Igor

Hello Ronnie, Thanks! You touched the interesting theme. To tell the truth it's difficult to effectively promote PicturesToExe in Google search (free search results and paid ads). There are no popular key phrases that exactly determine software programs like PicturesToExe. And there are only several software products in this niche. On other side, there are hundreds (if not thousands) of simple slideshow makers which came to the market last years. So when users search for "slideshow software" or "slideshow maker" they likely expect to find a simple, cheap (or free) slideshow program to get quick results with a wizzard without creative work. Mainly our sales are based on "word of mouth" and I deeply grateful to our users for this promotion of PicturesToExe!

CNET has published a review of PicturesToExe Deluxe: Create slideshows to go with PicturesToExe Deluxe Save slideshows as executable files with this flexible software. http://download.cnet.com/8301-20_4-10478641-10084490.html?tag=mncol;txt

Daniel, Yes. It already possible. But I don't recommend this way. If I remember this topic has been discussed earlier. Sorry if I didn't understood rightly your question. ? Not in v7.5

The new timeline shows pictures of slides.

Dave, Typical size of a project file is small. PicturesToExe saves a temporary project file into system Application Data folder. In this folder we also store PicturesToExe settings.

Dave, Yes, in case of normal work this temporary project will be automatically deleted when you close PicturesToExe. The program also deletes this temporary file when you save or load a project, or start a new project. When launched PicturesToExe discovers a recovered project the program performs three actions: 1. Loads a recovered project; 2. Adds the text "(Recovered project)" to the caption of the main window; Project1 - PicturesToExe Deluxe (Recovered project) 3. Deletes the temporary file. Auto-recovery is turned on by default since version 7.5. However you can disable this feature in the new System Preferences window.

New version 7.5 will bring Auto Recovery feature. PicturesToExe automatically saves your edits without interrupting your work. A copy of your project is saved every 7 minutes and recovered automatically in the event of an unexpected shutdown. This feature doesn't rewrite your original project file. PicturesToExe saves a copy of a project to a special file in a temp folder. When you launch PicturesToExe after an unexpected shutdown the program automatically loads a recovered project. All you need is to click the Save button to keep recovered changes in the original project file. P.S. We hope to introduce the first beta in 30-35 days.

I confirm reply of Jean-Cyprien: I quickly tested PicturesToExe for this situation and everything is working as described above.

Presenting PicturesToExe (4:10) Another excellent demo created by Lin Evans to illustrate power of PicturesToExe. This show has been created specially for our website www.wnsoft.com. Thanks to Lin Evans! Executable file for PC (best quality): http://www.wnsoft.com/files/picturestoexe/slideshows/Presenting-PicturesToExe.zip (55 MB) Watch on YouTube:

If I can ask, please send a link to this demo to your friends. Probably they will be interested in PicturesToExe.

Robert, When we wait the answer from Barry regarding a visual part, I'll say about audio part. We purchased a commercial license for this music (royalty free) and this demo can be demonstrated in all public places worldwide, including TV and YouTube.

PicturesToExe 7.0 Promo Video (3:30) This demo has been created by Barry Beckham specially for our website - www.wnsoft.com. It shows all main effects of PicturesToExe Deluxe 7.0 for new users. I hope you will enjoy this demo. Many thanks to Barry Beckham for this wonderful demo! Executable file for PC (best quality): http://www.wnsoft.com/files/picturestoexe/slideshows/PicturesToExe-Demo.zip (71 MB) Watch on YouTube:

Thanks, but please move your suggestion to the "Ideas and suggestions for next version".

It nice to compete with Apple. When we launch PTE iOS, Apple anytime can remove it from AppStore - "it duplicates a native application iSlideshow of iOS 8.0"...

Current version 7.0.x can't output full resolution video for the new iPad. We added this support to the future version 7.5. I'll try to add this support to the nearest update, too (7.0.7). You can make an experiment right now: 1. Browse PicturesToExe folder in Program Files, or Program Files (x86) if you have 64-bit Windows 7/Vista: C:\Program Files\WnSoft PicturesToExe\7.0\VideoBuilder\ 2. Find "mp4presets.dat" file 3. Change "Width" and "Height" parameters for iPad_high (lines 5-6): [Preset0_0_0] Type=3 Name=iPad_high VideoMode=0 Width=1024 Height=768 I'm not sure that the new iPad supports H.264 video at 2048x1536. I did several tests and our iPad couldn't play these files. It seems that it supports video up to 1920x1080 only. Apple's websites says: "Video formats supported: H.264 video up to 1080p, 30 frames per second" http://www.apple.com/ipad/specs/ No words about 1536p video. So try to set Width=1920 Height=1080

I moved discussion on the new iPad to a separate topic:

Xaver, Thanks for this information! I cautiously assume that these rules can be revised taking into account the situation with Windows 8. Anyway we can keep producing of single executables for AV festivals or personal use. Indeed there is a way to outsmart Windows 8. You need to pack a single EXE file into ZIP archive and unpack it using some little-known ZIP unpacker which will not add a tag to extracted EXE file that this file was downloaded from Internet. When web-browser downloads a ZIP file from Internet, it adds a tag ("downloaded from Internet") and if you unpack this ZIP file using Windows Explorer it will read this tag and then marks the extracted EXE file as "unsafe". So you need to find a ZIP unpacker which doesn't perform this action. For example free "7-Zip" - http://www.7-zip.org/

Tom, Thanks for your idea regarding the player. You're right, the unique file extension for a resource file (.ptd) is preferable for future evolution of PicturesToExe. In theory we can release a slideshow player which can play all .ptd files by double click in Windows Explorer. Like we install Adobe Reader to read PDF documents. It seems that this way is recommended by Microsoft. Users have to confirm the installation of such player once. And then any slideshow (in .ptd format) will be played without any warnings. I think it also possible to play executable files, if you run the player and choose File -> Open dialog window to browse slideshows in old EXE format. Creating of a player is a alternate way to solve problems with unsigned executable shows. This warning will be shown *every time* when user launches an unsigned executable file in Windows 8. No. You can only configure Windows to turn off this warning at all (SmartScreen Filter).If a slideshow consists from two files - signed launcher + resources, Windows 8 will not show any warnings at all.

Thanks, Lin, I understood. You're right, it possible. If .dat files belong to same version (7.0.6 for example), it will not cause any problem. In case of different versions, a launcher shows the error message telling in details the exact reason of the problem. We can write a version number to the launcher and to .dat file with resources to validate compatibility automatically. I know this variant has inconveniences. But for personal use (files on DVD disc or USB drive) you can use single executables. I'm trying to find the best solution already 3 months. We didn't add any changes in this direction to PicturesToExe yet. I'd like to hear the opinion of the community. It also interesting to see what our competitors will do in this situation (if they aware). Indeed similar situation happens with unsigned single executables downloaded by Internet Explorer 9 in Windows Vista/7 already now. For this reason I recommend pack executables to ZIP archive. It solves the problem. But in Windows 8 it doesn't help.

Don't worry, it will work! "Run application" will work. What about Windows 8. I really don't like it. Microsoft removed Start button at the left-bottom corner. No Start menu anymore. Ugly Metro graphical design for desktop environment. No Aero graphical theme. The new interface is flat and very bright. You can read people comments here: http://blogs.msdn.com/b/b8/archive/2012/05/31/delivering-the-windows-8-release-preview.aspx http://blogs.msdn.com/b/b8/archive/2012/05/18/creating-the-windows-8-user-experience.aspx

There is one difference. Windows suggests two variants - unpack one exe file or unpack all files. Users should make right choose. I'm afraid it complicated. Yes, same problem for Dropbox. For any executable file downloaded by any way from Internet. We can't modify a file of the launcher to keep valid digital signature. So digitally signed launcher (ABC.exe file for example) will search for ABC.dat file placed in SAME folder. You can even rename the launcher and resource file. The only condition - they should have same name and different extensions (ABC.exe + ABC.dat, or Myshow.exe + Myshow.dat). No problems with duplicates if they are located in different folders.

I need your advice for the following problem. Future Windows 8 will have an unpleasant restriction. When user launches an unsigned executable file (slideshow) he will see a warning message as shown on the first screenshot (1). If he guesses to click "More info" link he will able to launch it (2). Thanks to Microsoft. This problem will touch all slideshow software (WnSoft, Photodex, Aquasoft, etc) which create slideshows in single executable files, because it is impossible to add a digital signature to a single EXE file created by an user. This situation happens with EXE slideshows downloaded by any web browser, even packed into ZIP archive. This problem does not occur with EXE files created and launched on same PC, or transfered through DVD disc, or USB flash drive. Windows 8 will be released in September-October of this year. What we can do? A. Leave everything as it is. Users should guess how to launch slideshows downloaded from Internet. B. Separate the code from user data. Executable file contains only a slideshow player which has our digital certificate + user file with packed images/music/videos. For example: Myshow.exe -> launcher Myshow.res -> images/music/videos. Windows 8 will not show any warnings anymore. Publish menu contains a new option - "Create executable file for PC for Internet". This options creates a folder with two files or creates a packed ZIP archive. Example of such slideshow with two files: http://wnsoft.com/files/test/Myshow.zip Of course, if user forget to copy the second file, the slideshow will not work. Also it more difficult to launch such slideshow from a ZIP file, because it necessary to unpack all files from the ZIP. Impossible to assign an icon for executable show. Positive side effect - less problems with antivirus software. What you think and what way we should choose? I remind that this problem also happens with competing slideshow software which create single executable files.

Microsoft adds more and more obstacles for software vendors. Yesterday we renewed our digital signature for our software programs (a label "Publisher: WnSoft Ltd." when you launch the installation file). And now I see that SmartScreen Filter in Internet Explorer 9 shows then following message when I try to launch downloaded PicturesToExe 7.0.6: "SmartScreen Filter reported that this program is not commonly downloaded" and "Run" button is hidden under "Actions" button by default. It complicates the installations. It even despite the fact that software has a confirmed digital signature of verified software publisher. As I read on Microsoft's website, the only way to solve this problem - have as possible more downloads through Internet Explorer 9 of our software. At some moment SmartScreen will approve the program and will add our digital certificate to a "white list" for future updated versions. If it possible, please help me by downloading PicturesToExe Deluxe 7.0.6 again from our website http://www.wnsoft.com (not through the link on this forum) using Internet Explorer 9 and start the installation. This problem doesn't occur in Firefox, Chrome and Opera. Thanks in advance! P.S. That's not all. Microsoft Windows 8 will bring some restrictions for any slideshow software (WnSoft, Photodex, and others). So we have to solve new problems. I'll tell in details in another post:

Please let me know - do you have similar error message when you watch other shows created in PicturesToExe? I think it can be related with unstable work of your hard drive or flash drive (where you placed the launched AV show).

I posted final version 7.0.6 It has minor changes since the beta version.