width edit to 512

Codec I would select DivX 5

Click OK

Click Add Job Then Start

Best just to leave it running overnight, cause it uses lots of memory and takes a long time.

In the morning the file you want will be the one that is ~900MB, the avi file.

That's it.

[infiniter]

I put a DVD in my DVD-ROM and 'decrypted' it with DVD Decrypter. It seemed FANTASTIC, sorta: When the program had completed its task, I was left with a folder full of about 22 icons, 5 of which were seemingly partial images of a VHS tape and a [DVD] disk. The other icons were just little dog-eared pages with an image in the middle.

Icons are a decoration, not at all informative about the files.
Icons are related to the ending (like *.vob) of the files. If the ending *.vob has no associated program to start with, it won't run. Just like you said.

To your questions, I have to correct Rich's tips:
a) you have to select the proper Audio track, above all if you have different languages
b) the size is only a matter of choice - the bigger the file gets, the better the quality will be. Keep in mind that longer movies also need more space.
c) a fixed width is not recommendable, because a good quality AVI is combination of picture size, compression ratio and codec. That's why AutoGK performs a compressibility test on which it decides the final resolution
d) the codec to use is a matter of taste. I tested both and in my opinion, the XVID codec produces a sharper picture and it's a bit faster.

Just test it out. The problem is only to have some short test files. For testing purposes you could take any of the VOB files (like a menu), something shorter than 100MB, rename it to *.mpg and open it in AutoGK in File mode.