Editing menu with fade-in background in DVD-lab

[valja]

I'm trying to create motion menu with fade-in background in DVD-lab. The problem is, that the menu fades in and at the beginning it's just dark screen. When I put such video-clip as a background, menu editing screen sticks to the first frame of clip and stay dark. But to put buttons etc to the right place, I have to see pictures, that appear later. Well, I can preview this clip in the preview window (at bottom right), but not on the editing screen, where I need it.

One way is temporarily edit menu with necessary still picture and then put motion background, but... then all "normal state" editing will be overwritten by new background. So, this way does not help.

In the Tsunami DVD Author there is nice possibility to move starting point of background clip somewere else from beginning - and menu editing screen shows then just this frame. After editing one can just move this starting point back to beginning and, voila, job is done. Unfortunately, when I move loop start point in DVD Lab, nothing changes on the menu editing screen - I still see just dark background.

So, question is: Is there some way to have on the "Menu edit" screen some other frame than just first frame of motion background? - OR - Is there some way to replace background without loosing all editings made?

Long post, but hopefully my problem is understandable.

[goonix]

In preview window move the slider to the correct position first (where you can see your prefered part of your motion menu for button creation). Then drag&drop the video file from assets window to your menu.

goonix

[valja]

Thanx, goonix! It works!

[valja]

BTW, is there any way to save just objects in menu (without background) or copy them to another menu (without background). All export functions I tried, grab also background :(

[goonix]

It should not be a problem. You have at least 2 options.

1. Export the menu as "menu". Load the saved menu into a new menu. Right click with your mouse and remove background.

2. Export the menu as "PSD". Remove or change the background layer with a layer capable graphic program. Import the PSD file into a new menu.

goonix

[valja]

Well, that works with static background, but setting motion background always overwrites existing objects :(

To be honest, I do not understand, why it is such a problem in DVD Lab. Anyway, during menu editing, there is picked up just one picture from video sequence as the background. Static pictures can be replaced without any problem at any moment, so why it is not possible to choose just another picture from the same motion sequence "on he fly"? Or just replace motion background? Tsunami DVD Author allows to do it without any problem - all editings remain.

And another question (not related to above). Is there any way to applay blur to color map (I mean, Hi-lite of selected and active objects). As far as I understand, it is applied as separate transparent layer (like subtitles). Objects themselve can be blurred, but not highlith - it always has sharp edges. When some blurred object is selected, these sharp edges are clearly visible and make resulting picture quite ugly, even if Color Map is set to be quite transparent. I tried to turn on "Antialiased", bit that did not help much.

[goonix]

Following statements are for DVDLab Pro:
setting motion background always overwrites existing objectsThats not correct. Objects are not overwritten.
why it is not possible to choose just another picture from the same motion sequence "on he fly"?You only need one specific frame to place the buttons, but you can chose any frame of the motion background "on the fly" by drag&drop without losing the objects. The usage is different to Tsunami, but does the same.

For blurring you need thousands of different colors (color graduations). Since highlights can only have up to 3 different colors, it is not possible. Antialiasing is a very small advantage, because with only 3 color graduations, the blurring is very poor. That is not a limitation of DVDLab. It is the DVD standard.

goonix

[valja]

Following statements are for DVDLab Pro:
Thats not correct. Objects are not overwritten.
You are right. Only normal state is replaced. But one can make tem visible again using color map - just set level for normal state (by default it's zero). But there's no need for it - you already got me better way :)
You only need one specific frame to place the buttons, but you can chose any frame of the motion background "on the fly" by drag&drop without losing the objects. The usage is different to Tsunami, but does the same.
Thanks again. That should be clearly stated somewhere in the manual. I think, it is, but I just didn't found right place.
For blurring you need thousands of different colors (color graduations). Since highlights can only have up to 3 different colors, it is not possible. Antialiasing is a very small advantage, because with only 3 color graduations, the blurring is very poor. That is not a limitation of DVDLab. It is the DVD standard.

goonix

Oops. It makes things more clear. So I have to figure out, why things look better in Tsunami. Probably objects were better prepared and I have to found, what's difference.

One thing is clearly blur. I noticed now, that in Lab, only object itself (frame, picture) is blurred, but object's borders remain sharp. In Tsunami, blur also blurs borders of object. So, applaying blur to the text has visible (and nice) effect in Tsunami, but looks senseless in Lab - just no effect.

Now I just have to play with different effects to find best solution.