Apple DVD Studio Pro 4 - Manual (Page 314)

What Are Templates and Styles?
Templates and styles both contain properties, such as background assets, button
highlights, and text colors, that you use to create a menu. While templates cover all
aspects of a menu, styles are targeted to specific areas. Applying a template to a menu
can result in a mostly finished menu—you may only need to link the buttons. With styles,
you generally work with an existing menu, and then use the styles to change specific
areas such as a button’s shape or a text object’s font.
In addition to the supplied templates and styles, you can create your own. You can import
and use these templates and styles in many different projects.
Each template and style can be self-contained, including the actual assets used in the
template or style, such as backgrounds, audio files, and shapes. Or, they can reference
assets located in a folder on your hard disk.
Note: Templates and styles are in either PAL or NTSC format. You cannot use a template
or style created using NTSC assets in a PAL project. The Palette only shows templates and
styles that are compatible with the current project’s video standard. Additionally, templates
using HD-specific resolutions (such as 1280 x 720p) or HD-specific video formats (HDV or
H.264) cannot be imported into SD projects.
About the Apple Templates
Using the templates and styles provided with DVD Studio Pro is the quickest way to create
professional looking menus. They can also help you to understand the different aspects
of a template and give you ideas on how to create your own. Also, keep in mind that the
Apple templates can be modified and saved as user templates.
The Apple templates are installed when you install Final Cut Studio. If you chose not to
install them, you can install them later by starting the Final Cut Studio install process and
deselecting everything except the DVD Studio Pro content. See the Installing Your Software
document included with Final Cut Studio for more information.
In general, each template theme includes three templates designed for use in different
situations:
• Cover: Use these as the main menu. These include a text item for the menu title, one
or more drop zones for you to customize their look, and several buttons that you can
link to other menus and project elements.
• Detail: Use these when you need to have a menu with several lines of explanation-type
text. These include a text item for the menu title, one or more drop zones for you to
customize their look, and several buttons.
• Index: Use these for chapter index menus. These include a text item for the menu title,
multiple buttons for linking to a track’s chapters, and three buttons, Back, Main, and
Next, that the viewer uses to navigate to the next element.
314 Chapter 14 Using Templates, Styles, and Shapes to Create Your Menus