Tutorial: PI 11 creating DVD Menu from scratch

sjj1805 · Post by **sjj1805** » Fri Feb 10, 2006 4:26 pm

I have created a tutorial describing how to create a DVD Menu from a blank screen. The tutorial is 1.35MB in size so too big to post onto the user forum.

A copy in PDF format is here (the tutorial can be printed)
http://www.steve-jones.pwp.blueyonder.c ... torial.pdf

Written in the form of "Creating a DVD Menu from scratch for dummies"
it contains several screen prints to guide you through the process and includes:

1. Overview and reasons for creating your own DVD Menu’s
2. Importing existing assets into Photo Impact 11
3. Creating a new DVD menu from a blank screen
4. Naming Conventions
5. Inserting your new menu into DVD Workshop 2
6. Inserting your new menu into DVD Movie Factory 4
7. Inserting your new menu into Video Studio 9

Regards

Steve J

MaryLouW · Post by **MaryLouW** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 3:42 pm

Steve, will these menu's also work with Ulead's PictureShow 4? They have a poor selection of menu's and I'd like to make my own. I have VS9 coming from Ulead but haven't a clue how to use it so that's going to be out of the question for me to use for a while. I am comfortable with PS4 though (thanks to Nick!).

sjj1805 · Post by **sjj1805** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 4:22 pm

MaryLou,

That must be the only Ulead product I don't own!!
I have looked at the "free templates Page" for Picture Show 4
http://www.ulead.com/dps/free.htm

Judging by what I see on that page I would 99.99% expect them to work with PS4.

Steve J

Post by **Ron P.** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 11:57 pm

Steve,

Great job on the tutorial. I finally had a chance to read through it eary this morning. Very impressive, easy to follow and understand..

Thank you..

Ron P.

MaryLouW · Post by **MaryLouW** » Tue Feb 14, 2006 7:57 am

Steve, you should try PS4 - it's fun to play with and so easy to use!!! I mean, you might as well have ALL the products!!!

Thanks for the info on the free templates, am downloading them now. I always forget to look and see what's new!!

sjj1805 · Post by **sjj1805** » Mon Feb 20, 2006 1:54 pm

MaryLouW wrote:Steve, will these menu's also work with Ulead's PictureShow 4? They have a poor selection of menu's and I'd like to make my own. I have VS9 coming from Ulead but haven't a clue how to use it so that's going to be out of the question for me to use for a while. I am comfortable with PS4 though (thanks to Nick!).

I was browsing the Ulead Website for some information abnout another matter when I stumbled across the
Ulead DVD MovieFactory 4 DVD Menu Template Pack
http://www.ulead.com/dmf/plugin.htm

The bottom of that page states

The DVD Menu Theme Packs work with full, upgrade and SE versions of the following products:

* Ulead VideoStudio 9
* Ulead DVD MovieFactory 4
* Ulead CD & DVD PictureShow 4

*Template packs will not work with previous versions of these products.

So I think that confirms any created with PhotoImpact will work with PS4

Steve J

Glennmizu · Post by **Glennmizu** » Tue Feb 21, 2006 7:46 am

Thanks Steve for the great tutorial. I am thankful for people like you who have taken the time to help others.

I am gradually getting through it. I am up to page 12. “Double click the file DVD layout Guides. UOL”

But when I click the file my computer says that it can’t open because it does not know which file created it.

Also is it possible just to keep the files as is permanently in Photo Impact 11? As my computer has plenty of drive space.

However I would like to get it onto a DVD just in case.

Hope you have time to help.

sjj1805 · Post by **sjj1805** » Tue Feb 21, 2006 9:30 am

Glennmizu

Glenn, files ending UOL are Ulead Object Libraries, to use them you open PhotoImpact, go the the Easy Pallette. Select the Libraries Tab.
At the top left of the Easy Pallette is an Icon which brings up a list of various libraries.
At the top of the list is "Object Library Manager". This opens up another list where you will see "Load". Now navigate to your UOL file.

Regarding the good point raised about keeping the files on the Hard Drive permanently. Yes you can. There were two reasons why I described a procedure for placing them onto a DVD.

1. When placed into the Easy Pallette they are not just links to the exisiting file (unlike the object browser) The Easy Pallette not only duplicates the file on you hard drive, but in most cases that duplicate is larger than the original.
I don't know why it behaves this way, just that this is what it does. Placing them onto a DVD disc will free up that duplicated space as those of us into video production use up several gigabytes of drive space just on one project.

2. Placing them onto a DVD disc in this way prevents you losing these libraries in the event of a computer malfunction, software upgrade or even changing your computer in the future. There was quite a bit of work involved in the initial set up of the library and I didn't want you to lose it all. It would also be a good idea to make a back up of that DVD in case the disc gets lost/damaged.

Regards

Steve J

Glennmizu · Post by **Glennmizu** » Tue Feb 21, 2006 12:07 pm

Many thanks Steve.
That got it working. I have now copied the DVD Items folder onto a CD as there was only 350MB.

I hope that it doesn't make any difference to put it on a CD and not a DVD.

Thanks again for your help.

sjj1805 · Post by **sjj1805** » Tue Feb 21, 2006 12:15 pm

Glad you got it working.
A CD is fine, I had to use a DVD due to the vast amount of stuff I have bearing in mind I have almost every item of software produced by Ulead.

I think the only thing missing from my set is Picture Show!

NOTE
This topic has now been moved to the Tutorials Section and can be found here:
http://phpbb.ulead.com.tw/EN/viewtopic.php?t=11378

Thank you
Steve J

heinz-oz · Post by **heinz-oz** » Fri Feb 24, 2006 12:01 am

MaryLouW wrote:Steve, you should try PS4 - it's fun to play with and so easy to use!!! I mean, you might as well have ALL the products!!!

Thanks for the info on the free templates, am downloading them now. I always forget to look and see what's new!!

Hi there MaryLouW, great suggestion on the surface, in reality though, the possibilities one has with MSP or even MF 4 disc creator render a special program for creating slide shows useless. I have PS 2 and can't remember when I last used it