Motion Menu Probelm With DVD-Lab - Objects / Text Missing

[sfxwe]

Ok I have created some MPEG motion menus and dropped them into DVD-Lab as a motion background for my motion menu. When I add any objects or text from DVD-Lab and test in DVD-Lab preview, the objects and text are not visable. The sub pictures (highlight colors for active not active etc...) are there but the actual object is missing. I notice when I delete the MPEG file in DVD-Lab the object is really there, it was just behind the video / MPEG. I even compiled the dvd thinking it was just an error in DVD-Lab V1.32 but when watching the video in any of my DVD software players, the objects and text are still not there.

So in order to have a motion menu, do I have to add the objects / text in the video editing program and then use hot spots? Or am I missing something? I know in other authoring apps I have not had this problem.

Thanks

[housepig]

try selecting the motion menu and using the "Send To Back" command.

sounds like your motion menu is sitting on top of all your other buttons and text...

[sfxwe]

Well I had already tried something close to what you are suggesting, I selected the text / objects and brought them to the front, still no luck.

So I tried to select the background as you suggested, but I can't, I can only select the text and objects . Any other Ideas? Please .....

[sfxwe]

Well I think I just figured it out ....... I turned off the Auto DeInterlace option and all the objects and text seem to be there now . I will post after I compile to let you all know as I have alot more work to do....but so far so good now .

Thanks for the reply housepig it is appreciated

[sfxwe]

Ok turning off the Auto DeInterlace option did not work ..... I dunno what else to do. Any suggestions guys or girls?

Again I am putting a small video on the menu, DVD-Lab say it is gonna make it a motion menu, I click ok....so far so good. I then add some text and when I preview or author the DVD, the text is gone and the only thing I can see when using the navigation buttons on the remote is the sub colors.

I even tried selecting the text and moving it to the front etc etc.....I tried moving the video to the back etc etc..... but still no workie workie .

Ya think it is a bug or am I doing something wrong?

[andkiich]

The answer to this is in the DVD-Lab help. It has to do with the transparency levels and the motion clip. The example in the help is the one with the car racing down a winding road with teh menu text to the left of the car.

[sfxwe]

I saw the help, and the transparency levels are set correctly. I read the whole freakn help file from start to finish along with the tuts on the site itself, and still no luck . I even uninstalled and reinstalled and have tried V1.2 then went back to 1.3, and still no luck ..... But so far DVD-lab seems to be a very good program with pretty good control over layout etc....

Just this motion menu thing is killing me, lol.......

[Skynet107]

You can't use the text tool in DVD-Lab when you are using full motion menus. The reason is, any text that does not have an action (a link) attached to it will vanish when the DVD is rendered. I do not know if this is a bug or if it is intended but this is the case. If you want text on your motion menu then I suggest you render the motion menu, then overlay text in some other program and render the output again, then encode to mpeg2. I have done this dozens of times with good results. I use Adobe AfterFX but there are other video apps that do the same thing.

[sfxwe]

All the text had links.... they were the text to navigate the menu. I even tried objects with links and same thing, nothing shows but the sub colors.

[andkiich]

That is the way that it is designed.

If you want a standard text to stay visible, you'll need to use a video package to add the text to the video clip.

[sfxwe]

Guys, this is NOT just plain text, it is text with links...... so i can navigate a menu.

[Skynet107]

Then the transparency of the text is probably set to be invisible. Whatever colours you select for the text will be ignored and overwritten with the colour states of the links. Use the link properties page to check the colour/transparency of the text. Also press the PLAY button to test the links.

[sfxwe]

andkiich

The answer to this is in the DVD-Lab help. It has to do with the transparency levels and the motion clip. The example in the help is the one with the car racing down a winding road with teh menu text to the left of the car.

sfxwe

I saw the help, and the transparency levels are set correctly. I read the whole freakn help file from start to finish along with the tuts on the site itself, and still no luck . I even uninstalled and reinstalled and have tried V1.2 then went back to 1.3, and still no luck ..... But so far DVD-lab seems to be a very good program with pretty good control over layout etc....

Just this motion menu thing is killing me, lol.......

From posts above......

Sorry if I am coming across wrong, but I am just frustrated right now .

[lgh529]

I had this same problem, so maybe you are missing the same thing that I missed.

Get the menu screen up, and click on your text to select it. On the properties window, click on the vertical tab called 'Map'. Underneath Color Map there is a window with arrows on the sides that will have one of the following in it: 'Normal', 'Selected', or 'Activated'. If it is not on 'Normal' click the left arrow till it says 'Normal'. Notice the sliders underneath. If you want the text always on, then the sliders need to be all the way to the right. If they're in the middle, there will be some factor of transparency. If they're on the left, the link will be totally transparent.

You may also want to check the other modes ('Selected', or 'Activated') to see if they are transparent as well.

Good luck.