4 replies to this topic

[koliver@optonline.net]

In MyDVD, when I try to change the menu button from an animated button to one that has just a bitmap picture, there is no way to do this. The help file says to select "DVD Menu" and "Select Thumbnail", but this only shows a preview of the animated button and doesn't let you change it to a bitmap. I don't want an animated button, just a static picture. How do I do this?

[rjohnston20847x]

koliver@optonline.net, on Mar 9 2006, 05:13 PM, said:

In MyDVD, when I try to change the menu button from an animated button to one that has just a bitmap picture, there is no way to do this. The help file says to select "DVD Menu" and "Select Thumbnail", but this only shows a preview of the animated button and doesn't let you change it to a bitmap. I don't want an animated button, just a static picture. How do I do this?

I'll tell you what I have done. Hold on. I drag a still image, such as bmp or jpeg, to the button that links to the movie. Doing that adds the still image on to the end of the movie. Next I edit the movie. I select the panel with the still image. I change the duration to the minimum of .33 seconds. I change the contrast to zero and the brightness to zero. That makes the .33 seconds at the end black.

Now I go back to MyDVD 8. I change the thumbnail to the black segment. The button, however, will show the image fully visible.

You can also start by dragging a still image to the menu. That creates a button that links to the image. Next you can drag your movie to the button. That adds the movie clip on to the end of the image. Then edit the movie by changing duration, contrast and brightness of the panel with the still image. Then go back to MyDVD 8 and preview.

[rjohnston20847x]

Here's a way to create a menu template with static buttons.

Start MyDVD 8 and change to a menu style you want to have static buttons.

Without doing anything else, just save that menu style and give it a new name, besides "custom."

Navigate in Windows Explorer to C:\documents and settings\YourLogonName\Application Data\Roxio\DVD\4x3\Themes

Here is where your custom 4x3 templates are stored. The first one is named Themes.dmsd and the others are numbered Themes_n.dmsd.

Open Themes.dmsd or the latest numbered one,  with WordPad. Turn on "wrap to ruler."

Click the binonculars and search for "placeholder"

Now start looking for "StillImage" that follows, probably on the next line or two.

Change the value from "0" to "1"

Save

Now back in MyDVD 8, change to the menu style you just saved in WordPad. Add a video and then preview it to see that the button is static!

You should be able to figure out how to do other things now.

[koliver@optonline.net]

Thanks for your replies rjohnston.
I think I found an easier way that seems to work. I selected the animated button and then in the upper left I selected "Source". I then scrolled down to "File" and from the files then displayed I selected a bitmap.
Then when I went to "Preview", now the bitmap is displayed for the button and when I select it the movie plays. Almost like I knew what I was doing.
Again, thanks for your replies.

[rjohnston20847x]

koliver@optonline.net, on Mar 12 2006, 09:31 AM, said:

Thanks for your replies rjohnston.
I think I found an easier way that seems to work. I selected the animated button and then in the upper left I selected "Source". I then scrolled down to "File" and from the files then displayed I selected a bitmap.
Then when I went to "Preview", now the bitmap is displayed for the button and when I select it the movie plays. Almost like I knew what I was doing.
Again, thanks for your replies.

See post #2, which is similar to what you describe here. I believe the bitmap is now part of your movie, probably at the end of it.