Conflow

LUMENLUX My 'Netsource Server' rejected the EMail Client you sent to me.ie:- xxx@do-some-good.com It appears to be a 'Public Domain EMail Client' ~ These usually reject everything except plain Text~ Please send me (Off Forum) a 'Subscription ISP, EMail Address' and I can forward the Demo requested ~ Regards, Brian.Conflow. conflow@eircom.net

Ronnie, I have just sent that "Demo" to you ~ yes,you are missing something ~ "demo" will show all. Brian.Conflow. EMail: conflow@eircom.net If you send me an EMail Address I can forward a 'Demonstration' to you ~ Brian.Conflow.

AUTO-INSTALLER PROGRAMS Hi Ronnie, 'SetupStream' and like programs are:- 'Program Auto-Installers' example explained here as follows:- 1) You create a Root Folder on your Hard Drive, call it Ronnie. 2) Into that you place a PTE.Exe Show, plus a 'Splash Screen', plus Copyright EULA (if you use them) plus Web Address and anything else you want to install on a PC. You assign a 'Recipient Loading Folder' such as My Documents or My Desktop etc,etc. 3) Open the 'SetuStream Program' ~ it asks you for all these items, simply click on them, thats it. 4) It then 'Packages & Bundles' all the selected items into a self-installing Program much like a Microsoft Programs or any other Professional Program you download. 5) Put the 'Bundle' on a CD-Disc OR just send it over the Wires to a recipient OR link it to your Web Site. 6) When the recipient 'Clicks on it' ~ it automatically downloads it's contents to the designated PC.Folder and then offers to 'Run' the Program as well as installing the Program Icon on the desktop and Start Menu. 7) Simply 'Click-on' the Icon and the Program runs automatically. It also has an 'Uninstaller' What are the Advantages ? a) A very Professional Presentation with a Professional Downloader Screen. No 'Fiddling around' with writing Autorun Code nor making acceptable PC.Icons. c) Being Professional Packaged there is less risk of Program corruption. d) Finds the 'Target Folder' on the remote PC and loads the Program Folder into it. e) Produces the necessary Desktop Icon and Start Menu Entry in the Start Program List. f) Displays a 'Help File' and a 'EULA' (End user Licence Agreement) ~ you make up these. g) Comes complete with an 'Uninstaller' should you wish to 'Uninstall' h) Virtually 'idiot-proof' because it removes the 'doubt-decision factor' of the PC.User Hope this description answers your questions, Brian.Conflow. P.S It also eliminates the problem's of 'Live Webshows' as the recipient now has the Exe.Package faster than they can view the 'Live Webshow'.

Hi Doug, Yes 'SetupStream' is a good Auto-Installer, I personally use 'InstallStation' ~ Over the past 7 years (way before I joined the Forum) I have been using an Auto-Installer to install everything bar the Kitchen Sink ~ never had a failure on my PC side of things. However if someone is using a 'Firewall' it will block the auto-install until they allow permission through the "Administrator Settings' ~ its a common complaint from recipients, but they should know how to tackle that anyhow. 1) You can also 'Zip Up' the SetupStream Package and send that over the Net with some degree of security. 2) You can also 'park' the SetupStream Package on a CD and make an 'Auto-Run' File of it whereafter it 'Auto-Runs' the CD and then 'Auto-Installs' PTE on the PC. It cuts out all the messing around with CD's. Best of luck with the Program. Brian.Conflow.

Auto-Installer Douglas, There is a simple way of doing what you want. Find yourself an "Auto-Installer" Program and get it to "wrap"your Exe Files (singly or multiples) and download that to your Clients. Most "Auto-Installers" request that you specify the precise Folder that you wish to Install into, examples:- My Documents, My Programs, My Desktop etc,etc. It will find the Folder and do precisely that. They also offer an 'anti-fiddle' key which prevents the System (recepient) from downloading to another Folder. However once downloaded you can manually move the PTE.Files to any location of choice. You could try www.snapfiles.com and others for a suitable product. Brian.Conflow.

Ronnie, There is a 'Thread' in progress,titled:- "Dual Screen Facility" ~ lots of answers to your query there. In connection with your 'Adaptor' see my Post No:318 under the above 'Thread'. Brian.Conflow.

WORD OF WARNING Readers, Please be extremely careful when using these "Process Lock Killer-Programs" particularily those that run from a 'Dos Window' ~ untold damage can result if you accidentally remove a System File or Folder ~ and don't depend on 'System Restore' to replace a generic System File, there are those that can't be replaced. If you are uncertain, or simply chancing your arm due to "PC Rage" because you can't kill a File or Folder don't go down this road. If you know what you are doing that's O.K, otherwise consult your PC Guru first ~ it will be cheaper in the long run ! The biggest offender which runs silently in the background is 'Adobe Acrobat Reader' ~ simply open the Program and close it properly by RH.Clicking its 'icon' in the Task Bar and select 'Close' Brian.Conflow.

Jane, Be careful about your Laptop selection ~ to follow Andrews post, I am quite well aware that virtually every PC including Laptops have a 'Monitor Output'~ problem being that the output is a "clone" of the Laptop Display, and having read your query again that is not what you wanted ! I made it very clear in my detailed Posting that you need a "Dual-Graphics Card" ~ that is a Card which can output 2 completely different Programs simultaneously not just a clone of the Display Program. You wanted the Laptop to 'output' a PTE Slideshow on to a large Screen via a Projector ~ whilst at the same time ~ providing your 'Show Notes' on the Laptop Monitor. That requires a 'Dual-Graphics Card' NOT a 'Dual-Output Card', both are quite different things. As I said, that type of Laptop is expensive as it is aimed at the 'Professional Graphics IT Community' and usually runs 'Lecture Hall Software' (a few hundred Euro's worth) ~ in reality you need to be looking at Hewlett-Packard Pro-Laptops or Compaq (which is now H.P) or some other Pro-PC Manufacturer. Hope this helps.... Brian.Conflow.

Ken, I absolutely agree with you ~ "don't fix it if it ain't broken" ~ However in Avitars case every time he goes near the Folder it "Freezes" the PC, it could be an empty Generic System Folder which is uninstallable ? So if Avitar is reading this, please identify the Folder Title (in full with suffix) and then we may be able to get a handle on it ? Brian.Conflow.

Avitar Follow Ken's advice ~ 80% of the time that works (don't forget to 'unclick' Read Only attribite box first) ~ but here's the 'caviat' If that Folder has registered a unique 'File of Types Identity' in the System Registry then you have a problem because the System will prohibit the 'Uninstall' command. In these circumstances you will need to know the full (Dos) Title of the Folder and its extension suffix and exactly where the Folder resides on the PC. The 'suffix' is its 'File of Type identity' ~ try changing the suffix to 'txt' then try Uninstall, it usually works. But then there are others which won't allow that either, because they are registered in the IE.Temp Folder which obliges the user to clear out all 'Cookies' ~ all 'History' and all 'Temp files'. First disconnect the Internet connection, then open any Home Page, select Tools, then Options and find Temp Internet Files and clear out the lot. Shut down and Restart the PC, search for the Folder and repeat the above from the beginning if it still exists. (Stay off the Internet) If that doesn't work, the last alternative here is opening the Registry and finding the 'File of Types' suffix and delete it, you will need to shut down and re-boot the PC afterwards for that to take effect. WARNING if you don't know how to do this, get somebody who does, otherwise you will do more damage than good. It really annoys me when Companies (who should know better) do this type of thing. Hewlett Packard is one of many Companies who leave 'File of Types' on PC's which the average PC user can't get rid of. These Files & Folders usually come down the Internet as Data Pdf's or interactive Form's to support some Product or other. Brian.Conflow.

UPLOADING PROBLEM Maureen, I have no problems with Norton either ~ its just at times that 'Google' times out if the 'Irish Server' is too busy. I hadn't thought about Bill being away, that could possible be the problem ! If Morturn make's a small '3-5 Slide Test Show' I am sure that there would be many Members willing to try a download of this and give a 'Receipt Response' ~ it's really the fastest way of finding out what going wrong. Brian.Conflow.

Morturn. If the 'Norton Icon' is down in the Taskbar to the RH.Side ~ Right Click it and select 'Disable Norton' and try to upload again. Norton usually checks everything going "out" as well as coming "In" Sometimes this takes a long to to execute, and by the time it has finished 'checking' you may find that you IE.Home/Search Page has timed out ~ I have experienced on numerous occassions with the 'Google Home/Search Page' ~ it does time out. Brian.Conflow.

Dave, There have been 3 different queries on this subject, thats why I named 3 persons ~ Yours is an AVI Problem. I looks to me that your 'Show Exe' was created without Synchronisation prior to you making an AVI of it, or it could be the other way around,viz:- That you created an AVI File without Synchronising the Master PTE.File. Had you made a 'Template' of the Master PTE.File then you could have recalled that,synchronised it, and then made the AVI. Otherwise I am afraid its back to the Drawing Board. Sorry I can't offer any other solution... Brian.Conflow.

Jane, I don't know of any Laptop that has 'Dual VGA Output' Utility ! I would imagine if it exists that its going to be a 'top-end Product' and would be expensive. You might try 'EBay.com' to see if a 'used' device is on offer. On the Projector end of things I have little experience, but there are people on this Forum who have gone down that road and are quite experienced. Brian.Conflow.

Louise, Jean, Dave, To give a 'simple answer' as to what's happening with your Sound and Slide timing errors,viz:- Within your PC there are very many 'Hardware Circuits' with different functions and controls. There are 3 Hardware Circuits of interest:- The Graphic Card, The Sound Card, and the CD-Drive Unit. Each Circuit has its own in-built Timing/Speed Generator which keeps the device operating within certain limits. Over a long period of time these 'limits' seem to drift relative to each other although the device is working perfectly doing its own job. It is necessary to 'Synchronise' these Circuits so the 'Operational Limits' stay locked relative to each other ~ an everyday example is your 'Local Electricity Grid' which is 'locked' Nationwide at 50 or 60 Hertz (cycles per sec) otherwise there would be chaos with Clocks and everything thats time dependent. The same applies to PTE Images and Sounds and the CD Drive ~ they must all be 'Synchronised' together otherwise the Presentation breaks-up...even on your own PC over time. (This assumes that the CD-Drive is working perfectly to ISO Standard~they usually do) The PTE Program provides 2 Synchronisers...Automatic and Custom both of which are shown on a Timeline. In 'Automatic' it spaces all Slides equally to the Music duration and inserts 'timing points' so everything stays synchronised. In 'Custom mode' you choose the Slide & Effects durations within the Music Playing Time, again it inserts 'timing points' of your choosing, so everything stays synchronised no matter what PC you are using......Lesson learnt, you must use either Synchroniser for PTE to work properly. To do this, simply Click-on the Box...'Synchronise Slideshow to Music Duration'...shown in the Main PTE Window, and work from there. Hope this is simple enough. Brian.Conflow.

Jane, I have readthe various 'Posts' on the above subject and the following may help you:- 1) You mention..."a single PC/Laptop"....which is it to be ? a PC or a Laptop ~ they are quite different ! 2) The 'Laptop' is a non-runner because the Graphic Card is part of the Motherboard and can't be changed. 3) Yes you can use a Desktop PC..provided..it is a modern Win.XP-SP2 Version or a Win.2000 with SP2. Other 'Operating Systems' such as '95 or '98 or ME or NT will not work in your application. 4) Either PC will require a minimum of 256mB RAM or User Memory ~ better to have 512mB of Memory. 5) You will need a new "Dual-Output Graphic Card" with at least 128mB of Cache Memory on Board. One of the NVIDIA G-Force Cards with 'Dual-Output' (distinct from shared Output) will do ~ Check this. 6) The new 'Graphic Card' will have two Video Output, most likely a 'VGA-Output' and a 'DVI-Output' 7) You will need a 'DVI to VGA Adaptor' to convert DVI to VGA ~ now you have 2 x Video Outputs (2xVGA's) 8) One VGA-Output goes straight to your 'Projector' and the other goes to your 'PC.Monitor' 9) So now you can show your PTE Presentation on Projector Screen ~and~ show your Notes on the PC.Monitor and 'swap-over' as need's require. 10) It is better to use 'Powerpoint' when making your Notes ~ because you can 'page select' these at will. 11) You will need a Technician (just once) to set up the System for you ~ so it defaults to 'Single-Screen' if you are not using the 'Dual-Output' Hope this helps... Brian.Conflow Services.

Igor, Many thanks again ~ thats's excellent News about the 2 Graphic Engines ~ and a very clever idea it is, so in effect PTE 5.0 is really 2 products 1 one package, that's a classic solution. I can also appreciate the "mind wrestling Hours" and the "what ifs" that you put into the new version of PTE. It reminds me of the Electronic problems we have in Irish Railways and the hundreds of hours spent in rectifying those problems and then to find that they 'pop-up' elsewhere in a different way, so the trick here is to isolate the problem pathways in the 1st instance, just exactly what you are doing with PTE. I look forward to trying out the 'PTE Beta 5.0' version and I shall certainly report back my findings as far as Win.2000 Pro is concerned. Good luck to you all... Brian.Conflow.

Igor and Team, Igor many thanks for your reply. I am delighted to hear that PTE 4.43 will still be available and shall be supported. Also I wish you very 'Good Luck' with PTE 5.0 with Pan & Zoom, I do know that many hundred's of people are going to enjoy this New Program. However like Ronnie and Roger and myself and others, we really appreciate the stability and functionallity of PTE 4.43. To us it's a very stable Commercial Tool and could be compared to a 'Mercedes' just for those stability properties which we depend on. We also know that 'Pan & Zoom' has been tried on PC's which are totally unsuitable for the job ~ that is what I am trying to say to you..."you can not stop people trying to use PTE 5.0 on unsuitable Computers"...and this is going to give your Team headaches with the real risk of giving PTE some bad press which it does not deserve. That's the reason I suggested 2 products...the "Basic PTE 4.43" and the "De-Lux PTE 5.0"...however that distinction and decision would be up to you and your Team. Some Considerations 1) In regards to Pentium II and III (400~500.MHz) and being an Applications Engineer, I would advise that there are thousands and thousands of these PC in current use through out Europe and globally through out the World and of course PTE 4.43 is ideal for these. On the other hand XP-2 is ideal for PTE 5.0 2) Also you may not be aware that 'Windows 2000' is used by virtually every Business~Commercial~Industrial and Municipal Authority. These organisations generally use 'Unix Mainframes' with Win.2000 PC's scattered around the Offices. The senior people who work in these Offices usually have a Win.2000 at Home (compliments of the Company) on account of its NT compatibility. Microsoft tried to 'scrap' 2000 in favour of XP ~ the Business Community rejected this move on account of the massive billion Dollar investments made in Win.2000 by these people, this because XP-1 was so unreliable when it was first launched. At this stage they are not going to 'trade-in' Win.2000 just because Bill Gates wants them to. So you will also have to consider Win.2000 as a Commercial Workhorse with PTE 5.0. There is much to think about and I have taken up too much of your time ~ I do think that PTE 4.43 need's attention to maintain its 'Aspect Ratios' when changing between 800x600 and 1034x768 Screen sizes and I do appreciate that many people are anxiously awaiting PTE 5.0 with Pan & Zoom ~ my heavens you really have your work cut out for you. As always I hope my comments may be useful... Brian.Conflow.

Ronnie & Roger, I completely agree with you both ~ PTE Version 4.4X is really superb ~ the only thing I would like to see it do is to preserve the 'Aspect Ratio' and relative 'Text Placements' when moving from 800x600 to 1024x768 size Screens ~ that would really polish up the Program. I just wonder how many people think as we do ?...personally speaking I think Igor should retain the PTE 4.4x as an alternative to the new PTE V-5.0...in other words offer 2 products, "Basic and De-Lux" The "Basic Version" is so well developed and so Web friendly and so Universal that it works on all PC's, whereas I can see 'application-problems' with the "De-Lux" version when one wants to go on the Internet and the Web in particular, not to mention the hidden problems of sending Pan & Zoom attached to EMails and the problems of resolving the Images once received. One can't stop people from trying to do that.... Most Graphic Cards in most PC's are fairly basic (thats the majority of PC's) and it has been my experience, if you really want good 'Zoom and Pan' you need a good Graphics Card with lot's of Cache Memory and a fast Co-Processor ~ anything else, and the presentations are terrible. Yes,I know Igor has developed a new 'Graphics Engine' but it remains to be seen if the basic 'Graphics Card' can do it justice, (that would be a 1st in the Software World)....so Igor,please,please retain and support PTE4.4x for those who really want it's simple superb 'functionality'. Brian.Conflow.

Ronnie, Your Post No: is 330 ~ so it works here also ! What was the problem, is is something we can "fix"ourselves ? Brian.Conflow.

Hi Ronnie, If these Downloaded Discs were of recent date, the the 'Anti-Virus Software' used to check them would need to be of a more recent date that the Disc's themselves. I got caught out on that 3 weeks ago with a Wedding Photo Disc, and true to form Norton A/V blocked MS.Photo Editor and my Win.Classic Player 321. ~ Virus scan at that time showed 'nil'. That's the reason I was curious about any recent Download you may have done ? Just as you did, I installed the 'Automatic Updates' and everything was restored to normal with no after-effects. Thanks for your reply ~ now I know I wasn't dreaming ~ Norton was just doing it's job. Brian.Conflow.

Hi All, Has anyone noticed that the "Personal Posting Counter" (Left of this Screen) on this New Invision Board seems to be 'stuck' on the last count of the old Invision Board ?? - it's not really a problem, but it does make it difficult to track Post ! Brian.Conflow.

Ronnie, May I ask ~ did you download any Sound Files in the past 10 days ? The reason I ask is because there has been a spate of backdoor 'Trojan Virii' circulating recently. These particular 'pests' were using Images & Sound Files to propogate themselves and Norton blocked the 'code' associated with these Files but in so doing it blocked some System Drivers. A Norton update was then released to re-configure their Software to prevent blocking of some of the generic Windows Sound Drivers ~ this may have been the problem. Norton often uses this technique when they have not yet developed a "Fix" for a particular Virus ~ it's their way of keeping you safe from the unknown ! Let me know if you downloaded any Sound Files ? Brian.Conflow.

PTE Beta Version 5.0(Test) That's great news Igor ~Thank you. Looking forward to trying it out. Brian.Conflow.