Newbie: Making a menu link to video ?

mikecazz wrote on 4/3/2003, 9:33 PM
Jesus what an unfriendly program and manual !
All I want to do is place a background image on a menu and have TEXT links to the scenes!
I have the background image done and inserted - I inserted my musical background - but when I add a video clip I get this stupid preview transparent box looking thing around the text - I just want to use the text editor to create simple text links to the video files - WITHOUT and square semi transparent boxes involved?!

What is with this video preview box that shows up !?

Comments

wobblyboy wrote on 4/4/2003, 12:14 AM
Right click and choose text only. Your Text will then be linked to your clip. You can edit or change text as you desire by right click and edit text. I was used to DVD Workshop when I first started using DVD Architect and it seemed like functions were not obvious. However after playing with it for a while, I started to understand how it was set up and have discovered that the work flow is actually simplier and more efficient than either DVDit or DVD Workshop. Give it a little time, I think it will grow on you.

If you are concerned with the highlighting function during actual preview you can set highlighting method, color and transparancy in the page window. If you want chapters double click on the link and a clip time line will appear on which you can set chapter points. If you want to set up a scene menu with links to chapter points you can do this automatically by right clicking on the link and selecting the automatic scene selection menu. If you want to place a specific frame in the Link Button window, select scene in timeline and click on "set menu item thumbnail. If you want moving backgrounds or buttons you can select a video for a background image or check animate thumbnail in the object menu. If you use moving backgrounds or buttons you can see a real time preview.

There are a couple of concerns that I hope will be addressed in upcoming versions. 1) You can not select specific end of play behavior. 2) Root menu button returns to main menu not sub menu. 3) There is a known problem with slightly jerky preview of MPEG files in Windows 98. However automatic scene selection, importation of chapter points from Vegas, real time preview on motion menus and buttons, time line editing of selected video clips, AC-3 encoder, and efficient and fast work flow make this a very usable program at a price that is less than the price of a stand alone AC-3 encoder from Ulead. I am sure that the programs minor shortcomings will be addressed soon. I also expect that a new version will come out that will provide sub titles and multiple audio streams.

I hope you take the time to explore some of this programs features. I think you will learn to like it.
mikecazz wrote on 4/4/2003, 8:31 AM
Thanks for the tips - I did finally make a little progress. It is just not as user friendly as Vegas.