Digital Workshop

I am creating some simulations of a windows software application for training and demo purposes.

When I did this using a different (now defunct) authoring tool I was able to create buttons with a transparent face. These could then be placed over a button on a screenshot of the application. Because the bevels were still responsive to a mouse-click the buttom appeared reponsive also.

Not perfect, but it was a lot quicker than having to create each button in detail.

Can anyone advise me of a way to make a button with a transparent face in Opus Pro?

check back for more answers as others post replies.

meanwhile,
a Rollover object can be made to mimick a Button (and you have control of states and appearances)

In a graphics application you can create a 'hollow' object and bring that into Opus as a .png image. You could add a Flare effect to that on Mouseover etc.

Less attractive... some combination of Frame, Hotspot, and Vector objects.

Another idea is simply to take a screenshot of the actual interface you are working with and using a graphics package, simply cut out the button remebering to make a "pink or bright green" background around it a pixle or so in thickness. ( I use either colour because they are usually the two colours furthest away from the normal range - thus, easier to define and make transparent ).

Then, you simply import that picture on an Opus button and ask for the background " pink or green " - to be transparent and the button pic to be shown in full size.

You should be left with what looks like an exact replica of your original button - and by adding a mouse over, your border will be more clearly defined by the transparent "edge" around it.

Hope this helps...

P.S...

The PINK in " windows paint " application seems to work really well for this task.

Nothing so complicated...

1. Draw a frame around the button
2. Remove any background
3. Switch to mouse-over and add a raised border of 1 pixel.

It looks exactly like the effect you get when moving over buttons in Opus, etc.

Note, you can do this with a button as well - just remove button default properties for all states.

Mack

Many thanks Mack!
Simplest is best, I can't think why I didn't come up with that myself. Probably being too literal, like, when is a button not a button?

All good now!

Cheers