Igor

Steve, One important addition - currently it is not Mac version of PicturesToExe (please see my remark above). PicturesToExe for Windows will able create executable file of slideshow for Mac.

Peter, Many software products create similar hidden files in a folder with images. Windows Explorer creates Thumbs.db file when you turn on Thumbnails view in the Explorer. Picasa creates Picasa.ini file. Probably you didn't see WnSoftFolderInfo.ini file because it is always hidden file. And normally Windows Explorer doesn't show hidden files. Regarding renaming. You're right - WnSoftFolderInfo.ini was created after this operation. I think it is a small bug which I've missed. Because no need to do it in case of renaming.

Peter, PicturesToExe (main program) since v4.30 automatically creates this hidden file WnSoftFolderInfo.ini when you at least one time rotate an image in Slide list or in File list. The file is one for all images in that folder. The content of this file looks like: [picture19.jpg] RotationAngle=1 [picture16.jpg] RotationAngle=1 If you delete this file and then open some project which used one of these rotated images you will see that images have lost rotation information. Since v5.xx there is another way to rotate images - use Objects and animation editor. And information about rotation will be stored in a project file. Also rotation in Objects and animation editor performs by video card (in fact for free). If you rotate images in Slide list (File list) it takes additional although short CPU time (10-50 ms) to load such image.

The most likely the next version 5.7 will able create slideshows for Mac (executable file like EXE for Windows). We're testing this feature right now.

It is very sad news!

Thanks, Xaver! I missed this point.

Updated version 5.6.2 BETA: http://www.wnsoft.com/apr/picturestoexe-setup-beta.zip Changes in version 5.6.2 * Fixed two bugs (v5.6.x) with appearing of error messages in the main program of PicturesToExe and visual defects arround a slide if slideshow started under Windows XP/2000 with old version of DirectX 8.1 or earlier. Although these problems will not occur, to get hardware acceleration DirectX 9.0 or higher is required (DirectX 9.0 already included to Windows Vista and Windows XP with Service Pack 2 or 3). * Fixed issue (v5.6.x) with incompatibility of created slideshows (EXE files) with Windows 98/Me. * Fixed bug with Run application command on show of a slide. * Fixed olg bug (v5.00-v5.6.0) when "Open Web page" action for an object converted symbols of URL to lower case.

We're working on slideshow's engine for Mac and PicturesToExe for Windows will able create both kind of executable files: for Windows (EXE) and for Mac (APP). We need help of beta-testers who has Intel based Mac with Tiger or Leopard. I'll send created slideshow to see how it will play under Mac with hardware acceleration. If you want to join this beta-testing please add your post to this topic and specify model of your Mac computer/laptop, version of MacOSX and installed video card (if you know). P.S. full version of PicturesToExe for Mac will be the next step (not in this year).

Invision support has informed me that this security patch is successfully installed for forum.

I just received a newsletter from Invision Forum developers. And I've requested them to install this patch today. Here is a part from that email:

I'm glad that you have found a reason of the problem. The fact that 3D game also had same freezing like in PicturesToExe indicates that there was the problem which couldn't be completely resolved by software way.

Peter, Please let me know: - Version of Windows; - Exact number of previous version of PicturesToExe you had installed (5.0, 5.1 or 5.5?); - What video card installed in your PC?

It is very unusual issue if take in attention that you already installed latest DirectX and drivers. Your description of the problem clearly shows that PicturesToExe can not initialize hardware accelerated 3D mode. Did you try to install all updates from the Windows Update including drivers for video card? Could you please run some 3D game? Or visit Start menu | Run | type dxdiag.exe choose second tab "Display" and click "Check Direct3D". This will perform several tests. Let me know about result.

I'm sorry about this problem! I just deleted this spam member account and blocked his IP address.

We already added 3D dimension to our slideshow engine in v5.6 - you could seen Flip 3D and Swap 3D transition effects. So I think we will add 3D for objects in v5.7 or v5.8.

Also you can disable "Pan & Scan" option on the page with Vimeo settings in PicturesToExe.

Thanks for testing! Now after reading of your responses I think that HD output on YouTube is a subject of future. It is not ready for wide usage yet.

Jeff, Yes, real owls in our garden located around our summer house. It was terrific see them sunny day in so nearest distance. Thanks for testing!

I've uploaded one of my slideshows on YouTube in HD format (1280x720) using PicturesToExe Deluxe 5.6: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pKyDLeOXOU&fmt=22 How do you find quality of picture and smoothness of playback for such kind of slideshow? It seems that same H.264 file plays better in video player than online on PC. YouTube requires more powerful computer to play HD videos.

We'll update the forum's engine to latest version. Sorry for possible temporal inconveniences.

Jean-Pierre, Bravo! Very impressive. I even didn't expect that it could be done using PicturesToExe and Masks objects. P.S. I've sent you email regarding antialiasing of Rectangle objects, please could you reply me?

Final version 5.6.1: http://www.wnsoft.com/apr/picturestoexe-setup.zip (6 MB) Changes in version 5.6.1 * Fixed old visual bug with waveform on the timeline if update audio file. * Fixed bug of v5.5-5.6 with objects which used customized "Time range" values. * Fixed problem with uploading of slideshows to YouTube * Fixed bug of v5.6 when mouse cursor didn't change its view when cursor was placed over an object with action (Text, Image, Rectangle). * Fixed problem with "Run Application" action of object under Windows Vista. Sometimes window of started application was hidden behind the slideshow window. * Fixed problem with "Wait for a key press" option and objects with actions. * Fixed problem of v5.1-5.6 with black picture if encode DVD-Video on some old Intel video cards. * Fixed visual defects with greyscale Mask object in some cases (adjusting of opacity for Mask Container). + Various minor changes and improvements.

Brian, I just checked up - PDF files are allowed for attachments to posts. There is only common restriction for any kind of attached file - up to 2 MB. Here you can see that I have successfully uploaded the PDF file: Test.pdf

Our developer who wrote main code of VideoBuilder recommended Yamb - a good free utility to join several MP4 video files without re-encoding: http://yamb.unite-video.com/download.html

Dominique, It is already done. See today's v5.6.1 Beta: http://www.wnsoft.com/apr/picturestoexe-setup_beta.zip And as I've wrote above regarding first revision of your slideshow: "There is a simple way to avoid jagged edges of a frame. In the image file "3dbook-frame.jpg" used for Mask add one-pixel border around the mask using 50% of black color (127 of 255 in Photoshop). It will add smooth edges to the mask and remove aliasing."