Matt Caz Posted November 29, 2020 Report Share Posted November 29, 2020 I have been trying to get this done for years and finally was able to make it happen. I have successfully managed to custom edit existing menu themes. The key is you can't change the theme name, so pick one of the themes you don't really use and go to town. To modify the menu you need to work with the groups that are inside the theme. I wanted to add 4 more lines so I could have 10 text lines on a Blu Ray menu. You can see in the attached image that I was able to do it. The Theme files are located inside: LIbrary/Application Support/Roxio/Toast Menu Styles. This is where I selected Layout 6 under Main Menu and right clicked and chose DUPLICATE GROUP, then renamed it to Layout 8 and did the same for Layout 10. Then I had to duplicate the Button Groups inside the layout to add buttons for 7,8,9 and 10. This is how the 10 movie looked after I was all done. You can change the background image the font etc. Here's the final result .. this is a screen capture from the actual burned Blu-Ray disc. I have done this editing to other themes as well so I can have 1, 2 and 4 items to the right so I can have a custom background image. Here's a snippet showing 4 images offset to the right. If you have any questions you can email me at: matt@thecaswells.net 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Caz Posted December 2, 2020 Author Report Share Posted December 2, 2020 Unbelievable. People have been asking about custom menus since forever.. 59 people have read this and nobody leaves a comment? I thought it would help out the community but I guess I was wrong. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JmsHrrsn Posted December 4, 2020 Report Share Posted December 4, 2020 Have been playing around for 30 mins on this software (Tit19) and I already hate it. This lack of customisable menus is one of the reasons I'll probably ask for my money back — unless I'm missing something. In C21st users should have full control over how their menus look . . . just like you could back in the day with Adobe Encore. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Escott N Posted December 21, 2020 Report Share Posted December 21, 2020 Hi Matt, I just bought Toast 19 and completely surprised that I couldn't customize fonts etc as easily as I could in iDVD 8 years ago, so your workaround is extremely good news .I am also new to this discussion group so I might find the answer further down. Here is my wquestion: Using your method I am only able to modify themes in classic mode, I can't find any of the upgraded themes. This means, (I think) that I can't do sub menus, etc that are to part of Classic mode. Have you figured out how to modify the newer themes? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Caz Posted December 21, 2020 Author Report Share Posted December 21, 2020 8 hours ago, Escott N said: Hi Matt, I just bought Toast 19 and completely surprised that I couldn't customize fonts etc as easily as I could in iDVD 8 years ago, so your workaround is extremely good news .I am also new to this discussion group so I might find the answer further down. Here is my wquestion: Using your method I am only able to modify themes in classic mode, I can't find any of the upgraded themes. This means, (I think) that I can't do sub menus, etc that are to part of Classic mode. Have you figured out how to modify the newer themes? Thanks! I haven't tried to do sub-menus but I don't believe this will work on subs. Thanks for posting something.. you're the one and most likely the only to do so. Matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaryMartini Posted January 6, 2021 Report Share Posted January 6, 2021 (edited) I'm not going as far as you did with all the title lines, but would like to customize the font on a theme page. do you know if this is possible and how? BTW thanks for taking the time to explain your method. people do read this stuff... Edited January 6, 2021 by MaryMartini Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Escott N Posted January 6, 2021 Report Share Posted January 6, 2021 2 hours ago, MaryMartini said: I'm not going as far as you did with all the title lines, but would like to customize the font on a theme page. do you know if this is possible and how? BTW thanks for taking the time to explain your method. people do read this stuff... Hi Mary, I couldn't get Toast 19 to do any menu customization other than changing the image and adding music. The fonts are locked in, you can't change positions or even change the color or size. Very disappointing. I returned Toast19 and got a refund, and bought DVD Creator-Burn Video Maker by Peng Guiping on the Apple App Store. it is FULLY customizable, any font or color, different frames, music, you can drag menu items wherever you want, basically is it what iDVD was and what Toast should be, but isn't. And it only cost me $15. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Caz Posted January 6, 2021 Author Report Share Posted January 6, 2021 22 minutes ago, Escott N said: Hi Mary, I couldn't get Toast 19 to do any menu customization other than changing the image and adding music. The fonts are locked in, you can't change positions or even change the color or size. Very disappointing. I returned Toast19 and got a refund, and bought DVD Creator-Burn Video Maker by Peng Guiping on the Apple App Store. it is FULLY customizable, any font or color, different frames, music, you can drag menu items wherever you want, basically is it what iDVD was and what Toast should be, but isn't. And it only cost me $15. Did you try changing the fonts in Photoshop. You have to edit the layers for the template in photoshop and then save them. Does that program you bought do Blu Ray and burn DolbyDigital 5.1? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Caz Posted January 6, 2021 Author Report Share Posted January 6, 2021 25 minutes ago, Escott N said: Hi Mary, I couldn't get Toast 19 to do any menu customization other than changing the image and adding music. The fonts are locked in, you can't change positions or even change the color or size. Very disappointing. I returned Toast19 and got a refund, and bought DVD Creator-Burn Video Maker by Peng Guiping on the Apple App Store. it is FULLY customizable, any font or color, different frames, music, you can drag menu items wherever you want, basically is it what iDVD was and what Toast should be, but isn't. And it only cost me $15. you have to edit the layers in photoshop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Escott N Posted January 6, 2021 Report Share Posted January 6, 2021 6 minutes ago, Matt Caz said: Did you try changing the fonts in Photoshop. You have to edit the layers for the template in photoshop and then save them. Does that program you bought do Blu Ray and burn DolbyDigital 5.1? Hi Matt, thanks to your suggestion. I did try the Photoshop workaround which worked but was labor intensive for something that should be a lot easier. If, for example, I had a long sentence and had to reduce the font size I would have to go build a new template every time. With the other app I just edit it as I am going, or move it slightly to fit around my background image. SO much easier. There should be an easy way to adapt font color, size, and position like iDVD did 10 years ago, but I couldn't find it. Your way, which is very clever, would eventually run out of templates since you can't add new templates, just rename them. In DVD Creator I just customize as I am going. I don't honestly know about BlueRay or DolbyDigital, my guess is for $15 probably not, but that was OK for my needs. I also really wanted to create my own sub menus which for some reason is not possible on Toast 18 templates where your workaround works, but I bought Toast 19. I could do the submenus, but not customize the templates. Also, your creative workaround requires Photoshop which not everyone has. Seems like if you pay $90 for an app you should have to acquire another more expense app to get full use of the first one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Caz Posted January 6, 2021 Author Report Share Posted January 6, 2021 2 minutes ago, Escott N said: Hi Matt, thanks to your suggestion. I did try the Photoshop workaround which worked but was labor intensive for something that should be a lot easier. If, for example, I had a long sentence and had to reduce the font size I would have to go build a new template every time. With the other app I just edit it as I am going, or move it slightly to fit around my background image. SO much easier. There should be an easy way to adapt font color, size, and position like iDVD did 10 years ago, but I couldn't find it. Your way, which is very clever, would eventually run out of templates since you can't add new templates, just rename them. In DVD Creator I just customize as I am going. I don't honestly know about BlueRay or DolbyDigital, my guess is for $15 probably not, but that was OK for my needs. I also really wanted to create my own sub menus which for some reason is not possible on Toast 18 templates where your workaround works, but I bought Toast 19. I could do the submenus, but not customize the templates. Also, your creative workaround requires Photoshop which not everyone has. Seems like if you pay $90 for an app you should have to acquire another more expense app to get full use of the first one! I agree completely but I need access to BluRay and DD 5.1 so I may be stuck. I'll check out the program you suggested. I have to be nice here because they like to block my posts so thats why when I found a work around.. and as you say, it's time consuming, I thought I'd share it. Obviously it won't work for you. Wish apple would release iBluRay based on the iDVD engine. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaryMartini Posted January 6, 2021 Report Share Posted January 6, 2021 Hi Matt, Thanks for responding. I havent tried anything else, just what is in T-18. I just downloaded it last night. playing with it now. I tried DVD creator, and at least 5 others. All I want is a DVD authoring with chapters buttons! Not everything works with High Sierra. Some of the software or apps don't support chapter buttons, or the capabilities to durn to a DVD only BR. Pulling my hair out! Guess I'll just have to suck it up with the lack of options and just get this done. I digitized all my dad's old home movies, imported the files into Mac, edited with dates, names,music. so the timelines are done, I just need to get the chapters in there by the year and get these suckers burned to discs. The movies start in 1956! I'm sure a lot of people are doing this sort of thing with old home movies. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaryMartini Posted January 7, 2021 Report Share Posted January 7, 2021 (edited) Escott N: Frustrating is hardly the word I would use a this point! So I took your advice and downloaded DVD Creator-Burn Video maker off the app store. I see that I must be doing something wrong in the steps I am trying to get everything entered. If you would help me, I will say a prayer for you tonight! So here is my situation: I have a full length movie in Mp4. I add that to the 'Add video" interface. I need to create chapters, a menu and a submenu page so the viewer can locate a chapter. Please! Step by step, how do i do this? I'm just not getting the flow and no matter what I do, the chapters are there, but ...God I jus don't know! Help! Someone! Edited January 7, 2021 by MaryMartini misspelled Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Escott N Posted January 7, 2021 Report Share Posted January 7, 2021 Hi Mary, Lets see if they let me help you on a competitors product without deleting my message! Its really pretty easy, when you add the video it will appear on a sidebar, and also as a little frame on the menu. Select the movie in the sidebar, then click the "Video Chapter" button at the top. This opens a. new viewer window. Your movie will start playing, and every where you want a chapter to start, click the "add Chapter" button. You can adjust the exact start and stop later, or erase a chapter and reset it. When you have made all the chapters you want, click "Add Chapters on Menu" at the bottom. That will automatically break your movie into chapters, that you can drag from the sidebar to the menu. Be careful because they will all say the same title, but they are the different parts. They are listed in order so if you drag them in order you should be fine. I've written the app author about being able to change the chapter names and it is not possible at this time, so if you are not sure which is which, you can click the little pencil on each chapter and it will open a window that shows the whole movie with the chapter identified. If you want to see just the chapter, press the button that looks like a little black box in a tray. You can adjust the chapter by drawing the little indicators left or right. Then click done. In the menu window you can have little clips for each chapter, or edit the frame by selecting the frame, and clicking "edit frame" below it. You can change it to a text title instead of the movie frame, or select a static image from the chapter. You can also resize and change the frame style here, or in the menu. One thing I have not figured out is how to have a frame and text for each chapter, so what I did was just added my own text box by clicking Add Text. You can make a different text box for each chapter, then select it and click "edit text" below. That way you can chance font, colors, size, outlines, shadows, etc. Hope that helps. They do ache a support email, and some youtube videos that might help too. Good luck! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Escott N Posted January 7, 2021 Report Share Posted January 7, 2021 8 hours ago, Matt Caz said: I agree completely but I need access to BluRay and DD 5.1 so I may be stuck. I'll check out the program you suggested. I have to be nice here because they like to block my posts so thats why when I found a work around.. and as you say, it's time consuming, I thought I'd share it. Obviously it won't work for you. Wish apple would release iBluRay based on the iDVD engine. Matt, if you see this, I just got a response from the maker of DVD Creator, they said the next version will also make BluRays. No idea on when though. Totally agree with you on "iBluRay" but I don't expect Apple to backpedal now. Stranger things have happened though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Caz Posted January 7, 2021 Author Report Share Posted January 7, 2021 2 minutes ago, Escott N said: Matt, if you see this, I just got a response from the maker of DVD Creator, they said the next version will also make BluRays. No idea on when though. Totally agree with you on "iBluRay" but I don't expect Apple to backpedal now. Stranger things have happened though! I doubt that it will have one feature that is very important to me and why I stick with Toast.. it doesn't re-encode blu ray compliant H264 m2ts files. Most other programs will re-encode no matter what. but I'll keep an eye out. I bought 19 but have been waiting to install it. I've been using toast since it first came out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaryMartini Posted January 7, 2021 Report Share Posted January 7, 2021 Thank you so much. It's late here in Ohio, so I'll revisit this tomorrow. Meanwhile, I C/P'd your comments to save it, just in case it got deleted. I truly appreciate your help! But as with all of these programs, its a learning curve for sure. Thanks again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaryMartini Posted January 7, 2021 Report Share Posted January 7, 2021 I also think that the apps of "DVD Creator-Burn Video Maker" and "DVD Maker Pro" is the same developer. The interfaces are practically the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Escott N Posted January 7, 2021 Report Share Posted January 7, 2021 42 minutes ago, MaryMartini said: I also think that the apps of "DVD Creator-Burn Video Maker" and "DVD Maker Pro" is the same developer. The interfaces are practically the same. Hi Mary, I asked the app developer and they said that they are similar but "DVD Creator-Burn Video Maker" is the better one. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaryMartini Posted January 8, 2021 Report Share Posted January 8, 2021 Escott, Any idea why the buttons in the chapter column on the left side bar are red? I have already marked my chapters and created the menu page and all my titles under each chapter in the submenu. I did a burn to a disc and it played OK. (Quality is not very clear, but it'll have to do.) So why are the little buttons red and not green? Am I missing a step? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Escott N Posted January 9, 2021 Report Share Posted January 9, 2021 (edited) Hi Mary, the red button means it was not dragged over to the menu yet. I'm not sure how you are seeing the menu with chapters unless you dragged them over, so I am not sure. I guess if you have the chapters in the menu it doesn't really matter! As far as video quality, I noticed some of my older clips were lower quality than my newer camera. My gopher footage was the newest and was really sharp. Hope that helps. Edited January 9, 2021 by Escott N Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaryMartini Posted January 9, 2021 Report Share Posted January 9, 2021 Yes, thanks again, so much. I did drag the chapters to the menu page and titled everything. But the button remains red. At this point Im going to assume each aspect of the chapter, menu, frames, etc are good to go. I also wondered if the red button means that some modification was made to that clip, and that the red button is an indicator of some sort. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hermie54 Posted January 9, 2021 Report Share Posted January 9, 2021 From the Help menu, somewhat cryptic: 12. Video list red and green dot is what ? The red dot is the video have been used, the DVD contain the video . The green dot is the video haven’t been used, the DVD not contain the video . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaryMartini Posted January 9, 2021 Report Share Posted January 9, 2021 Hermie54, thanks so much. I thought that thats what might be the case. Thanks for taking the time to respond! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martigen Posted January 14, 2021 Report Share Posted January 14, 2021 Hi, i'm new here, just purchased Toast 19 Pro, i'm coming from Encore, and i need to create a Blu-ray disc, i have the following questions: 1. On Blu-ray can you add an intro video? 2. Does it support 5.1 Dolby Digital? 3. Can you make menus over the playing video like on Encore? thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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