Guide: How to completely remove menu button with DvdReMake Pro (including background)

[Dimad]

When parts of DVD are removed it is quite natural to disable menu buttons linking to the removed parts. Once it was a problem to do it (especially for motion menus), but couple of years ago it has changed - using MenuEdit (instead of hexeditor :)) one could easily delete a menu button so that it can't be selected. It is a simple procedure but unfortunately button graphics is still visible as it is a part of the menu video.

Yes, it is nice that it is not possible to select deleted extras from a menu but menu still says "extras". Does not look very "professional". :)

Of course it is probably not possible to have a generic one-click procedure to remove button grapics as it requires some "inteligent" editing of the menu in most cases. But it would be nice to have a procedure as simple as possible for this.

Here is the simplest one I know:
1. Import disk into DvdReMake Pro and save menu background as a bitmap (right-click in preview and select "Export frame"). If it is a motion menu - choose the frame you like most as at the end of this procedure you will have still menu;
2. Open saved bitmap in any bitmap editor and edit it the way you like;
3. Download muxman (http://www.mpucoder.com) and author a dummy DVD with edited bitmap
4. Import this dummy DVD into DvdReMake Pro;
5. Open your original menu in preview, right click and "replace with still" (DvdReMake Pro 3.1+ is required).
6. Select block with your edited bitmap and hit "OK"

Done.

It is clear that this procedure can be used not only to delete buttons graphics, but also just to change it while still keeping the button.

[sweetness]

Dimad,
in step 5. when you "replace with still" does the audio and highlights still work?

[Dimad]

Yes, of course. That is the point. :) Only background is changed; DvdReMake will keep original audio and subs.

[Oldeman]

http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?t=98280

Using Muxman to create a dummy DVD as outlined in DvdReMake menu background replacement procedure above:

1. Download Muxman ver.14g (the "free" one) from the great MPUcoder site or elsewhere.
2. Start Muxman.
3. Click on the ... box in the Video window at top of Muxman screen.
4. Locate and Select your edited background bitmap.
5. Select Close on the Import file list panel.
6. Select your dummy DVD Destination folder at bottom of Muxman screen.
7. Press Start to create your dummy DVD.

Follow remaining directions( in orginal post) to replace the menu background.

I've done this and it works great. It's much easier than it sounds.
The bitmap editing requires some skills, but hey nothing good comes without some effort.

Even an Old man can do it. :thanks:

[sweetness]

just want to add that you can also use this method (http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?p=576510#post576510) to make a background bitmap. very fast and the quality is good too.
i know MPUcoder is also improving the bmp encoding in Muxman. just threw that out there for an alternate option.

Yes, of course. That is the point. Only background is changed; DvdReMake will keep original audio and subs.
Interesting, this can come in very handy with other things. i'll play around and see what happens. ;)

[Msc_Alex]

Wasn't this also the case when using the "Free Tools" guides of Sweetness (http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?p=638336#post638336) and me (http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?s=&postid=555936#post555936)?

[Dimad]

I have not read whole guide you refer to (sorry, rather long :)). But as I understand the main difference is that in sweetness guide you have to demux and then multiplex menu from scratch using all original streams, buttons info and color schemes.

The way described above allows you not to bother with all the reauthoring - all original menu info and streams are kept, you just replace menu background "in-place".

Hope sweetness will correct me if I've missed something.

What you did in the second post is similar - you reauthor menu. It will work as well.

I do not state that there is no other way to do it - all I said: it seams to be the simples way I know of (at the moment) :D

[Msc_Alex]

I do not state that there is no other way to do it - all I said: it seams to be the simples way I know of (at the moment) :D

It sure is, lets hope you can make it even simpler as a function were you just right click the menu and select "Replace background with bmp" that would be cool :cool:

Please correct me if I’m wrong, it's been sometime i used your demo version but for an operation like this would dvdremake pro have to rewrite and output
the entire dvd? (takes a long time and disk space)

[Dimad]

It sure is, lets hope you can make it even simpler as a function were you just right click the menu and select "Replace background with bmp" that would be cool :cool:
Yeah, one day... when I'll be brave enough to wonder into encoding part of mpeg world :)


Please correct me if I’m wrong, it's been sometime i used your demo version but for an operation like this would dvdremake pro have to rewrite and output
the entire dvd? (takes a long time and disk space)
Not anymore. You can use "export modified files only". Of course you need to copy/move other files as well before you can make an image.

Actualy, it is an interesting question. Can I drag files from different directories when burning with say Nero?
If so, then "export modified files only" can be used even by those who don't want to mess with files. Just drag files from last full export (or original if there was no full export yet) and then "modified only" files.

Can anybody with Nero confirm it?

[sweetness]

Actualy, it is an interesting question. Can I drag files from different directories when burning with say Nero?
No, you get a reallocation error. think you need you do a correct start sector addresses(Get VTS Sectors).

[Dimad]

Are you talking about DRM exported files or "in general"? DvdReMake should do things like "Get VTS sectors".

[HappyCamper]

Can I drag files from different directories when burning with say Nero?
If so, then "export modified files only" can be used even by those who don't want to mess with files. Just drag files from last full export (or original if there was no full export yet) and then "modified only" files.

Can anybody with Nero confirm it?Yes, you can drag files from any number of directories in the file browser to the compilation window. I have used this many times in Nero along with DRM's "Export modified files only". All you have to do is drag the modified files to the compilation window first, then drag all of the source files. Nero gives you an error for the duplicate files in the compilation but you can ignore it. This way you don't have to pick the unmodified files from the source directory, you just drag them all, and the modified ones that are already part of the compilation will not be replaced.

[Dimad]

.... drag the modified files to the compilation window first, then drag all of the source files.

Thanks for info. Who would guess... I would not even try it this way :)

[sweetness]

@HappyCamper, what version of nero are you using?
just tried it again and i still get a reallocation error.

[HappyCamper]

@HappyCamper, what version of nero are you using?
just tried it again and i still get a reallocation error.I am using v6.6.0.16.

Did you do this with files exported using "Export modified files only" in DvdReMake? If the VOB files don't go with the IFO's, then you will certainly get an allocation error. But, this shouldn't be the case if you are using files from a modified export, because the modified files should match up with the unmodified files from the source material. I have done this about 7 or 8 times and it has worked every time for me so far.

[blutach]

I know dimad's guide is for a different purpose, but MenuShrink and VobBlanker can both substitute stills for motion menus in one click.

Regards

[Dimad]

No questions that they can convert cell to still. I'm not sure if one can use frame from another cell in those apps.

[gnutellafan]

I know dimad's guide is for a different purpose, but MenuShrink and VobBlanker can both substitute stills for motion menus in one click.

Regards


DRM can do it in one click as well, the guide is for more then that. I dont know if you have played with DRM, but it is SOOOO much easier to use then the last time I tried to use Vobblanker

[arsmori]

These comparaisons are vain, the tools being in completely different leagues b/c of the price point...

[FilipeAmadeuO]

Dimad:
Why can you not include an option to process in the input folder directly (like Vibblanker) ? Is would be better in this cases where you only change the menu partialy.

[blutach]

Folks, it is not the price point. I am a HUGE fan of dimad's work and DVDRMP. No doubt about that.

Same goes true for VobBlanker. Both progs are very easy to use to change menus. Dimad is 100% correct when he says that neither MenuShrink or VobBlanker will make a different graphic. They pick an I-frame of your choice from the video stream.

So, for those who are bothered, and have the artistic inclination to change the graphic in an audio or sub-title menu (say), DVDRMP is a perfect tool for the job.

But AFAIK, so is VobBlanker for this job. It has a "replace" function, which works on a cell basis as well as a PGC or Title.

Jsoto refuses money for his prog, although it surely merits payment - that is jsoto's choice. On the other hand, dimad's excellent work also deserves the relatively small dollars you pay for DVDRMP. Let's not get hung up on price.

Regards

[Dimad]

Dimad:
Why can you not include an option to process in the input folder directly (like Vibblanker) ? Is would be better in this cases where you only change the menu partialy.

It is mainly done for security reasons. DvdReMake (and even DvdReMake Pro) are used by very different people. Some could probably always control what they do and will edit a disk the way they want from the first time. But for others (I'm among them) it is enough to damage important originals once to never ever work directly with originals after that.

To save time you can always use "Export modified files" (see posts above).

[Dimad]

Thanks blutach.

[FilipeAmadeuO]

Dimad:
One sugestion: I´m been using DVDAuthorGUI for creating m2v files from BMP. It´s very easy and uses free programs (png2yuv and mpeg2enc). Can it be possible to add the possibility to DVDRemake to create m2v files from bmp (using both programs) and then replace the menu background with the m2v created ?
I normaly replace the m2v with vobedit and if works like a charm

[Dimad]

Here is the illustrated version of the guide discussed in this thread: http://www.dimadsoft.com/dvdremakepro/ht_customize_menu_background.php

@FilipeAmadeuO: Yeah, may be one day. :)

[brownstem]

Hi, your steps, Dimad, worked perfectly for me. My problem came when I tried to reposition a button after I had edited the bmp. Here was my original background:

PLAY SETUP CHAPTERS SPECIAL FEATURES

Now, after doctoring the bitmap I was left with:

PLAY CHAPTERS FEATURE

I chose to change it to "feature" since I only kept one of the featurettes and used PGCEdit to take me straight to it (thus bypassing the Special Features submenu).

My only problem was that now the button which corresponds with "Feature" was too far to the left, since it was originally near/over the word "Special." I'm new to DVDRemake Pro, but right-clicked on the button and played with the numbers, seemingly getting the button to move right to the place where I wanted it, over "Feature."

Unfortunately, when I did this I lost the little blue arrow which served to highlight the selected button. Now, what I have is a functioning button but one which doesn't look selected when I actually have it selected. Apparently I needed to move more than just the button, right?

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

[Dimad]

Somewhat simplistically, each menu has "layers": background (some video, could be still), highlights and buttons (bounding boxes, commands, etc).

The method described above changes menu background. You moved button. But highlights are still old! So there is no highlights under your new button position. You will need to modify highlights as well for moved button to work.

DvdReMake Pro does not edit highlights at the moment. You will need to author a new menu and replace old menu with it. Similar to this: http://www.dimadsoft.com/dvdremakepro/ht_customize_menu_full.php

[brownstem]

Thanks, Dimad. Maybe more effort than it's worth, but what the hell? I need to learn this anyway. Great software, btw. Thx.

[linybob]

http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?t=98280

Using Muxman to create a dummy DVD as outlined in DvdReMake menu background replacement procedure above:

1. Download Muxman ver.14g (the "free" one) from the great MPUcoder site or elsewhere.
2. Start Muxman.
3. Click on the ... box in the Video window at top of Muxman screen.
4. Locate and Select your edited background bitmap.
5. Select Close on the Import file list panel.
6. Select your dummy DVD Destination folder at bottom of Muxman screen.
7. Press Start to create your dummy DVD.

Follow remaining directions( in orginal post) to replace the menu background.

I've done this and it works great. It's much easier than it sounds.
The bitmap editing requires some skills, but hey nothing good comes without some effort.

Even an Old man can do it. :thanks:

What am I doing wrong? I did exactly these steps and just got a blank DVD - my edited bmp is nowhere to be found. Everything is black. Help!

[Dimad]

What am I doing wrong? I did exactly these steps and just got a blank DVD - my edited bmp is nowhere to be found. Everything is black. Help!
Most probably you are not using 24bit bitmap. MAke sure that you save edit bitmap with depth 24bit otherwise muxman will not like it.

[linybob]

I am using Photoshop 7. I needed to save the bmp "as a copy", in case anyone else comes across this problem.

Doesn't DRMP now support editing button highlights? Is there info on how to do that? The more I use DRMP and get used to it, the more I like it.

A few suggestions - I'd like something like in PgcEdit - "find used GPRMs" to help me when I'm editing commands. And also how about a "find references to" command also - so I can see when a PGC is finally totally unreferenced and I can delete it. Or to backtrack. You have "jump to target", but there is no way from the target back.

[spyhawk]

Doesn't DRMP now support editing button highlights?Read post #27 above.

A few suggestions - I'd like something like in PgcEdit - "find used GPRMs" to help me when I'm editing commands.Used GPRMs are marked as "*" after R[x] in the Command Edit dialog.

And also how about a "find references to" command also - so I can see when a PGC is finally totally unreferenced and I can delete it.If there's a command that references a PGC that you deleted, it will be highlighed in red.

[brownstem]

Dimad, I've used your method very successfully for replacing menu backgrounds, but with one exception. I recently combined two dvds per the guide I found on your site. Very easy, though I want to now replace the default brown background that is inserted as the new main menu. I do everything as with a "normal" dvd, replace the background, but when I export the disc I get a totally black background (though the buttons seem to still be there) instead of my replacement menu. Any idea why this is happening or what I can do? (BTW, the bmp I'm using is correctly sized, 24-bit and worked fine in muxman. Thx.