Igor

PicturesToExe Deluxe 7.0 Beta 4 is available now. Download link in the first post above. List of changes: + Visual Improvements in Project options, Slide properties, Customize Navigation Bar window. * Fixed bug (v7.0 Beta 3) with selecting of slides on the timeline with Ctrl key. * Fixed bug (v7.0 Beta 3) with moving of several slides using mouse on the timeline. * Fixed bug (v7.0 Beta 3) with removing of slides on the timeline using Shift+Del hotkey. * Fixed bug (v7.0 Beta 3) F6 key to switch between Slides and Timeline worked, but didn't change the highlighting of the tab. * Fixed bug (v7.0 Beta 1-3) with entering of some time values for Slide duration or Effect duration. * Fixed problem (v7.0 Beta 1-3) when the Slide list stopped work if slide(s) contained invisible Animated GIFs. * Fixed problem (v7.0 Beta 1-3) when "Edit image" (Ctrl+W) function didn't work for a main image of selected slide. * Improved compatibility with MOV video clips. * Improved stability of VideoBuilder.

Barry, It should be possible in all versions including latest 7.0 Beta 3. I didn't change this behaviour since version 5.51. Select all slides in the timeline 2. Press "Cut transitions" (Del key) 3. Click "Play" button. 4. Press Ins key to insert transition(s) at current possition. I'm ready to discuss this question if you want. Probably I didn't understood completely the problem you've raised. Hotkeys are highlighted in the main menu and in popup menu. Hotkeys are different when you call main menu or popup menu from the Slide list or from the Timeline.I've extracted a conversation on aspect ratio, slide and cover screen option into a new topic:

Barry, Sorry for my late response on your suggestions () Do you suggest rename "Cover slide" mode of an object to "Cover screen"? What about the second mode - "Fit to slide". Should it also be renamed to "Fit to screen". Mainly I agree with you. It's more easy for understandign. But strictly speaking this option works inside a slide, not entire screen. What other members think on this question? Please tell me more about suggested global option (Cover Screen). Do you mean "Cover screen" option which will be set by default for all newely inserted images? Or a global option for a slide to enlarge the slide to cover screen (and no black strips arround the slide). In other words: 1. Image covers slide. 2. Or slide covers screen. Currently there is a similar command line option -cover. Create a .bat file and type name of executable file with this parameter. For example: myshow.exe -cover Then run this bat file. Are you speaking about this mode?

"Recording News" (a magazine of British Sound Recording Association) has published an article about PicturesToExe. (Issue No. 129, Spring, 2011). Author of the article - John Willett. PDF copy of the article: http://www.wnsoft.com/apr/articles/2011/recording-news-n129-spring-2011.pdf For more details please visit http://www.soundhunters.com/bsra

Barry, I'm not sure that it's bug. Same situation might occur in previous versions. You need to carry for correct transition duration and slide duration. Daniel, Video clip duration is a parameter of video object. You can place several different video clips with different durations onto one slide. For this reason duration of a video clip is not linked with duration of a corresponding slide. You need to adjust slide duration together with duration of video clip.

André, Sorry, but it never was possible in the Objects and animation editor. You have to pause a preview and then move necessary keypoint.

New translation. Dutch User Guide for PicturesToExe Deluxe 6.5: http://www.wnsoft.com/apr/help/6.5/PicturesToExe_User_Guide_v65_Dutch.pdf

Thanks, we'll fix this issue in Beta 4. Regrettably we were not able resolve this problem. The decoder we're using (ffmpeg) reports wrong duration for this WMV video clip. Please tell in more details on this problem. I couldn't reproduce this situation.

Dave, Sorry, my mistake. I have strong headache today.

Dave, You need to convert such files if you output project as executable show. This is reality. I'm not a wizzard, sorry. Processing of video in real time with effects takes some limitations. If you render show as a video (DVD, HD video file, YouTube, etc.) you can use any source video files. Video for input and video for output. As I know other slideshow software also convert source video files.

Thanks! I just fixed this bug in the next Beta 4. OK, I'll check up. Thank you, I confirm this bug. We'll fix this bug in Beta 4. Thanks, I finally reproduced this issue with Shift+Del with your step-by-step instruction! It will be solved in Beta 4. I confirm this bug. I'll fix it in Beta 4. Thank you. Thanks! We'll fix it. I've reproduced this issue. Thanks! Will be fixed soon. Thanks, Lin! I'll check your MOV file today. Please send me one sample AVI file which has similar problem. It can be different issues.H.264 format (especially 1920 x 1080) can be heavy for PicturesToExe. Only modern PCs can handle this format with PicturesToExe 7.0. Other players might have better playback because they simply show video, whereas PicturesToExe have to apply much more complex processing using 3D capabilities of video card. Some players under Windows 7 can utilize full hardware acceleration for H.264 video if you have modern video card. But in PicturesToExe we can't rely on this function due to wide range of different video cards and need to use Direct 3D. So please convert video to DIVX, XVID or MPEG4. These formats give almost same file as H.264 but in 2-3 times less CPU loading.

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.