Igor

Dear Marianne, You are exactly right. It's my mistake. I'll upload corrected beta #3 right now. Thanks!

I've almost added for the next beta ability to easy rename the file. It will be fully ready in the next beta. And advanced sub-menu (as in Windows Explorer by right mouse click) for the file panel only. So in Windows 2000/XP you can choose "Open with..." function. p.s. there is one parameter in apr.ini file - GfxEditorPath= it should help you.

Portrait photos are smaller than landscape photos. Fade effect in PTE contains optimization and it processes only necessary parts of screen which should be changed. So it save CPU time and doesn't process alike background, for example. v4.30 beta has an additional optimizations for the Fade effect by default and it works in 2 times more smooth. You can turn on this optimization and in v4.20. Open apr.ini file and add the next string after word pte_SoundInitDir= opt_FastFade=1 Then run PTE again. You will need to rebuild old slide-shows if you want to have this more smooth Fade effect on.

What version of PicturesToExe you have? Please try with newest v4.30 beta #2

Ok, I'll rework interface of Cust. synch. window for the better displaying of the waveform. Thank you for your suggestions, concerning this moment! p.s. David, for example I work on my favorite Sony SDM-M51 LCD 15" and personally I prefer 15" displays (equivalent 17" CRT). Aleksey has 19" CRT, Pasha 18" LCD.

Yes, I'm working on this function to be able choose the templates' folder right now. When you choose another folder, PTE will copy (not move) current templates into new specified folder.

Yes, we plan Zoom, Pan and more smooth Push/Slide effect. It's a long work, but it will be added. I also very want to see Pan effect! About waveform. Please let me know what you would like to see improved or reworked concerning displaying of the waveform? Personally I like the current state when Cust. synch. window has its usual size. But I agree that it maybe better to lower the waveform (fully below all time-line) and increase height of the Cust. synch. window?

PicturesToExe v4.30 beta #2 is released http://www.wnsoft.com/apr/apr_beta.zip (1.4 Mb) What's new in v4.30 beta #2: + Added new "Vertical layout" (Ctrl+F3) of Slide list. + The main interface works much faster than ever before, because show of preview of a picture/slide doesn't stop a work of the main interface. + Improved or fixed about 30 various small or significant moments in the new interface. Read history.txt file for the full list of the new features. p.s. I forgot to say that in this beta #2 Aleksey helped me to fix a very old visual bug when preview of a picture couldn't sometimes appears when you mouse click on a picture in file panel.

Fred, I've sent you special test version which should fix those lock ups. I wrote about this bug earlier. Please let me know about result. kway007 Please describe me exactly step-by-step where we've missed this feature. Sorry, I don't remember "n" hotkey.

Ok, I'll work on these and another moments. Currently I've improved very many small moments for the next beta (very soon!). Michel found several visual bugs I've missed and beta #2 will work much better. Main part of the new thumbnails view is our common work of our all team. After this feature (already right now), we'll closely concentrate on new functions for the presentations. Multi-select for time-line is a long work and so not in this version. The copyright (or any) logo feature will be added in v4.30, too (it's a very easy to do feature). Thanks for your opinions about views. We also thought that probably it would be great to add schemas. It allows to save your favorites views with all parameters and quickly switch between them.

About Fade effect.opt_FastFade=1 is always used now in v4.30 for more frames per second. But we still didn't decide with second option: opt_SmoothFade=1 which makes Fade effect more soft at beginning and when finished (elusive to catch moment between slides). Maybe it better to add option who prefer this mode of Fade effect. Personally, I like both styles (current and this new) for different presentations. Logo Ok, I've added copyright logo feature to my todo list when it will time to add it. It's minor work. InterfaceWhat you think about moment that now we have so various views of main interface of PTE? Two layouts (and third in progress), additionally thumbnails or table. So many combinations. Personally I'm a little bit afraid that it can be difficult to choose some one view (Aleksey says that it's not a problem) Need you to have views, when Slide list consists from severals rows, or maybe current one line view is better and it is enough to use full screen? p.s. Ron, also it possible to use mouse double-click on a slide to show personal settings.

I recommend you to try with *absolutely* another mp3 music file (from another source, album and place). Also please keep in some place original .exe file with presentation which brings the problem (for testing). If it possible run this problemary .exe file on some another PC. Probably PTE can't play this mp3 file correctly. This case easily can be solved. p.s. by the way, it is v4.20 and not newest v4.30 beta #1?

Dear Steve, We'll try to solve the problem! First, please let me know how our test example of presentation works on your PC. http://www.wnsoft.com/apr/show/Per_aspera_ad_astra.zip (1,5 Mb). Do the lock ups happen with *all* presentations you've created? Tell me more about configuration of your PC. And how another programs work on the PC, especially which work with sound or play video?

Of course! We'll improve and improve the program!

How the light table (by F3 or F4 key) works for adding file or re-arranging slides? You can freely use new beta, because it mainly contains changes in interface only. Or at least it possible to create presentation in the beta and then produce final .exe in v4.20 because these versions has no difference in format of .pte project files.

Thank you, I'll think about feature to rename file! p.s. first beta may sometimes in very rare case freeze up when you start drag-n-drop or multi select with a mouse and thumbs pictures not fully loaded. This problem will be fixed in the next beta. I'd want to inform you about this only one problem of freeze up which I've seen during last month of work. Thumbnails view and seeming classical view are absolutely new component written by our team from "empty" page.

PicturesToExe v4.30 beta #1 is released http://www.wnsoft.com/apr/apr_beta.zip (1.4 Mb) Dear friends! Main features of this version are new interface, thumbnails view of File panel or Slide list, light table (which will be shown on the full screen. Separately for file panel or for Slide list), waveform. The work still in progress and we'll add new layouts with vertical Slide list and with thumbnails in several rows in Slide list. Also interface of waveform is not ready yet, - it will be reworked. Some earlier announced new features also are not ready. Adding of these functions will take minor time, so please wait for them in the next betas. This first beta may contains various small bugs in the interface of the main window, because it's was vastly reworked. Please read the list below to quickly learn about new major features. To turn on the new interface with thumbnails, visit the Main menu | Options or use special hot keys described below: What's new in v4.30 beta #1: + File panel and Slide list now can be displayed as thumbnails or in its classical view (table) (to switch between these views press Ctrl+1 and Ctrl+2 (for File panel or Slide list accordingly), or via small "V" buttons). + There are available second layout style (Slide list in full width of window). Press Ctrl+F1 and Ctrl+F2 to switch between classical and new layouts. Or visit Main menu | Options. + Main features of thumbnails view of File panel or Slide list: > Easily resizeable items in real-time by trackbar or Ctrl+mouse wheel; > Ability to display pictures without text captions (Shift+1, Shift+2); > Resize items by moving new splitter between Slide list and Preview area. + Light table (on full screen). This mode allows to concentrate on adding of new pictures or re-arranging of slides. Press "F" buttons or F3 key to see light table for File panel or F4 key for light table of Slide list. + Multi-select in file panel or Slide list. With mouse, or with Shift or Ctrl keys. Now it works as in Windows Explorer. + Visual drag-and-drop. Dragged items looks semi-transparent as in Windows XP. And it works in any Windows! + Actions with with several selected slides or files. You can easily delete, shift, re-arrange and copy any count of items at a time. + Improved transition effects: Fade effect works in two times (i.e. on 100%) more fast and smooth. So now Fade effect shows smoothly even on old PC with Pentium 233-400 Mhz. + Waveform feature in "Customize synchronization" window. Set the cursor to range of necessary music track on the time-line and then click "Waveform" button or press Ctrl+W. This feature may help you to exactly assign transition points to necessary moments in music. + Improved music player: > Transition effect shown in the moment between two music tracks will not jerk more. > Really random playback when this mode is choosed. Always new track from playlist. > Preparing of slides with sounds works a little bit faster. + Another improvements in the "Customize synchronization" window: > Right mouse button click to show popup menu. > To start full-screen preview from first slide, click "Preview" button when there is no selected transition point. * Various minor improvements. * Fixed several minor bugs.

Thanks for all your ideas and messages! I'll try to reply on your messages during next days. The first beta with light table and another new features should be ready soon.

The most best DVD encoding software for using with PicturesToExe it is Ulead DVD Movie Factory and TMpegEnc Plus. They never cause such problem. I think described problem happens because some DVD encoding programs can't automatically recognize correct order of fields of the frames. 1) In this DVD encoding software which you've use, please try to find option for choosing "Field A first"/"Fields B first" or maybe "Top field"/"Bottom field" and change default value to another one and encode DVD again. 2) If this won't help, please make that option in its first state and close DVD encoder. Then start PicturesToExe and try to set "For Pinnacle Studio (Field A first)" option in "Create AVI video" window of PicturesToExe and produce AVI file file again. Then encode DVD. I hope this should help. p.s. also please let me know what DVD encoder sofrware you have.

Thanks, it should be realized in this next version.

Yes, I've already realized multi select in light table and classical table view of this new component. In the next version it should works for re-arranging, copying/moving and deleting. And next features later.

Sorry about my long absence on the forum! I'm very closely working now on new features and wasn't able to switch to another tasks. It's not right, of course! Main part of code of the light table is completed and I'll integrate this component into PTE very soon. Waveform feature is ready. It wasn't too difficult as light table Also I'm working on another features which we've discussed earlier. p.s. I'll try to reply on new messages on the forum.

There are temporal technical works on WnSoft www.wnsoft.com web server. The server may doesn't response for a some time today. The forum server works as usually. Sorry for this inconvenience.

I also want to have ideally smooth push effect, but it's difficult technically. Probably one solution for us it's to making of DirectX based engine. So we're continiously researching all variants and solutions. In v4.20 we've finally made really smooth Fade effect (in 2,5 times with opt_FastFade=1) on any PC and I hope there is some solution and for reaching of smooth Push effect.

It's a strange visual bug. Please try the next special build which probably may help: http://www.wnsoft.com/beta/ptev420a.zip Download this file, unzip, and replace old apr.exe file in the folder where installed PicturesToExe.