Igor

Dear Barry! (I just sent you email!) We are very grateful to you for your publication about PicturesToExe in the UK Digital Photo Magazine! I was very pleasantly wondered when our sales became vastly increased a week ago. And all this time we have a lot of new customers from the United Kingdom. We never seen such effect after any publication! I can remember only similar lesser case, - small publication in a newspaper also in the Great Britain, and also on August, but in 2000. p.s. Happy Birthday! I noticed announcement on the start page of the forum! With kindest regards,

Sorry, you're right! Just my trip will only at the end of this week.

PicturesToExe v4.11 is released. http://www.wnsoft.com/apr/apr.zip This version contains two fixes: * Fixed bug of v4.10 when you was not able to set "Time limited usage" option in new presentations. * Fixed bug of v4.01 and v4.10 only with synchronized presentations which have Startup Window with added "Exit" button. Presentation closes with error, if user choosed "Exit" button in this Startup window. The problem is fixed now.

Dear Johnny, Thanks for finding this bug! I was able to reproduce it, when created similar test presentation with your description. This problem appears in v4.10 and in old v4.01, if you click specially added "Exit" button in the Startup window of presentation which has Synchronization mode with music. I just prepared fix of this problem: http://www.wnsoft.com/apr/apr.zip

I'm sorry! Because it was my careless mistake, as I just checked up. You couldn't turn on the time limited usage option in newly created presentations only. Just changing of this checkbox was ignored when you clicked "OK" button in the Project options. Really 5-minute simplest fix. Please download this corrected version 4.11: http://www.wnsoft.com/apr/apr.zip

Thank you all for new suggestions and ideas! I'll attentively read all messages after vacation.

Dear Nancy, This problem rarely may occurs with version 3.80. Please uninstall the program and reinstall PicturesToExe again. Or better download and install newest v4.10. If problem still appears after this, please write me to igor@wnsoft.com

Thanks, Al! I only want to say my opinion, that I don't fully agree with Adobe Quality Engineer and I believe that correct MP3 should plays correctly. CoolEdit writes fully correct body of MP3 file, but it only has incorrect value of duration in the header (4 bytes!). It's a mistake of CoolEdit.

Dear friends! We're glad to introduce PicturesToExe v4.10! How to download: http://www.wnsoft.com/apr/apr.zip (1.25 Mb) or self-extracting installation kit: http://www.wnsoft.com/apr/apr.exe (1.25 MB) Key features of PicturesToExe v4.10: This version contains a new music player which provides high quality of the playback, especially of MP3 files. It adds built-in support of OGG Vorbis audio format. And your any even very large presentation will start within 1-2 seconds now! New version allows to separately assign each parameter in personalized slides (own time, effect, background, etc). And many other improvements. You can find full list of new features below. Especially we would like to thank all beta-testers whose help was outstanding. I very grateful to you! What's new in this version: * Fixed two old minor visual bugs in the main window of PicturesToExe. * Fixed old visual bugs on the time-line in case of long music track (40 minutes and more). * Fixed bug of v3.80 and v4.00 when music plays however, even if you've turned off "Play background music" option ("Music" tab of Project options). * Fixed old bug when PicturesToExe showed error messages if it was added incorrect or damaged JPEG or GIF picture * Fixed old bug with creating of template. Some main pictures of slides or music files were not copied into template's folder if "Show picture" or "Play background music" were unchecked. * Fixed old small bug when name of an opened template was added into "Recent Projects" list. * Fixed old memory leak. Presentation might fall with "Out of system resources" message, if many slides contained large objects (pictures or transparent buttons). * Fixed old bug when you copy slide it didn't remember color of text comment in the personalized slides * Fixed old visual bug on the time-line (in the Customize synchronization window) when sometimes it didn't show preview for selected transition point in the Pause/Stop mode * Fixed old bug with "Add arranged time points" if length of music more than 42 minutes. * Fixed old bug with sorting by date in the file panel. * Fixed several other minors bugs. + Improved speed of opening project or presentation with number of slides more than 300..500. + Added support of JPEG pictures which have unusual .jpe extension + Ctrl+A is assigned now to select all pictures in the file panel, instead of "Save As" + This version contains new improved music player: > Added built-in support for OGG Vorbis music files (.ogg); > You need not to choose between "Internal" and "External" players more. New music player provides high quality playing and exact synchronization; > It fully compatible with Windows 95, 98, Me, NT, 2000 and XP; > New player can work even under Windows without installed DirectX or Media Player; > Even presentation with 500 Mb of music files starts immediately now; > Improved support of various types of MP3 and WAV music files; > MIDI music instantly starts playing under Windows XP; > Fixed rare cases of music glitches on some configurations; > Many other improvements. + Added fine customization of a slide. Earlier if you wanted to set own time of showing for a slide it was necessary to make all this slide personalized. Now you can assign own time, but keeping background preference or font of text comment according common settings from the Project options. This feature will work and with your current projects. + Improvements in the Customize Synchronization window: > Double-click on a transition point to show "Customize Slide" window; > Status bar always displays current position of the cursor; + Imporovements in the Visual Editor of objects: > It's possible to cancel dragging of object(s) by pressing of the right mouse button; > You can move selected object(s) pressing arrows of cursor on the keyboard; > You can call popup menu by clicking of right mouse button or special key on the keyboard; > To switch between objects press <Tab> key on the keyboard; > Status bar displays file name of picture for selected transition point; > Some other improvements. + Added "Run application after last slide" option (Project options | "Advanced" tab). Another presentation can be ran when main presentation finished with last slide. This options also requires turned on "Close show after last slide" option. + Added new option "Slide List: Show file names only (without full path)" (see Main menu | Advanced options). And this option is turned on by default, but of course, you can set the old view with displaying of full file path. + PicturesToExe displays real file name of a project in the caption of the main window. + You can use "Caption of show" parameter (Project options | "Screen" tab) to displayname of presentation in the caption of window or on the taskbar. If this parameter is not assigned then presentation will display name of .exe file (which assigned on moment of creation). + Improved welcome screen of PicturesToExe. + And many other various improvements.

Thanks, I just fixed this memory leak, too! p.s. I use Task Manager from Windows XP which can show how many GDI resources takes each application.

Bill, try again, please. The server should be workable at present.

PicturesToExe v4.10 beta #16 is released http://www.wnsoft.com/apr/apr_beta.zip (1.3 Mb) What's new in this beta: * Fixed minor memory leak in the Visual editor of objects after editing of transparent buttons. + Use "Caption of show" parameter (Project options | "Screen" tab) to display name of presentation in the caption of window or on the taskbar. If this parameter is not assigned then presentation will display name of .exe file (which assigned on moment of creation). + Various small improvements. p.s. it should be Release Candidate.

Dear Bill, Let me thank you for the work you have done! I just added all corrections as you have suggested in your specification, concerning "Caption of show". It will be presented in the next beta #16.

Dear Dana, Please excuse me for my absence! V4.10 beta and previous v4.01/3.80 takes higher CPU usage when presentation starts next music track. And transition effects may pause. I checked up on PI-233MMX and transition effect (3 sec.) assigned exactly between both mp3 music track pauses on 300 ms. I'm not sure that it can be solved, but we'll try out some optimization (probably already in the next version). p.s. do you know what CPU installed in this IMB notebook?

I grateful you, Bill! I just fixed this leak of GDI-resources in the Visual editor of objects after work of user with transparent buttons. p.s. also we've fixed that bug you've told me yesterday about limitation with first "=" symbol in a string. All in the future beta #16.

Thank you all, and Al and Harold and Guido for your help in making of exact synchronization after rewinding!

Thanks, Bill for your research!

Dear Al, Thank you, I've received your mp3 file and time points. So there is very interesting situation with this mp3 file! Really it has length - 6:27.239 (as shown Nero Wave Editor after extracting into .wav file), but all players show 6:26.300 for this mp3. (I've tested under WinXP and Win95 with exactly similar result) There are two time points (and sound waves at these poins) at 6:00.000 and 6:01.000. PTE v4.10 beta #15 after rewinding plays these waves on 900 ms. earlier each point (i.e. on 5:59.100 and 6:00.100 for second) as and v4.01 or v3.80. But even WinAmp and Microsoft Media Player 9 after rewinding play these waves on 1 sec. earlier than they located in mp3 file! But all players play correctly extracted mp3 into wav file exactly as they are specified. We've checked how it happened and found that this mp3 file has incorrect duration in the header. It lesser on 900 ms than in actual fact! And of course, we can't make anything to fix it, because it's not our bug. Mp3 encoder incorrectly wrote length of this music file. So please let me know what program and mp3 encoder you've used. (I've tried to extract your mp3 file into .wav file and then recreated mp3 again with Lame mp3 encoder and this new mp3 plays OK after rewinding now.) The problem with rewinding inside long mp3 file really was earlier before beta #15, but this new beta fully fix this problem. I even checked with 116 Mb mp3 file (44100, 16 bit, stereo, 256 kbps), 60 minutes. And I've created pulse/wave at 59:00 point and then converted my .wav file into this .mp3 (using Lame mp3 encoder) and beta #15 played this point exactly where it located as v4.01/3.80! But Earlier in beta #1-12 it was a delay in 500 ms.! And beta #15 provides exact synchronization after rewinding.

Ok, we'll try to remove this limitation.

I had full sleep Just we've discussed yesterday new algorithm and today we've wrote this new rewinding. Please can you send me to igor@wnsoft.com this 128 kbps with 22050Khz mp3 file (in ZIP archive, up to 7-10 Mb)? We'll check it up to find exact reason of difference. Also please let me know exact position of that 10-min.' time point. p.s. by the way, how this 10-min. mp3 file works in v4.01?

Thank you, Al for such detailed results of your testing! Please try new beta #15 p.s. you can verify correctness of position in .mp3 with .wav file of that .mp3 file in PTE. Because there is no such difficulties with position in .wav file.

PicturesToExe v4.10 beta #15 is released http://www.wnsoft.com/apr/apr_beta.zip (1.3 Mb) What's new in this beta: * Improved rewinding on the time-line ("Customize synchronization" window). It should be much more correct and much faster.

Thanks for good news about new sorting! p.s. probably somebody could skip beta #13

Ok, thanks, By the way, did you noticed that v4.10 has smoothed fade in/out of music (as WinAmp) when user call pause/stop or rewind? Even newest Microsoft Media Player 9 (just I for the first time installed it) has short sound clicks when you do these actions (as and PTE v4.00 and earlier).

Ok, not a problem! By the way, is your mp3 VBR or with constant bitrate and what its duration? Probably you've tested with old time points? Please try to make new mp3 and set points in wave editor. I tried several times with various formats and now it works exactly. Anyway we have another variant of rewinding. New (fast, by the way) algorithm will use another way to calculate position in mp3 file.