Igor

PicturesToExe v4.10 beta #9 is released http://www.wnsoft.com/apr/apr_beta.zip (1.3 Mb) What's new in this beta: * Fixed several small bugs * Removed mistaken 100 ms' time compensation for transition points. * Now old presentations which contain mp3 files with ID3 Tag have exact timing in v4.10. + Improved speed of opening project or presentation with number of slides more than 300..500. + 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. + Improved quality of sound during rewinding on the time-line (for 11/22 Khz mp3 files). + Status bar displays file name of picture for selected transition point.

It depends on size of ID3v1 and ID3v2 tags. So we'll calculate exact value of time difference for each mp3 file with ID3 tags. p.s. I just posted new beta #9 with this fix. Only one important note: after saving such project (created earlier in v4.01/3.80) in beta #9, it's not recommended to open it again in previous versions, because it will contain correction of timing for v4.10.

Yes, Nero WaveEditor shows exactly as CoolEdit. Thanks for letting me know about results of your testing, too! Now we're certainly know that v4.01 and earlier has 100-136 ms.' shift in timing on mp3 with ID3 tag and v4.10 has exact timing on any music files. 1) We've checked up in details calculation of timing in the new msuic player - no errors. 2) Also no mistakes in playing of frames in mp3 file. No one skipped. 3) My another presentation play exactly as v4.01 (without that 100 ms.' correction) 4) Old player (4.01) play wav and mp3 exactly similar, but it always increases on 100-136 ms.' current position if mp3 file has ID3 tag; 5) Old player starts playback as it were not from 0, but from -136 ms.! E.g. it shows that 236 ms. played after first 100 ms. of playback (mp3 with ID3 tag)! 6) Old player returns incorrect length (that mistake in calculation!). It shows 4:08.454, instead of 4:08.320. Here is that 136 ms. diffirence! Beta #8 plays correctly mp3 with ID3 tag, it only shown incorrect length - also 4:08.455 ms. We've recently fixed this mistake. Now (future beta #9) it displays correct length - 320 ms. as CoolEdit or WaveEditor. Of course, we'll add custom function to shift time-points. And we'll think how to make auto correction for earlier created presentations. Thanks again!

Dear Harold, We've worked for two days on this problem (100 ms' delay) and now I think that we've found real reason of this problem. I suppose that new music player had really exact timing. And that 100 ms' correction is not necessary. With this delay in my another test presentation, slides appear on 100 ms. earlier. Without correction all slides are showing exactly as in v4.01. I've checked your mp3 file you've sent me and found that it has MP3 ID3 Tag (with info about this composition). New music player plays wav, mp3 or mp3 with ID3 tag of same music composition with exactly similar timing. The old v4.01 play wav and mp3 also as v4.01, but it shows incorrect timing for mp3 with ID3 tag! In the old player, current position during playing always more on 100-136 ms. It falsely calculates bytes of ID3 tag as frames with music and adds wrong additional 100-136 ms. When I temporary removed ID3 tag (e.g. in WinAmp) from your mp3 file it also became play with delay of slides even in v4.01! Same result with converted wav file. Please couldn't you also try with it? I suppose I've can made mistake in my testing after this long days of testings. --- But you also said that you've composed time points in the CoolEdit? What exact version of CoolEdit you have got? Probably it also had similar mistake with ID3 tag? Please tell me what length it shows for that mp3 file? My copy of Nero WaveEditor shows 4 min., 8 sec. and 320 ms. For example for second transition points (at 3,595 second in your presentation), Nero WaveEditor shows that it really placed in the middle of sound moment. But begining of this wave shoould be exactly on left on 100-136 ms. So now beta #8 has incorrect timing with 100 ms. delay But previous betas (e.g. beta #7) having correct timing. But we will exact sure with after your testing! Many thanks for your help!

Dear Al, I just checked your dempster3_beta7.mp3 file which you've sent me a month ago. PTE v4.01, v4.10 beta, WinAmp, Nero WaveEditor play it exactly similar. This music file has a short (100 ms.) sound "click" at 1,7 second. Main sound appears at 3,1 second. All this waves well displayed in the graphical area in the Nero WaveEditor.

In previous versions there is only ability to run ext. application by the button/hyperlink or using personalized slide when this slide appears on the screen. New feature runs ext. application when show and music fully ended. It's more easy and correct way to run next presentation after last slide.

I grateful you! Good idea, I'll think how it can be done. p.s. also I've added in the next beta ability to run Ext. application after last slide. E.g. to make possible creating of sequence of sync'ed presentations.

Harold, Ok, please don't worry! I'll work until the problem not fully fixed. Al, Is the difference between timing in v4.01 and v4.10 beta #8 with this mp3 file? p.s. thank you all very much! We'll continue work to make music player with excellent playback.

Thank you, Ray! Very interesting! I've tried on our special test PC (PI-233, 64 MB, Win95) and playback is excellent on the time-line (7 Mb not-VBR mp3 file). There are no pauses. Please can you try with absolutely another mp3 files (2 or 3 Mb)? By the way, was that mp3 file VBR or with constant bitrate?

Dear Harold, I just tried, but I couldn't sense 50 ms. difference. You have absolute pitch, by the way! But I'm afraid to add this correction. Maybe it better if I add special function which you can call anytime and shift all transition points to the left or right on necessary value of milliseconds? This may help as in your case when highly-exactly synchronized show was created in previous versions of PTE and if some mp3 playback need be a little corrected in v4.10? I suppose it can be a little difference (20-50ms.) in reference point in various music players when they start time reckoning. And it is NOT accumulating mistake. So shift may help, if creator see small difference. And NO PROBLEM at all, if presentation is creating ALREADY in v4.10 with new music player. Because creator adjusts time points according playback of the new music player.

Dear Guido, It seems to me that he've wrote me several months ago, and we've fixed bug of v4.01/3.80 when time-line was not able to display length of music track(s) more than 60 minutes. v4.10 beta fixes this problem. Thanks,

Thanks, I'll wait for the result when there are no transition points. 1) So no problem at all in produced presentations and music DOESN'T pauses? The problem only with time-line? 3) Will the problem occurs with WAV music file (not mp3)? p.s. please make sure that your build is "PicturesToExe v4.10 beta #8 - Your project name" (in the caption of the main window).

Dear Ray, Thanks for letting me know about this difficulty! Please let me know: 1) Was there similar problem with previous versions (4.01 or 3.80) of PTE? 2) Will this problem occurs if you temporary remove all transition points and then click Play button? 3) What usual size (of files in KB and width/height) of pictures? 4) Did you hear pauses in the music playback when cursor goes back or pauses on the time-line? (Thanks Al for last two questions!). 5) Will the problem also occurs with another mp3 file?

Anyway, in the new presentations will be no problem at all! Because we already create timing in the new music player

After I've added that time correction (100 ms.) in the beta #8 with your help, I see no difference between v4.10 and v4.01/3.80 more. Just for test you can try move several transition to the left on 20 ms. It will not take visual difference.

Just I thoughted that it better to don't change more, because this more frequent query of current position takes much higher CPU load (on 10% under Athlon 1600) in the Cust. synch. window. And possible another untested nuances.

Ok, I won't change anything in timing more. Will leave as in beta #8 Thank you all for testings!

I just prepared two new test versions. Harold and Cici please try out: http://www.wnsoft.com/apr_beta_FastTimer_100ms.zip http://www.wnsoft.com/apr_beta_FastTimer_50ms.zip Both variants in 2 times more often check up current position of playback (even much better than v4.01 or 3.80). First variant has 100 ms. time compensation (as Harold tested with beta #8). Second has 50 ms. time compensation. Which variant will provide more exact timing as in v4.01? p.s. interesting moment. Compare how smoothly (in both betas) cursor runs on the time-line under Windows 98/Me than earlier before.

1) Is this delay for one slide or for all slides? 2) How it will work in v3.80 or v4.01? 3) Please make sure again that you really re-compiled the show in v4.10 beta #8. You can compare with beta #7 where there is a delay in 100 ms.

Beta #8 contains fix when time points composed in v4.01 or v3.80 were processed on 100 ms. later than it's necessary in v4.10 beta #1-#7. About moment between two files of music tracks. It possible very small pause in transition effects at this moment. Because CPU tries to quickly process opening of a new sound track. Here v4.10 works as v4.01, as I tested. Please let me know if it is not so!

Thanks for your various suggestions on improvements of PTE! We plan add many improvements to the Vis. editor in the next version. Also in the next version I think to make possible pause and full control on presentation in the synchronized mode, including access to objects.

Really that problem happens only for synchronized show when intervals (not including the time for transition effects) between slides lesser than 500 ms. So, e.g. 1,5 sec. for the effect and 1 sec. for show of a slide are enough for *all* PCs. It's not easy to realize such system for analyzing of situation. We can't determine exact time of preparing of next slide, because it depends on size of a picture, type of transition effect. I need to think about this.

PicturesToExe v4.10 beta #8 is released http://www.wnsoft.com/apr/apr_beta.zip (1.3 Mb) What's new in this beta: * Fixed bug with 100 ms' delay of slides in synchronized presentations created in previous versions of PicturesToExe. The problem is fixed now. + Added optimization to the new music player. It takes lesser CPU usage. p.s. also please let me know how new very important feature of v4.10 works (Instant start of presentation, even with large mp3 files).

Please, don't worry! That delay in previous betas didn't depend on CoolEdit or another sound editors. It was a simple mistake in calculating of real position of playback. Delay was exactly 100 ms. (1/10 of second) from real playback. So now v4.10 beta #8a and v4.01 (or 3.80) have exactly similar timing. Also this beta contains a little optimization in the music player. So it takes lesser of CPU resources. To Harold: Yes, you could fix that problem if move every transition point to the left on 100 ms. But now it's not necessary to correct presentations created in previous versions of PTE. About glitch in another presentation. Was it glitch in music playback or just slide had not enough time to be calculated and shown? You can test with WAV music file. If it solves the problem then it's because new music player takes more CPU load.

Harold, I very grateful for your help in reaching of high exactly timing! Here is PTE v4.10 beta #8a which should fixes that time delay: http://www.wnsoft.com/apr_beta1.zip p.s. I couldn't see that difference earlier because my LCD Sony M51 has real refresh every 50 ms. And it was needed to test it on 100 Hz's CRT display (10 ms.).