Thumbnail image being cropped on menu item

[bernieraffe]

When I add a jpg thumbnail image to a menu item, the thumbnail only shows a small crop of the image, regardless of the size of the thumbnail.

Is there a way of showing the whole image in the thumbnail please?

Cheers,
Bernie

[Chuck Engels]

Hi Bernie

One of the experts should be along shortly but until then here is some great info to check out, might help;
http://www.sonycreativesoftware.com/the ... enu_button

[bernieraffe]

Thanks Chuck, but don't see anything there that will help with my particular problem.

Just to re-iterate, the thumbnail just shows the very centre of the image, I guess I could process my images so that they have a very wide border, that would do it, but it's work that I don't need, as I have quite a lot of thumbnails!

Cheers,
Bernie

[Peru]

Try a png instead of a jpg?

[Steve Grisetti]

Is your button framed, Bernie?

Can post a screen capture to this forum so we can have a look at it?

[Bob]

The problem you are having has to do with how DVD Architect Studio handles menu buttons.

Other than the text, menu buttons have two components: the button thumbnail and the button frame. Each component may have a mask, but typically mainly the thumbnail mask is used -- when I use the word mask below, I'm referring to the thumbnail mask. Normally, the thumbnail mask is used for removing parts of the image that would fall outside the confines of the frame, but a mask could be used on its own without a frame for special purposes. When you add a jpg image to a button, DVD Architect Studio automatically scales the image to fit the button. If there is a mask, it will then apply the mask to the resized image. Finally, if there is a button frame, it will overlay the frame on the masked image.

DVDA_Buttons.jpg

The screen capture above shows four menu buttons. In the upper left corner, you have a button with an image but no mask and no frame. The image was scaled to fit the button size. Directly below that is a button with the same image but with a mask applied. Notice how parts of the image outside the mask have been removed. For comparison, the upper right corner shows what the button would look like with if you added the frame without a mask. On the bottom right, you have the final complete button with image, mask, and the frame applied.

If you want more of the image to be seen in the masked area, you will need to resize the image and add a border as you've already deduced. Alternately, you can remove the mask and frame or use a simple frameless button.

[bernieraffe]

Thanks everyone for your replies, It's the weekend and I won't be able to do anything now until Monday.
I don't really understand why a mask is used to crop off some of the image, rather than just making the image smaller.

But no matter, at least I know how to fix it now.

Cheers,
Bernie

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

[Bob]

I don't really understand why a mask is used to crop off some of the image, rather than just making the image smaller.

By using a mask, the shape can be completely arbitrary. If you look at the supplied themes and buttons, you'll see a variety of button shapes including circles, ovals, hearts, diamonds, and pentagons. Without masks, the button thumbnail would be rectangular.