Screen Layout Attributes

Overview

These attributes control how the Media Screen is created for the selected Media Item. Open or close the Screen Layout section (Figure 2.) by clicking on the section header bar.

Screen Dimensions

Screen Dimensions (Location and Size) are set when you Load the Media Item based on the Sizing option you pick below. As a screen is moved around on the desktop or when resized, the current Screen Dimensions are shown on the Screen Layout Attributes panel (see Figure 2.). When you close a Screen its Dimensions are saved for future use. Use our mouse to resize and locate the screen. As you stretch the Size of the Screen, the Video will resize as well but will maintain its recorded aspect ratio. Size is specified as Width and Height. Titlebar indicator will display "True" if the Screen's Titlebar is showing.

• Restore Previous Size  - When you load a Media Item, its Location and Size will be restored from the last time the Media Item was Loaded . (Or 400x300 pixels if the first time Loaded)
• Auto-size to Video  - When you load a Media Item, its Size is set to the natural recorded size of the video. Location will be restored from the last time the Media Item was Loaded.

Screen Location

Location is specified as an X (horizontal position) and Y (vertical position) point on the display device. You can position the Screen by clicking the Screen window titlebar and dragging it to a new location on the Windows desktop. Or you can use the Auto-Position functions on the Screens menu. The final Screen Location is saved when you close the Screen or when you click Edit Media Item -- Refresh menu item.

During a performance or presentation, you typically will have a second monitor connected to the computer and that is where you want to locate the Screens for the audience. If you disconnect the second monitor, then re-Load a Screen, you may think it has disappeared. This is because the Screen location is still set to coordinates that fall into the second monitor. Remember, the second monitor is an extension of the Windows Desktop. So to move the Screen location back to the visible computer desktop, you would click Screens -- Auto-Locate -- Move to Top,Left (0,0). That will move any Loaded Screens to the upper, left corner of the computer display.

Screen Background

As you resize the Screen, it may expose some background area when the Screen aspect ratio does not match the video recorded aspect ratio. These options allow you to set the background settings. Also it is very easy to size the screen such that no background shows.

• Color1 (C1), Color2 (C2)  - Colors used for the options below. Use the adjacent Color Set button to change a color.
• Background Style  can be set to one of these options:
  Single Color: - Background is set to a solid color defined by Color1 (C1).
  Gradient: - Background is set to a blended gradient of Color1 (C1) and Color2 (C2). There are several Gradient Styles that can be used.
  Image: - Background is set to an image defined in the Image File field. There are several Image Layouts that can be used. When the image does not fill the entire background, the remaining region is set to Color1 (C1).
• Image File  - Click the Browse button to locate an image file for the background. See the Opacity Effect Example as one possible use of Background Images.
• Image Layouts  specifies the position and behavior of an image you have placed onto the background.
  None: The image is left-aligned at the top across the background rectangle.
  Tile: The image is tiled across the background rectangle.
  Center: The image is centered within the background rectangle.
  Stretch: The image is streched across the background rectangle.
  Zoom: The image is enlarged within the background rectangle.
• Gradient Style  - specifies the direction and orientation of the Gradient used for the background.
  Horizontal: Specifies a gradient from left to right.
  Vertical: Specifies a gradient from top to bottom.
  ForwardDiagonal: Specifies a gradient from upper left to lower right.
  BackwardDiagonal: Specifies a gradient from upper right to lower left.

The sample Media Screen in Figure 1., demostrates a screen with a White Border and Horizontal Gradient Background with Color1 (C1) = Blue and Color2 (C2) = Green. The Windows Desktop Background Color is set to solid black.

Opacity/Border

• Opacity  - Sets the video Opacity (transparency level). Valid range is 0 to 1. 1=Full Opacity (no transparency). 0=Fully transparent (invisible). Opacity is often useful when you want to overlay the video over a background image.
• Border Width  is width in pixels of a border to surround the Screen. Width=0 implies no border.
• Border Color  is the color of the border. Use the adjacent Color Set button to change the color.