LumenLux

Shelton the page curl is new in the new Beta 2a release. You will find it in the list of all the transitions- easy to enjoy. Beta 2a

I doubt not. I do agree ADB and Al.

pmourava@noos.fr Are you here also? What a fun presentation of your Americas experience. Nicely done. I thought the page wrap from the desktop is a great opening. Music seems Americana too. And your photography is great too. I normally like to see the beautiful scenery in full screen, but I think your presentation layout was very interesting and perfectly done. Several photos from my own "neighborhood" and they represented the locations well. How many trips did your presentation cover?

Thank you Jean-Pierre for the puzzle - and the explanation. It is very interesting to me how you made it - not that I would be able to attempt it. I do have a friend I would like to test with it. My next question - are there true puzzle fanatics that solve it? Is it "easy" for puzzlers who know how to systematically develop the solution? Finally, maybe you have developed an encryption scheme that Igor can put into PTE for Photographers wanting to protect their work.

The site is very extensive. Maybe easier to find the shows on this link and then go from there to explore more of the site. Winter Competition shows and others

I agree whole-heartedly with Guido and Al that PTE is a great presentation tool. For that I am greatful and do not want PTE to divert into other deep channels. However, the feature requested by mcelikel, in it's simplest form, might not be that far different from some other niceties that Igor has added, ie. - light table, wave form, etc. If, (big "if") I understand correctly - it might "simply" involve being able to take actions on the wave form as we now take actions on the slides above the wave form. Still keep our true audio editors for real work, but be able to adjust volume or move a sound segment left or right, might not be a detriment. (Of course the more familiar a user is with a sound editor, the lower priority this would have for PTE.) Side note - I've noticed for years - that translation from some languages seems to turn "ask" or "request" into the english "demand." I too, recoil when I think any of us are "demanding" this or that from Igor.

OK jongru, I got it this time. Thank you. There has been a lot of helpful info from many here. In my case, I am simply making a data disk as you say you are. But in my case, I do have the problem of slow and reluctant retrievals. (As described in first post in this topic.) I'm sure part of my problem is the slower equipment, which seems to compound whatever built-in" weaknesses of the DVD medium or method. I was actually strangely comforted by an article in recent Outdoor Photographer magazine. One author/photgrapher described his new years resolutions for himself and for the photo industry. His number one resolution for the industry: "Produce digital archiving and storage devices that are easy, stable, and, well, archival." Explaining, "Unfortunately, CD's are too small, DVD's are too slow, hard drives are too prone to failure, and all of them are less than rock stable." I understand from your experience and that of others posted here, that you are having better results than I am with DVD for this purpose. Can you tell me if you have indeed filled an entire DVD with jpg images and they still all "come up" quickly as thumbnails. If, per chance, you have not tried to scroll rapidly through ALL the thumbnails, you may be surprised (hope not) to find that there are some "reluctant" files that would rather just "be there" than be of any normal use. I don't know if anyone has said, and I have not thoroughly tested whether it helps to have a certain number of sub-directories etc.

I hesitate to address the "back up" term, as it seems to mean many different things to different software. But shouldn't "copy" be the same thing as burn simple jpg's to the dvd ? I am not using the DVD as an open hard drive that I drag and drop files to from time to time. Is that what you mean as an "operational disk?" I hope maybe you are onto something that I am missing - but I am not sure I understand what you mean.

Igor, I am astounded! I thought it might be soon we would see a new Beta with a few improvements you are working on. But I have just read the entire list and it is very extensive! Many of the "high priority" items that have been requested seem to be there. It will be a fun exercise to try these new features. Thank you, Igor and Aleksey !

Welcome Wilbur. You can find this fine program to buy at Wnsoft. In the left margin there is How to buy. Wnsoft is the home of Igor, the author of the program and the "admin" in this forum. Beechbrook is the website of one of the members of this forum. Bill (cottage) at Beechbrook simply offers his site as a host for many presentations.

And, birding, I would try just pulling out the slide or two at the point that seems to be the problem. If that is the problem, you can then remake the trouble slide. But more often than not, the problem is going to be in the music file rather than the photo file. So as Ken is suggesting, try other options there.

Terry, welcome to the forum. Thank you for the many suggestions to Igor. Several have been mentioned before and he is probably working on several of them even as we speak. I think it is good to have your ideas as a relatively new user of PTE but obviously an experienced AV and computer person. Even though Igor is great to respond, we often "get used to" things and forget they might yet be improved. Safe to say, we will look forward to seeing and learning from your shows and contributions here.

Roger, I took your cue and dl'd all the shows. It is a nice feature that Dave has, to DL just one zip file including all the shows you want at once. I certainly agree with your initial assessment! The second thing that came through on my initial (quick) view, is how much fun everyone apparently had in making each show. I hope now that the shows will generate some good discussion there at daves great site. CreatingSlideShows.com

Well desert dave, there is even more amusement than we expected. I'm sure we can understand, but it is still amusing. I will get on over to the site and see what kind of constructive discussion we can muster. By the way, you are certainly prompt is making all the shows available. Good work. I was also toying with the idea of putting all the shows on a DVD and watching on TV, but unless someone here has an "easy" way to do it, I'll let it rest.

If I have good digital (mini dv) video that I want to combine in a presentation with good still photos (not from video camera), what is best way to do so and maintain visual quality of both? The presentation will be shown on likely 8 to 12 foot screen. Is it best to use a video format that then includes a DVD output from PTE? Or is it best to include the video footage into a PTE sequence?

Yes indeed! We need the ranks of PTE forum to be part of this, if you are not yet "official" , just take the quicklink above and you're in. I even surprised myself and submitted an entry.

Well Yes Harry, you should be happy with the solution you've found. Looks very good. Care to tell us more about it, that is your method/programs, etc.? Glad you got it going so well.

Clever idea Brian. Did you ever report back to us or will you have any photos to share from your son's journey in the high, high, mountains of South America?

Above quote is from Igor (Admin) in a different topic. My original DVD contains some 2200 jpg files. Most are 3-4 mb. Some psd files to 16 mb. On a 1.6 mhz pc at home, some of the files never would appear as thumbnails nor open to the screen. But more of them would open on the 1.6 than on my slower 770mhz pc. When I tried to copy such "un-openable" files to the hard drive, I would get message about "not a supported dos function" or similar. I needed to know if the photos that won't open are actually valid files that I could access with a faster computer. If so, then the SLOW DVD access might still be worth using for some storage. So I took my subject DVD and headed to the national retailer to test it on the latest retail "hot" machines. I found some fast machines would display all the thumbnails of all the files on this DVD. I tried the DVD on the fastest (cpu) of several brand pc's. It was difficult to establish what common features of the machines made the difference. I did find (to my surprise) that the fastest, most complete display results, came via a Celeron CPU! The P4 came in second. And the AMD (Athlon?) came third. So, back to Igor's quote above, I am wondering what really makes the most difference for trying to use DVD as viable storage of jpg images? CPU speed, RAM, cache (which cache), hard drive speed, DVD medium, burn speed? Does the recording speed of the creator burner make a difference? Graphics card? One salesman claimed I might get better results using re-writeable DVD? Said the re-writeable burn actually makes real high and low spots in the disk while the -R or +R just make a "picture" of the high and low spots or grooves, etc. I would like to know if anyone here is using DVD storage of your photos and if so, have you made sure you can access what is on the DVD? And if so, what specs does your equipment have. And Igor, what is your perspective?

Such good, credible, expert help! Thank you everyone. As usual, your answers helped me to not waste time looking for a non-existent solution. And, I now have better understanding of factors that will likely come up again in one way or another. And of course, Igor, you are excellent on your understanding and programing for us. It seems the only thing you can't do is make my old machine perform like a new one. So thank you all. Knowing the facts allowed me to solve the problem by just reducing file size. The original problem (on this 780 mhz PC was to make 65 slide cuts in 28 seconds. As soon as I reduced the file sizes from orginal 300-600 kb to 60 - 150 kb, even my old machine carried out PTE instructions. The specs you provided helped to see what an easy solution it could be. But still wanting max quality, I used the larger files when some of the photos were again used in same show with more time to appreciate the quality. Now quoting Admin Igor (if you are still here) That statement leads me to another "problem" some of us were discussing at http://www.picturestoexe.com/forums//index...&f=2&t=2650&st= Please jump over there and see if you can give some more quick useful help after my latest experience that I don't know how to conclude.

Thanks for the alert - I better update my email address in this forum. I will also send an email to you so you will have it for reply. Meanwhile - LumenLux@do-some-good.com rcr@networld.com Thank you

Yes Sam, your quality work shows again. It does look like a beautiful location that you had to capture and exhibit. And you did an excellent job of that. Can you tell me, does this presentation also make extensive use of transparent gif's. (That is a subject I still don't know much about.)

I think I know the problem, but I thought I knew otherwise. Many of us remember the joy when Igor brought us "Customize Synchronization" with time-line and now waveform. For me, it meant if I used this feature, I no longer had to worry that slides and soundtrack would end at separate times when a show was run on a different speed-capable machine. Now, my current effort seems to be proving my understanding (or memory) wrong. I have a < 4min show. Slides are larger than usual, ie 200 - 800 kb. Sound is single mp3. I have PTE set to use Custom Synchronization. When I am in the Custom Sync screen, if I use the Play feature, the photos and sound are perfectly in sync, including some rather rapid cuts (no "effects".) But if on the same Custom Sync screen, I use the Preview function - then the slides can not keep up with the sound track! The Main screen Preview function yields the same problem. So, when my sound reaches a certain point, the photos are 4 slides behind. All this mind you with Custom Sync box checked. At the end of the show, the visual has apparently caught up. When I Create the show, the .exe file runs with the same problem as the Preview. So, on the creator PC, the show is worthless because it loses sync. I have tried the exe file on two other PC's that seem to be able to handle it without the loss of sync. My question: Is this an issue that exists for slower PC's and even Custom Sync can't avoid it? Or, should I seek further to solve this in PTE? Have I misunderstood or forgotten the limits on Custom Sync?

Alan, thank you for your thoughts. I do indeed have additional projects to come from the same 2400 photos and about 4 - 8 hours of video. The event is about 6 weeks away and then various packaging of "spin-off" presentations. Your using the videos as options from the front page may be a great idea for some of what we hope to accomplish.

Ah, a great subject. While Alan precisely said a lot, the comments of Roger and boxig are also very helpful. I think that three important factors are always in play : 1. The creator/author 's purpose . 2. The audience's expectations. 3. The creator's skill. Now my most recent personal experience with dealing with this "problem." Our most recent effort in Peru involved 30 volunteers who in 10-12 days were involved in many wonderful projects. Part of my involvement was to "document" the work, fun, and progress - via photography of course. So, 2413 photos came home with me. (Approximately 2000 from my camera, 200 from my wife's camera, and 200 from another photog.) My "mission impossible", if I choose to accept it, is to put together a "power point" for the follow-up social gathering of the expedition participants. OK - a few considerations . . . First of all, throw away that "power point" mentality - we've got Pictures to Exe! Now, the first computerized slide show I ever did, used about 12-15 seconds per slide. Quick math: 2413 slides x 12 seconds = 8 hours. .. mmm. These people were really hard workers and endured long days even while being sometimes sick - but - no, I don't think they can take 8 hours of pure enjoyment of a PTE show - even of their own experience. But - everyone does want to see their own mug at least once. And everyone wants to see the projects that he or she worked on. Everyone wants to see the wonderful little child or the hard-working Peruvian that worked side-by side with them. I want to show at least a little of the scenery. So, I think, maybe we can handle 200 slides at 6 second = 20 minutes ... perfect, they can take it! Saturday night 10:00 I start speed-sorting 2413 pix to find the 200. Four hours later I have made it through all 2400 photos. But then I look at the status line - I have narrowed it down to 786 photos! Here I go again, but it is tough. Two many picturesque costumes, too many sincere faces, too many activities that need to be shown - for the worth of the good being done - even though not picturesque. Oh, and the other photographers will want to see some of their pictures. By 5:30 a.m. I've been through the sifting screen two more times and I have 372 slides. I can NOT narrow it down any more and still meet my main purpose. Can I satisfy the expectations of my audience? Not sure what there expectations are. Oh well, that's the way it has to be. The expected companion video show by a fellow expeditioner won't be ready for the evening - so my PTE is the only game in town. Sure, the audience will be enthralled to see themselves for the now-requisite 37 minutes. Now I realize, I have spent 7 1/2 hours sorting and will have roughly 4 hours to actually make the show for Sunday night premier. OK, so I can still break up the long show by manually varying display times, transition times, and effects. I can pace the music, add some variety. Oh . . . . the sound track . . . . that could take a long time . . . Then I remember the honest retort of Olga (creative genius, world class photographer that she is) in this forum that she certainly never works under a deadline. And I realize, maybe that is my problem. That is why I never realize my perfect show - every presentation I make ends up being a compromise! Sunday afternoon, compromises nearly in place: Soundtrack has been assembled and spliced - except for the last two separate mp3's - not time to re-splice, will PTE handle ok? Had to resort to auto-sync the entire show 372 slides @ 5.7 seconds each. (Good sleeping rhythm?) Not a single slide cropped or tweeked! Ah, but I did at least resize to 1024x768. And I tried to put meaningful sequence to the slides. It will have to do. Gosh, it would have been nice to view it all the way through before showing it to everyone else! Now, where were we . . . 1. Did I accomplish my purpose ? 2. Will I meet the audience expectations? 3. Did I further my skill? Or did I compromise it all away? Tune in tomorrow for the conclusion of this saga. (And the next subject will be - How long should a forum post be and still get read?) No, here it is. The audience all seemed to love the 35 minutes and 21 seconds. Most everyone signed up to donate more $ to our organization in "payment" for a cd of the show. All of us felt good about what we had done. Further observations: 1.The magnificent "home theater" had everything including lounge chair seating and twinkling stars when the lights went down. The rack of equipment offered sources of DVD, TV, Satelite, Aux 1, Aux 2, ad nauseum. But when I stuck my cd in the integrated PC, there was no sound! ! ! Guests were already running out of room for more food and begining to filter into the next big event. Only because I had my video camera with an appropriate cable was I able to patch in the sound and stave off the utlimate disaster - not being able to present what had actually been created. 2. The sound system made my sound track so wonderful that I could have probably shown just any bunch of slides and the audience would have enjoyed it - at least I could have! 3. If I had not allowed myself time to write all this here, I would have had a better chance of getting a show together for the current competition. And yes Dave, I understand I only have to use 15 of the 25 slides. Did the rules specify how many times a slide could be shown if the creation neeeds a little padding?