Looking at the Adobe Encore DVD workspace


    In Adobe Encore DVD, you work with four major groups of windows, depending on a given task:

    Project window

    Use the project window and its four tabs (Project, Menus, Timelines, and Disc) to access your assets and perform basic tasks related to the assets' properties. The Project window is an excellent planning and management tool. It gives you an overview of a project and all its elements. See "Working with assets in the Project tab" on page 16 and Using the Project window to manage links.

    Properties palette

    The Properties palette is a context-sensitive palette containing options that change dynamically for whatever you're currently working on--for example, when you select a menu in the Project window, the Properties palette contains options available for setting menu attributes. Use the Properties palette, in conjunction with other windows, to perform many authoring tasks in Adobe Encore DVD. (See Specifying links, Setting disc navigation and properties, Setting menu navigation and properties, and Setting button navigation and properties.)

    Palette window

    Use the palette window and its three tabs (Layers, Character, and Library palettes) to specify settings for assets selected in other windows and to access stored items such as buttons and menus.

    • Layers palette: The Layers palette is a context-sensitive palette that displays layers in a menu. Use the layer palette to show and hide layers and to change their stacking order or lock them. (See Understanding the Layers palette.)
    • Character palette: The Character palette is a context-sensitive palette that you use to specify type formatting. In addition to the standard formatting options, the Character palette provides options for Japanese text too. (See Understanding type attributes in the Character palette.)
    • Library palette: The Library palette displays menu, button, and background templates. (See Understanding the Library palette.)

    Timeline window

    Use the Timeline window to sequence assets for a given feature and set properties as appropriate. Unlike video editing, where multiple clips are put together in a single timeline, Adobe Encore DVD limits the number of assets you can add to a timeline. The video track of a timeline can contain only one video clip or multiple still images; the audio tracks of a timeline can contain only one audio clip per track. (See Using the Timeline window.)

    Menu Editor window

    Use the Menu Editor window to create and edit menus. In this window, you can place, move, resize, or delete buttons in a menu, as well as add text and background images. (See Creating menus.)

    Illustration of Adobe Encore DVD workspace with these callouts: A. Toolbox B. Project window with Menu tab displayed C. Timeline window D. Palette window E. Menu Editor window for selected menu F. Properties palette
    Adobe Encore DVD workspace A. Toolbox B. Project window with Menu tab displayed C. Timeline window D. Palette window E. Menu Editor window for selected menu F. Properties palette

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