Highlight Mask Crop/Adjust crash

cold-ones wrote on 10/2/2009, 9:59 AM

Haven't found this problem in forum, but it's a real headache for me.

I start a project on a removable hard drive (I'm using Windows XP, say the drive letter is E:) I use Photoshop to create my menus, with a separate layer containing all its buttons. In DVD-A, I open the Photoshop file in "Highlight mask", then under "Layer" I select this layer. All is well. I'll remove the hard drive for storage.

When I need to restore the file, I'll re-insert the hard drive. In Windows, sometimes the drive has a different drive letter assigned to it than the previous time (say F:). When DVD-A tries to open the file, it throws up a message box ("The following file could not be found in the specififed location:") that offers to search for the "missing" files. When it locates one, it happily loads them all.

Here's my problem: although my menus appear intact, and the links to the Highlight mask Photoshop file are OK, the crop is much smaller than the full image on the highlight mask which really wrecks the buttons. The crop box seems to re-size around the buttons (this makes some sense because the rest of the layer is transparent). But when I attempt to adjust it, either by dragging the box larger or using the right-click options, DVD-A crashes.

This only occurs when the Highlight mask image is restored under these circumstances. (DVD-A 5.0b, Win XP) Any ideas?

Comments

Former user wrote on 10/5/2009, 10:56 AM

I would guess it has something to do with temp files. You can assign your hard drive a letter so it is the same each time it boots. Just try to keep it different from your internal drives and unique on each external drive.

Dave T

cold-ones wrote on 10/6/2009, 8:13 AM

Thanks, Dave T

Not sure this is a temp file issue, but it's a real problem for me. For instance, I save a project on removable E:, then create a backup on removable F: (it's gotta have a different letter to be in the computer during backup). Now all the DVD-A masks in the backup are messed up, unless I eject E: and rename F: to E:

I guess I'm spoiled by Vegas' media restore---

cold-ones wrote on 12/17/2009, 12:20 PM

I hit this problem again and did find a workaround to this. From the Menu Page Properties tab, remove the highlight mask image. Then replace it with a second, temporary image. Under Crop & Adjust you can now change the Highlight mask selection area. Replace the temporary image with the original, and things are (hopefully) back to normal.

Paul Masters wrote on 12/19/2009, 8:43 AM

Don't know about your current/exact problem. but I have had that problem with Crop/Adjust for oh.. 2-3 updates if DVDA starting with 4.5.
.
I sent a problem, a sample project and all the data that caused it to happen every time, and a video showing it happening the first time.
Sony said they couldn't make it happen. For later updates, i sent a new problem (you know Sony can wait days to respond, but you have to do so within 48 hr. or the problem is closed - very convenient for those who have to work for a living <g>).
.
The last time the person asked for information that:
1 was already provided when you open the problem.
2 half of that was not relevent to DVDA and the problem.
So I gave up.
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In DVDA50b I have had it happen some times.
I don't 'move' files around like you do.
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I know this doesn't help, but it shows that others have the same problem and it is not just you <g>.
.
Paul Masters

cold-ones wrote on 1/7/2010, 11:01 AM

Thanks, Paul, sorry you've encountered this glitch too!

FWIW, if your project crashes when trying the previously noted fix, go to the Menu Page Properties tab and remove the "Video" file (the actual image you're using for a menu). Then change the highlight mask. When you've finished, replace the Video file with the desired menu. (Sorry to resurrect this thread but I wanted to write this down before I forgot it)