Hi

I have the registered version of DVD Authoring and am having some trouble. I'm making a DVD with 2 short videos about 3 mins each. I want the menu page to have buttons to play each video. So basically the user doesnt need to go to the menu page then have to click on chapters , then choose a video.

This is what i did:

Custom new project
Imported 2 vids ok and are on time line
added 2 buttons to the menu page with the name of each vid
tried to use "play video" function in the button tab to set the start time. ie button 2 might be <3.23>
The start time is greyed out and can't change it?

How do I allow the user to click on a menu and play that movie?

ive sent a screen grab as well

thanks

maxbarrow:

How do I allow the user to click on a menu and play that movie?

After you add buttons and apply button style (text, video, picture, etc.), you need to do the following:

- set cursor on the timeline at the beginning of the movie the first button must be responsible for;
- click on the first button (in order to highlight it);
- click on Properties > Button menu (on the right) and set Function to Play Video;
- after that you will see a blue marker on the timeline set at the beginning of the video.

In order to make the second button responsible for your second video:

- click on the second button;
- click on Properties > Button menu and set Function to Play Video;
- drag the marker created on the timeline to the beginning of the second video.

Basically Custom Project is considered to be advanced mode which allows you to customize projects according to your needs. If you find it difficult to create custom menus, we would advise you to create simple projects instead (by clicking on File > New Project).

Hope the instruction is helpful

I created a DVD with multiple chapters (using both the Wizard and custom modes). Selecting the action function as play chapter doesn't play the selected chapter. It always starts from chapter 1.A difference between the wizard method and the custom method is that the start time shown in the button window is OK for the wizard form, always zero for the custom form, but neither have the expected action of starting play at the start of the chapter corresponding to the button. Otherwise the program is excellent and easy to use. I'm a novice at this & spent much time with open source programs and Windows Movie Maker with no success at making a DVD using captures written to disk on a Panasonic DVD recorder.
Any suggestions?

ozjimbo:

It always starts from chapter 1.

Please note the post submitted above. In Custom Mode not chapters, but buttons are used in order to move between movies/parts of the movie. You need to follow the procedure described in order to make certain buttons play the required chapter.

Regards

To: nadin

Thanks for the pointer. Mission accomplished. In fact it was even easier than the post suggested. Loading the files created chapters marked on the timeline. Adding a menu page, setting the layout to the required 9 chapters automatically set the action to Play Chapter and as each button was selected (and this could not then be altered), the timeline marker changed to red at the start of the corresponding chapter. Previously I had loaded the files then Created Chapters - this seems to have changed the timeline markers all to the start of the video. All part of the learning process.

It would be nice to be able to delete the Prev and Next buttons on the Chapters page, and also the Menu button on the main page if a DVD has only one file. The Delete option is greyed out when the button is selected. Any suggestions on this one?

Cheers,
Jim

ozjimbo:

In fact it was even easier than the post suggested.

This is because you have created a project using Simple Project mode. In case you choose to create New Custom Project, the process is more difficult and requires more complicated actions (described above).

ozjimbo:

It would be nice to be able to delete the Prev and Next buttons on the Chapters page, and also the Menu button on the main page if a DVD has only one file.

What you can do, is just move the buttons outside of the page area This way they will be removed.

Our developers are aware that there are some improvements needed as for AVS DVD Authoring usability and functionality. They are currently working on a new version of the program and if you have any suggestions they would be glad to take them into consideration.

Best regards

I have created a DVD project that includes several videos. I would like to assign specific buttons to play specific videos ONLY. Is there any way to assign buttons to play specific video files, and then return to the MENU?

andypetefan:

I would like to assign specific buttons to play specific videos ONLY.

This is possible in Custom Project mode. Note the procedure described in post#3688 above.

Best regards

Why does a custom project not allow users to choose their custom chapters on the time line? The only chapter allowed to choose is at the beginning of the video file. I want to choose chapters at random points along the timeline of my video file. This makes no sense. Am I missing something? Thanks. As a side note, I used the simple project mode which allows one to choose his/her own chapters, but when I built the DVD, the top three chapter buttons were not even functional. Only the bottom 4 chapter buttons were functional.

tillitea:

I want to choose chapters at random points along the timeline of my video file.

Please use the instruction offered in post#3688 above.

tillitea:

when I built the DVD, the top three chapter buttons were not even functional.

Please could you describe your actions when creating the project step by step: which files were used, which functions, etc. and specify settings chosen to build the disc. Have you tried playing the disc on your PC?

We'll try to reproduce the problem.

Also make sure you are using the latest version of AVS DVD Authoring.

Best regards

To: andypetefan


I do not want it to return to the Main Menu after every video. I'd like it to return to the Chapter page.

Basically, I'd like one chapter page that has buttons for four videos (like a DVD of a television series). When I choose a video, it plays. And when it is done, it returns to the chapter page.

Is this possible?

To: maxbarrow


I followed these instructions EXACTLY, but there was no "blue marker" that appeared at the beginning of the video, and this did NOT set each button up to play a particular video.

Help please!

To: andypetefan

I created separate titles for every movie, but now my buttons cannot access those titles. How can I program my buttons to access specific title pages?

andypetefan:

When I choose a video, it plays. And when it is done, it returns to the chapter page.

You will need to create separate titles for every movie, in order to return to menu after a video is played.

andypetefan:

I followed these instructions EXACTLY, but there was no "blue marker" that appeared at the beginning of the video, and this did NOT set each button up to play a particular video.

Are you sure you have created your project in Custom Mode (by clicking on File > New Custom Project in main menu)?
When following the instruction decribed after setting Function to Play Video the blue marker should appear on the timeline.
Please note the screenshots attached.

andypetefan:

I created separate titles for every movie, but now my buttons cannot access those titles. How can I program my buttons to access specific title pages?

You need to create a title page from where the titles can be accessed. Click on Startup and choose Title Page. Add buttons which must be used in order to access a particular title. Then apply design to them and click on Button (in Properties - Button 1 on the right). Select in Function "Go To Page", then the Target Page field will appear where you should choose which title must correspond to this button.

Note once again that Custom Mode is quite complicated and if you find it too difficult to create custom projects, we'd recommend you using simple project mode.

Best regards

To: andypetefan

Thank you for your help, but I have one more question. Under the Startup tab, is there a way to create multiple title pages?

To: andypetefan

By the way, I created a title page with buttons to access the titles. Everything worked except for one thing: when I played the burned DVD titles, they did not return to the menu after each title. Rather, they played through each title one after another. You told me: "You will need to create separate titles for every movie, in order to return to menu after a video is played." But, as I've said, this didn't work.

I ask this again: How can I program my buttons to access specific title pages and return to the menu after playing that title?

BUMP.

Please see my previous two posts.

andypetefan:

Everything worked except for one thing: when I played the burned DVD titles, they did not return to the menu after each title. Rather, they played through each title one after another. You told me: "You will need to create separate titles for every movie, in order to return to menu after a video is played." But, as I've said, this didn't work.

Sorry, my mistake. Have just checked - titles are really played one after another before the title page is shown. Sorry for the inconvenience. Our developers are currently working on the new version of AVS DVD Authoring which will be completely different from the current one. The DVD menu creation process will be optimized and become much more easier allowing to create complicated menus designed according to your wish. Once again please accept my apologies.

Regards

To: nadin

Any news on when that version might be released?

To: andypetefan

The deadline is not yet fixed. Unfortunately, it is hard to say more or less exactly.