Igor

Peter, Every version usually has changes which make incompatible this slideshow with previous versions. Because of this exact matching is necessary, or we may get unexpected behaviour of the slideshow's engine. Even crashing. To help author we plan to add a special tool for batch creating EXE file and PTE will remind or automatically rebuild linked EXE files. Tom, Thanks, I've reproduced bug. If you untick "Main image only" and save BMP file of a slide and rename suggested image file, it will be saved in BMP format, but with .jpg extension. We'll fix it. And second bug (shown on screenshot), too.

Lin, That's true, mainly 30p video can't deliver smooth playback of fast movement and rotation. There is a one thing (used in rendering of computer graphics for movies) which can make a little better movements for 25p-30p video but price is high: - Slow downing of rendering in 3-4 times. - Blurring of fast moving objects (along axis/vector of movement). I experimented with this improved rendering, but have leaved this idea for future when more fast CPUs will come. By the way, did you try 1280x720 60p video with higher frame rate? It should be quite enough.

Thanks, I've reproduced this bug. A temporal solution: Create EXE file one time, save project, and after this produce again .scr screensaver.

Umberto, It's first and last bug I was shown in another country. My friends in England told me about this bug and shown it to me on their PC. I can only dream about such possibility see a problem directly with my eyes

Steve, Before write a reply I need a little more details on this issue you're describing. If you burn 4:3 slideshow to NTSC DVD, please compare this DVD disc with another commercial DVD movie which has exactly same aspect ratio of video (4:3). Please try how it plays on your televisions. And then also compare with DVD playback on a computer (where video usually plays at 100% without hiding of parts of picture for Save TV zone).

John, We tried fix this bug in Beta 15. Please try it and let me know if the problem comes back.

I just re-uploaded Beta 15 with one small improvement for Objects and animation related with better visibility of items in Objects tree in not focused state. Den, Turn on this option, add button, image, text objects. And you will see that color of keyframes on the timeline is different for type of objects you are working.

Xaver, We fixed first bug in Beta 15.

PicturesToExe Deluxe 5.6 Beta 15 Download link: http://www.wnsoft.com/apr/apr-deluxe_beta.zip (6 MB) What new in this Beta: + Improved scrolling of the timeline when you move blue triangle cursor outside visible area. + Added "Color view of keyframes" option for timeline in Objects and animation editor. * Fixed bug of previous betas when VideoBuilder couldn't open a project with button object(s). * Fixed bug of previous betas when preview of a slideshow started from selected slide shown flash of previous slide on slides with disabled transition effects. What new in version 5.6: + Added export of slideshow as a video. (See Main menu -> Create) - Export of HD video for playback on PC, Mac. - Export of video for iPhone/iPod. - Publish online on Youtube. - Publish online on Vimeo with HD quality. + New 3D transition effects between slides: - Added "Flip 3D" effect. - Added "Swap 3D" effect. - Reworked "Curling of page 3D" effect. Set large radius parameter to get completely new effects. + Improvements in Objects and Animation window: - Mask objects for creating of special effects. You can apply several Masks to one image object. - Music and sounds when you click "Play" button for preview. - Added "Anti-shimmering (mipmapping)" option for Image and Text objects. This option prevents appearing of shimmering when object has zoom from small size to large size. - Improved view of "Action on mouse click" list. - Added new action "Run slideshow". - Added "Pause" button. ! "Original size" mode of objects has been replaced. Now use "Fixed size of slide (in pixels)" mode in Project options | Screen tab. And "Size/position in pixels" button in Common tab of object properties. + Added "Virtual size of slide" parameters as alternate way to set aspect ratio of slide (Project options | Screen tab). It helps in work with "Size/Position" tool window in "Object and animation" editor. + Added new commands "Run Slideshow" and "Run Slideshow with Return" to Project options | "More" tab and as an action for objects. This option highly recommended if you want to start another slideshow from current one and for building of menu. It will guarantee flawless start of next slideshow from current one. In fact a series of slideshows will work as one large slideshow that provides optimal memory usage. + Added "Color outside slide area" option (Project options | Screen tab). By default if you run widescreen slideshow (16:9) on 4:3 display you see black strips around the slide. Now you can choose this color. + Added menu on Create button. + Faster rewinding of slides in created EXE file and preview. + Added "Crypt images/music against extracting from EXE file" option. See Main menu | View | Advanced options. (Enabled by default). + Improved installer of PicturesToExe, multi-lingual interface. + Fully rewritten shadow for objects. Now it has correct view for a long text object. And better visual quality. + "Protection of slideshow" options has moved to the last page of Project options (Advanced tab). + Changed caption of "Change Image File" button in the main window. + Various improvements. ! "Run application" options has moved to the last page of Project options (More tab). ! "Disable F1 key to show help window" has moved to "Customize help window" dialog (Main menu | Project). * Fixed an old bug (since v5.5) when after renaming of a main image in Slide list or File panel MiniPlayer didn't display renamed image. * Fixed an old bug (since v5.1) when changing of display resolution, locking of PC or Sleep mode applied during encoding of video caused visual defects in created video file. * Fixed an old bug (since v5.5) when all color text objects (excluding black and white) had slight almost invisible greenish contour. * Fixed old bug of all previous versions: pressing Ctrl+O (Open project), "Ctrl+N", "Ctrl+S" and other key shortcuts whilst PicturesToExe creates large EXE file it caused incorrect work of the program. * Fixed old bug (since v5.5) when "Image Load Error" might occur in Slide list, MiniPlayer and Objects and animation editor on projects with hundreds slides of large images (about 8 megapixels each one). * Fixed old bug (since v5.0) Push effect had mixed up "Bottom-Top" and "Top-Bottom" variations with disabled hardware acceleration option.

Xaver, Thanks, I've easily reproduced the first bug (second, third or another slide), but can't reproduced the second one. Do you see the quick flash when you just click Preview button and when you click "toast" button for selected first slide?

AbdolReza, It's not a bug in this case. Because even 1 ms. is a transition effect and you should see previous slide. Shortly in this case, but a little more than 1 ms. because your display doesn't have 1000 Hz refresh rate, but only 60-100 Hz. So you see previous slide during 10-16 ms. In the next version. It's translated. I see Russian text in my copy of PicturesToExe. We plan completely rework Help, Startup windows in next version.Xaver, I though we have fixed this bug in Beta 14. Please could you send me short test project to reproduce this problem?

Steve, When in "Create AVI" window you choose custom resolution and set 720x480 you get wrong and not optimal result for NTSC DVD due to square pixels in AVI picture. You know that there are two main aspect ratio for NTSC DVD video discs - 4:3 and 16:9. But in both cases encoded picture of video on a disc has 720x480 pixels (15:10) of size. But if simply fit 4:3 video to 720x480 size, we will not optimally utilize all possible space of a picture on DVD. To solve this problem developers of MPEG2 and DVD have used a special trick - "Display Aspect Ratio". Source video 4:3 or 16:9 stretches to 720x480 and we add a special flag which tells player what aspect ratio it had before stretching. So picture of video on NTSC DVD disc must be stretched. And no black strips on picture - we use 100% of picture space. Did you try to play NTSC DVD disc (created in VideoBuilder or created ISO and then burned) on usual DVD player connected to television (not via computer)?

Steve, The key moment - computer displays have square pixels whereas picture of MPEG2 video for DVD does not. To rightly encode 4:3 slideshow to 4:3 video of NTSC DVD it is necessary to stretch picture of slideshow to 720x480 before encode it. And player does back transformation when you watch this video on your screen. Please see the article "DVD Formats and Aspect Ratios". It explains everything regarding this issue: http://polymesh.nwcolor.com/docs/DVDAspect...osExplained.pdf The benefit of VideoBuilder, it directly renders video for NTSC DVD in stretched format ready for NTSC without need in an additional transformation. And if you use AVI, another DVD encoder will stretch your video again and you lose in quality. If VideoBuilder did it incorrectly users of PicturesToExe reported us about distorted proportions of faces in created NTSC DVD disc or black strips.

Steve, Please try Create function with newest Beta 14. If the problem still exists, please let me know: 1) How often it happens (rarely, often, always)? 2) Particular projects or all? Thanks in advance.

PicturesToExe Deluxe 5.6 Beta 14 Download link: http://www.wnsoft.com/apr/apr-deluxe_beta.zip (6 MB) It's fully functional beta which includes all functions of version 5.6. What new in this Beta: + Updated language files. + Added "Original mode" tab to Position/Size tool window in Objects and animation editor. For those users who prefer enter values in percents for Original size mode like previous version. + Changed caption of "Change Image File" button in the main window. * Fixed old bug (since v5.0) Push effect had mixed up "Bottom-Top" and "Top-Bottom" variations. (When hardware acceleration turned off). * Fixed bug of previous beta versions when Copyright logo with adjusted opacity lesser than 100% periodically was shown at full opacity. (When hardware acceleration turned off). * Fixed bug of Beta 13 when 'Cannot focus a disabled or invisible window' error message might appear in the main window of the program. * Fixed bug of previous beta versions when transition to a slide without effect (Quick transition) worked with a short flash of previous slide. * Fixed couple of small bugs in creating of MP4 video files. What new in version 5.6: + Added export of slideshow as a video. (See Main menu -> Create) - Export of HD video for playback on PC, Mac. - Export of video for iPhone/iPod. - Publish online on Youtube. - Publish online on Vimeo with HD quality. + New 3D transition effects between slides: - Added "Flip 3D" effect. - Added "Swap 3D" effect. - Reworked "Curling of page 3D" effect. Set large radius parameter to get completely new effects. + Improvements in Objects and Animation window: - Mask objects for creating of special effects. You can apply several Masks to one image object. - Music and sounds when you click "Play" button for preview. - Added "Anti-shimmering (mipmapping)" option for Image and Text objects. This option prevents appearing of shimmering when object has zoom from small size to large size. - Improved view of "Action on mouse click" list. - Added new action "Run slideshow". - Added "Pause" button. ! "Original size" mode of objects has been replaced. Now use "Fixed size of slide (in pixels)" mode in Project options | Screen tab. And "Size/position in pixels" button in Common tab of object properties. + Added "Virtual size of slide" parameters as alternate way to set aspect ratio of slide (Project options | Screen tab). It helps in work with "Size/Position" tool window in "Object and animation" editor. + Added new commands "Run Slideshow" and "Run Slideshow with Return" to Project options | "More" tab and as an action for objects. This option highly recommended if you want to start another slideshow from current one and for building of menu. It will guarantee flawless start of next slideshow from current one. In fact a series of slideshows will work as one large slideshow that provides optimal memory usage. + Added "Color outside slide area" option (Project options | Screen tab). By default if you run widescreen slideshow (16:9) on 4:3 display you see black strips around the slide. Now you can choose this color. + Added menu on Create button. + Faster rewinding of slides in created EXE file and preview. + Added "Crypt images/music against extracting from EXE file" option. See Main menu | View | Advanced options. (Enabled by default). + Improved installer of PicturesToExe, multi-lingual interface. + Fully rewritten shadow for objects. Now it has correct view for a long text object. And better visual quality. + "Protection of slideshow" options has moved to the last page of Project options (Advanced tab). + Changed caption of "Change Image File" button in the main window. + Various improvements. ! "Run application" options has moved to the last page of Project options (More tab). ! "Disable F1 key to show help window" has moved to "Customize help window" dialog (Main menu | Project). * Fixed an old bug (since v5.5) when after renaming of a main image in Slide list or File panel MiniPlayer didn't display renamed image. * Fixed an old bug (since v5.1) when changing of display resolution, locking of PC or Sleep mode applied during encoding of video caused visual defects in created video file. * Fixed an old bug (since v5.5) when all color text objects (excluding black and white) had slight almost invisible greenish contour. * Fixed old bug of all previous versions: pressing Ctrl+O (Open project), "Ctrl+N", "Ctrl+S" and other key shortcuts whilst PicturesToExe creates large EXE file it caused incorrect work of the program. * Fixed old bug (since v5.5) when "Image Load Error" might occur in Slide list, MiniPlayer and Objects and animation editor on projects with hundreds slides of large images (about 8 megapixels each one). * Fixed old bug (since v5.0) Push effect had mixed up "Bottom-Top" and "Top-Bottom" variations with disabled hardware acceleration option.

Steve, I don't fully understand what kind of problem with distortion do you mean in case of 4:3 NTSC DVD in VideoBuilder? I just encoded 4:3 NTSC DVD and it looks right. No distortions of a picture. In 4:3 NTSC DVD resolution of picture is 720x480 and pixel not square (you can easily check it up dividing 720 on 480 = 15:10). To solve this issue all MPEG2 encoders (including VideoBuilder) distort/compress picture vertically. And when you watch encoded MPEG2 file or DVD, player performs back operation - extends picture vertically. I'm sure that VideoBuilder correctly creates video file for NTSC.

Steve, If you allow, we'll send you special test version with updated version of DVD burning library. It may helps. However there should be no problem with precision even if we use 3D mode for projection of 2D images. DirectX is aware of this requirement. User interface in Windows Vista works through Direct3D mode. The only limitation: "Edge antialiasing" option should be turned off for image objects if you make one large virtual object from several image objects).

I'm highly grateful to you for this!

AbdolReza, Thanks, I've reproduced this problem with your project. It will be fixed in next Beta 14. Ray, - "Virtual size of a slide" was a suggestion of Jean-Pierre. I implemented it for correct work of Size/Position tool window in Objects and animation editor. - "Fixed size of slide (in pixels)" means, that slide will utilize exactly specified width/height on the screen.

I agree with Peter that all posts on this forum should be written in English language (for the reasons described by him). Another important reason, if admit messages in other languages it will not allow many other members follow by discussion and learn useful information. The only one reasonable exclusion I think we can accept - duplicating of text written in some national language by English translation. In all other cases better send private message through the forum or email directly to recipient in any language which you prefer. And please let stop all off-topic discussions here.

John, Thanks, we'll try to fix this problem. Apparently you didn't have this problem under previous version 5.5?

Xaver, Jean-Pierre, That's right. We forgot add checking for incorrect width/height values. Fred, Thanks, I've reproduced this bug. It happens only with v5.6 Beta and only when hardware acceleration is turned off. We'll fix it.Tom, I cofirm this. It will be fixed in next Beta 14.nobeefstu, I'm not sure that it is necessary. Anyway better not in this version.

Steve, First, please try newest Beta 13 where we fixed many discovered problems and bugs. Please be patient it's a beta version and beta-testing. I will grateful you if you could find time try latest Beta 13. Jean-Pierre confirmed (if I understood him rightly) that precision enough high in recent beta versions. This issue was related to Original mode only which we now emulate in Position/Size tool window. Also in future Beta 14 we added almost full simulation of Original mode and it will possible see and edit values like you did for Original size objects in previous versions. You wrote about problem with burning. I'm guessing it happens not only with v5.6 Beta, but with previous versions? Because we didn't change burning libary in the new version. Since v5.5 we receive much less reports on problem with burning (one or two in month). But I'm afraid it's impossible to fix all cases because even famous Nero Burning software has similar problems with some DVD drives. Microsoft didn't provide simple and fully functional API for burning. And we have access only to low level API like writting of own drivers for a device that caused all such problems. Youtube also can be useful for some users. Please don't forget some people say no need in DVD-Video, other users say we will not run EXE files, others say we don't use computers and digital cameras for photography There are many opinions.

PicturesToExe Deluxe 5.6 Beta 13 Download link: http://www.wnsoft.com/apr/apr-deluxe_beta.zip (6 MB) It's fully functional beta which includes all functions of version 5.6. What new in this Beta: * Fixed bug of Beta 12 with "Run Slideshow with return" command which always caused crashing of slideshow. * Fixed old bug of all previous versions: pressing Ctrl+O (Open project), "Ctrl+N", "Ctrl+S" and other key shortcuts whilst PicturesToExe creates large EXE file it caused incorrect work of the program. * Fixed old bug (since v5.5) when "Image Load Error" might occur in Slide list, MiniPlayer and Objects and animation editor on projects with hundreds slides of large images (about 8 megapixels each one). What new in version 5.6: + Added export of slideshow as a video. (See Main menu -> Create) - Export of HD video for playback on PC, Mac. - Export of video for iPhone/iPod. - Publish online on Youtube. - Publish online on Vimeo with HD quality. + New 3D transition effects between slides: - Added "Flip 3D" effect. - Added "Swap 3D" effect. - Reworked "Curling of page 3D" effect. Set large radius parameter to get completely new effects. + Improvements in Objects and Animation window: - Mask objects for creating of special effects. You can apply several Masks to one image object. - Music and sounds when you click "Play" button for preview. - Added "Anti-shimmering (mipmapping)" option for Image and Text objects. This option prevents appearing of shimmering when object has zoom from small size to large size. - Improved view of "Action on mouse click" list. - Added new action "Run slideshow". - Added "Pause" button. ! "Original size" mode of objects has been replaced. Now use "Fixed size of slide (in pixels)" mode in Project options | Screen tab. And "Size/position in pixels" button in Common tab of object properties. + Added "Virtual size of slide" parameters as alternate way to set aspect ratio of slide (Project options | Screen tab). It helps in work with "Size/Position" tool window in "Object and animation" editor. + Added new commands "Run Slideshow" and "Run Slideshow with Return" to Project options | "More" tab and as an action for objects. This option highly recommended if you want to start another slideshow from current one and for building of menu. It will guarantee flawless start of next slideshow from current one. In fact a series of slideshows will work as one large slideshow that provides optimal memory usage. ! "Run application" options has moved to the last page of Project options (More tab). + Added "Color outside slide area" option (Project options | Screen tab). By default if you run widescreen slideshow (16:9) on 4:3 display you see black strips around the slide. Now you can choose this color. + Added menu on Create button. + Faster rewinding of slides in created EXE file and preview. + Added "Crypt images/music against extracting from EXE file" option. See Main menu | View | Advanced options. (Enabled by default). + Improved installer of PicturesToExe, multi-lingual interface. + Fully rewritten shadow for objects. Now it has correct view for a long text object. And better visual quality. + "Protection of slideshow" options has moved to the last page of Project options (Advanced tab). ! "Disable F1 key to show help window" has moved to "Customize help window" dialog (Main menu | Project). + Various improvements. * Fixed an old bug (since v5.5) when after renaming of a main image in Slide list or File panel MiniPlayer didn't display renamed image. * Fixed an old bug (since v5.1) when changing of display resolution, locking of PC or Sleep mode applied during encoding of video caused visual defects in created video file. * Fixed an old bug (since v5.5) when all color text objects (excluding black and white) had slight almost invisible greenish contour. * Fixed old bug of all previous versions: pressing Ctrl+O (Open project), "Ctrl+N", "Ctrl+S" and other key shortcuts whilst PicturesToExe creates large EXE file it caused incorrect work of the program. * Fixed old bug (since v5.5) when "Image Load Error" might occur in Slide list, MiniPlayer and Objects and animation editor on projects with hundreds slides of large images (about 8 megapixels each one).

AbdolReza, You can use mediafire.com to send large files in ZIP archive. If project small (1 MB or less) attach file to your post on the forum. Of course! I send files for translation not later than two weeks before a scheduled final release.Jean-Pierre, Yes, I remember. I will look what I can improve.Umberto, I confirm both bugs which I've reproduced, too. They will be fixed in Beta 13.