Number of Main Menu Buttons

[mcgerard]

My very first project has 8 clips. I have added main menu markers at the beginning of each clip and named them. I would like to have only one main menu but in the templates supplied with PRE 8 I cannot find one with 8 buttons. The maximum I have seen is six and most are fewer. Is there any way of adding extra buttons to a template?

Thanks

[Steve Grisetti]

Yes -- but do to it you'll need to edit the template file in Photoshop Elements. I cover how to do it in my books and you can find some Steve's Tips articles in our members-only area that explain it in detail.

It's a little hard to explain without illustrations, particularly if you're not a Photoshop mid-level user. Essentially, you open both the the scene menu and the main menu templates and drag the scene menu's layer sets for its scene markers from the Layers palette over to the main menu's file. Although you may have trouble finding even a scene menu with 8 scenes on a page!

Some of our custom templates have main menu markers. The Swimming menu template, for instance, has six on the main menu page. You can use it and then swap in your own background.
http://muvipix.com/products.php?searchp ... =0&btn.y=0

I assume that, with that many main menu markers, you'll looking for text only -- not thumbnails -- on your main menu.

Which template are you using, by the way?

[rusty]

All that was too much for me, so I bought DVD Architect Studio 4.5 and Steve's book and now use it whenever I need to have more buttons or some other custom menu creation. I'm definitely no technical rocket scientist (if you only knew the extent of my limitations!) but in an hour or so I had learned enough to make some reasonably sophisticated, customized menus. Steve's book is a fantastic reference and I couldn't have done without it!! I use PRE menuing functionality when I am after something very simple and quick.

[Steve Grisetti]

Thanks for the plug, Rusty!

Yes, DVD Architect is definitely the easiest solution to the limitation so Premiere Elements' DVD authoring system. I always use Premiere Elements for editing and DVD Architect Studio (a mere $39 download from Sony Creative Software) for creating my DVDs from Premiere Elements' MPEGs.

[mcgerard]

Thanks Steve. I will have a try at using Photoshop Elements to modify the template. I had not realised they were in psd form. I was using the template "Generic One" as it was only one I found with six buttons. I notice the associated Scene Menu does have eight buttons so maybe I will be able to get to where I want.

I had been considering getting your book on PRE 8 but Amazon UK do not have it. I see that Amazon.com do have it so maybe I will get my son who lives in NY to obtain it and bring it on his next trip back here.

Rusty - I will see how I get on with Photshop and maybe Steve's book before looking seriously at DVD Architect Studio 4.5.

[Steve Grisetti]

Send me a private message if you get stuck, McG. I may be able to modify it for you and e-mail it to you. Just let me know if you want the standard or widescreen version.

Meantime, thanks for supporting the book! I'm also glad to drop-ship a copy to you if we can work out the costs on PayPal. Private message me if you're interested.