Igor

Of course! I shall add it. p.s. in beta #1 it works for not synchronized presentations (select some slide in the Slide List and then look on the button at right-bottom corner of the preview area). I'm working now to finish preview from any slide and for sync'ed slide-shows.

I just added correction and PTE will show a wait rectangle in the preview area with a label: This JPEG image can not be loaded. Probably the JPEG file is damaged.

We are glad to introduce the first beta of PicturesToExe v4.00: http://www.wnsoft.com/apr/apr_beta.zip (1,25 Mb) This version works much faster than all previous versions of PicturesToExe. And presentations created with v4.00 will start in several times faster. The new version contains a lot of new features and improvements. PicturesToExe has simple and intuitive interface, so creating of a presentation is very easy. All you have to do is choose some pictures (in JPG, GIF or BMP format). PicturesToExe will produce single EXE file, which contains all images inside. No additional programs (including PicturesToExe itself) are needed to run resulting presentation - only that stand-alone EXE file. And it will work under Windows 95, 98, Me, NT, 2000 and XP. If your demands are a bit higher, PicturesToExe allows you to make much more attractive presentations, than simply changing slides. You can customize each slide by specifying background color or picture, adding comments, sounds, objects. Moreover, it's possible to use different cinematographic transition effects between slides, add background music (in MP3, WAV or MIDI format). And ability to exactly synchronize show of slides to music, placing points on the time-line. If it is necessary, you are able to protect your presentation by password and assign expiration date. Presentations can be automatic (by timer) or controlled manually, run once or continuously. If you prefer, you can create SCR files (instead of EXE), and use your presentations as a standard Windows screen savers. The program has multi-language interface (19 languages are supported now). What's new in PicturesToExe v4.00: + Fixed several minors bugs + Preview of large images works much faster now (with same quality) in the Main window of PicturesToExe and "Customize Synchronization" window. + Improved quality and speed of full-screen viewer of images (Main window). + Improved quality of gradient filling of background, if screen in Hi-Color (16-bit) mode. + Improved shadow for the main picture: > It looks much smoothly now; > You can adjust opacity of shadow behind the main picture. (Project options | "Screen" tab | "Opacity". From 0 of full transparency to 255 of opacity; > The shadow can surround picture around all sides (see "Offset" parameter). + New default an icon for newly created .exe file of presentation. Also the main icon of PicturesToExe is improved. + Added new option: "Auto hide mouse cursor" (Project options | "Advanced" tab) + Some improvements in "Main" and "Advanced" tabs of the Project options. + Visual Editor of objects is vastly improved: * Fixed several bugs; > Added support for transparent GIF pictures (as objects of slide); > You can call "Properties" dialog for a some object by double clicking of mouse; > It's possible to cancel dragging of a object by pressing of <Esc> key; > To select/deselect several objects, click on an each necessary object holding <Shift> key; > To select all objects, press Ctrl+A; > Added "Undo" button to cancel last modification; > Added Copy/Paste functions (Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V) > Improved popup menu when you click right mouse button on the object(s) > Added hot keys for all actions (see popup menu above) > And some other helpful improvements. + Produced presentations will start faster now. Especially large presentations start in several times faster! + "Preview" of presentation starts faster + PicturesToExe (main window) opens projects much faster + Time-line graphically displays effect duration for the transition points + Various improvements in interface of the program p.s. please notice that it is a first beta yet, and it doesn't contain completed features of v4.00

Please send me (igor@wnsoft.com) this Jpeg file and we will check it. You can check, how this Jpeg image will be opened with other graphical programs? Also JPEG image should be saved in RGB color range (not in CMYK). Usually all programs saves Jpeg images into RGB format.

Thanks, Wally! I think it is a subject of the next version. Because it also will be very useful and to use common objects for all slides.

p.s. many thanks to Rudi, whose JukeBox presentation very helped us to optimize PicturesToExe!

We have speeded up starting of a produced .exe file with presentation. Even large presentations (without mp3) like Jukebox will start within 0.3 - 2 second(s). p.s. we'll prepare a first beta soon.

Dear Granot, We all want to thank you for your work to improve process of creation of presentations! I consider that Presentation List and Pictures Index Viewer will find its user. Thanks! With warmest regards, WnSoft Inc.

Dear Rudie! We all were so impressed by your great job you have done! Your presentation fully uses objects, and I hope that coming v3.90 will vastly help you in the future projects. New Visual editor has the Undo and Copy/Paste features (which we just completed). Also, as I have checked, "Jukebox" contains about 27,000 lines of the .pte file. So we have optimized .pte file reader module and your presentation will run in 3 times faster now. With kindest regards,

I hope that it can be done. p.s. the Undo feature (for an one previous modification in the Vis. editor) is *exactly* exists.

+ Improved Visual Editor of objects: * Fixed several bugs; > Added support for transparent GIF pictures (as objects of slide); > You can call "Properties" dialog for a some object by double clicking of mouse; > It's possible to cancel dragging of a object by pressing of <Esc> key; > To select/deselect several objects, click on an each necessary object holding <Shift> key; > To select all objects, press Ctrl+A > And many other helpful improvements. And maybe "Undo" function will be added for this editor.

We have made really smoothed shadow for main picture. Like in Photoshop. And it works very quickly, - PTE can render 1000 large shadows per 1 second. Example of a new shadow

While these things are not in development, sorry. We're working closely on Synch. mode now. I think the beta will come in two weeks.

We plan to add many useful capabilities with Sync. mode in v3.90. I hope that it will possible to pause sychronized presentation and all functions of Navigation bar will work. Please wait.

Dear friends! Please let us wish you all Merry Christmas and happy New year. With warm regards, WnSoft Inc.

There is an interesting problem with showing of an effect duration on the time line. Earlier we have added ability to assign (in addition) duration and for the Fade in/out. It was necessary when other effects have 0,5 sec, and Fade - 1,5 sec. And if effects to be selected randomly, we are not able to beforehand calculate duration of effect for an each slide. But now all effects have 1,5 sec. by default, and what you think, can we remove separate choose of duration for Fade effect (Project option | "Effects" tab)? p.s. no problem with duration of effect from the Personal settings of a slide.

Good idea, but we want to carefully check how to prevent some duplication of that function and other ones. Yes, I also thought about displaying of transition time for an each slide Probably in the first beta. (Very interesting idea to change it directly on the time line!)

The standard icon for .exe files of newly created presentations is vastly improved. I have added a new option: "Auto hide mouse cursor after (seconds)" and sub-option "Hide cursor at presentation startup". The cursor appears when you move your mouse, and will hide in case of absence of any movement during specified time interval (e.g. 3 s.). We're thinking to enable this option by default, because it's a good way to combine two previous options - constant cursor and no cursor. And Navigation bar is also available. So please let us know, what you think about this.

2. That is a subject of the next versions. 4. Yes, we will try to do interface more simple in use. But all important changes will be suggested for discussion on the forum. That's a difficult question, because many users prefer current interface of PicturesToExe. #1 Yes, we plan to add support of MIDI as sound comment. #3 Thanks, this bug have to be fixed in the next release. Thanks, we already completed many useful improvements (for all users) in the future v3.90 and will work on it more.

Dear Harry, PicturesToExe produces compact .exe file (it adds 224 Kb to your datas) You can see that all our test examples in "Download" area (http://www.wnsoft.com) have size from 500 Kb to 1.2 Mb.

Yes, I agree and we're thinking about this idea for a long time. I like "FAQ section", "Wish-list", "Talking on free themes" and other sub-forums. We plan to prepare a list of suggested sub-forums and will open special voting. p.s. also I consider that a number of sub-forums should not be too great.

Please, can you send me (igor@wnsoft.com) only .pte file of this presentation? We'll recreate presentation with another images/sounds and check it.

I must to add, such optimization works and for any other resources of presentations (including music files, icons, backgrounds, and etc). Any duplicated files will not be included twice (or more) in any type of presentation. Just it a "transparent" for creator and he may don't think about it.

I'll set a number of postings (including from an old forum) on the next week.

Yes.