DVD Studio Pro:

• In the FACS New Media Lab (ACW 102) DVD Studio Pro is currently on the following machines:

  DVD Studio Pro 4: 1, 5, 7, 10, 13, 19, and Laptop 05
  DVD Studio Pro 2: 15

  You are able to sign out a laptop computer with the software (number 5) during times when other classes are going on in the lab (quietly speak to Daniel to avoid interrupting the class). You may need to leave some ID with Daniel, but then you can take the laptop into ACW 103 and work until Daniel needs to leave. You will eventually need to purchase a user card to sign out computers, however...

• You need a copy of the DVD Studio Pro 4 manual. You can get DVDStudioPro4UserManual.pdf from my Public folder (which is in nmw inside FACSinstructors volume) on the facs-newmedia.finearts.yorku.ca server.
  
  
• title safe area reference: (to help you plan so your menus, etc., will not lose important info. around the edge when viewed on some TVs/DVD players.)
  • titlesafe720x534.psd
  • titlesafe720x540.psd
  
  
• What you can do on a DVD: Not Possible, Somewhat Possible, Possible (to help you plan your interactions and sections)
  
  
• A1: Cyborged DVD Size Calculation (to help you meet or exceed minimum A1 size requirements)
  
  
• DVD Components and Basics, Planning/Sourcing, Source Media, Process Summary
  dvd_authoringintro1v4.rtf - includes:
  
  • DVD components
  • how basic Buttons work
  • concepts for preparing source material
  • summary of conventional planning steps
  • ideas for sourcing media/assets for your DVD project
  • general DVD limits and characteristics
  • estimating whether your content will fit
  • Source Media Formats and Specifications for images, video, sound
  • Summary of DVD Authoring Process in DVD Studio Pro
  
  
  
• Set up Settings, Importing Assets, Small Practice Project Steps:
  dvd_authoringintro2.0v4.rtf - includes:
  
  • set the start up settings (advanced, NTSC, SD, English)
  • windows in DVD Studio Pro
  • naming the DVD and project
  • Configuring the QuickTime MPEG Encoder
  • importing assets into a project
  • possible steps through an imaginary practice project:
    • name main menu
    • assign a background image/video to the main menu
    • assign an overlay to the main menu
    • create buttons
    • set up the menu's colour mapping for the buttons' 3 states
    • add video/audio to a track
    • linking buttons to a track
    • setting the end jump for the track
    • simulating the project
  • A Quick Summary of Conventional Steps in DVD Authoring
  
  
  
• Standard Menus, Simple/Advanced Overlays, basic Buttons:
  dvd_authoringintro2.1v4.rtf - includes:
  
  • setting the First Play item
  • a note on imported .mov video with sound that seems un-synched once imported
  • Menus overview
  • Standard menus VS. Layered menus
  • Nadine's hints for making a Standard menu background image
  • Overview of Standard Menus - refers to pages in the DVD SP 4 Manual
  • Kinds of Overlays
  • Simple Overlays (including steps for making one)
  • Standard Menus - refers to pages in the DVD SP 4 Manual
  • Adding Buttons to Your Menu - refers to pages in the DVD SP 4 Manual
  • Simple Overlay Colour Mapping (for buttons)
  • Advanced Overlays
  • "Easter Eggs"
  
  
  
• Layered Menus:
  dvdsp_3_layeredv4.rtf - includes:
  
  • Limitations of Layered Menus
  • Advantages of Layered Menus
  • To add a Layered Menu
  • Working with the Layered Method
  • Creating a Layered Menu (Nadine's short method)
  
  
  
• Motion Menus, Intro and Transition Clips in Menus, Slideshows:
  dvdsp_3v4.rtf - includes:
  
  • Intro to Motion Menus
  • Creating Video for Motion Menus
  • Dragging Video and Audio Assets Together
  • Configuring Motion Menu Settings
  • Adding Intro and Transition Clips to Menus
  • Menu Intro Clips
  • Button Transition Clips
  • Preparing Still Images for Slideshows
  • Creating Slideshows
  • Working With Slideshows
  • Adding Audio to Slideshows
  • Manually Changing a Slide’Äôs Duration
  • Setting up a Slideshow to Let the Viewer Advance the Slides
  • Converting a Slideshow to a Track (to have subtitles, etc.)
  
  
  
• Drop Zones:
  dvdsp_4_dropzonesv4.rtf
  
  
  
• Basic Scripting, Simulating, Building, Emulating, Formatting:
  dvdsp_5v4.rtf - includes:
  
  • Basic Scripting (points largely to Manual)
  • Finishing a DVD (overview - points to Manual)
  • Advanced Help for using the Simulator
  • Building Your DVD Project ("compiles" it)
  • Emulating Your DVD Project with Apple’Äôs DVD Player
  • Formatting Your DVD Project (burns it as a Video DVD)
  • Don't keep ALL your old builds
  • Data DVDs vs. Video DVDs
  
  
  
• Subtitles in DVD Studio Pro
  
  
• Remote Control Buttons in DVD Studio Pro
  
  
• Alternate Video Streams, Markers, Alternate Sound Tracks, Audio Consistency
  
  
• "Easter Eggs" & Fancy Rollovers
  
  
• Controlling Button Order (includes setting a menu's Default Button)
  
  

Final Cut Pro:

• Basic Final Cut Notes:
  FinalCut4FACS4930.rtf
  
  
• Diagram of Final Cut Windows:
  FinalCut_allwindows.pct
  
  
• Exporting MPEG-2 Video from Final Cut
  
  

Misc.:

• Using Mac OS X:
  includes how to connect to the server, and how URLs work
  
  
• Some Basics for Using USB Drives:
  avoid destroying files through incorrect habits!
  
  
• FTPing to facs-newmedia.finearts.yorku.ca server
  
  

HTML/CSS:

• intro to XHTML - lesson 1
• intro to XHTML - lesson 2
  
  
• DOCTYPE tag and page structure
  if you see nothing when you click on the above, VIEW > SOURCE & then you should see the tags
  
  
• HTML vs XHTML
  
  
• using BBEdit syntax check
  common XHTML errors - this is only a text file, so it won't be very pretty to look at
  NOTE: may not be visible in Safari
  
  
• handling monitor resolutions
    a 1024x768.gif image
  
  
• background images
  
  
• intro to HTML tables - lesson 1
  intro to HTML tables - lesson 2
  working with HTML tables - lesson 3
  
  
• basic CSS concepts:
  - where CSS can go
  
  

Frames:

• Nadine's Basic Frames Intro
  
  
• big list of frames examples
  Includes:
  • Frames - info from the text book
  • Basic Examples
  • Frame Parameters: Scrollbars and Borders Examples
  • Changing Frame Contents: Targeting Links - non-JavaScript
  • Changing Frame Contents: JavaScript Links - JavaScript Targeting of links
  • Other frames Examples:
    • Setting Borders and Margins with Frame tag
    • Setting Margins with CSS

ImageReady:

• basic slicing (.rtf file)
      these instructions were originally written for an earlier version of imageready

JavaScript:

• getting the JavaScript source properly
  
• some ways to trigger JavaScript functions
  
• some old JavaScript examples
  

• JavaScript for the World Wide Web (examples for the book below):
  Tom Negrino & Dori Smith, JavaScript for the World Wide Web, Visual Quickstart Guide, 5th edition, Peachpit Press, 2004
• Online JavaScript tutorial from WebMonkey

Director:

NOTE: these notes may not all have originally been written about about Director MX 2004:

• intro director notes
  
• sprite tweening advice
  
• saving director movies safely
  
• controlling director file size
  
• importing images into director
• importing sounds into director
  
• director MX 2004 Sound Formats
  
• multiple movies and casts
  
• basic projectors and Xtras
  

Director Scripting - Lingo syntax:

•  starting with Lingo in Director - by hand - quick reference
  
•  attaching scripts to sprites in dir 8, 8.5, MX, & MX 2004
  
•  using markers (part of basic scripting)
  
•  Cursors in Lingo
  
•  random lingo - new syntax
  
  
• Sound Lingo - new syntax
  
• lingo bits - sprite #, loch, randomness, repeat loops
• a list of some commands & resources
• time/date lingo
  
  
• values (numbers) & strings (words) - longer explanation
  
• values (numbers) & strings (words) - SUMMARY
  
• text cast member commands
  
• w5 global variable scripts for text
  
  
•  introduction to lingo variables - local/global
  
•  clearing and resetting lingo variables
  
•  repeat loops
•  introduction to lingo lists
  
  

Director Examples and Games: (.dir files to download)
How to save the target of the links below:
Hold down on the link & choose Save Link Target As
Or, for Safari, hold down the Control key, and click the link, & choose Download Link to Disk.

w2_globalvars.dir - example with global variables
w5stringinsult.dir - has text commands.
agefigure_mx2004.dir - text commands, different levels of error checking for input.
bugsquishsolution.dir - has film loops and sprite location settings.
simplematch.dir - uses global variables, true/false settings.
Mantisgame.dir - has global variables, cursor commands, text commands, scoring.
dattack.dir (alien Don attacks) - has global variables, scoring, decreasing health.

Director List Examples: (.dir files to download)
list_order.dir - has global list variables, text commands, append, list counting.
clickrightcombo.dir - has global list variables, text commands, checking for a solution.
jukemov.dir - (13MB jukebox) global lists, random list shuffle, append & delete, etc.
folderstobuttons.dir - has global list variables, shooting at targets (1 direction), scoring.

gotoNetPage command - for use with Shockwave movies

Director Scripting - JavaScript syntax:

•  starting with javascript in Director - by hand - quick reference
  
•  attaching scripts to sprites in director MX 2004
  
•  using markers (part of basic scripting)
  
•  JavaScript Cursor commands
  
  
•  JavaScript Sound commands
  
  
•  values (numbers) & strings (words)
  
•  text cast member commands
  
•  variables - introduction
  
  
  
•  w17_randomjump.dir - click and randomly jump
   has: local variable, randomness, simple if statement
  
  
•  w18_globalvars.dir - try to see secret orange
   has: global variables, if statement, script resetting variables
  
  
•  w18_stringinsult.dir - manipulates text with variables
   has: local and global variables, if statements, text cast members
  
  
• zoom4allana_js.dir - "zooms" in and out on a sprite by clicking on 2 controller sprites
  has: local variables, and an example of zooming a vector member and a paint/pixel member
  
  
• array4andrew_js.dir - randomly chooses the cast member for a sprite out of an array
  has: local and global variables, an array of cast member names, randomness
  
  

How to save the movie examples from the above 5 links:
Hold down on the link & choose Save Link Target As
Or, for Safari, hold down the Control key, and click the link, & choose Download Link to Disk.

Director - shockwave:

NOTE: these notes may not all be about Director MX 2004:

 controlling director file size
 basic shockwave and xtras
 solving shockwave problems
 shockwave frames steps