menu with buttons (in adobe, psd files) for dvdmaestro???

[mazinz]

i asked something about this a short time ago, ok i know how to work dvd maestro thats not a problem, but i am having a problem creating a menu with CUSTOM made buttons. I am fully aware i can make regular block buttons in maestrro itself, but if i want a button of lets say a pic of my head, this is where i need help. I have been trying a few things but just cannot get it to work.

lets say i have a 720x480 jpeg thats completely back, well have that as my menu screen. I want to add a button on this that is a triangle. How Can i get this done using Adobe, so that when i import the psd file into maestro it will see the button on the pic?? I tried using layers with 2 psd files (one menu, one for button) but no luck. Any help would greatly be appreciated. thanks, Happy holidays

[Cornucopia]

There are 2 kinds of menus in Maestro (and for that matter, most good authoring softs)--FAST with simple highlights, and SLOW with Truecolor hightlights. The 2nd is actually a cheat jump to an identical menu with the button prehighlighted.

This is how you do it for the 1st method:

*Make a photoshop file 720x540 (assuming NTSC)

*On the background layer, make your menu AND your button. Maestro treats it all as a menu, but with a POTENTIAL button on it. It doesn't actually become a button until you draw that rectangle in Maestro's menu workspace.

*Once the menu is made-resize to 720x480.

*Make an additional layer, (or duplicate the background layer). On it will be just 4 colors (or less; Usually Red, Blue, Black, White). Turn anti-aliasing OFF. Make good use of the FILL menuitem.

*Save as layered PSD file.

When opened in Maestro and the active button area is drawn, use the color mapping functions to finetune the Selection and Activation Highlights and color contrasts. Done.

Example: Triangle-shaped Christmas tree on menu. Duplicate layer has Blue Triangle (in same overlaying/coincident space), with Red outline of 4 pixels. After drawing box around active area, Green Christmas tree will be selected-showing as Greenish White Christmas Tree--snow!--with light blue outline. When activated, will show as Red Christmas Tree with yellow outline.

It's all in the manual... 8)

Merry Christmas!

Scott

[mazinz]

THANKS for the info, i will try this out immediately!!!
my dvd maestro lets say is not the most official version their is (if you catch what im saying), so whoever did mine did not include the manual with it.
thanks again-------

[mazinz]

i got it to work, but here is another question, if i still have to outine the button as some sort of square in maestro anyway, whats the point of making it with the adobe? i might as well just use a jpg.
is their any true way to make a button so lets say using the earleir example the button is just a triangle, no other shape will appear with it?
i know by messing with the color palette i can do this but then that makes the button itself somewhat invisible (unless i can add a 3d look to it to show that it stands out)

[Cornucopia]

mazinz--

that rectangle is just the buttons' "active area". You can make it visible or invisible. The variety and artistry is in the choice(s) of highlight translation(s) via the color palette(s). You can use one of the other few color choices for "drop shadow" highlight or "anti-alias" highlight. It is somewhat simplistic, but that's how the DVD spec was left at (Prob. to keep settop machine RAM requirements and disc bitrate down). If you look at most major movies this is what's done. Of course you could go with the previously-mentioned fullcolor-additional menus variation. But that only slows reaction time for the buttons.

BTW, be careful what you're saying about software and all. We want to keep this site above-board and active for a long time.

One more thing--I also own Impression DVD Pro and its menu creation method with photoshop is somewhat similar. I know that there are examples and templates on the 'Net for that program. Maybe you could catch a few ideas from those.

Good luck,

Scott

[mazinz]

once again thank you for the info. i was a bit of a scrooge last night. i will just keep playing around with things and im sure will pick it up from there. i did have one thing to ask though i was all over my adobe and even in the help file, but where can i turn of the anti-aliasing off? i could not find a choice for it anywhere. thanks again---

[Cornucopia]

when u use the rectangular or circular selection tool, it is one of the tool's options (a checkbox), along with a textbox to dial in feathering width, and size/proportion constraint pulldown options, etc...

HTH,

Scott