Igor

PicturesToExe Deluxe v5.00 Beta 9A: http://www.wnsoft.com/apr/apr-deluxe_beta.zip (4 MB) Key features: - Support of old video cards. - All music modes and synchronization. - Text objects and support of old objects created in v4.48. - Drop shadow and glow for Text and other objects. - New music player with better quality of sound. Please read full list of new features of beta 9 below: + Objects and animation window: - Added "Text" object; - Added "Button" object. And 6 styles. - Drop shadow and glow for objects. + Support of old video cards. See Project options | Screen tab | "Hardware acceleration" option. When it enabled slide show tries to use video card for maximal quality of picture and smoothnes of Pan/Zoom effects. In case of old video card slide show automatically uses CPU based graphical engine. + Added templates for shadows. See "Drop shadow" window. + Fully rewritten music player and improved quality of sound. + WnSoft Video Builder: - Added "Burn ISO image" function. See main menu | File - You can create new DVD menu template using current templates. - Added "Apply settings for each page" option to main menu | Edit on the second page (customizing of DVD menu). - Accepts source 48 KHz audio files of a slide show without reconverting. You'll reach maximal quality now with 48 KHz WAV/MP3 music files, because DVD-Video disc uses 48 KHz as native format. - New template for DVD menu ("Pictures"). + Added text macros. + Added "Low quality of resizing" option for objects. You can use this option for masks images where you need to have sharp edges of an image. + Copying of objects in "Objects and animation" window works via Windows clipboard now. + Much more fast work of File tree in the main window of PicturesToExe. + Text comments to slides work again. Beta 9A (April 20, 2007): + Portrait photos (with rotate flag in JPEG EXIF) supported again. * Fixed bug of previous beta 9 with impossibility to set Rotation angle more than 360 degree. * Fixed bug of previous beta 9 with incorrect wave form (on the timeline) on some music files. * Fixed bug of previous beta versions where customized Startup window (of slide shows) didn't appear. p.s. of course, this beta still may contains bugs - we did a lot of changes and new features since past 3 months.

Dominique, We just fully solved problem with invisible colors in edges of mask images. PicturesToExe will care about this question.

Dominique, That's sad. It's already second time when somebody disturbs your excellent web site.

Terri, I just sent again your registration key for PicturesToExe.

On my PC preview of slideshows (beta 9) starts on 1 second faster than in beta 8 or v4.48 Aleksey well improved start time. Video memory usage on 10-25% lesser than in beta 8.

Den, In beta 10 (almost immediately after beta 9).

Yes, it will be almost fully functional version 5.00 The only missed v5.00 features leaved for beta 10-11 (two weeks after beta 9) - Activate non-linear speeds of objects (already written) - Activate Navigation bar (already written) - Actions of buttons/hyperlinks on click (already written) - Activate Copyright logo (already written) - Textured background of a slide - Windowed mode

Next beta 9 will be published in 3-5 days. + New music player with better quality. + All music modes, exact synchronization, WMA/OGG, sound comments, etc + Text and Button objects, text comments, text macros + Support of old video cards + Rewinding of slides (Left/Right keys) + Drop shadow and glow for objects and images + Fully ready VideoBuilder

Yes, it should works.

Dear Jean-Pierre! I'm very glad to see you again here! With kindest regards,

I'm sorry about this problem! Our automated system sends registration keys within several minutes once you've placed an order. But some mail servers or email programs block attached key file or modifies it. I'll think how to improve it after releasing of v5.00

Yes, Geforce 7600 GS is a perfect video card for PicturesToExe. By the way, today we've bought this video card (Geforce 7600 GS, 128 bit, 256 MB) for investigations for future versions of PicturesToExe. Our programmer Artem finished his part of work for v5.00 (CPU based graphical engine) and now he will work on optimization of encoding of AVI and DVD for v5.10 or v5.20 p.s. I'm testing pre-beta 9 now. It almost ready.

PicturesToExe 5 works with any video cards, including Geforce 7. But I'm afraid Geforce 7100 is not enough fast video card. It's the slowest video card in Geforce series. I just checked specifications on NVIDIA web site and found that: - Geforce 7600 in 4 times faster than Geforce 7100. - Geforce 7950 in 12 times faster than Geforce 7100. Although model 7100 in Geforce 7 series, but even Geforce 5700 works much faster. If it possible, please upgrade your video card. I'm really sorry about this problem, but we can't do anything with it. Pan/Zoom effects require more fast video card.

I'm apologize for this problem! Probably I'm wrong, but Geforce 5600 much faster than Geforce 7100. In v5.00 we did all for ideally smooth playback of Pan/Zoom effects. But slow video card or bad drivers sometimes may break our efforts. Please try to install latest drivers, maybe it will help p.s. on my PC even high activity of some program in background doesn't affect on Pan/Zoom effects.

Dominique, I spoked about: I'm sure it will work in beta 9.Simple virtual editing functions like cropping and fade in/out will be in v5.10 or v5.20

Please wait for beta 9

Thanks, I like this option, too. And it is in our plans for next version(s).

I'm very glad that it works now! p.s. it was a little modifed beta 8.

Lin, I feel that I may not say about bugs, because bugs/mistakes exists in any programs, including PicturesToExe. But I would hate that day if we will be obligated to follow to those "modern tendentions" in software industry.

According modern requirements, we obligated to say today (April 1, 2007) that PicturesToExe should be: 1) For Windows XP and Windows Vista only. Of course, XP with at least SP2 2) .NET Framework 2.0 (20 MB) should be installed. Microsoft .NET is an ideal technology for programs. Slow work? .NET is a cool technology! 3) The software is only several megabytes? Shame. The product should be at least 100 MB. Better 600 MB as any good modern software! 4) The product should connect to its web site periodically. For a noble purpose, of course. 5) The product should starts up during a long time to obligate user feel how powerful this product. Do you really want to see these improvements?

Dear Jean-Pierre! We all in WnSoft send you our best regards and wishes! We so obligated to you for your help. I will glad to see you again! With kindest regards, Igor

Kevin, (PicturesToExe v5.00 + VideoBuilder) I find that on slide shows where no Pan/Zoom effects we have quality better than in commercial DVD movies. With Pan/Zoom effects commercial discs a little better, but it happens because companies use high quality slow encoders and probably manual controls for fine adjusting.

I think we've found an excellent solution for this problem today. We'll apply a post-filter on loading of PNG/GIF images and automatically correct pixels in invisible areas. It will not slow down loading of slides because we'll do it on building of EXE file when we convert PNG/GIF to our own lossless format (as PNG). Aleksey told me that he will try to write this complex algorithm and PTE will care about this question. And for you no need to worry about this problem anymore. Dominique, Today we researched this question and found that Photoshop performs such correction after resizing or Blur effect (as you noticed).

Steve, Sorry, but it's only coincidence. Just we convert transparent GIF to 32-bit image and always set invisible pixels to black and in case of your mask (main color - black) it works.

Of course, DVD can't be compared with quality of EXE file on 1280x1024 screen! DVD has 720x480, but it is additionally interlaced and slight vertical blur to prevent flickering on TV. HD-DVD or Blu-Ray will be perfect solution when war of HD standards will finish.