Igor

Thanks for your suggestions! Please give me time to think thoroughly before I reply. Barry, This is exactly that what I expected to hear when I have raised this topic. Thanks! Please look on attached screenshot. Here is an updated Main tab in the Project options window in future Beta 6. It contains aspect ratio because it's a very important parameter. ("Virtual size of a slide" remains on the Screen tab). Also when you click "New project" in the main menu | File, Beta 6 will ask for project name and aspect ratio. I've moved two options from the Main tab to More tab. I'm considering an idea to rework a horizontal tabs in the Project options into a vertial list of tabs on the left side of the Project options window. This allow use tree of settings and put several advanced sub-tabs under parent tab, like on attached screenshot. P.S. However I have a concern that it's impossible to vastly simplify the user interface of the software product intended for advanced and professional users keeping all its features. A simple example - Apple Final Cut, Apple iLife KeyNone, Adobe Photoshop. These products are not simple for beginners, IMHO. A lot of options, functions.

I think you've noticed some steps we did in version 7.0 Beta to improve usability of PicturesToExe. This work is not finished yet. I'll add more changes in coming beta releases and in following version 7.5. What you can suggest me to improve usability in PicturesToExe? Please take in attention two important points: - Your suggestions should be regarding existing features/functions/options. No feature requests here, please. - There is a conflict between simplicity and features. Did we reach as possible more simple implementation for existing features?

Thanks! I confirm bug with resizing in Objects and animation editor. But I can't reproduce the issue with a duplicating speed template. Thanks, Barry! A very interesting problem. I've reproduced this issue only when I use Windows Explorer to run installation file and under Windows 7. And it happens sometimes. We think that it's a bug in Windows Vista/7 and the operation system doesn't set rightly focus to a started application. We found a fix for this issue. Please try future Beta 6 and let me know about result. P.S. I'll reply on other problems tomorrow.

PicturesToExe Deluxe 7.0 Beta 5 is available now. Download link in the first post above. List of changes: * Fixed problem (v7.0 Beta 4) with crashing of the Objects and animation editor after adding of a video clip. * Fixed visual problem (v7.0 Beta 1-4) with the Slide list when effect duration of slide(s) longer than slide(s) duration. * Small bug fixes.

Cèlou, I can't reproduce this issue. Please send me test projects (and executables) in ZIP archive. I'm sorry, but it's impossible technically. It strongly complicates the code of the program because it would be necessary re-calculate duration of the slide on the fly. Thousands of places, I can't predict results after this change.

Hello Graham, I'm afraid this video card is not enough for PicturesToExe. System requirements for the program are "video card with 128 MB of video memory".

If this video card has only 64 MB of memory it means that it's old one and doesn't support fully DirectX 9.0. We use partial hardware acceleration to play video. I know that even very old video card can play video clips, but they simple show video clips as is. In PicturesToExe we use complex processing to apply all effects including Pan/Zoom/Rotate/3D transform and mix video with pictures. This requires at least 128 MB video memory and video card released since 2003.

Thanks for details! But I'm sorry, I still didn't understand where the main/chief show (which calls other shows). Also what screen mode you use for main/chief/menu show - fullscreen or windowed?

Hello Graham, Thanks for ZIP file with this project. I created DVD and masks objects work correctly. It seems that PicturesToExe was not able initialize Mask objects on your computer. What configuration of your PC? CPU, memory size, video card and video memory size? Please try also new version 7.0 Beta. It has reduced requirements for video card when you render video for DVD disc.

Thanks, I've added this suggestion to my TODO list.

I confirm this bug. Thank you! We'll fix it in Beta 5. You're right. I think it's a bug. But we will block video clips for Custom Windows in this version 7.0, because we prefer do not hurry and test carefully all main functions.

Bert, Custom preset should give exactly same quality. "Medium quality" in preset is equal to "Quality: 71" in custom mode. "High quality" in preset is equal to "Quality: 100" in custom mode. I'm not sure that 1920x1200 is a safe preset. Because it exceeds FullHD resolution (1920x1080). Probably some HD players or TVs will not able play correctly this file.

Cor, I fixed all 3 issues you've discovered in Beta 5. Thanks! Please tell me in more details: 1. Version of PicturesToExe used to build main show (menu). 2. Version of PicturesToExe used to build another show (to run). 3. Type of command to run the show - "Run slideshow" or "Run application"? Thanks in advance.

Hello, 1. Please try latest version 7.0 Beta 4. Will it work on your computer? http://www.wnsoft.com/apr/picturestoexe-beta.zip 2. Do I understand rightly that when you click "Create" or "Preview" button you see the message: "Packing of PNG, BMP, GIF images... 1 of 3" on the status bar of the main window. And then it freezes and crashes with another error message you posted above? 3. Please download the following sample project I've created. Unpack ZIP archive and load in PicturesToExe 6.5 Then try create executable file or run Preview. Will it work now? http://www.wnsoft.com/test/SampleProject_Apr19-2011_12-30-05.zip (350 KB)

Hello, I apologize for this problem! We never faced with this case before. I searched in Google and I found similar reports on this error situation in different software including known games and Microsoft Office. Because of this I suppose it can be a hardware issue, or a combination of hardware with particular software. The common advice would be a fully check of PC with antivirus software, then please install all updates for Windows and updated drivers through Windows Update service or manually. Also it's better to install available Service Pack if applicable.

What configuration of these two PCs where slideshow with video don't play correctly? Video card and CPU. John, PicturesToExe uses built-in video codecs in slideshow engine. So if PicturesToExe plays correctly particular video clips on one PC, it should do on any others. The only possible problem - old video card which can't handle video playback.

Hello Graham, Thanks for photos! I've understood now. It looks as a bug in PicturesToExe 6.5 Could you please send me all source files of this project in ZIP archive? You can upload file on www.mediafire.com and then give me a URL through personal message. Probably this issue related with one this slide only. Try to save a project with another file name and leave one slide in the copied project. I suppose this issue should appears also in any video output, including "Create HD video file for PC". I think we will easily solve this problem once we reproduce this situation.

Gary, We don't change Navigation bar options if you load a project saved in previous versions. Please start a new project, or turn on the new navigation bar manually in your existing project. I'm not sure. Probably in this version.

Barry, We will write a list of hotkeys in the User Guide.

I've added Dutch translation of "A Guide to New Features of PicturesToExe Deluxe 7.0": http://www.wnsoft.com/apr/help/7.0/PicturesToExe-700-Gids-nieuwe-functies_NL.doc Thanks to Cor Van der Kinderen for the translation!

John, In following version. We still have a lot of work with video clips. Currently it's impossible, sorry. Mainstream video card can't do it well for video. We're looking for alternate ways. Please tell me in more details why you prefer hide the new navigation bar by default? We completely reworked the navigation bar in version 7.0. Now it has all base features (rewinding, duration of show, audio volume control, mute audio). These functions should be very useful for viewers of AV shows. Also if you include long video clips the rewinding control is only way for good navigation. And, of course, it possible turn off the navigation bar if you create a template and assign it as a main template for all new projects. Probably you concerned by a fact that the navigation bar "tells" every viewer that this AV show created in PicturesToExe and the shows losses its individuality? Bert, I'm not sure that I rightly understood this problem. Please give me more details and probably sample files.

Barry, nobeefstu, Thank you! I've reproduced this problem now. And we've fixed it in future Beta 5. Barry, H.264 video files directly from camera usually have file size at ~18 mbit (720p) and ~40 mbit (1080p) per second. This large size comes from the fact that camera doesn't use all power of H.264 format and use simple base encoding. Our convertor will get 6-11 mbit for 720p and 12-22 mbit for 1080p. So you get even less file size and in 3 times less CPU loading with almost same quality. If you make a final output as HD video file, you need not convert source video clips at all. You are free to use even H.264 at 1080p. Some restructions exist only for shows as executables.

Hello Graham, Sorry, I was not able reproduce this problem. I made a DVD with two slides. Each slide has one mask object. They had same look in EXE file and on DVD. Please could you take a picture with your digital camera from LCD display and from TV to show the difference?

We published Beta 4. Please try it.

Barry, I understand your point of view. The current conception is more complex of understanding, especially for beginners, but it gives a lot of creative applications. Simple slideshow products where you need not set aspect ratio of a slide allows put only one picture. If you put at least two pictures together (or text caption with picture) you need to set fixed aspect ratio. Slide is a container with fixed aspect ratio for pictures and other objects to keep their relative positions. Earlier in version 4.xx we had not aspect ratio that caused changes in position of objects when you run a slideshow on different displays (4:3 or 16:9). Any software where you can put several objects on one screen require fixed aspect ratio. Theoretically we could support two modes - simple with dynamic aspect ratio according screen and advanced mode with fixed aspect ratio. But it's one more option. And questions from users. And difficulties with code to write and support both modes. What we can do now? 1. We can add a global preset in the Project options: "Show mode for new pictures" ("Fit to slide" / "Cover slide"). And a button to apply choosed mode for all objects in a show. This will save a lot of time if you need to change this mode for all slides in your project. 2. Or an alternate global option of virtual editing (and local option for each picture object): "Crop picture to aspect ratio" (4:3, 5:4, 16:9, etc). This option also allows reach same result. This option could work like current "Canvas size" editing and give similar result. Both options can work together. 3. We can add a new button to Navigation bar to switch between two modes "Fit to screen" and "Cover screen". This option applies to entire slide and allows to remove black strips around a slide. This option can be implemented in following version(s). 4. Regarding naming ("Cover slide" or "Cover parent"). We can use dynamic name depending on parent of an object. If object lays on a slide we use "Cover slide". If object placed on a parent object we use "Cover parent". What you think?