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nickles

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Posts posted by nickles

  2. Problems with AVI-files and Pinnacle

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Hello:

    I've been making DVDs of my PTE slideshows for nearly three years. My method has been essentialy trouble free. I reported it in the following thread a couple of years ago:

    http://www.picturestoexe.com/forums/index....c=1796&hl=video

    PTE does not create a true video but sends video frames to a program that can process them and encoded them. I think this technique is refered to as "frameserving" and is a very common technique used by many video processing programs to minimize the amount of memory and disk space consumed by larg avi files. Some software such as Pinnacle do not always support this technology. I dropped using Pinnacle Studio several years ago for reasons of their lousy technical support and inability to fix major bugs.

    My method definitely works but it helps if you have a good understaning of the video processes outside of PTE's control. The problems are most often not created by PTE.

    Sincerely,

    Ken

    :D

  3. first plane on desktop

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Morasoft,

    Welcome to the forum!

    Unfortunately I don't write or speak Spanish, but I did open your message in Alta Vista as did Ken.

    I think you will find that if you first "minimize" the Neobook window so that you can "see" behind it, then when PTE starts, you should be able to click on it and bring it to the foreground.

    Hitting "Alt-Tab" and selecting the PTE icon might work too.

    Hello Al,

    If Morasoft doesn't respond, I wonder how well an Altavista English to Spanish translation would work on your message?

    Just curious.

    Ken

    :blink:

  4. first plane on desktop

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Hola,

    Voy a poner mi mensaje en español, ya que en ingles no me entero.

    Estoy haciendo una presentación con un programa llamado "formulagraphic", por el estilo de Neobook, Multimedia Builder... y me ha surgido un problema cuando quiero enlazarlo con un fichero .exe hecho con Picture to exe. El problema es que si en determinado momento que quiero que se ejecute el archivo de Picture to exe a partir del FormulaGraphic, si presiono la pantalla de FomulaGraphic con el ratón antes de que se ejecute el exe de Picture to exe, la presentación de picture to exe queda detrás de FormulaGraphic en la pantalla del ordenador y no se puede ver. Esto se solucionaría si el ejecutable de Picture to exe tuviese la propiedad de verse sobre cualquier cosa que este en ese momento en la pantalla, es decir que pueda pasar a primer plano cuando se esté ejecutando.

    Gracias.

    Espero que alguien entienda español y lo lea.

    I don't have an answer for Morasoft, but I have found the following online translator to be reasonably good and simple to use:

    http://babelfish.altavista.com/

    I pasted the above message into it and requested a Spanish to English translation and this is my results:

    "Hello, I am going to put my message in Spanish, since in ingles I do not find out to me. I am making a presentation with a called program "formulagraphic", of the sort of Neobook, Builder Multimedia... and a problem has arisen me when I want to connect it with a file exe done with Picture to exe. The problem is that if at certain moment that I want that the file of Picture is executed to exe from the FormulaGraphic, if I press the screen of FomulaGraphic with the mouse before exe of Picture is executed to exe, the presentation of picture to exe is behind FormulaGraphic in the screen of the computer and it is not possible to be seen. This would be solved if feasible of Picture to exe had the property to see itself on any thing that this then in the screen, is to say that it can happen to first plane when it is being executed. Thanks. I hope that somebody understands Spanish and it reads it."

    Ken

  5. The Simple Life

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Thanks for a trip back through time.....

    Best regards,

    Lin

    Hello Lin,

    I loved your story...and your last statement above sums it up...so I must now relate mine and what the images reminded me of....

    In my highschool years in the very rurals of eastern Oklahoma, I made a little spending money in the hot summers by hauling hay and usually stacking it in the dark lofts of musty old rickety barns. I'll always remember one farm, in particular, that was several miles outside of the old abandoned coal mining town of Tahona, Oklahoma.

    The farm was owned by an elderly couple that I would guess were in their mid to late 80s. We were hauling a type of feed hay called millet, that had a very fine and bushy cat-tailish end whose fine seeds liked to float in the air and drift down your throat to snag because of there barb like ends....much like the seeds of dandelions that float in the fields. Not fun in a hot barn loft where you're gasping for air.

    The farm had no electricity and I didn't even see a a propane tank. A large water well set in front of the front porch with the accustomed draw rope with the attached well bucket sitting on top. The outhouse was way out back with a well worn trail leading to it from the back porch. There was a very old and dented up Ford pickup sitting near the house and I saw no tractors nor other farm machinery other than an old stone grinding wheel for grinding grains. There were a couple of mules and a couple of Guernsey dairy cows grazing in the nearby meadow. Close by the barn was a very well tended vegetable garden and an old singlepoint plow with wooden handles. Chickens roamed around everywhere with some entering and leaving the old wooden hen house. I also noticed three hogs in the pig pen.

    I tend to get long-winded but hope your getting the picture Lin...but I'm not through yet.

    Around lunch time the old woman came walking into the barn holding a heavy wooden tray covered with food...on it was a metal pitcher filled with moderately cool fresh milk, a piping hot loaf of fresh whole grain bread, two Mason jars filled with sweet home made preserves, and a very large mound of freshly churned butter. She says to us "I figured you boys was getting hungry"...and hungry we was...

    As I visited with her she told me that she had been born a few miles away. Shortly after her husband and brothers had built the place they got married and they had lived there right-on 60 years. They tried to get to town every 3 or 4 months.

    Now that's my memory from the images...I thought at first "wow" there still alive. What struck me most about that couple was how happy, friendly and pleasant they were to be around...and I will never forget them. I think they could probably teach us all a lesson.

    Sincerely,

    Ken

    :)

  7. Aspect Ratios

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Ken,

    No video doesn't requires it.

    But as I wrote Al above, for Pan/Zoom effects we have to specify aspect ratio. All products which suggests these effects uses aspect ratio. Some programs don't ask you, but always locked to 4:3 aspect ratio.

    We can allows free size of slide like v4.xx, but I'm afraid that there will be many wrong slide-shows if their author forget or don't learn that this option is not designed for Pan/Zoom animation.

    Sorry, I didn't understood earlier your question, I think it's good idea. I'll try to realize it, but can't promiss exact date.

    Yes, it will possible. I scheduled this ability. Please wait for the next betas!

    Thank you for your consideration of these questions and I feel that I understand all your answers. The panning while zooming provides lot's of complexities for your developments...that we the users don't see. Continue on...I'm laying this subject aside...you are the expert!

    Very Sincerely,

    Ken

    :D

  10. Aspect Ratios

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Hello Al,

    That would be useful, but it would help too, if possible, if an option were added to "project options" such that all images would be fitted to the "screen", (not just to the black rectangle), without the maker having to adjust them one by one. This is the way it works now in v.4.

    Sorry, in my excitement that Igor joined us, I missed your suggestion. I second your suggestion.

    Sincerely,

    ken

    :D

    Al & Igor,

    Y'all will probablly think "what an idiot" but from Start/Run can you do the following or must it be command line?

    1) Using command line - type for example: pteshow.exe -cover for my demo slide-show.

    ken

    :blink:

  11. Aspect Ratios

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Hello Al and Igor,

    Unfortunately, I've been working on other matters and missed your important posts.

    Hey Igor! It's nice to see your face pop up in this thread.

    A few of questions for you.

    1.) Not being a software guru like yourself self your staff, Is there an internal requirement within the video card that requires an input to it of the screen aspect ratio? I was hoping ultimately that the slideshow designer would not need to enter it. Much like PTE 4 operates.

    2.) If we must enter a screen aspect ratio...would it be possible...maybe in the Object&Animation window...to be able to view your slideshow as it will appear on another screens aspect ratio other than the one you are required to select? With the present beta, I have found that if I produce a slideshow for a selected 5:4 screen aspect I must go find a computer with a different screen aspect to be sure how it will appear on that aspect. I think most designers may not have access to other screen aspects than the one they are designing on.

    3.) Would it be possible or feasible for "cover screen" to be activated during the running of a slide show through the use of a function key? Much like todays DVD players and Wide Screen TVs operate through there remotes.

    Sincerely,

    Ken

    :D

  12. Image Resolution...

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    But it gets even more technical - LOL Dave's approach assumes a linear relationship between pixel count and "resolution" which are actually "not" one and the same .....

    Hello Lin,

    I was very fascinated with your response. Much insight on your part. I think I learned quite a bit from your narrative....it does get a litlle more complicated when you view from the technical vantage point...especially from the perspective of optical resolution.

    Thanks for sharing.

    I also found Dave's explaination with regards to zooming and required image sizing very insightful and well composed also.

    Thank you also for sharing, Dave.

    Aren't we in danger here of making a slide show appear far more complex than it really is.

    Barry

    Barry, I also appreciate and understand where your statement is coming from. Sometimes we tend to make things much more complicated than they ought to be. But, I do think people need to be aware that if they over-zoom that they can cause a good image to appear as a lousy image.

    Sincerely,

    ken

    :D

  14. Aspect Ratios

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Does this make sense? Let's hear from some other forum members as to their preferences, now that we've thrashed this around so much that probably no one else will even understand the question, including ourselves.

    I think it all made perfect sense to me and I have no disagreement....infact I think you have provided excellent thinking for constructing additional points...but let's first see if Dave agrees with the first two points.

    I desire that between us, we come up with a list of very coherent points that offer constructive suggestions to Igor and gang. I think we'll be better off if we develop one or two well defined points at a time.

    I'm now trimming low hanging limbs of trees....which I should have done in the fall when it was much....cooler.

    Sincerely,

    ken

    :blink:

  15. Aspect Ratios

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Hello Al,

    I gather you must be in disagreement with the two points that I made?

    I'm at a loss as to your description of DVD 16:9 format as related to 5:4 screen format as related to "the intention of Igor's development" as related to "full screen" as related to my two points.

    If I had only read your last paragraph, I would have thought that you agreed.

    ken

    :blink:

  16. Aspect Ratios

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Okay Gentlemen:

    I think we are at a point of putting this thread and subject to a close. We are beginning to "spin our wheels". I think all three of us are in ageement on "fit to screen" and what we think would work best for PTE 5 slideshow designers. But before we close, I think we need to arrive at some basic conclusions that might be beneficial to Igor and his team as they continue with the development. I'm sure Igor is monitoring our commentary and I don't wish him to think that all three of us are "raving lunatics".

    Let me generally summarize the background of this subject. Some time ago I started a thread indicating that I had concerns about Screen Apect Ratios as related to "fit the screen". I couldn't pinpoint exactly what I thought was wrong due to the many variables involved. I finally "through up my hands" in frustration. Al then started a follow up thread in which he had began analyzing the problem, I had suggested. He arrived at the conclusion that under certain situations there could be problems. Dave then started this thread indicating a possible solution and also suggested the use of a border to improve the appearance of the slides when a border was present. I know I've left out many details, but hopefully we generally agree with this summary.

    So, I will make the following two points, but there may eventually be more, from you or I. I conclude but do you agree with these two points:

    1.) Eventually, when a slide show designer creates a slideshow with PTE 5, he should be able to create a slideshow in which all the slides "fit the screen" regardless of the aspect ratio of the screen on which the show is played. This option being similar to the "fit the screen" option that is commonly use with PTE 4.

    2.) The most current Beta #2 does not always result in the desire of 1.) above.

    Sincerely,

    ken

    :D

  17. Aspect Ratios

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    The same 5:4 show will either fit to the height or width of any other aspect ratio monitor.

    Good Morning Dave,

    I totally agree with this statement. But the same should be true for a show that the designer has made at 4:3, 15:9, 16:9, Custom, etc. Also this must be true even if the show is made up of images with a mix of aspect ratios within the slide list, such as 5x4,4x5,6x4,4x6.....etc. In my humble opinion, PTE 5 should not have the requirement to enter the screen aspect ratio. PTE 5 needs the ability in the Objects and Animation window to "preview the show as it would appear on" with a selection of the particular screen aspect ratio of interest.

    Hope I stated your intent properly in the previous threads.

    Did you get some good phtos at the Hay Festival?

    Sincerely,

    Ken

    :D

  18. Aspect Ratios

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    I used a monitor setting of 1280x1024 to run Dave's test, without adjusting anything in PO or O/A, other than to substitute my own image, size 3072x2048, a ratio of 6x4) . It clipped the image on both sides, as shown in my previously-attached illustration.

    That's It Al!

    I think maybe you used Daves original template files. Dave's original files were mislabled based on an earlier 6x4 project we were working on. That's why I posted the revised files above. I changed the name of his image template so that it would make better sense. When you run the 5x4 template the image must also be 5x4 for everything to fit. That's what I was atempting to explain...probably not real clearly..."fit to screen" doesn't always work if the image is not in agreement with the setting for screen aspect. I'm pretty sure if you crop your image from 6x4 to 5x4, i.e., 2560x2048 from 3072x2048, it will work. I did what you did at first as Dave's template indicated 6x4 mistakenly...and got your results...it didn't fit.

    If you haven't downloaded the revison...you might try it. I've already put the correct images in them. All you need to do is preview the 16x9template.pte and the 5x4template.pte files.

    What I meant in my earlier post is that PTE 4 when set to "fit to screen" fit all slide images in your show to fit any aspect of screen regardless of the images aspect. PTE 5 needs to do this also.

    This is all confusing isn't it Al...sure be easier to discuss over a cup of coffee than trying to clearly explain with a keyboard. Come on down...I'm buying...if you prefer lemonade...I'll even get that...anything a little harder...we will need to negotiate.

    Sincerely,

    nickles

    ;)

  19. Aspect Ratios

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    For now I just want to point out my understanding of the definition of the different treatments being considered:

    1. Windowed mode: doesn't enter into the equation right now as it is not activated in v.5.

    2. Cover screen: the monitor's screen should always be filled, even if this means cropping the image.

    3. Fit to screen: the size of the image being shown should always be fitted exactly to the size of the monitor in either the horizontal or vertical dimension, (not necessarily both) but without cropping any of it.

    4. Original mode: the images should appear as they do now in v.4, without the "fit to screen" option being selected.

    I 100% concur with your 4 points. That's exactly how I see it. I got consistancy on a wide variety of aspect ratio screens in these recent tests. But in all of these cases the aspect ratio of the images were identical to the Project Options screen aspect ratio setting. I can't recall if this was the case in the inconsistancies both you and I saw in our earlier tests. The main point I was making is, that in my opinion regardless of the image aspect ratio or screen aspect ratio, of the machine the show is run on,....a properly functioning PTE 5 should eventually fit all 100% views of all images at "fit to screen" or "cover screen", as you defined in points 2 an 3, on all screens. That is how PTE 4 operates. Based on PTE 5's unique ability to zoom, I see no reason why "original' mode should ever be needed.

    I'm curious why you didn't get consistancy when you ran these shows? What monitor aspect and screen resolution were you running?

    It's now to hot here in Texas to finish weed eating and trimming...later this evening.

    sincerely,

    ken

    :blink:

  20. Aspect Ratios

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Hello Al & Dave:

    I repeated tests on all four systems. On one series the only Project Option I changed was I checked Fullscreen Mode instead of Windowed mode...keeping "fit to screen". Identical results. All fours systems yielded proper "fit the screen" on both the 16x9 image amd 5x4 image. I changed the Project Option mode to "cover screen" while still in Fullscreen Mode. All four systems provide the prober "cover screen" for both images.

    I think I've figured it out. The original slide image must have the same aspect ratio as the screen aspect setting to achieve consistancy in "fit the screen" and "cover screen mode". To me this is not good. PTE should always cause an image to "fit the screen" and "cover screen" regardless of the differences is aspect ratios of the screen or image. Otherwise, it will be impossible to run mixed aspect images properly regardless of the screens aspect ratio. I commonly do this in my PTE 4 slideshows and always get consistancy in "fit to screen" mode with all kinds of variations in individual slide aspect ratios an all monitor aspect ratios.

    sincerely,

    ken

  21. Aspect Ratios

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Hello Al and Dave:

    Excellent results. I ran both the 5x4template.pte and 16x9template.pte PTE 5 shows on four different computer systems.

    HP Desktop with a 4:3 CRT monitor set at 1280x960 screen resolution.

    Dell Laptop with a 8:5 Flatpanel with a native resolution of 1680x1050.

    Acer Laptop with a 8:5 Flatpanel with a native resolution of 1280x800.

    Acer Desktop with a 5:4 Flatpanel with a native resolution of 1280x1024.

    A precise "fit to screen" on all four systems. The 16x9 template resulted in the white border being at the precise left and right edges of all screens with black borders top and bottom. The 5x4 template resulted in the white border being at the precise the top and bottom edges of all screens....of course this image exactly fitted all edges on the 1280x1024 screen.

    Don't understand why your results differed Al.

    More to add later but out to the....weadeater.

    sincerely,

    ken

    :blink:

  22. Aspect Ratios

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Hello Dave & Al,

    Al, I haven't had time to study your results...as I'm taking a brief break from my yard work but I thought I would quickly state what I've seen so far.

    Early this morning, I played around with your templates, Dave and think you might have discovered something. For purposes of testing, I did some simple revisons and uploaded your revised templates here:

    http://briefcase.yahoo.com/bc/sknickles@sb...case.yahoo.com/

    It's the file called DaveG Revised. Dave it's only 94kb big...so shouldn't present a problem with your dialup...just remeber you may have to hit your browser refresh several times to access it. The contents of the file appears as follows:

    61225329.jpg

    I've not tried "image insert" before but hopefully you see something. I basically combined your two folders into one, Dave. I also changed the names of the two images to correspond to the two image aspect ratios. I also placed two solid color images into each. Very simple colored graphic with text..to minimize download. I also took the privelege of changing the color of your 5x4line.png from red to white. I also changed the zooms and timing of your two .pte files.

    Dave please correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm going to explain to Al what you are attempting to do. Two things...demonstrate the use of a border placed around the slide image to improve over the bleakness of a strictly black border and make the image "fit the screen" regardless of the screens aspect ratio. I had suggested to Dave that we try a 16:9 and 5:4 screen aspect ratio. Dave nomally works with a 1280x1024 flat panel display and desires to design his shows for that screen aspect ratio....but Dave desires the 5:4 image to "fit the screen" on anybody elses monitor.

    What I think Dave has did different than us, Al, besides the very attractive border, is to set the Project Option under screen to Windowed Mode. He has set the window dimensions to the aspect ratio of interest. For 16:9 he chose 1820x1024 and for 5:4 he chose 1280x1024. These are typically the maximum pixel resolution one might expect to find monitors set at today.

    I've only ran on a 4:3 monitor and it ran great "fitting the screen" for both the 16:9 and 5:4. The two images I uploaded are 1820x1024 pixels and 1280x1024 pixels. I also found that I can change the pixel size of the images to anything as long as I maintain the same aspect ratio and it still works. Sometime today I plan to try it out on a 1280x800 Laptop and a 1280x1024 desktop and post my results. My son also has a high resolution laptop that has something like a 1820x1024 native resolution I also hope to run it on.

    Forgive my spelling and grammar as I typed this very hurriedly and haven't even proofed. I addressed this specifically to you two as we are the only ones that seem concerned with the aspect ratio and "fit the screen" discrepancies that Al and I uncovered. Anyone else is more than welcome to "jump in" as far as I'm concerned.

    My lawnmowers calling...only one acre left before the weedeater.

    Sincerely,

    ken

  23. Aspect Ratios

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    The reason that I have not downloaded your two Demos is that my Dial-up connection makes this a long-winded and often fruitless task.

    Which is why I developed the SKELETON TEMPLATE idea. My friends and I exchange our ideas in 20Kb files (as opposed to 20Mb files).

    DaveG

    Ahhhh.....Dave:

    Now I appreciate your SKELETON TEMPLATE even more. I've gotten so used to using a high speed connection that I forgot that there are still many, many people that are using dial up. I'm glad I read your post.

    nickles

    :D

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