use png buttons (from nero vision) to use in Gui dvdauthor

[rodp]

Hi All,

I'd like to use the 'DVD_Button_2.png' (from Nero Vision's button folder) as an animated button in a Gui dvdauthor menu, however it only works with gif masks. I've been trying various combinations and different variations of the image with different transparancies but I've not been successful in getting the chosen animation to display just through the film strip and not the rest. Can anyone help? Please see the png file attached.

Many thanks in advance

Rodp

[borax]

What exactly is your problem? You want to have a video clip shining through the green part of the image? That would be quite easy: Save the PNG file as BMP, load it into GFDGifTool, save as transparent gif and put it into your gifmask folder (see also http://download.videohelp.com/gfd/Help/ShortdescGifMasks.html)
But what about the red part of the image? On a pure red menu background that would lead to your desired effect, but on any other background, the red part would just be as red as it is here. You cannot have two different transparencies, one for the video (the green part) and another one for the menu background (the red part) if this would be what you want...
Therefore you would need to create a new mask where the red part already contains the background of the menu, and only the green part is made transparent as gifmask.

[rodp]

Hi Borax,

Thanks for the reply and yes you've understood what I need - the green is for the chosen clip and the red is the other (outer) transparency (so to speak) as I have a background animation too that run whilst you are in the menu (trying to make the menu look nice and professional!). I suppose it would all be fine if the picture was square on and not slanted, as then it wouldn't show any of the red backing.

So... it sounds like that gui dvdauthor cannot handle this double masking (double alpha channel) which Nero vision can do. Could you or anyone suggest a work around?

Last resort would be to rotate the shape until it fits in a nice rectangle and fill the sproket holes in with white. Might there be another way to pre process the clip i want in the green part at the import stage (when you click on insert animation)? I noticed there is a means to change it's scale etc but there isn't a rotate function - is this possible behind the scenes?

Thanks in advance

Rodp

[borax]

For a static background my suggestion would work without too much trouble, but for an animated background this is not possible. The only way to do something like it is to create the menu video including mask, background and foreground video (you may create it either with Nero vision or with avisynth), use it as animated background in GfD and just add the green mask (GifMask) as button for highlighting the selection.

[rodp]

Hi Borax, in the end I straightened up the filmstrip in paint shop pro simplifying things. Thanks for your advice.

Rodp