Igor

PicturesToExe Deluxe 7.0 Beta 3 is available now. Download link in the first post above. List of changes: + Status bar displays duration of a video/audio file choosed in the File list of the main window. + Changed view of time values displayed in Slide list of the main window. For long duration Slide list displays hours and minutes. + It's possible to change height of Slide list in table view. + Removed 10 slide limit in trial version of PicturesToExe. + "Remove Slide" button ("X") has been moved to another place. + To switch between Slide list and Timeline press F6 hot key. + Reworked insertion of blank slide on the Timeline. + Advanced tab renamed to Control tab in Project options. + Improvents in the Main tab of Project options. + Improvements inSlide properties window. + Various small improvements. * Fixed issues (v7.0 Beta 1-2) with playback of FLV video clips downloaded from YouTube. * Fixed bug (v7.0 Beta 1-2) with memory leak on some AVI video files (MJPEG codec) which caused crashing of a show. * Fixed bug (v7.0 Beta 1-2) with muted sound in some AVI video files (Canon S80 and some others). * Fixed issue (v6.5.0-v7.0 Beta 2) with changing of filename for Image object to animated GIF image. Replaced picture had an incorrect view. * Fixed bug (v7.0 Beta 1-2) with muted sound of video clips in video output (DVD, HD video file, etc.) * Fixed bug (v7.0 Beta 1-2) with loading of projects saved in previous versions of PicturesToExe. "Sharper/Smoother" parameter for Image objects was not set to optimal value. * Fixed bug (v7.0 Beta 1-2) with loading of slides in Slide list and building of preview when a project has masks. And there were several levels of embedded pictures inside a mask container. * Fixed visual bugs (v7.0 Beta 1-2) in new Navigation bar when slideshow longer than 1 hour. * Fixed problem (v7.0 Beta 1-2) with strong distorting of background music in case of complex audio editing.

We'll publish Beta 3 tomorrow.

Jean-Cyprien, I think I've understood you now. You're right. Can I suggest the next change: 1. If the cursor stays AFTER the last slide and we press Alt+S (or call "Insert Blank Slide" from a popup menu), it will be added after the last slide (ignoring triangle cursor position). 2. When the cursor stays between slides, the blank slide will be added at the point of the cursor. Right?

Please see my recent announcement:

Gary, You need to wait when we introduce a special feature for this in one of nearest beta releases (Beta 4 or so).

Xaver, I just tested, v7.0 Beta works as previous version at this point.

Jean-Cyprien, Please look on attached screenshot. Figure 1. I started a new project, and called "Insert Blank Slide". Default slide duration is 4 seconds. Figure 2. After inserting the cursor position at the end of transition effect of first slide. So when I call "Insert Blank Slide" again it will be inserted at the time point of the cursor. But slide duration will be 4 seconds. Everything is OK again.

Barry, Thanks, good idea! I've assigned F6 key to switch between Slide list and Timeline in future Beta 3. Also Main menu | View will highlight this hot key. About position of two tabs on the main window (Slides / Timeline). On my opinion it's a question of habit. The benefit of current arrangement is a groups of similar controls - less space for mistake.

Jean-Cyprien, Sorry, I can't reproduce this issue. Insert Blank slide in Timeline mode works as I expect. Slide duration exactly as a default value in Project options. Frans, We've removed these functions.

Thank you for the file! I was able reproduce this problem, exactly as you've described. I think we'll fix it tomorrow for next Beta 3.

Gary, I fixed issue with changing of size of Slide list in table view. Please wait for Beta 3.

Thanks, but I wouldn't additionally complicate view of Slide list. Difficult to read time values. In future versions this button probably will show popup window to choose transition effect. Also AB button is usual for many AV software. If remove this button, it can be difficult to understand what this time value (1.5)?

Yes, PicturesToExe reads aspect ratio from a video file. And it works in most of cases. But even 16:9 mode can be written by dozen of ways. Old legacy. Sometimes PicturesToExe doesn't recognize correctly aspect ration and we have to explore such file manually. P.S. My new Sony NEX-5 can record video in two ways: MP4 file as 1440x1080 (interlaced) and MOV 1920x1080p (progressive) Both 16:9 A bit strange for such new device.

Press Ctrl+S being in the Objects and Animation editor. And probably next version 7.5 will be reworked also for more easy access to this function.

Gary, I'll try fix it later. Daniel, I've reproduced that problem with the project you've sent me. It will be solved in Beta 3.

It's a bug. We just fixed it. Thanks!

Thanks, Gary! I see that this issue is same for all versions, including 6.5. Right?

You also need to adjust time range for video object if you want to hide video clip before it starts. I think that we need "Customize Slide" button. Because this buttons shows slide properties window and switches to the last used tab (Main, Effect, Music). In opposite "AB" button starts at "Effect" tab always. "Objects and Animation" button is more "speaking" name especially for beginners. However I have big plans to improve interface in one of nearest versions (probably 7.5). Let discuss these questions a bit later. I'll try find some solution. The logical problem in a fact that there are no gap between controls and border of the main window as Microsoft recommends.

Ray, It's definitely the bug. Please upload a short sample video file. I catched similar bug with my second camera Sony NEX-5. I records video at 1440x1080, although it's 16:9 (not 4:3). We had to correctly recognize this case in PicturesToExe. I think we can solve this new issue, too. Thanks in advance!

Tom, Thanks, I confirm this problem. We're working on the solution right now. Thanks, I'll check up. I agree with you. Thanks for the idea. I can't reproduce this problem. Does this happens for any project earlier saved in previous version 6.5.7? Could you please send me source files of a project where such problems occur? Thanks, Lin! It's an important detail which helped me catch this problem! Thank you! We'll investigate this issue.Gary, Please put screenshots to compare. I'm not sure that I rightly understood your question regarding Slide list. Anthony, Please upload your video file (Canon S80). P.S. I've moved 7 posts to "Comments..." topic to keep this thread for problems only:

Anti-shimmering (mipmappings) option is now automatically turned on by default (inside the program) for all Image/Text objects in PicturesToExe Deluxe 7.0. It's impossible to disable it. You can only adjust degree of this feature. Loading of projects created in version 6.5 or earlier: - Anti-shimmering (mipmappings) is OFF (by default) is equal to "Sharper/Smoother" -128 in v7.0. - Anti-shimmering (mipmappings) is ON is equal to "Sharper/Smoother" is 0 (zero) in v7.0. So "Sharper/Smoother" is -128 for all new Image/Text objects created in version 7.0. This option gives sharp picture as in previous versions and prevents moire/shimmering during zooming/resizing. Beside this feature version 7.0 additinally suggests an optional Unsharp Mask. And third improvement is reworked picture rendering for DVD output.

Xaver, In version 7.0 anti-shimmering (mip-mapping) is always on. You can adjust this option changing "Smoother/sharper" parameter. But for main purpose no need to change anything - you get sharp picture and no moir during animation.Button "X" probably will be reworked. Tom, Yes.That're quick replies. I'll answer on complex questions/problems on Monday.

Adding Slide(s) in PicturesToExe Deluxe 7.0 Beta Method 1 Double-click on an one image/videos in the file list, the slide will appear in the Slide list below. Method 2 Select one or several images/videos in the file list by mouse and drag'n'drop them into Slide list. Method 3 Select one or several images/videos in the file list by mouse and press Enter key. Method 4 Select one or several images/videos in the file list by mouse, call popup menu and choose "Add Selected Files to Slide list". Method 5 Press Ctrl+D to add all images/videos from a current folder to Slide list. Removing Slide(s) in PicturesToExe Deluxe 7.0 Beta Secret Method 1 Select one or several slides in the Slide list by mouse and drag'n'drop them back to file list above. My favourite way. Method 2 Select one or several slides in the Slide list by mouse and press Del key on the keyboard. Method 3 Select one or several slides in the Slide list by mouse and click small "X" button located near to "Objects & animation" button. Method 4 Select one or several slides in the Slide list by mouse and call popup menu, then choose "Remove Slide".

I posted Beta 2 with important bug fixes: P.S. Some issues will be resolved later in Beta 3: (A problem described by Peter with 3 video clips, music editing problem submited by Daniel, and another one described by Lin in email)

PicturesToExe Deluxe 7.0 Beta 2 is available now. Download link in the first post above. List of changes: + Small visual improvements in the new Navigation bar. + Mask object can use color 32-bit PNG image file with alpha channel for special visual effects. + Use mouse wheel to change values for Slide time and effect duration in the Slide list of the main window. * Fixed visual issue (v7.0 Beta 1) in created executables for PC. There was a quick flash of silver screen on start of a slideshow. * Fixed bug (v7.0 Beta 1) when Offset parameter for video clips didn't work. * Fixed bug (v7.0 Beta 1) with incorrect duration of audio of a video clip when both parameters - Offset and Duration of video object were changed. * Fixed problem (v7.0 Beta 1) with video clips from Nikon L2 compact cameras. * Fixed bug (v7.0 Beta 1) with Navigation bar in a slideshow with an option "Repeat show". Time position and duration were incorrect since second pass. * Fixed issue (v7.0 Beta 1) with scrolling in the timeline of the main window during mouse selection. * Fixed problem (v7.0 Beta 1) with appearing of an error message if load some project file, then start a new project and quickly insert two blank slides using Alt+S hotkey.