Horribly basic Scenarist probs.

[dvd_master]

I DID look through the guide, and DID search, but I'm probably just stupid and can't figure them out myself.

I'm sick of DVD Maestro. Subs unsynching, 'bitrate too high' shutting down my project, minimum subtitle limits causing subs to overlap and do wierd stuff, and considerably more problems. I spent a large chunk of the company's money to get Sonic Scenarist, which seems to be THE program once you get it down. Well, the guides didn't halp me in all the parts, I still have stupid stuff I need help with.

1) HOW do I link one of the buttons to another movie/chapter? I can't seem to figure it out!

2) How can I view what the subtitles look like? I can't seem to find that option (in Maestro you double click)

3) How do i set end actions, etc. I think it has something to do with PGCs (?) but I'm totally lost on WHAT I do with them.

4) How do I make chapters? Maestro showed what part of the video each chapter would be, so I could see when an episode's theme ended, or when the halfway point struck. Can't seem to figure this one out.

5) Last (for now)...... How do I set a motion menu to loop once its done? I must be overlooking something.

I'm VERY sorry to ask such dumb stuff, but I can't find any sort of answer!

[burnttoast]

1.drag from the little button box in the scenario layout window or double click on it to set up manually.

2.the simulation window has a subtitle button to set what subtitle button you'll see or to turn it on/off.you have to be in a frame with a subtitle to see the subtitle.the green arrows might help.

3.end actions are post commands.view the post commands in the simulation window and set it to what you want to do.

4.get to the spot you want to make chapter in the simulation window or track timeline and click the new scene button.not really correct but it'll get you started.

5.set the post command so it loops.

Scenarist takes a little getting use to as is not as user freindly as maestro.It might take a little bit of patience to get some of the basic things down.Most people here like to help but some might get a little discourage when it seems like the poster might not have spent more than 10 minutes trying to figure out how to use the program.Reading the guides are good and glancing over the manual might be helpful too.You could also enter scenarist into the search function of this forum and look at some of the posts it'll return.I don't want to be discouraging but,if your just going to switch to scenarist because of a subtitle problem it might be quicker to learn how to use the batch function in photoshop.

This post might get you started.
http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?threadid=25469&highlight=gprm

[dvd_master]

Argh, still problems with all. The guide says to right click and choose 'Edit Track' for "First PGC", but that's grayed out.

1) Still don't follow. Sorry.

2) I see what you mean, but the subs still don't show.

3) Where is post commands in the Sim window??

4) The timeline doesn't show me which spot I am at the video, so how can I tell where I want the new scene to go?

5) see 3

Man, Maestro sure is easier, but it seems this is the better choice. So far it seems totally inconvenient, but I'm sure it's just me.

That Scenario Editor, I know nothing of how to set it up. Arggh....

[burnttoast]

What guide are you talking about.

1. once you set up your menus with the subpicture and highlighted buttons in the track editor and put it somewhere in the scenario editor you'll seen the buttons tab.

2 use the little updown arrow next to the timecode to track to a spot that has a subtitle.

3. higlight a pgc in the scenario window and then view the simulation window.you'll see a tab called pgc commands at the bottom.or double clik the little thing that says post in the on the pgc in the scenario and it'll pop right up for ya.

4. yes it does.to make it even simpler.make it so that you can see both the scenarist main program and the simulation window on your computer screen.then drag on the scene timeline(the little grey arrow) until you get to the scene you want,then click the new scene button(the one that looks like that director thing at the top)

5. see 3

Mastreo does seem much easier to set up a basic movie type thing.I don't want to sound rude or anything but,maybe it is just you.Scenarist might require a little bit more patience than your use to.You might enter scenarist in the search of this forum and spend an hour or two(or more)reading through the different post.Then you might want to spend an hour or two(or more)trying to set up a basic dvd movie type scenario.Then when you have problems someone here might be willing to help.

[dvd_master]

You're right, it probably is me. It's just that I have a big project I have to finish very soon, so I'm desperatly want to, but Maestro is failing me so I though I could figure something out with Scenarist. Looks like I better try it some other time.

The guide I was trying was the Matrix backup guide in Doom9.

[dvd_master]

I actually got the hang of lots of stuff this time through, though still a little holes.

How do I get to that "Button Commands" window? I can't seem to find it, so if you can tell me where in detail I'd like it.

Do the movies and menus in the Scenario Editor have to branch from Title 1 in any certain order? Or are menus and movies supposed to be in seperate titles? (I can't seem to set the main menu as the title menu, it says I can't do that in the Title Domain)...

This really helps alot, thanks a ton!

Oh, forgot one thing. How can I set menus to actually be menus? It appears as Chapter 5 when I open it (though buttons work properly), but it shows there being no menus on the project, though that should be the main.

[burnttoast]

You don't have something called menus in scenarist like you do in maestro.Basicly what defines a menu in scenarist is that you have a subpicture with button highlights.Your menus are going to go into a language folder.You can make one of these by right clicking on a vts folder or the video manager folder in the scenario editor window and choose add language.Once you have your menus set up in the track editor drag them into a language folder.After you drag your first menu in you'll see some little tabs.Pre,post,and root.Root means this is going to be your root menu.You can change this in the property bowser(middle window on the bottom)The title can only go in the video manager and doesn't have to be a menu.It doesn't mean that it's the movie title either.Switch these things around just to see what works where.

Movies can go in any order you like,and,in seprate vts sets too.I would stick to one vts set for now and put each movie in different titles.

I don't know if I can explain how to get to the button commands any better than I have already.Maybe someone else can.Did you set up your subpicture and then make the buttons in the simulation window?

You should at least read the post I linked to.It'll give you some good scenarist basics.It's nice to be able to ask questions and kinda get answers but you might learn more by saying "gee is this gonna work if i do it this way" and then actually trying it yourself and seeing if it works.

[influenza]

The button command windows can be gone sometimes. You can try two things if it doesn't seem to be where it belongs.

Right mouse click and chec/uncheck depends on what's on: allow docking

Or resize the simulation window (make the upper part smaller), probably the button command window is somewhere underneath.

[dvd_master]

Well, I completly get how to do the rest of the stuff, I figured it out (with your help) and I totally understand how to set up the actions, I just can't find the window where I can set them.

influenze: what do I right click on to try and bring the window back up? The second didn't work.

OK I lied. One more thing. I try to add an audio stream it accepted to a still menu, and I get the error "Menu Track shall not have audio stream". Why?

[burnttoast]

When you drag your still menu into the track editor you have 3 options.Choose slide show.

Influenza is trying to make sure you see all the options of the simulation window.If your screen resolution is not high enought sometimes the bottom of it can be cut off.If you right click on any of the 3 little boxs that run across bottom of scenarist you can choose undock/dock.If you undock them all you will be able to see more of the sernario editor window without scrolling down.

If you have a track that you have dropped into the scenario editor look at it very very carefully.You see the little black box that says pgc.To the right of the box,but still connected to it,you see a little white rectangle that says post on it.Double click where it says post.Your simulation window pops up to the front.The simulation window has basicly 3 parts to it.The top part has the file menu and the little icons.The middle part has the screen where you'll see the clip.The bottom has a couple of different tabs.If you can't see the bottom you might have to resize the middle part like influenza suggested.One of the tabs will say pgc commands.This is where you add your commands.It's almost the same with button commands.The button commands will only show up if you have set up your subpicture and your button highlights already.If you've done this already and you drag your clip with subpicture and button highlights into the scenario editor you should see a little white tab named buttons.Look at the pgc you just made.If it has other black boxs under it scroll down in the window until you see the bottom most box.Double click the little white tab that says buttons.The simulation window will pop up.The place to change the button commands should be the first tab.

[dvd_master]

My double click doesn't work right now (??), is there any other way to perform what double clicking on that little 'post' would do?

Side note, why are my bitmap overlays become so wierd? I have a little design for the main menu, but I can only see some of the edge pixels in the simulation window, which displayed perfectly in Maestro. I don't understand why some of it doesn't work, I always choose Subpicture with a Forced Start. Hmmm

[burnttoast]

Get a new mouse that the double click works on????Are you serious or are you just bustin my chops.The 3rd post in this thread tells you how to get to the pgc commands without having to double click on the post commands.

[dvd_master]

Sorry, insane bit of stupidity.

Very last thing (aside from the Bitmap issue), I swear.

Why can't I import a Scenarist subtitle file? It complains about the bitmaps, saying "Error: The subtitle start timecode should be bigger then the background video start"

Thanks a billion!

Edit: For the gazillionth time I lied. I can't find where to set the menu to loop at the post command area. Thanks!

[burnttoast]

Oh Nooooo!!!!!!.Not the dreaded subtitle problem.Didn't you switch from maestro to scenarist to make your life easier and avoid these frustrating subtitle problems.This is just too funny.I don't know how to fix your subtile problems but this post might help.

http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?threadid=49899&highlight=subtitle+start+timecode+should+be+bigger+then+the+background+video+start

Your bitmaps highlights are probably not dispalying right because your colors are not set up right.Highlight the clip and open the simulation window.Go to where you can adjust the subpicture and color higlights and turn all the colors up to 100%.Flick between the display mode butons at the top(solid light blue boxs that say wide,panscan,ect)so you can see the changes>Adjust the color kinda like you would do in maestro.Fored subpicture is good if you want the highlights to start at the beginning of a menu.If you want to delay the start of the buttons you'll have to select nonforced and set the start time in the property browser.

When you set your post command to make the menu loop(you did find where to set these commands,right??)one of the commands is not going to say loop.It not exactly the same as maestro.Theres a couple you can select but the easiest way to loop a menu is in the scenario editor.If your mouse is feeling better,and working correctly,drag from the little post rectangle back to the pgc.It's a really little drag but you should see a line and that little white post tab will change to a nice bright schoolbus yellow.Play it in the simulation window and see if it works

Wouldn't it be more fun if you fooled around with scenarist a little bit and tried to figure some of this stuff out on your own.

[dvd_master]

Thank you for all this help, aside from the subtitle problem, I think I get everything now.

The overlay is still an issue. If I look at the original bitmap it looks fine, but it is clearly not how it shows up. All the colors are 100%.

A low quality example or the bitmap:
http://www.geocities.com/warrior_no_yami/overlay.txt

Here's what it looks like:
http://www.geocities.com/warrior_no_yami/menu.txt

It is sucking!!

[burnttoast]

Fancy button.Pretty cool.Like we said before,maestro is more user friendly than scenarist.In both programs the subpictures are only suppose to have 4 colors.In a fancy one like yours there is alot of anti-aliasied pixels.So there not one of the 4 colors but a shade off.Maestro being the user friendly program that it is converts these inbetween colors to the closest of the four.Scenarist being the type of program that it is expects you to have the subpicture color be these colors exactly and ignores the inbetween colors.A workaround for this might be to open your subpicture in photoshop,chooseimage>mode>index colors and type 4 into the box named colors.It should give the same results as maestro.There is a very good explaination of how to choose subpicture colors in the scenarist procedures manual.If you have problems seeing the whole subpicture in the simulation window you can take the bottom part(the part with the tabs)and drag it off to the side and it should detatch.

[dvd_master]

It seemed like it would work, the red turned a little darker red, but now it just plain doesn't show up, no matter whether I set it to selection mode or whatever. It' slike the bitmap it just one giant white block (all the colors are at 100%, but the only change I see is when I move the white color up, and it covers the screen.

It's really wierd, but the guides in doom9 said the colors are pure blue, red, black, and white. I always use those colors exactly, so I don't know why it does this.

The colors still seem like some sort of shell, but I think now it's because it's so thin!! If I drew a solid, sort thick line of the same color it appears to be fine. argh...

[burnttoast]

The red is darker.What the heck are you talkin about.Are you bustin my chops again.Wasn't that a picture of your menu subpicture.The white blue and black thing.
Did you adjust the color index in photoshop?????Look at it closely in photoshop and choose pixels with the eyedropper.If there not one of the 4 colors they'll be transparent in scenarist.
Did you click help in scenarist procedures manual and read the section about subpictures and how to pick thier colors with the eyedropper??????

I'm trin' to help you out and make things as clear as possible but come'on now.Repeating the same answer to the same question withinin the same thread is getting a little old.

[dvd_master]

I'm being serious and you didn't answer it before.

I did the Index Color and it turned the pure red to a dark red, which didn't work. (the original sub pic is red instead of black and no outline, I though red wasn't working which is why i tried the other which is the example I used).

I found if I Posterize it to 4 color it worked, but still not that good. I guess it just has a problem with very thin lines, so I'll try to avoid such small intricate designs in the future.

Really, after I solve the stupid subtitle problem, I think I'll be all set and eternally gratefull.

[burnttoast]

OOOOOKAAAAAY.I'm not even gonna ask.

Subpicture are only suppose to use a total of 4 colors in them.If you look at the little thing in photoshop that has the colors and the sliders on it theres 3 boxs where you can type in numbers.The four colors you can use are 1.red(255,0,0)2.blue(0,0,255)3.white(255,255,255)4.black(0,0,0).Any color(even one little pixel)that is not one of these 4 colors scenarist will make invisible.You can adjust those colors in the simulation window till the cows come home and you'll never ever see them.Maestro on the other hand will take the colors that are not one of these 4 colors and match it to the closest of the 4.Take the subpicture that you posted(the blue,black and white one:rolleyes: )and open it in photoshop.Zoom into one of your subpicture icons>Zoom like 300% so you get a real good look at it.You can test with the eyedropper if you want but you should be able to see that some of the colors are kinda inbetween the 4 colors.These are the ones that maestro changes for you and senarist makes invisable.These are the ones you need to change.You can get a 1 pixels paintbrush and cange them if you want or you could use the index color.To make sure we we get the 4 colors we want try this.Close all your documents in photoshop.Make a new one with a white background.Go to image>mode>index color.Choose exact and black and white.Click ok.Now go to image>mode>rgb.Now go to image>mode>index color again.This time choose custom.When the pallete box pops up you should see 2 colors,black and white.Click on an empty cube and add red(255,0,0)and blue(0,0,255).Save this pallete somewhere.Now open you white,blue and black subpicture.Go to image>mode>index color.Select custom and load the pallete you just saved.Zoom back in and see how the colors just changed to one of the 4 colors.You just did what maestro does automaticly for you.Posterise might help a little but it doesn't really cut it.Thin lines aren't a problem if you can paint them with a 1 pixel brush.

[burnttoast]

I was a bit wrong on that last post.You can use colors that are not one of the 4 as a subpicture.You just have to choose it with the eyedropper like they explain in the scenarist manual.It also seems you'd be able to fine tune it to a certian degree by double clicking on the color and adjustiing some things in the color conversion box.I'm not sure how this will work with something that has alot of anti-aliasing but you can give it a try.If not stick with the other way.

[dvd_master]

That way worked pretty good, thanks.

Two more things.
I'm in the Scenario Editor, at the Simulation Window. I want to set one button to set the audio to track 1, and second button to set to track two. But the set audio/subpicture command it grayed out. Why?

2) I have a scene select, and I always set the navigation by draging the pink arrow from the little "BTNS" box to the target, and then the window pops up and I click on the button which is supposed to have that command. But I can't do the Scene Select properly. I set a scene, so when i drag the video into Title_1 it shows them (as programs) but it won't let me drag the arrow to the 'programs', or even to the PGC, it will only accept it at Title_1 which I don't want.

Thanks again.

[burnttoast]

The commands you can set are sometimes going to depend on how you have things set up in the scenario editor.Go back and read that first thread i linked to.If the movie is in vts1 you should put your menus that change the audio in a language folder of vts1.Not the video manager.Same goes for the chapter menu.Things could get more complex than they have been depending on how many movies and vts sets you have.:D

[dvd_master]

That worked perfectly.

Two more.

-How can I set commands like audio stream 1, or stream 2? I'm in the Sim window, and I clearly see the command, but how do I go about it? Do I click on the button, set the mode to 'post' and choose it's action, then click on another button and click add the make a new one, or what? My attempts failed me.

-How can I change the first play?

Thanks. :D

[burnttoast]

Maybe you haven't found where the button commands are.Look in the scenario editor window at you menu pgc.Double click it to make sure it's expanded.You'll see a box called pgc.Underneath that is a box called program.Underneath that is a box called cell.Underneath that is a box called buttons.Highlight that box a look in you simulation window.Where there once a tab at the bottom of the simulation window called pgc commands there is now a tab called button commands.You can set what the buttons do here.It's not as fun as dragging that little line around to connect things but it is effective for changing the button commands.Is that the 3rd or 4th time we've learned how to get to the button commands.I've lost count.:)
How many buttons do you have in your audio menu?

The first play thing is in maestro.If you mean how do you set what gets played first when you put you dvd in you might try dragging from the first pgc command to what you want to play first.