CONTENT
 Foreword
Why
create a menu interface for a CD, DVD or USB stick?
Tutorial
and step-by-step guide
Resources
and detailed information
Frequently
Asked Questions (FAQ)
Ubisoft
used CD-Menu Creator to create a game menu interface
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FOREWORD
This is the first special newsletter in a series of four
for those who had downloaded a trial version of CD-Menu Creator from SamLogic Software. The newsletters
contains articles and practical tips about CD-Menu Creator.
The newsletter contains also links to videos that covers
CD-Menu Creator and how to use the program.
First in this newsletter is a short article that
explains why you should add a menu interface to a CD, DVD or USB
flash drive that is distributed to your customers. We
also give some examples
of use.
We have also included a link to a step-by-steg tip that
shows how to create a basic menu with SamLogic CD-Menu
Creator. And we list some links to useful resources for
the program.
Finally you can read about how one of the world's
largest game developers, Ubisoft Entertainment, used CD-Menu Creator to
create a menu interface that presents games on a USB stick.
If you have questions about CD-Menu Creator, please
feel free to contact me. If you want to read another
issue in this special newsletter series they are available
here:
#2
- Design menu buttons that make impression
#3
- How to add social media (like Facebook) to a menu
#4
- Where to find free images and icons for your menu interface
Sincerely,
Anders Persson
SamLogic Software |
WHY CREATE A MENU INTERFACE FOR A
CD/DVD/USB STICK?
When you distribute information via a CD, DVD or USB
stick you have two problems to handle: how do you make it
easy for your end-users to access the contents and how do
you present the information in a professional way?
 The
solution is to create a graphical menu interface that is
shown automatically on the screen when the user inserts
the disc or the USB stick in the computer. By adding links
or buttons to the menu (that you attach to applications,
documents and sub menus etc.) you will create an interface
that makes it easy for users to navigate to a specific file.
And by using graphics, videos, and sound the contents can
be presented in a professional way.
Standardized interfaces enhances product & company profiles
When your customers insert your CD, DVD or USB stick
in their computers, the menu interface is the
 first impression they will get about
your company and products. By creating standardized and
well-designed interfaces
your product and company profile will be enhanced.
If you create series of menus that you use as templates
for your productions, where the basic design (colors, logos,
fonts, header text etc.) are maintained while
the contents is replaced, you can produce new discs
and USB sticks very fast. This means that you can very quickly
deploy large amounts of information and the recipient of
the media will still be able to find the right information
without any problem because the interface is familiar.
Many uses
Menu interfaces can for example be used to present
software, catalogs,
reports, course information, statistics, surveys, corporate
and product presentations, photographs, and music etc.
SamLogic CD-Menu Creator
 SamLogic
CD-Menu Creator is a tool that allows you to quickly
and easily make the above. The software provides an easy
way to combine great design with advanced technology without
requiring any knowledge of programming or design. The menu
interfaces can contain buttons, links, images, texts, sounds
and movies etc. From the buttons you can launch applications,
open documents and web pages, view photos, play movies
and music, and more.
More information about CD-Menu Creator
More information about SamLogic CD-Menu Creator, and
examples of menu interfaces that can be created, are
available on this web pages:
More information about SamLogic CD-Menu Creator
SamLogic CD-Menu Creator - Autorun Menu Examples
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TUTORIAL
AND STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE
Before you start using SamLogic CD-Menu Creator we recommend
you to view a video tutorial / step-by-step video (on
YouTube) for the program:
SamLogic CD-Menu Creator - How to create a basic
menu
The video (11 min) shows how to create a menu that
contains 4 buttons, a picture and a logotype. The video
also learns how to save a project, how to make a menu
and how to preview and run a menu.
A text based version of the tutorial is also available
here:
SamLogic
CD-Menu Creator - Step-by-Step Guide
|
RESOURCES
AND DETAILED INFORMATION
There are lots of resources and detailed information
available for CD-Menu Creator (and other software) on
our web site and some other web sites. Here are links to
some web pages with resources and information:
User's
Guide - Describes how to use CD-Menu creator (PDF)
Tips
and Tricks - Practical tips / how to use common
functions
YouTube
- Contains tip videos and other videos about our
software
Article
Archive - Technical articles with useful information
SamLogic
Blog - News and information about SamLogic products
SamLogic
Twitter - Contains the most important news
Help documentation
If you need help in the program you can press
the F1 key, whenever you want, to get more
information about a specific function.
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FREQUENTLY
ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ)
 There
is a FAQ page available for SamLogic CD-Menu Creator. On
the FAQ page you will find answers to both general questions
and questions about specific functions in the program. Below
are some of the most common questions listed (and the answers):
Q: What's the difference in function between the full
version and the demo (trial) version?
A: The demo (trial) version only works for 30 days and there
is an information text ("SamLogic CD-Menu Creator - Demo")
on the created menu interfaces. This texts is removed in
the full (paid) version. The menus created with the demo
version are fully functional also after 30 days, but no
new menus can be created when the time is up.
Q: If I buy a license of CD-Menu Creator. Is
there any additional costs, for example must I pay some
fee for every menu I distribute?
A: No. There are no additional costs. When you have bought
a license of SamLogic CD-Menu Creator you can use the tool
to create and distribute so many menus you want.
Q: In how many computers can I install the program?
A: The license is per user. So if you, for example, need
to install SamLogic CD-Menu Creator both at your office
and in your home you can do it. If there are 2 or 3 more users
you can buy a 3-license.
Read
more frequently asked questions
|
UBISOFT
USED CD-MENU CREATOR TO CREATE A GAME MENU
SamLogic
CD-Menu Creator can create menu interfaces for
various purposes; for application installations, utility
programs, business presentations and graphical menu interfaces
for software games.
One of our clients, the game development company Ubisoft
Entertainment, used CD-Menu Creator when they
needed to quickly deploy 5 Adobe Flash games and 3 movies
on a USB stick. The picture below shows how the menu looked
like.
The end-user group were children who needed a simple and
intuitive interface. By clicking on one of the pictures
on the menu they started either a Flash game or a movie.
The menu was shown on the screen when the USB stick was
put in the USB port.
Built-in support for Adobe Flash
SamLogic
CD-Menu Creator has built-in Adobe Flash support. This means
that no external Flash player needs to be deployed with
your disc or USB flash drive. Everything is handled by CD-Menu
Creator.
 Ubisoft
Entertainment
Ubisoft is a game developer and game distributor with headquarters
in Montreuil, France. The company was founded in 1986 and
has over 4,500 employees.
More examples of game menu interfaces
More examples of game menu interfaces created with
SamLogic CD-Menu Creator can be seen on YouTube:
SamLogic CD-Menu Creator - Autorun Menu Examples for
Games
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BUY
NOW:
CD-Menu Creator
CD/DVD menu designer tool.
Prices from 79 dollar:
Order
here
|
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USB Menu Creator
USB menu designer tool.
Prices from 139 dollar:
Order
here
|
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Media Tools
You can also order the latest Media Tools suite (where
the 2 tools above are included). You will also get 1 year
support & updates.
Prices from 149 dollar:
Order
here
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SEE ALSO
Visit also our
blog. |
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