Is this the menu length or the project size?
Make sure the project is setup for a 4.7 gig dvd disk.
Not at my computer now so can't check the options, never noticed if was possible to set the project size to 1.4 gig or to fit on a mini-dvd.
I would think the option is there so "Fit to Disk" would work.
So check the size of your project & how it's setup for what size dvd your trying to burn.
It should have defaulted to 4.7 dvd size.

Unless you only have a CD burner in the computer & not a dvd burner.

Thank you to both 4eyes and vincej for your help. I am sure that you are exactly on the right track, vincej. I have followed your suggestions re menu length exactly, and, yes,under,"automatic", before I changed to "specify" the length listed was 57.49.888(the entire length of the project). I altered to 20.55 seconds, and changed the loop point too, but now, the project stops playing after 20.55 seconds. I am sure that I am so near to solving the problem, vincej. Do you have any more instructions for a very grateful, old lady? Thanks so much.

Well done - you are within seconds of fixing the last problem. On the "general properties" llok for the tab " End Action" . You currently have it set to "hold" you want to set it to "loop" - Voila !!

I enjoy answering people queries or else I would not do it however, as much as reading manuals is a major pain - and I hate it too - the upside is that you can often get answers quicker that way than by posting and waiting until someone answers.

I commend you to the tutorials and also try simply searching inside the online help for the function you might need. Sometimes when I am feeling ambitious I simply look at the drop down menus to see if there is something I do not understand yet and I go and look it up - just in case I need it .... like perhaps track motion .. no clue how that works !! Where is that on line manual !!

cheers Vincej

This is ridiculous,vincej, as it still hasn't worked!! You are being SO patient and I feel SO stupid. I set the End Action to "loop" with great excitement and the project still stopped at 20.55 seconds. I'm not sure exactly what I should set the loop point at. I looked up the Help programme under "Setting Loop Points for Menus" and the example they gave was for the Loop Point to be at 20 seconds if the Menu Length was 30 seconds. Any more of your wonderfully helpful suggestions?

Ok - the only thing I can think of is that you are viewing your menu through the preview screen - indeed it will not loop. View it through the Preview screen button near the top. choose either "current" or "whole disc" - should not matter.

If that does not work check your settings on the "Menu page properties" > "General"

looking at one of my own projects I have the following set up and it loops at the "end action" ( set to loop)

Menu length: specify
Length: 25 secs
Loop point: 000000000000

The words loop point are miss leading - they actually refer to that moment when you want the titles to appear.

Hope it works

Sorry - I meant to say that you are NOT viewing it through the preview screen -- you need to try that.

Thanks,once again,vincej.I feel more & more stupid each time I ask for help! I looked at the project through the preview screen as you suggested and yes it loops alright, but ALL it does is to play that first 20seconds over and over again and it never loops into the rest of the project!! What a nuisance I am!!

lets be clear - you are not stupid .... if you really were stupid you would be blaming the software - so we can build on your desire to learn.

VMS is doing what it is supposed to : look at the menu from a Hollywood film - it plays 20 seconds or so and repeats itself again and again - that is what you have built. A Hollywood film also has a button "start movie" or "scene selections". You need to now build those buttons on your menu screen such that when you press them they go to where you want them to go. This is nearly impossible to explain over a forum - it will involve a desire to learn, trial and error and a some patience on your part. The best advice I have for you is: Do not expect to get your project done real soon. Set aside in your mind at least 2-3 days of learning time. Take it easy, relax.

The best thing you can do is review the tutorials very carefully. Practice them like a piece of piano work until eventually it falls into place:

I initially learned by going to the "show me how" animated tutorials - button at the top - and followed each one step by step. Focus particularly on "Creating Menu based DVD"

You might even want to start a new project just for the purpose of the tutorials - that way if you completely mess up you can throw it away and nothing is lost.

When you have finished the tutorials and you feel that there are still bits you don't get then for sure drop us a line.

Good luck. Vincej