Ulead PHOTOIMPACT MENU PLUG-IN, DVD Menu Plug-in User Manual

Ulead DVD Menu Plug-in User Guide 1

Ulead DVD Menu Plug-in

Ulead DVD Menu Plug-in is a plug-in that allows you to export
PhotoImpact-designed DVD menu templates to Ulead’s DVD
authoring software. Create your menu templates using
PhotoImpact tools then use the plug-in to make the menu
template elements interactive when the selection menu is viewed
on DVD players.

Creating a menu template

Create your menu template using the variety of tools available in
PhotoImpact. Each menu template must contain certain elements
(objects) for it to be recognized as a menu template by Ulead DVD
authoring software. The necessary elements for a menu template
are listed below.

The following conditons must be followed for the template to be
valid:

• The canvas size must be 768x576.

• All template objects must fall within the boundaries of the
canvas.

• There must be at least one object in the template.

• All objects created using the Outline Drawing Tool or the
Line and Arrow Tool must be converted to an image object
first before saving the template.

• The template must be saved in the UFO file format.

Note: The Ulead DVD Menu Plug-in is only compatible with PhotoImpact 8
and later versions.

2 Ulead DVD Menu Plug-in User Guide

When you finish creating the menu template, save the template
first as as a UFO file then select Effect: DVD Menu - DVD Menu
Plug-in to open the DVD Menu Plug-in.

When DVD Menu Plug-in opens, you will see three tabs. These 3
tabs are the steps that you need to take to customize and then
export the menu template to Ulead DVD authoring software. The 3
tabs are: Set Up Template Properties, Assign Object Name
and Preview and Export.

Component Quantity Object Type Required

Background Image 1 Image Yes

Template Thumbnail* 1ImageYes

Scene Button 1-32 Image Yes

Scene Highlight Image Same as Scene Button Image/Path/

Tex t

Optional

Scene Frame Same as Scene Button Image/Path Optional

Scene Text Same as Scene Button Text Optional

Scene Number Same as Scene Button Text Yes

Navigation Buttons 4 Image/Path/

Tex t

Yes

Navigation Highlight
Image

Same as Navigation
Button

Image/Path/
Tex t

Optional

Title 1 Text Optional

Page Number 1 Text Yes

Decoration No limit Image/Path/

Tex t

Optional

Menu Overlay No limit Image/Path Optional

*The template thumbnail (120x90 pixels) is a visual representation of the
template. It must be set as a hidden object in PhotoImpact. It is
recommended that you do not create your own template thumbnail. If you
want a custom template, have the DVD Menu Plug-in create the template
thumbnail first (Preview and Export tab) before customizing it.

Ulead DVD Menu Plug-in User Guide 3

Step 1: Setting up template properties

Select which Ulead DVD authoring software you want to export the
menu template to. Select also the type and style of your template.

• Create template for Select the Ulead DVD software where
you want to export the template to.

• Template type Select the type of template you want to create.

• Template style Select the style for the template type you
selected. The available styles depend on the template type
selected.

Thumbnail menu

A template style that contains both
thumbnail placeholders and text.
This style is ideal when you have
several videos on your disc or you
are creating chapter menus for
your video.

4 Ulead DVD Menu Plug-in User Guide

• Preview window Displays the menu template you are
currently working on.

• Template information Displays template properties like which
DVD authoring software the template was designed for and
what template style the template is using.

Step 2: Assigning object names

An Object name identifies whether a menu object is a background
image, button, decoration, or other. Assign an Object name to
your menu objects using the Assign Object Name tab. Basically,
the purpose of assigning Object names is to make menu objects
interactive when the DVD menu is viewed on the DVD player.

To assign an Object name to a menu object:

1. Select a menu object from the Preview Window.

2. From the Object class list, choose how the object will be used
in the menu template. (For instance, for a DVD Workshop menu
template, you can customize an object to be used for
navigation, or for use as a background image or scene.)

3. Choose an Item that you want to customize, then specify the
desired properties. To customize all of the items under the
selected Object class, choose each item one at a time and
customize its properties.

Text menu

A template style that only contains
text. This style is ideal when you
are creating a template for subtitle
or language options for your DVD
videos.

Tip: You can also select the object in the Objects list.