Custom *.psd Menu Creation

AtomicGreymon wrote on 4/15/2008, 11:20 PM

Up to now I've mostly used Encore CS3 to make DVDs, however given that I seem to use Vegas more than PPro, I've been wanting to try DVDA more.

However, after creating a couple custom menus as layered PSD documents for Encore, DVDA's layer system isn't quite clear. In Encore, I'm used to being able to compose a button of multiple objects/layers all collected into a single layer group. Is this not possible under DVDA's system? The manual doesn't really make it quite clear. Are there any PSD templates for download anywhere that I can use as a basis for creating my own?

Thanks in advance.

Comments

bStro wrote on 4/17/2008, 7:45 AM

Is this not possible under DVDA's system?

Far as I know, it is. In the manual / online help, each of the steps begins with, "Create a layer set named [xxx] (optional)." What Adobe now calls "layer groups" used to be called "layer sets."

For the most part, PSDs for DVDA work the same as PSDs for Encore. The main differences (not small ones, mind you) is the naming convention is not the same, and I don't believe DVDA will recognize any vector objects (including non-rasterized text).

Are there any PSD templates for download anywhere that I can use as a basis for creating my own?

Specifically for DVDA? Not really. If you do a search of this forum for PSD, you might find a few examples. But by following the instructions in the online help, you should be able to figure out what you need to rename and what layers you may need to merge to make your Encore menus work in DVDA.

Rob

johnmeyer wrote on 4/17/2008, 8:54 AM

Here are some posts I've made in the past re: PSD questions. The last one is actually not my post, and as a result, it is by far the most informative. Start with that one (#7 below):

PSD1

PSD2

PSD3

PSD4

PSD5

PSD6

PSD7

AtomicGreymon wrote on 4/17/2008, 2:06 PM

Thanks for the replies; after reading through some of those linked threads I'm starting to get a better handle on what's required.

The fact DVDA doesn't recognize vector objects was probably a big reason of why the menu I was experimenting with didn't work... the Encore version I made contained almost nothing but vector objects (it's a Star Trek-themed menu, based on the fictional OS the computers in that show use; which is a pretty clean layout; quite good for menus), and non-rasterized text. I like how Encore will recognize text, and allow you to edit within Encore after creating the PSD file.

I suppose I'll have to rasterize the objects for a DVDA version of the menu, and apparently resize it to 873x480, as well. Encore seems to accept WS menus at 720x480, and interprets their pixel aspect ratio correctly.

Quite a bit to get used to... hopefully in the future, DVDA will become more flexible in what it allows you to do with the PSD files. I was using vector shapes mostly because I wanted to create a menu with a similar layout in HD, and it made sense to use vectors when I could just copy the layers over and blow them up in a 1920x1080 frame.