Adjustments

Cooldraft wrote on 3/5/2007, 9:45 AM
I would like to adjust the leading in the text the I created without having to go into PS and do the menu there.

And if I did go into PS, the bounding box is way too far away from the graphic and creates overlap on 'tight' menu text that is clost together.

Look at the reddish area on this to see what area is overlapping on tight menus.

if there is no way to adjust this 'margin', and it is acceptable to everyone else, maybe I am making my menus too tight.

Comments

MPM wrote on 3/6/2007, 6:31 AM
In P/Shop or any image editor I create the backgrounds there including the text & any button &/or hi-lite graphics -- In DVDA just add the bounding boxes themselves which then don't have to be that accurate. For a given menu then I've got one D1 image for the background, & 1 the same full-frame size with the hi-lite masks -- nothing individual except the area for each button. To make it even easier, just do the background in the image editor, set the empty boxes for each button, & select underline for the hi-lite method -- it'll create that based on the bounding box, which can be easily aligned in DVDA. If you're doing motion menus, overlay any graphics or text in Vegas.
Pfredd wrote on 3/7/2007, 2:31 PM
Please excuse my ignorance, as I am new to DVDA...

I like the idea of doing the buttons as part of the background, but what do you mean by "just add the bounding boxes themselves which then don't have to be that accurate"?

I have a background with the buttons drawn on them. How do I tie those to my video sources?

Beanie wrote on 3/7/2007, 3:00 PM
if your background graphic already has buttons on it as part of that graphic, then the only way round it is to drag your clips on top of the buttons and then select the button style of each video object to "image only". you will then have to use a seperate image for this that will sit comfortably on top of or next to your existing graphic. often a small arrow will do the trick - it may not matter that your original button will not highlight when selected by the user - an arrow next to it could be effective enough. i often get menu backgrounds from clients with the text already laid on top - not ideal but i'll stick an arrow next to each title as my link to the video object.
ken
MPM wrote on 3/7/2007, 4:11 PM
"...what do you mean by "just add the bounding boxes themselves which then don't have to be that accurate"?"

Adding any button (empty or otherwise) set the button type to image, then if there is an image (say from dragging & dropping a clip), remove it. You're left with a box you can size over any area of the background image or page. In fact, the coordinates of that box are all that's recorded in the rendered DVD -- any graphics are just merged with the background and a new video rendered.

If you create a highlight mask at the same time as you do your background in something like Photoshop, import it under the media properties for the page. It can be just a basic png file with transparent background, and any black text or shapes will be where highlight tinting show up. The only restriction is your bounding boxes have to be big enough to include any highlight graphics -- if you use an arrow or something next to your text, your box has to be shaped to include that arrow. For remote only use, don't even have to include the text -- PC users will put their mouse cursor on the text though and might get confused.

And because your boxes don't actually include any text or graphics or anything, there's no margin & they can be short enough that they don't touch even with single spaced text.
Pfredd wrote on 3/7/2007, 5:29 PM
MPM,

I understand what you are saying, but I don't understand how to delete the button image.

If I add a video clip to a menu, I get a button. I set it to image only. How do I delete the button's image without deleting the clip as well?

Pfredd wrote on 3/7/2007, 6:48 PM
OK - Answered my own question again. Boy ain't I smart! :-)

Once I placed the button, I go to the button's Media section, click on "Thumbnail Media", click the little down arrow and select Remove. I then did the same thing for the Frame.

I only have the "Studio" version, but I am really impressed with it's power!