Tom,
After rereading your post here, I see that it focuses on the problem with just getting a psd with layer sets (groups) to import.

I see that CS psds will import as you say, but that bug has never really been a showstopper (for me, at least), because even without layer sets in the psd, the common naming of the 0x button layers keeps the layers together (in fact, the DVDA help file states that the button-0x-group layer set usage is optional). My biggest problem right now is that the highlight layer for each button is not staying put (shifting left/right) when i preview the imported menu, and this is happening with both CS and CS2 psds.

Questions: When you say that you reported the problem to Sony support, then you describe the bug and the solution, did someone at Sony give you that solution? Are the support reps responsive, and did they essentially admit to this bug? Did you submit your support issue via email or phone?

Thanks!
Gary

Gary,
I did report/describe the bug with CS2 to SONY via the online support submission route and have yet to see an update. I found the problem/solution on my own.

I have used multi-layered psd files with only text and do not see the highlight layer being shifted at all. In fact in all my tests the highlight layer has never been an issue.

Tom

What are the chances you could share some of your PSD files or make some example ones for us all - I would love to see a well working PSD, and I could host these files myself.

Hi Jonathan,
I've sent you a working .psd file by email.
HTH,
Tom

Would also be interested to see this 'working' psd file - any chance to upload it somewhere - thanks in advance!

Hey mr rsp (name hidedn :-) )
We are still testing this - things are strange to say the least. Once we get it working, we'll find a way to post it somewhere.
Cheers,
Tom

Tom (and others),
I loaded your two psds that you emailed me, previewed the menus, and captured some screenshots. My results were as follows:

Your single button psd with the two letters as the highlight did not preview correctly. The two highlight letters shifted to the left in preview mode, and they seem to be a bit taller than they are in the psd (stretched vertically).

Your other psd with the multiple buttons and the highlight layers being exactly the same image (size and location) as the thumbnail layers WORKED. I'm not sure why, but keep reading abuot my tests, and we might be closer to an answer.

http://semel.tzo.com/public/dvda3_tests/tom_test_(dvda3).zip

With my tests, I focused on the thumbnail/highlight layer size issue. I included a bunch of screenshots in the zip file, but they all show some interesting things. Some things to look for:

Button 1's highlight object is text (not a shape), and it's much taller than the associated thumbnail.

Button 2's highlight object is text (not a shape), and it's much shorter than the associated thumbnail.

The button areas in dvda seem to be large enough to include the thumbnail and highlight.

The button1 preview shows that the large highlight image shifts to the left.

The button2 preview shows that the tiny highlight image shifts to the left, AND it stretches vertically to the point of distortion (because the original X is so small). Very weird!!

What I also found is that yuo can change the layer that's used as the menu background media using the dropdown. This is cool, because if yuo change the menu background to use one of the button highlight layers, yuo can see that the PSD seems to be importing correctly, because the large and small Xs are in their correct locations in relation to their button objects (although at this point, the X is on the background, so it's not tied to the button at all).

My nonworking tests and yuor working menu lead me to believe that the sizes and proportions of a button's thumbnail and highlight layers MUST be the same. This means that custom object layers are pretty much useless in dvda3. :-(

http://semel.tzo.com/public/dvda3_tests/gary_test_(dvda3).zip

Any thoughts?

Gary

Please check your email for solution/workaround. I'm going to bed!
Tom

Ok thanks, will wait until you get it working

Rudi

Between the dozen odd emails between Tom and myself, two things are clear.

1. Tom and I communicate quite clearly, heck, we even send screenshots of what we see. It's all good (you rule, Tom!).

2. DVD Architect and Adobe Photoshop do not communicate as clearly. You get BIZARRE results (and how, Tom!).

Hopefully Tom has figured out a sneaky way of forcing the PSD highlights to fit. With great luck, Sony will have solved the problems before we are all forced to make such a work-around, and then, then my friends, this thread may rejoice!

Jon,
Sent you another screenshot which will make it clear.

I'll work on reporting this to SONY today. Still no response to my last on-line bug report.
Cheers,
Tom

Thank you all for posting about this issue, and for your helpful test files. We should have this problem resolved in the next update. (Once the update is available, the PSD files should work correctly when being inserted using the "Insert / Submenu from File..." menu option.

Thank you 'ForumAdmin'.
I found out talking with Support that I actually have a gold support plan and have spent a considerable amount of time with them on the phone today and walked one person through the failing scenario.

Good news that it will be resolved - any ETA for build c?
Thanks so much,
Tom

For those experiencing this problem, here's the workaround:

Once the menu file is created and imported and you see the HL layer offset problem:
1. Click on a button that comes from the .psd file
3. On the 'Button properties' page, click on 'Media -> Thumbnail file name', click the file pulldown arrow and select 'Crop and adjust' and open 'Crop'. Write down all the numbers.
4. Still on the Button properties', click on 'Media -> Highlight file name', click the file pulldown arrow and select 'Crop and adjust' and open 'Crop'. Make these (crop) numbers identical to #3.

Now the layers should line up.

I tested this with both mono spaced and proportional fonts used in creating the .psd menu file and the behaviour is consistent and the bypass works.

HTH ...
Cheers,
Tom

Tom, this was a great catch, and I appreciate you figuring it out and providing a solution. Now the question for me becomes do I really want to do this for the 20 or so scene selection buttons on my wedding dvd menu (and other projects), or wait for the next version of DVDA3. :-) Oh well, I'm not in that big of a rush, but I suppose I'll have to pony up for Vegas+DVD once they release DVDA3c.

For what it's worth, I found a little time-saver when it comes to copying the four crop numbers from media to highlight. There's a little copy button (looks like two pieces of paper?) in the Crop and Adjust dialog's toolbar. This one button copies the four crop rectangle settings to the clipboard, so you can copy and paste all four numbers between the two dialogs with just one copy/paste operation, and no writing down the numbers.

Thanks!
Gary

Gary,
I have no idea when the next build will surface. Meantime, thanks for the timesaver. I didn't even see that, but it sure works.
Cheers,
Tom

FYI...a quick check with the brand spankin' new 3.0c, and my test psd menus are previewing correctly.

Yay!!!

Gary