Igor

Please write me in details what still should be reworked in current unified mode of synchronization? I've tried to realize the next important moments: 1) When you delete slides from Slide list (in the main window) it doesn't delete linked transition points. But you need to add same number of another new images, because when you open time-line it removes transition points for not existed slides. I've checked - it works exactly as in v4.30 and earlier. 2) I can delete some slide from Slide list (e.g. 4) and then insert there another picture. And it will use old transition point for old Slide #4. 3) In the time-line you can use "Delete Point" button to delete only transition points. So it should works exactly as in v4.30 or in earlier versions. Also there is "Delete Slide" button if you prefer new mode. 4) If you've selected all transitions points and delete them, you use "Add transition point" button to add new transition point at the specified place on the timeline. But when all transition points are added to all slides (e.g. 10 points for 10 slides), "Add transition point" button work as in previous betas - it takes nearest point from the right side and moves it to a specified place. Please explain me. P.S. inserting of new images to some places in the Slide list (main window), as Al earlier suggest is good idea, but it a little bit difficult. We have two problems: - some authors prefers to keep unchanged their transition points; - another prefer this new variant (e.g. inserting new transition point betwen 20:00 and 30:00). So it will require special option which also turned off by default. Maybe it better to add images to the end of Slide list and then on the timeline more exactly places these new transition points? As you see, moving of transition points moves and their linked slides.

PicturesToExe v4.40 beta #4 is released http://www.wnsoft.com/apr/apr_beta.zip (1,5 MB) What's new beta #4: + As earlier you can delete transition points on the timeline without deleting of linked slides. You can work exactly as earlier or with new style. + PTE remembers last scroll positition of the timeline when you open again this window. * Fixed bug of previous betas of v4.40 where undo didn't work in "Customize synchronization" window, if you at least one time clicked "OK" button during work with PTE. * Fixed several visual bugs in "Customize synchronization" window. * Fixed several another minor bugs.

PicturesToExe works with SP2. The only possible problem was with earlier versions before v4.31 (with v4.31 and v4.40 all is OK) when main program of PTE (not slide-shows!) could don't work on Windows XP with SP2 on Opteron/Athlon 64 bit CPU if you had highest level of NX-protection. With v4.31 and later all is OK. Also all .EXE files of slide-shows created with any versions of PTE work OK on Windows XP with SP2.

Try WinBITS (freeware) http://www.darvin.de/WinBITS.zip (155 KB) It's not our program, just I've found it and very wondered how it's comfortable! Just put the URL for downloading and forget. You can close this program, but it continue downloading in background (because uses special BIT service in Windows 2000/XP). It doesn't slow openning of Web page in browser, because this intelligent service immediately pauses downloading when you load pages in the browsers. You can even disconnect modem and after re-connection it automatically resumes downloading! Looks like a dream.

Ok, I'll check moment with Visual editor. Very strange bug! It seems that I'll leave new Navigation bar for the coming v4.41 (as v4.31 was released in 1,5 month after v4.30). We already have a list from 20 new functions for this new flexble Navigatation bar! I will work on it right now, but I will not add it to v4.40, because I'm afraid testing of it will take additional weeks and delay release of v4.40.

We suggest the next plan: 1) On the time-line: Two buttons: "Delete transitition point" and "Delete slide". Two actions in the popup menu: "Delete all transition points" and "Delete all slides". So you can work as you wish - with real slides, or with points as earlier (and even use both ways together). 2) Main window, Slide list. a) By default, I suggest to keep unchanged transition point(s) if you delete slide(s). So it works as earlier. You can even delete all slides from Slide list, but transition points will be leaved unchanged. Only please let me know, apparently it necessary to add option "Apply changes to transition points when work in the Slide list"? When this option turned on, and when we delete a slide from the Slide list it also will remove linked transition point. Re-arranging of slides in the Slide list will re-arrange linked transition points, too. Or this option is not necessary? So this way we will reach "Unified Synchronization theory" (UST)

Andrew, Please don't worry! These topics and were started to discuss such important possible changes. This problem reminds me "gordian knot" I'll try to realize both variants (exactly as earlier and new mode) and prepare tomorrow plan for discussion.

1) As we've discussed and decided earlier, I'll add ability when after inserting in Slide list new slide(s) between another slides (e.g. between slide #4 (20:00) and slide #5 (30:00)) it will be inserted at 25:00. Thank you, Al and another members for detailed suggestions and explanations! 2) It's undesirable to have both systems (linked to particular slides and not linked as earlier). It may brings bugs. 3) So I suggest always delete linked transition point when we delete a slide in the Slide list. 4) I can add new button to delete only transition point(s) on the time-line and keep linked slide (as earlier). For example you can delete 7th transition point or 36th transition point. But because new system requires to have equal number of transition points and count of slides, last slide will be without transition point and after deleting of 7th transition point PTE will automatically add for the last slide transition point at the end. 5) Also I'll try to add "Insert new slide" button in the time-line window. The most important question. I will try to explain new style of work with the time-line. If it's not enought simple please let me know! a) So you have new slide-show with 30 slides and some music track. You open time-line and see that you already have 30 transition points for all slides. But you can't delete all transition points to to add them on-the-fly as earlier? Because deleting of points means deleting of slides. It's confusing, because you would like to work with empty time-line. c) Because of this, I suggest to press ">>" button and call "Shift all points to right" (or Alt+R). Now all points will be moved *outside* of music track(s) (do you see red vertical line?). Now you see empty time-line. d) You can press Play button and during music playing you can click "Add transition point". It works exactly as earlier. e) What "Add transition point" button doing now? It takes nearest transition point from the right side and puts it where the cursor located. Please try how it works and write me what you think about it.

crazygranny, I'm sorry about this problem! We'll solve it ASAP. Please keep this uploaded EXE file on your ftp, I'll download it and explore for exact reason of the problem. Please make two another tests: 1) Rebuild .EXE file again in v4.40 beta and let me know about result. 2) Open this project file in previous verson 4.31 and build there .EXE file. If mistake still exists after rebuilding in v4.40, please send me your .pte project file (I just sent you email) and let me know about average JPEG file size and picture resolution (e.g. 1024x768, 200 KB), file size of music file (4 MB) and exact time duration of each music file.

I very grateful, Guido! With great pleasure we'll add the link to our web site and to PTE's help system.

PicturesToExe v4.40 beta #3 is released http://www.wnsoft.com/apr/apr_beta.zip (1,5 MB) I very grateful for all responses regarding work of the time-line! I've tried to leave only one new style of the time-line in v4.40, because it easy to have only one code without variations (for old and new styles). But I see now that many people prefer to work with both modes. I need to think how to implement both ways and keep stable and maximally simple code. If it really necessary - I'll work on it in the next beta #4. Jill, Den, I've improved this moment in this beta #3 for "Run app and exit". Barry, Thank you, I'll try to fix this problem ASAP. Did you tried in Preview mode or with created .EXE file? Please let me know full path and name of main slide-show, full path of second slide-show and exact example of Run command. What's new beta #3: + Improvements in "Customize synchronization" window: > Added "Import Points from Another Project..." function. > Press Ctrl+Up/Ctrl+Down keys (or < >) to move cursor between slides and strips of effect durations. > Added hot keys for new functions in "Customize synchronization" window. > Various minor improvements. + Alternate scrolling of Slide list, File panel or Time-line. Hold Alt key, press mouse button and move the mouse (as in PageMaker, or in Photoshop). * Fixed bug of slower show of the time-line in earlier betas for 400-1000 or more slides. + Fixed bug of previous betas when "Customize slide" button wasn't visible with enabled waveform.

PicturesToExe v4.40 beta #2a is released http://www.wnsoft.com/apr/apr_beta.zip (1,5 MB) What's new in v4.40 beta #2a: * Fixed bug of previous betas where full screen Preview in "Cust. synch" window used old values of transition points (before recent changes). Ednys, This beta should fix the bug which you have found. P.S. now I'm working on fully new Navigation bar for this v4.40

I was very worried that new mode of time-line requires a little adaptation. To work as earlier, please don't delete transition points (which are slides now): 1) Press new ">>" button (near to "Waveform" button) and then click "Shift All Points to Right". 2) Click "Play" button and as earlier press "New transition" button or "Insert" key. Friends, Please try this new way and let me know - do you consider this enough for comfortable work?

Andrew, No problem! Of course, sometimes it necessary to re-install Windows. Ednys, No, you are right concerning this bug! Really full screen Preview has old time values of slides and after saving it works as shown on time-line. I'll fix this bug tomorrow. So stupid mistake. Thank you!

Andrew, Glenys, I hope there it's not necessary reformat hard drive and re-install Windows in case of PTE, because it doesn't change any system files. However I'm continiously checking up all new moments to find any possible mistakes. Glenys, I'll carefully check up program code for this situation on Monday. I've read your new topic about this problem. But now please, try to create absolutely new slide-show and check up for this moment. RNB, We've added new music player already in v4.10. So no changes since v4.31 Yes, for this new music we've took high-quality mp3 decoder. It's an one of the best and very popular mp3 library. WinAmp 5.x or iTunes also should sounds very very well.

Please download and try more new v4.31 or higher where we've fixed similar mistake.

PicturesToExe v4.40 beta #2 is released http://www.wnsoft.com/apr/apr_beta.zip (1,5 MB) What's new in beta #2: + Improvements in "Customize synchronization" window: > Added "Arrange Selected Points" option; > Added "Set Time of Points..." option. * Fixed bug of beta #1 when after pressing Cancel button in "Cust. synch." window the program loses personal parameters of the Curling of page effect. P.S. I'll try to answer soon on new messages in the "Suggestions" topic.

1 Gb of RAM is not reason of problem with Preview, of course! If you run EXE and it works, preview from any slide should works too. Because full screen preview - it also running of (temporal) EXE file. Please do the next small testing: 1) Open any synced project with mp3 music. 2) Open Time-line window. 3) Select 4nd slide 4) Press Ctrl+R and you should see full screen preview from 4nd slide. 5) The close preview and close time-line window. 6) In the main window select 7th slide 7) Press Ctrl+R and you'll see full screen preview starting from this 7th slide. Please let me know about result.

Ok, I'll check moments with Preview and with Cancel/Undo. By the way, now it possible to change effect duration right on time-line. And using multi-select you can edit even several slides (e.g. to assign one transition effect or background). How improved waveforms work? Do you noticed that they all can be displayed simultaneously?

Thank you for your responses! I hope vastly improve Nav. bar in this version, too. Now it's impossible to delete transition points and keep linked slides, because every slide linked to particular transition point. So deleting of a slide means deleting of its transition points and on the contrary. But to work as earlier (when just you have clean time-line and during music playing you've pressed "Add transition" button) I've added special option - "Move all slides to right" it moves all points outside range of music. And now you have clean time-line and you can press "Add transition" button which moves nearest points from right side to the place where located cursor. Currently there is almost undo feature in the Customize Sync. window. If you press Cancel button it will discard all changes, even if you've deleted slides. In the future we plan to add fully functional undo. ADB: Please try to reproduce this problem with full screen preview in new project. I many times tested it and it worked in my test examples (with synced shows). I've selected necessary slide/transition point and then Preview button (in Cust. synch. window) First slide should be located at 0 position. But you can swap it with another slides. Just move the first slide more right than any nearest slide. Ed, We have any angle earlier for diagonal Curl effect. But it worked even more slowely that current slow diagonal effect I hope new engine will improve this moment. Granot, Now PTE requires to set double quotes before and after file name for a run command. Probably I didn't understand, please tell me more.

I just sent you test file, please let me know about result. We've received one more two similar reports since August. Probably some rare configurations under Windows 98 can't correctly work with simultaneous threads (loading of pictures of previews) of the new interface in v4.30

PicturesToExe v4.40 beta #1 is released http://www.wnsoft.com/apr/apr_beta.zip (1,5 MB) This new version contains new transition effect. Please look at this small example: http://www.wnsoft.com/beta/RollPaper.exe (500 KB) (Also there is diagonal variaton, but it works slowely and we will improve it) Horizonta/vertical variations work fine even on Celeron 900. You also can adjust diameter and it will look as a scroll. And two styles of curling. All it - work of Aleksey which again created new transition effect! In v4.40 I've fully rewrote "Customize synchronization" window. Now you work with real slides on the time-line. Please let me know what you think about it. This beta doesn't contains all new features. No new Navigation bar in beta #1 yet. Pan/Zoom effect also will be in the next version, because it will work slowely on current graphical engine and we're working on new presentation engine for v4.50 right now. I hope on your responses. And next suggestions. If something is not right, please let me know! I still working on new functions for v4.40. What's new in v4.40: + Added new terrific transition effect: Curling of page It contains 16 variations and ability to set radius of curling. Horizontal/vertical variations of this effect work smooth on any PC. (Note: Diagonal variants require very fast PC. And we'll try to optimize this new diagonal effect in the future.) + Fully reworked "Customize synchronization" window: > You work now with real slides on time-line. It means that every transition point exactly linked with a particular slide. Deleting of some transition point means deleting of linked slide. > Added "Shift slides..." feature which allows to shift all or selected slides. > Added "Shift all slides to right" function which moves all slides outside the music and it allows to work with "Add transition" button as earlier. > Cancel button discards all changes with slides (if you mistakenly deleted slides). > Multi-select and various actions with several selected transition points; > And all usual actions with Shift and Ctrl keys; > Added transition point of the first slide; > Improved preview of transition effects; > Vastly improved show of waveforms. Just click "Waveform" button and all visible waveforms will be shown automatically. > Ability to visually change duration of effect. Drag the small grip at the end of effect strip; > Press Up/Down keys for accurate moving of the cursor; > Press Right/Left keys to move between transition points; > Various another improvements. + Now you can edit personal settings of several selected slides. It means that, for example, it possible to set some transition effect for several slides, but their another different personal parameters will be leaved individual. + Added "Timeline" button to the main window of PicturesToExe. Or use Ctrl-L hotkey. + Improved protection of "Expire date" option. + Added new kinds of protection: "Expire after (days)" and "Number of runs". + Improvemed Navigation bar: > Added "Auto hide Navigation bar after <...> seconds" options; > Added "Hide Navigation bar at startup" option; + Improvements in AVI video output: > It supports Personalized background music now. (If you want to set new playlist starting from some slide.) > Added "Show safe TV zone" option in Visual editor window. This can be useful for preparing slide-show for DVD disc. + "Display slides in random order" option works for synchronized shows now. + Added "Don't interrupt sound comment when next slide appears" option. It allows to play sound comment during several slides. (Project options | Music tab). + Added "Random order" function (Alt+R or see popup menu) for the Slide list. It will help to randomly sort all slides (or selected). + Improved "Run application" action for buttons/hyperlinks or when new slide appears: > It allows to run several applications. Type: "notepad.exe, "calc.exe" > It possible to specify parameter: "C:\My Slide show.exe" 7 Please always use the double quotes for file paths to applications. E.g.: "notepad.exe" "C:\My text.txt" + You can start show of EXE file of your slide-show from necessary slide. Use "Run application" action and type: "C:\My Slide show.exe" 7 + Improved moving of files of project into another disk or PC. (Copy the main folder of your project (which may contains embedded folders with pictures or music) and PicturesToExe will find new file paths.) + Various improvements in the interface of the main window. + PicturesToExe automatically detects protected WMA files if you add them and show warning that the program can't play such files on another PCs. * Improved stability of music player on two-CPU's PC with Windows 2000. * Fixed bug with show of some transparent GIFs in 16-bit (Hi-Color) screen mode. * Fixed small visual bug in Visual editor. * Fixed bug when error message occured after last slide if slide-show was synchronized, with "Show transition effect to desktop after last slide" option, and first slide without main picture.

I've experimented with 2,3 MB BMP and 350 KB Jpeg (both 1024x768). And loading was equal on 1600 Mhz's PC. And on 3000 Mhz Jpeg will load even more faster. But reading from hard disc almost doesn't depend on speed of CPU.

Interesting thing Thank you Guido for this info! I just carefully compared as Jpeg loads in Irfanview and in PTE and found that Irfanview loads it on 20% faster. But the most likely Irfanview contains very unpleasant mistake! Jpeg format has two ways of loading: Fast and Quality. Quality method on 20% slower. And of course, we always used and use Quality method in PicturesToExe. (If I set Fast method in PTE, it loads Jpeg exactly as Irfanview.) But this Fast method of loading Jpeg which uses Irfanview, in some cases gives a little difference (you even don't see this difference). Some areas may contains defects. We've carefully explored this moment earlier. Just look at these BMP screenshots, how PTE displays Jpeg image and Irfanview: http://www.wnsoft.com/beta/CompareJpegQuality.zip (43 KB) (It's displayed 5 Mpixel JPEG in 100% of view (without resizing) and cropped in Photoshop) Irfanview.bmp contains small white vertical lines. As I just checked PTE, ACDSEE, Photshop loads Jpeg in Quality method and has no difference. But unfortunatelly Irfanview uses Fast method with almost not visible defects. It would be great if somebody could write to author of Irfanview about this problem. With loading of BMP image there is one funny moment Yes, it really loads very quickly, but for example we have 200 Kb Jpeg file and this image in BMP - 2,3 MB. First time, when we read these files, loading takes absolutely equal time. It happens, because it necessary to read it from hard disc or even from slower CD-ROM! Only when you load same BMP again it loads quickly, because Windows already cached this file and it reads from a buffer in the fast memory of PC. I also was very wondered when found this "paradox". So it's not necessary to replace JPEGs and use BMP.

Please tell me what usual time interval between slides on time-line? What configuration of your PC and screen resolution. On 1600 Mhz PC slide with JPEG image (1024x768, 350 KB) loads within 130 ms. (1/7 of second) And about 240 ms. on Celeron 900 Mhz. So no problem with 500 ms. interval between two slides. We have fast JPEG library. I know popular libraries that works in two times more slowely. But of course, there is more fast libraries. ACDSEE works in 1.5 times faster. But PTE loads JPEGs as Irfanview. Duration of loading of JPEG image depends only on size of the file. Resolution of image (1024x768 or 800x600) doesn't matter. So 200 KB 1024x768 Jpeg file will loads in 2 times faster than 400 KB 1024x768 Jpeg file. But please don't increase compression in all cases! It is not necessary (and senselessly) if time interval 1 second or longer. Because even loading of large 350 KB JPEG takes only 1/7 of second! If you want to place some slides very closely, in this case and only these JPEG files better to save with lesser size (150-200 KB).