Adding menu objects
You can add graphic objects and text blocks to a menu, which you can then link to the project’s menus, titles, and playlists as described in Creating and editing links. You can also create menu buttons from menus, titles, and playlists.
These objects float over the menu background and can be resized and rearranged as described in Editing menu objects.
This section includes:
Adding graphic objects to menus
Creating buttons from menus, titles, and playlists
Adding graphic objects to menus
To add graphic objects to a menu:
- Double-click the menu’s icon in the Project window. The menu appears on the Preview window’s Menu tab.
- Click the Buttons or Frames tab in the Palette window:
Frames are button objects that include a thumbnail image of the linked material. When you link a menu or title to the button, DVDit Pro generates the thumbnail automatically. See Creating buttons and menus in Adobe Photoshop for more information on creating your own buttons and frames.
- If you clicked the Buttons tab, choose a button category:
- Drag an asset onto the menu in the Preview window. The object appears on the menu.
If you use video assets from the Show Button Video category, you can choose which frame appears on the menu object. See Setting menu button images.
If you use a large image or video asset to create a menu object, DVDit Pro scales the menu object to a default size. You can change the default size in the Author preferences. See Changing DVDit Pro’s preferences.
To replace a graphic object:
The object changes to the new design while retaining the original object’s size, position, links, and other attributes.
Adding text blocks to menus
You add text blocks to a menu in DVDit Pro in much the same way as in a graphics editing application like Photoshop.
To add a text block to a menu:
- Double-click the menu’s icon in the Project window. The menu appears on the Preview window’s Menu tab.
- Choose DVD Menus > Tools > Text Tool. The mouse pointer changes to the text tool (an I-beam cursor).
- Click on the menu in the Preview window at the point where you want to add text, then start typing. When you need to start a new line, press the Enter key.
- To finish typing, press the Ctrl+Enter keys or click anywhere on the menu outside the text block.
DVDit Pro switches back to the selection tool and the text block remains selected. The Attributes window displays the Text tab.
- In the Attributes window, change the text properties as desired. We recommend using simple, sans-serif fonts (such as Arial) and sizes larger than 18 points. Small text and fancy typefaces are hard to read on a TV screen.
To edit a text block:
- Double-click the menu’s icon in the Project window. The menu appears on the Preview window’s Menu tab.
- In the Preview window, double-click on the text block. DVDit Pro switches to the text tool and the text becomes highlighted.
- Edit the text as desired, then press the Ctrl+Enter keys or click anywhere on the menu outside the text block.
- To change the typeface, size, or other text properties, choose from the options on the Attributes window’s Text tab.
Creating buttons from menus,
titles, and playlists
To add a button to a menu:
- Double-click the menu’s icon in the Project window. The menu appears on the Preview window’s Menu tab.
- Drag a title, menu, or playlist icon from the Project window onto the menu in the Preview window.
- DVDit Pro creates a rectangular button object on the menu. The button is linked to the title, menu, or playlist.
To change the image on the button, see Setting menu button images.
To add a menu button that links to a chapter point or slideshow image:
- Right-click in the Project window and choose View > Details. The Project window changes to the Details view.
- Double-click the menu’s name in the Project window. The menu appears on the Preview window’s Menu tab.
- Double-click a title’s icon in the Project window to display its chapters or slides.
- Drag a chapter/slide onto the menu in the Preview window.