alrobin

John, You may need to get a userid and password from your ISP provider as well, if you have this capability.

Ligia, You are welcome! Glad things are coming together for you. (I think Dom is assuming you are using v.5.) First of all, when you say segments, do you mean 12 separate "exe" files? If yes, then do you want to return to the introduction show between segments? If this is yes, then you should choose "... keep last slide on screen" for the intro show, but "close show after last slide" for each segment. This way the intro show will appear after each segment and at the end of the show. If you are using separate "exe" files, how are you activating each one? With button objects from an "intro" show, or using the option "Run application after last slide" in project options, or setting "Run external application" in "customize slide" for the last slide of a segment? Gets complicated. If you wish, send me the "pte" project file for your intro show and one or two "segments" (no music or images) so I can see how you are doing this. You would have to use my regular address, alrobin@alrobinson.com, as the forum email system doesn't allow attachments. And, lastly, if you are synchronizing a show to music, you have to change the duration between slides by moving the transition points on the timeline. You can't use "Own time preference" in "customize slide" or "Display each slide for" in "Project options". If there is not enough music to allow you to lengthen the time between slides, you would have to edit your selection to add more. Hope this helps.

You had best wait until v.5 is officially released - right now it is in "beta" format (for Igor to get feedback and work out the bugs), and as such does not have all of the features from v.4 activated yet. It's not likely that any of your existing v.4 shows will work fully yet in v.5.

Kaylene, Welcome to the Forum. This is a problem faced by even the best-quality digital TV productions. Slow-moving sharp vertical lines are particularly susceptible. One way to reduce the flickering is to dull the sharp edges a bit by adding some "blur" or feathering the edges, something that defeats the purpose somewhat since as photographers we strive to achieve the sharpest possible images. You can lessen the effect too by choosing the most compatible image sizes when rendering the video so that the computer doesn't have to try to interpret the "in-between" images so much when resizing them. There is some information on choosing image sizes and adjusting the "apr.ini" file to match the image resolution chosen in the "video" forum. A search for main keywords will identify these posts. However, in the long run, it comes down to trial and error as there are so many variables involved, not only in the creation of your show, but in the choice of software with which to render it, and in the choice of tv monitors and dvd players with which to view it. Nero is a popular program with Forum members for video rendering and burning. Hope this helps some.

Dom, try Beechbrook, page 6 - Intro Demo

Lin, I would like to know too - have you used some other utility to control the show?

Igor, That's wonderful progress! Good luck in adding all the other features, too.

OK, I found Cheddleton - what is the street address? (for the pub, that is! )

Lin, I have pretty much given up on using MIDI in PTE for that reason. Also, there is no consistency over the sounds themselves in different sound cards. I still use MIDI, but I convert it to an mp3 file first for use in PTE.

John, I did receive two files, but couldn't open either one. This is quite common with dropload, so might as well try sending as attachments to a couple of emails.

I think there should at least be some graduations along the timeline - perhaps one could toggle between % and seconds. They should start at 0 at the start of the transition to that main slide. I prefer seconds, as that way one can relate the position of each object to a particular time in the accompanying music. I agree that the ruler shown in your example might be too complicated. Nice demo though - shows how useful the new PTE will be in creating tutorials.

Gilbert, The "timeline" is only applicable if you have checked "Synchronize slideshow to music duration" in "Project Options". However, you do still need to set parameters in "Project Options" such as slide duration, effects, transition times, etc., unless you wish to "customize" each slide separately. You indicated you weren't synching to music, so leave the timeline alone. Feel free to send me your project file if I am still making things confusing for you, so I can see more exactly what you are trying to do.

That would work for me, and I think it's close to what Igor was describing. I would add that we should also have the ability to deselect an object by clicking on another object, provided there is no other larger object covering it. However, I still would prefer the following design, and don't see why it couldn't readily be programmed, unless Igor has other ideas in mind for future options which would conflict with the following: If one highlights an object, either by clicking on it in the visualization window, or by clicking on its name in the object list, one can "PZR" it with the mouse in the visualization window. The cursor will change to either a double arrow or curved arrow on or near one of the selection points on the perimeter of the selection rectangle surrounding that object at which time one can zoom or rotate it with the mouse. If one moves the cursor over the centre point, it will change to a hand, at which time one can either "pan" the object by clicking on the centre point, and moving it with the mouse, or move the centre point itself by simultaneously pressing the "Shift" key. The first part is available already in the present design. The only change would be the addition of a "hand" when one moves the cursor over the centre point, and the ability to then move the object.

You're on - please send me your address so I can look you up on Google Earth!

I agree except that, IMHO, I don't see why an object couldn't be "deselected" as now by clicking on another object, providing of course the object you want "selected" is not covered by one closer to front. In that case, the first object would have to be deselected by clicking on another one in the list, or by simply clicking in empty space below the list. In other words, the "perfect" world would be where the PZR adjustments using the mouse would apply to only the object or objects selected, regardless of how it was, or they were, selected.

Glenys, Stop playing around with v.5 right now before you go completely bald! Igor should publish the new version with a warning notice, just like the one we have on our cigarette boxes now. V.5 is not for the faint-at-heart, but like smoking and other vices, it is so addictive! Can you describe in a little more detail what the line looks like, and when it occurs? I presume it happens mid-way in the transition from the first slide to the second? You have to remember that the transition will try to merge whatever the first slide looks like when the transition starts with the initial view of the second slide. One thing you might try is to "grab" the blue rectangle with your mouse, above the keypoint for the end-view of the first slide, and move it back in time outside the grey line indicating the start of the next transition, so that the first slide has stopped its rotation before the next one starts to appear.

The way I understood Igor is this: there will be a special option so that an object can only be selected for panning using the mouse if it is highlighted in the object list. If it's not possible to select by clicking on the centre-point, then this method would be fine for me. With it, one could choose from the list which object he or she wanted to move, etc. However, that option would disable the ability to just click on an object to highlight it. That doesn't worry me too much, as long as we can select it from the list. However, I don't understand why "Pan" can't work the same way that "zoom" and "rotate" work, where the action is applied to whatever object happens to be highlighted at the moment. But, Igor must have his reasons. JP, your English is very understandable - much better than my French!! I admire all you people for whom English is not your first language, and you have to translate all of these complicated posts from English to your own language, and then back again when you reply.

Oui, je comprends.

JP, I've already asked Igor if he could allow picking up of "hidden" objects with the mouse - that is much faster than using the arrow keys, which is a good way to do it at the present, and will always be a good way to achieve small exact movements. However, if there are no objects in the way, it is possible to pick up other objects, even if they are behind other smaller ones. If Igor could provide for movement of a "hidden" object by clicking on its centre point and moving with the mouse, just as we can now resize such objects by clicking on their edge points, this would help a lot in positioning these objects.

Thedom, You have to make sure you have one of the object's keypoints highlighted too, or you won't be able to "grab" the object. Also, grab it at a spot where there is no other object "in front" of it. At least this worked OK on slide #5. On slide #1 the rectangle is "in the way", so you have to put it to "back" temporarily.

John, I'm not personally familiar with this card, but it sounds a bit like "overkill". However, I'm sure it would handle PTE "hands down", as they say. It's supposed to be the ultimate solution for video games. You would probably be just as well off with only 128 Mb of video RAM. I paid less than $200 CDN for my ATI Radeon 9600 card (that's only about £100). One thing you run into with the really high-end video cards is cooling problems, and you might have to install extra fans to keep everything cool, as it's 2 video cards in one. Another consideration is whether your present card is PCI or AGP, and which type your pc is able to handle. Make sure you check out all the implications before you buy. There is lots of information on the web. The ATI Radeon 9800 might be a better choice. But, if you are into video games and HDTV as well, go for it!

Gilbert, Since you are not using the "synchronize" mode, you don't need to worry about the timeline. As Alan alluded to, open "Customize slide" for the slide whose time you want to change, click on the "Main" tab, check "Use own time preference", and enter the duration "on-screen" (not including the transition time) in seconds and milliseconds that you want for this slide. You can also change the duration of the transition by clicking on the "Effect" tab, checking "Use own transition effect", and changing the time at the bottom in milliseconds. If this still doesn't work, if you like to, you can send me a copy of your "pte" project file (without any images or music, and under 1 Mb in size) and I will have a look at it. My email address is alrobin@alrobinson.com - you can't send a file using the forum email facility.

If we continue to put all our suggestions and/or "complaints", bugs, etc., about v.5, in the pinned thread, it will probably be easier for Igor to pick them up - after all, that was why he created the thread in the first place. But, I agree with Ken that we should not fill this thread up with demos, or endless discussion on how to create new effects, unless these relate to a particular suggestion. I don't have any problem with people starting a new thread in the "PTE" section to highlight a new experiment with v.5, or bring to our attention a new application for the new "PZROC" features.

Lin, "Wi-fe" and "Wi-fi" in the same room, on vacation - bad combination! I know, from personal experience! I prefer Thedom's approach, with the separate "over-passes" - allows for gradual disappearance of boat under the bridge, and then back out again.

Thedom, Your "version" of the show adds some improvements to the way the map is displayed. It helps to be "closer" to it, and it would be even better if it could be re-photographed so that the details were more readable. Some labels in larger font size overlaid on the map might help identify the locations. One aspect I don't care for too much is the way your images never display at 100% opacity. I find viewing them a bit disturbing, especially with the moving map underneath. I think they would be more effective if they came "full on" for a brief instant so they could be seen better (maybe in smaller format, even, to separate them even more from the map). John, it might even be a good idea, too, to stop the action of the boat and the red line momentarily while the images of the passing scenery are displayed in order to give the audience a chance to "catch up" after viewing them. Just a few personal preferences - but I'm sure you have this all figured out already. Good luck with the show! p.s. any time you want to post a new version of the show, don't hesitate to send it to me. If it gets bigger than 5 Mb or so, it might be a good idea to send it by "dropload" or "yousendit" rather than by email.