Igor

Aliased masks and invisible colors Solution Sometimes you observed aliased edges of an mask image: The major reason of this problem - color of pixels in invisible part of an mask where alpha channel is 0%. In this case main color of mask is black (RGB: 0,0,0), but colors of invisible pixels is white (RGB: 255, 255, 255): Bilinear algorithm requires that pixels in invisible part of an image should be same as in visible. The only difference will be in alpha channel - 0 for invisible pixels and 255 for visible pixels. When you make PNG image with text on transparent background, Photoshop set all pixels to color of text (green for example), but pixels of text has alpha 255 and pixels of transparent background - 0%. Now we will open wrong mask in PixBuilder, choose invisible pixels in this mask using Magic Wand. Open main menu | Colors | Fill, choose Custom color and set R = 0, G = 0, B = 0, A = 0 Save PNG with mask. Now as you see no aliasing on edges: And finally you can make edges of a mask smooth if apply blur filter in Photoshop/PixBuilder or turn on "Blur" option for mask object in PicturesToExe. Here right PNG mask image I've corrected: http://www.wnsoft.com/test/Right_Mask.png P.S. Why this problem doesn't happen in Photoshop/PixBuilder when you compose similar scene with layers of a mask and images? These products use very slow algorithm of resampling which "knows" about this problem. But as you know resizing of 3000x2000 image may takes several seconds, but in slide show we have to use more fast algorithm (Bilinear) to provide 60 frames per second.

Dominique, Thanks! I have one idea about improving of film strip image. You can solving aliasing problem on edges of the film strip. Please see my new topic: http://www.picturestoexe.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=6382

Mike, Flash output (.flv and .swf with embedded video) in our plans (probably v5.10). Of course, I understand that currently it's impossible and we can't speak about it.

Please tell me, what current state of spam problem after updating of the forum several days ago?

Steve, Yesterday we fully completed Text, Button objects, text comments, text macros. It will be in beta 9. Text comment in fact usual text object that can be fine corrected in Visual editor. See: Some other parameters of a Text object located at Common and Animation tabs.

Probably we'll add special option in the next version - zooming of slide (100% by default) for entire slide show.

Fred, Almost all commercial DVD movies I've seen use entire area of a DVD picture. On my opinion it better use all screen and only care about text labels that should be located inside safe zone. I use LCD projector connected via HDMI cable to my DVD player and I always uncheck safe zone option to see entire DVD picture on a screen.

Thanks, we'll try to solve this problem ASAP.

We'll install latest security updates for the forum today.

Did you try to install PicturesToExe v4.48 on Windows Vista and PicturesToExe crashed? Please try to install latest v5.00 beta: http://www.wnsoft.com/apr/apr-deluxe_beta.zip Will it work on your PC? The only reason when main program of PicturesToExe (not slide shows) may crash under Windows Vista, it's when you turn on DEP option (NX protection bit) for all applications. By default Vista sets DEP option for several main components of Windows, because with this option many applications can't operate at all. This problem never occurs in created EXE files with slide shows, only in main program of PicturesToExe. We'll try to solve this problem later.

I've asked Pavel, my colleague, help me in solving the problem of spam on the forum. Also Invision is working on function that will help to prevent appearing of spam. And they are working on function for pre-moderation of posting new members (e.g. first several messages during one week).

We've changed sound engine for beta 9 and it will be more reliable in case of such problems with unstable drivers.

Sorry, I was not able to reproduce this problem. I checked up today under Windows Vista. All works fine.

Ron, I'm glad that it works I'll move this topic to special forum dedicated to video.

Dominique, Thanks, I just wrote the code for keeping scroll position after deleting of object(s).

Yes

Dominique, If I remember rightly, this problem with a mask can be solved in beta 9. We added "Low quality of resizing" ("Nearest Neighbor") resizing method to beta 9. See Common tab of a object.

Aleksey is testing now music modes and sychronization for v5.00 It's a very smart and complex system that works in 4 threads simultaneously. Aleksey worked on this system several months. The delay happened because it should manage music and slides with effects in real time and preload data on the fly with analyzing of future tasks. We also developed some future features for next versions. Sergey fully rewrote File tree for PicturesToExe and VideoBuilder. Probably you noticed that PicturesToExe v5.00 could starts not enough quickly. It happens because work of some antiviruses, Nero Scout and overall slow work of some functions in Windows. We used another technology and multithreading to totally remove any delays. Now no delays, v5.00 beta 9 with enabled File tree panel will start so quickly as v4.48 Also Sergey added "Burn ISO image" window to VideoBuilder. You can burn earlier prepared images of your DVD-Video discs. I improved installer, with help of Artem added support of Text comments in v5.00, we finished works on Button objects. And a hundred of small, but significant improvements. Also while Aleksey is working my music modes, we'll add text macros for text objects and comments. <%Date> <%SlideNumber> <%ImageName> and etc. I'm continiously testing and optimizing all parts of PicturesToExe.

Lin, Concerning the first problem. Currently we don't know possible solution. 3D video card suggests solution for this problem - "MIP Mapping". But it can be used in 3D games, not in business application as PicturesToExe where we require exact behaviour of the program, quality and we use many objects with economical usage of video memory. Thanks, we'll try to realize adjusting of speed for Pan/Zoom/Rotate effects in v5.00 it will be very powerful settings, but with quick presets (like Accellerate, Smooth, etc.) Jean-Pierre, Mixing of two images can be used but only if both images are fully opaque (as JPEG). We're thinking about this idea as option for the next versions.

Burning of DVD for a project that contains images in "Original size" mode illustrates problem of "Original size" mode. It's exactly that what user will see if he runs this slideshow on a laptop with 1600x1200 screen resolution. In DVD this problem occurs because we render video in 4x larger size for better quality of picture on DVD-Video (and post processing and post filters).

It's internal beta 8 for testing some recently fixed bugs. No need to install it. Fully functional beta 9 will be published for all. We didn't change work with PNG images. Please write me in more details.

Peter, I just sent you personal message (via forum). Please read it. We've prepared for you new beta which probably will solve that problem with burning of -R discs.

If it possible prefer LCD or LCOS projector.

Dave, We don't include PNG images to created EXE file of a slide show. Instead this, we decompress PNG image to BMP image and compress this file to ZIP archive. This ZIP file will be embedded to EXE file of your slide show. No losses in quality. But such converted images load faster in slide show. File size also very small, like PNG.

Peter, Save to PNG24, because before creating of EXE file PicturesToExe 5 automatically converts all PNG/GIF to internal 24 bit or 32 bit format - BMP compressed to ZIP. It gives same file size as PNG24, but image loads in 2 times faster than PNG.