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Creating menus


 

    Methods for creating menus

    You can create menus using any of the following methods:

    Predesigned menus
    You can customize the numerous predesigned menus included in the Library panel and on the application DVD. These menus give your project a professional look quickly and easily.

    Predesigned buttons and backgrounds
    You can start with a predesigned menu background and use the predesigned buttons included in the Library panel to create menus right in Encore.

    Assets from projects
    You can compose a menu using any visual asset that you import into your project. You can use both still and moving images for either the background or buttons.

    Photoshop
    You can design menus in Photoshop and import them as menu assets into your project.

    When you create a new menu, Encore automatically assigns a menu name based on the asset’s filename. You can change this name and add a description in the Properties panel. (See Name menus and buttons.)

    Create menus using predesigned assets

    An easy way to begin a project is to base your menu on the predesigned menus, buttons, images, and shapes found in the Library panel.

    In addition to standard definition, Encore provides an assortment of high-definition menu templates and other assets, and distinguishes them with an “HD” in their names. These can be used for any type of project (DVD, Blu‑ray, or Flash) and Encore will automatically scale them to the desired menu size when you build the project.

    Note: You can use standard-definition menu templates in Blu‑ray projects, but rather than scaling up, Encore will create a standard-definition menu on the Blu‑ray disc.

    Create a menu based on a predesigned menu

    You can create a menu quickly using predefined menus from the Library panel. You can use a menus as is, just changing the text, or you can swap out images that better reflect the look and feel of your project. The buttons on the Library panel let you view the elements of the current set by type: menus, buttons, images, backgrounds, layer sets, text, shapes, and replacement layers.

    When you select an item, its preview appears at the top of the panel. Many menus have a companion submenu that reflects the same style and contains a different number of buttons. The menus include buttons with subpictures (for highlighting when the button is selected) and fully styled placeholders for text. The buttons on some menus provide a thumbnail layer for video.

    Note: Menus in the Library panel can be saved as regular menus (PSD) or as menu templates (EM). Regular menus include a background and buttons, but no settings or links are stored. Menu templates include additional information such as menu settings and background video and audio clips. (See About menu templates.)

    1. In the Library panel, select the set you want to view from the Set menu, and then click the Toggle Display Of Menus button  to display the predesigned menus.

    2. Select the menu that you want to use, and click the New Menu button  at the bottom of the Library panel. (Press the Up Arrow and Down Arrow keys to browse through the templates.)

      The new menu appears in the Menu Viewer, and the menu is added to the Project panel.

    3. Edit the menu to suit the needs of your project:

      • Edit the text. In the Tools panel, click the appropriate text tool. Then, click in the menu to create a new text object, or click an existing text layer and edit the text as desired.

      • Delete or duplicate buttons as desired. (See Cut, copy, or duplicate a menu object.)

      • Set links from the buttons to other submenus or to items in the Project panel. (See Buttons and navigation.)

    Create a menu based on a background and other assets

    Instead of using a predesigned menu template to create a menu, you can piece together a menu starting with a predesigned background, and then add buttons, images, shapes, and replacement layers included with Encore. These objects are located in the Library panel.

    Sample buttons and design items from Library panel

    Each button includes subpictures that define how the button looks when selected (highlighted) or activated. The buttons are in layer sets together with the subpictures, so you can adjust individual elements or the entire button easily using the Layers panel.

    1. In the Library panel, select the set that you want to view from the Set menu, and then click the Toggle Display Of Backgrounds button .

    2. Select the background you want to use, and click the New Menu button  at the bottom of the panel.

      A new menu appears in the Menu Viewer, and the menu is added to the Project panel.

    3. Add buttons and other design elements as desired.

      For example, to add a predesigned button, click the Toggle Display Of Buttons icon  in the Library panel, and then drag a button from the list into the Menu Viewer.

    4. Edit the menu items as needed.

    Add objects to a menu

    You can add still images, buttons, or other assets to a menu. The technique you use depends on the source of the object. To automatically create buttons and build the links to those assets, simply drag the assets (such as video, menus, or timelines) to a menu.

    Buttons, in order to function as individual navigation links, cannot overlap each other. As you add buttons to a menu, Encore highlights any that overlap with a bright red outline.

    Predesigned high-definition assets in the Library panel are marked with an “HD” in their names. You can use them for any type of project (DVD, Blu‑ray, or Flash).

    Add objects from the Library panel to a menu

    1. Open the menu to which you want to add a Library panel element.

    2. In the Library panel, select the set you want to view from the Set menu, and then click any of the icons to display the items for that type.

      For example, click the Toggle Display Of Buttons icon  to display only buttons.

      Shift-click any of the icons to view multiple categories. Alt-click (Windows) or Option-click (Mac OS) any of the icons to view all categories.

    3. Select the desired item in the Library panel, and either click the Place button  or drag the item from the panel to the Menu Viewer. Repeat until you have placed all the items you need.

      If you click the Place button repeatedly, Encore aligns buttons in a grid, starting along the left edge of the title-safe guide. You can then select them and move them as a group.

    4. Position and resize the items as needed.

    Add assets from the Project panel to a menu

    1. Create or open a menu.

    2. Drag the asset (such as a video file, timeline, or menu) from the Project panel to the menu in the Menu Viewer.

    If you drag a timeline or slide show to a blank area in the menu, Encore creates a button that is set as the default button for the set selected in the Library panel, and links it to the destination. If you drag a video file, a timeline is also created. If you drag such an asset to an existing button, its contents and link are replaced.

    Add still images to the menu background

    You can include still images in a menu as part of the background.

    1. Open an existing menu or create a new one.

    2. In the Project panel, drag the desired image to the Menu Viewer.

    3. Using the Direct Select tool , position and size the image as necessary.

    (If you want to use the still image as a button, select the image and choose Object > Convert To Button.)

    Note: You can also drag an image from Adobe Bridge directly to the menu.
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