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PD8 menu buttons per page - I tried Search first
viewerx1 [Avatar]
Member Joined: Jul 26, 2010 02:56 Messages: 90 Offline
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Hi, PD8, Windows 7, HP s5414y. I had Googled for this and found many "answers". I did a search here and found 2,000+ and I looked through the first 4 pages.

I have made a custom Menu in M Designer for a video with 12 chapters. I have 4 "items" on it. I check via Preview and see I _still_ have 1 Chapter box per page for 12 pages.

As many have noted: the Buttons Per Page stays on the grayed "1". Adding "items" was the last "answer" I had read.

Why is this not easy? 8 Any and all help would be Greatly appreciated!!
stevek
Senior Contributor Location: Houston, Texas USA Joined: Jan 25, 2011 12:18 Messages: 4663 Offline
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Hi, just to make sure, what do you think a scene vs chapter are. The terms are confusing. The scenes are different videos; chapters are subdivisions of the scene. Once you provide you understanding on that terminology, perhaps we can help more. .
.
BoilerPlate: To posters who ask for help -- it is nice to thank the volunteers who try to answer your questions !
Anything I post unless stated with a reference is my personal opinion.
viewerx1 [Avatar]
Member Joined: Jul 26, 2010 02:56 Messages: 90 Offline
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Which ever controls the grayed out Buttons Per Page.

Should a 12 chapter video have 12 pages with one chapter per page? I never mentioned "scenes". I am using whatever you wish to call what happens when you use the chapter room!

I am very confused how my original post can be construed as confusing. "...video with 12 chapters.." "..Buttons Per Page stays on the grayed "1"."
stevek
Senior Contributor Location: Houston, Texas USA Joined: Jan 25, 2011 12:18 Messages: 4663 Offline
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I'm confused that you are confused and can't answer my questions.

How many separate videos do you have in your production (these are scenes.
In each scene, there can be more than one chaptrer b ut they would NOT be on separate pages.

Please post a screen shot of the title page and one of the "chapter" pages. .
.
BoilerPlate: To posters who ask for help -- it is nice to thank the volunteers who try to answer your questions !
Anything I post unless stated with a reference is my personal opinion.
viewerx1 [Avatar]
Member Joined: Jul 26, 2010 02:56 Messages: 90 Offline
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One video 1 hour and 50 minutes long. Chapters made at 10 minutes arbitrary sections. As I had said no scenes, just chapters.
viewerx1 [Avatar]
Member Joined: Jul 26, 2010 02:56 Messages: 90 Offline
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1st I must apologize: Chapter room trumped the "Scenes" on the menus in my mind and I got locked into that. Chapters made = scenes on menu, yes? If not, then maybe what I want cannot be done.

My sister fell in love with a movie on Youtube. My brother-in-law said that it was never released in the US, so, even though it would not look as good as a real DVD he asked me to make a DVDr of it.

Am I now finding out that despite having a Chapter room that the "Buttons Per Page" is not number of chapter buttons on a menu page, but only for each different element of a multi-element project? Was I seduced by all the chapter buttons on real DVD menus?

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at Jun 07. 2014 13:05

JL_JL [Avatar]
Senior Contributor Location: Arizona, USA Joined: Oct 01, 2006 20:01 Messages: 6091 Offline
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Your OP was totally clear.

If you are making a DVD in PD8, the limit is 14, BD has different limits. However, some default menu templates are restricted. The reason it's grey is you most likely are on the root page vs a chapter page. If so, click on the "Scenes" tab with the mouse and then click the return arrow near the left under the preview window, then the grey box might be come editable. It is still often restricted to like 3 or 4.

For some templates you can also edit the whole menu and add additional chapters on the chapter page. For many templates it's tough to get 14 on single page without overlapping but 4-6 is usually rather doable. You would then have 3 or 2 pages vs the 12 you have now.

If you post a pic of what menu I could probably assist a little better working with the same basic menu.

Jeff
viewerx1 [Avatar]
Member Joined: Jul 26, 2010 02:56 Messages: 90 Offline
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I had read that an attached jpg had to be less than 100K. Kinda fuzzy but there.

Home made menu with an image of the film.

Menu 1 is just the Menu Designer. I added an "item" and moved them a bit as I had read about problems if they overlap, or, get too close. I somehow thought more items would help.

Menu 2 is after it is saved and applied to the vid.

I made a test with a smaller vid file to check out the music. I imported a sample from the move. Title page had it, each chapter page had the blaring "sports"; another good reason to get chapter pages down to 3 with 4 buttons, :

(they need some smilies with glasses like in the real virtual world.)

[ I had to push "TITLES" off the side of the page as it would not be edited. Works for me. ]
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This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at Jun 07. 2014 02:43

viewerx1 [Avatar]
Member Joined: Jul 26, 2010 02:56 Messages: 90 Offline
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Not sure where second saved file went.
Anonymous [Avatar]
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Hi, ViewerX1, hopefully the image I upload will assist you. To set the number of buttons, you need to go to your Create Disc section, select a menu, either from the stock-standard varieties already available, or from your own custom-designed menu pages, then click on "Modify". You'll see the option below the display of your menu page in the preview window, that shows "main Page", click here and scroll to "Chapter Page". There you'll see the symbol I've highlighted in red(it's normally white). Here you'll see Four Blue boxes(but when you open in your own, there will be other options), Choose the number of "boxes" you want. These represent the number of "thumbnails" you'll see on your screen in your finished DVD. For a twelve-chapter disc, the one I've shown here will give you four "thumbnails per page over three pages(other than the main page, which only has the option of Play All or Scene Selections)
Hope this has helped. Cheers!
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viewerx1 [Avatar]
Member Joined: Jul 26, 2010 02:56 Messages: 90 Offline
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Hi, Neil.F.1955 (I am 1951) I went from 7 up 1. To me I have PD8. When I take the time to go to "About" I am reminded I have PD8 "Ultra".

If _ordinary_ PD8 has a separate "Chapter" page why would something with the fancy sounding "Ultra" only have a "Title/Chapter" page?

As can be seen by '3-in-1' if there is a way to get to a single "Chapter" control page they have done an excellent job of hiding it. Plus, you can see that there is only one button available. (I put it together quickly and used a different title page than the one on their film)

'Close-up' shows what choices they give me. Maybe "Ultra" mean "Sub-quality" in whatever language Cyberlink speaks.

I was wondering that maybe the "buttons Per Page" was not a useless tattoo on the page and could be accessed while in this edit mode. I moved the Menu Designer to one side and the Grayed out "1" had changed to a grayed out "3". !!??!! I saved what I was doing as Template test" and saved and when it was finished I was back to the Grayed out "1" again. Not only sub-standard, but, they like to play $#@^^&% games!!

Thanks for your time, I will tell them to never click the "Scenes" button, as it will only frustrate them
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This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at Jun 07. 2014 13:08

viewerx1 [Avatar]
Member Joined: Jul 26, 2010 02:56 Messages: 90 Offline
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Hmmm, I see that the "Description" line when you attach gets tossed out. They are at least easy to see which is close up, etc.
JL_JL [Avatar]
Senior Contributor Location: Arizona, USA Joined: Oct 01, 2006 20:01 Messages: 6091 Offline
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On your Image_000013.jpg the figure on the left when you are in Menu Designer, you have one chapter template defined. Make sure the Edit: button near the bottom is set to "Titles/Chapters.." and then just above the word font box at the top where you have Arial displayed, click the add button icon, this will add a new chapter icon template, resize as desired, add another.

Jeff
Anonymous [Avatar]
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Hi, ViewerX1, I should point out that the graphic I uploaded was a screen-shot of Power Director 7. I've just today bumped up to Power Director 8 and will need some time to "suss it out", so-to-speak. I've been using PD7 for so long, it has become as familiar to me as the back of my hand. PD8, though, is a new deal for me as there are elements that will be familiar and others that will be new. I'm interested to see how PD8 goes in authoring(burning) discs. In PD7 I was able to burn discs up to 2 hours and 20 minutes in length(either one item of such length or several with a composite time of 2 hours and 20 minutes).. I had created a number of my own custom menues in PD7 but I don't know if they've been erased. A quick look told me they're still there but may behave differently with PD8. Looking at the Create Disc page, verrrryyyy different to PD7! At the top, there's "Create Menu", next to this is "Menu Structure"
At the bottom there's "Add Thumbnail Index" and a setting for "Buttons Per Page" And replacing the old option on PD7, "Create A Disc Without Menu" is an option labelled "No Menu". Another option I've noticed is the Playback Option Selector(one option being - return to menu after playing item, that is definitely going to get some use from me!) I see I'm gonna have some fun with PD8!
viewerx1 [Avatar]
Member Joined: Jul 26, 2010 02:56 Messages: 90 Offline
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I could never figure out how to edit "My Videos" to "[my title]"and the "Item 1", etc. I ended up just pushing them off the menu. 1st I pushed to the side, but, the Preview showed the chapter page to have them still showing a bit on the side. Now, I push them up or down.

I also never figured out how to replace their default menu music with my own. I have never been able to Import _any_ music into the "Media Library". I have to import it each time during Menu Designing.
JL_JL [Avatar]
Senior Contributor Location: Arizona, USA Joined: Oct 01, 2006 20:01 Messages: 6091 Offline
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Keep in mind, in "Menu Designer" you are designing a template, not a exact menu. Therefore, you control the attributes of the "My Video" box, like, font, size, placement, color, shadow.....you change the text of "My Video" in the "Create Disc" interface. You select and type in the "My Videos" template box. The same is true for "Item 1".

Did you try adding your menu background music in the "Create Disc" interface?

The attached pic may help.

Jeff
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viewerx1 [Avatar]
Member Joined: Jul 26, 2010 02:56 Messages: 90 Offline
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Music: I use the buttons pointed out; I had hoped I could swap the default (sports) for my menu music file and use no importing for each one. (My music is a soft generic piece I am familiar with and will use it as 'my' default for all menus.)

WOW!! I had no idea that opening the "Content" tab was the answer to all those changing "My Video" questions!!

Edit the text of "My Video" in the "Create Disc" interface. I thought the whole area was the Create Disc. .. ?

Thank you for the big tip!!

Anonymous [Avatar]
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One thing really irks me here, and it's nothing to do with ViewerX's problems, its JL_JL's use of the ugly non-word "doable" To hear or read that in ANY context, is like running fingers down a blackboard!. I would suggest a far more appropriate replacement: "Possible", "Achievable". These have the desired meaning and are legitimate words, as opposed to that... which I cannot bear to type again in this post.
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