JEB

Lin, I have tried the trial version of CopyToDVD and it works very well. I think I like the voice prompts! Geoff, Being a tight fisted Scot I will also try burn4free but due to time pressures its unlikely I will do so till next weekend. Thanks both John

Ron, Brian, Does making a template get over my problem regarding moving the original data folder/s from their original location during the production of a show and still getting access to continue the production of the show? John

Thanks Lin, I have downloaded the trial version and will have a play with it over the next day or so and let you know how i get on. Regards John

Thanks for your replies. Geoff, I will take on board what you say and probably go for Nero as from what I can see it has a good reputation, as do others. However before I take the plunge and as my need to burn more than one copy is slight, are there any less costly options available that people would recommend? I will purchase Nero 7 if I have to but it appears to have a lot of bells and whistles that (in my ignorance) I don’t think I need. When I think of products like IrfanView and Audacity I wonder whether I should, for my needs, be looking at something else. Ron, Thanks………..but no thanks! A bit OTT for me! Thanks John

Sorry for my ignorance but this has been a bit of a minefield for me in the past so may I ask a supplementary question? Is it not possible to make multi copies with PTE? My reason for asking is that I use PTE to burn single copies and it works great for me. I do not presently have Nero or any other burning software on my machine, as up till recently I have not seen the need. As XP can write to DVD’s could it not do the job? Sorry for barging in on this topic. John

The two galleries sound very big and as you don’t state that there is music associated with them I wonder if you have not downsized your images. John

Hi All, Thanks very much for your input. I have learned a lot, mainly that I can’t do precisely what I thought was possible, as has been clearly spelt out by Jeff. I had hoped that there was some way whereby you could quickly redirect PTE to the new location of the image/audio folder by simply altering the routing instructions. As ever, there is a work around, using the ZIP option. Perhaps this is no bad thing as it underlines the benefits of good working practice by getting into the habit of saving to a ZIP file. Thank you all again for your help Regards John

Firstly, thank you all for your replies. Thanks to your replies I have now discovered how to use the ZIP folder. I was not unzipping into another folder but simply trying to open the project directly from the ZIP folder – daft! I have now managed to open the project on my laptop so that now enables me to work on more than one machine but more importantly gives me security comfort. I’m almost there but still have one problem, let me explain. If I initially create a data folder for a project on my desktop and subsequently move that data folder to another drive I am not able to open the project in PTE though I can navigate to the data folder in its new location from within PTE and view each image in the main window. However in the window along the bottom, though each image file name appears below an empty box, which should contain the image, instead has the message “This image can not be loaded………”. I am however able to open the project (without the data folder being on the desktop) provided I have created a ZIP back up and use the unzip procedure properly! This is fine provided you follow good practice and ZIP regularly. However it doesn’t appear to get over the problems encountered if you embark on some directory reorganisation at some point during the production of a show. Brian, You seemed to be suggesting that this is possible. What am I doing wrong? Thanks again folks. John

What kept you Lin! That took you almost 15 min! I will have a go at that in the morning as I am just going out for a pint or two .....or........ Cheers and thanks John

Folks, If during the process of putting a show together you move your project file (images, audio etc.) from its original position to some other location on that or a different drive how can you tell PTE where to look? I have tried to do this without success. I have created a ZIP backup (filed in a different directory) but can’t get it to open from that new location using the “.pte” icon within the zipped folder unless the project file is at its original location. By way of illustration what I have done is create a short show from images stored in a project folder located on my desktop. Provided that folder stays on the desktop it will open ok. If I move that folder PTE doesn’t want to know. How can I tell PTE where to look? If I create a ZIP back-up and file that somewhere else and temporarily remove the project folder from the desktop to the Recycle Bin the .pte icon within the ZIP folder will not open the show and I get the usual message regarding lost images. When the original folder is returned to the desktop from the Bin all is well. My understanding was that one of the benefits of using the ZIP option was to enable work in progress to be moved between computers, am I wrong? Guidance would be appreciated. Thanks in anticipation. Regards John

Hi Neil, I too enjoyed your show very much indeed. I’ve watched it three times. I think David summed it up very well and would go along with his comments. I’m not going to use the scoring system recently proposed as I am uncomfortable with it. The script you used for the opening titles was I felt very appropriate. I would however have preferred to see the titles superimposed over an image, perhaps the old photo of the house merging into a wide shot of how it is now before it became a ruin. I thought the soundtrack was superbly chosen and for me complemented the images in a haunting way. It’s always difficult to know how long a show should last and without careful sound editing the soundtrack sets the time. Perhaps it was a little bit long but not for me overly so. I liked it so much you have given me an idea for a similar situation that exist very close to where I live which happily has recently received funding to preserve it (again a Palladian building) as a ruin. Well done and thanks John P.S. Perhaps the monogram would be better at the end!

Sorry to raise this old issue again but can somebody help me put this old image size/resolution nutmeg to rest? I have read most of what has been said on the forum in recent years on this subject, which has helped me enormously – I think! But I still get confused from time to time! Perhaps if I say what I believe to be the case in my own words somebody will confirm or otherwise that I am correct. My camera provides an image size of 3504 x 2336 pixels. If I resize in PS using the Image/Image Size Dialog box using the conventional 1024x768 pixel dimensions clearly I lose a portion of my original image because of the different proportions. My understanding is that PS effectively disposes of unwanted pixels in this case with minimal deterioration of quality - correct? Resolution is therefore not an issue at this point – correct? If I set the Crop Tool to 1024x768 and crop from top to bottom over the original image I get the same result as with the Image Size Dialog method – correct? Roughly speaking 1024x768 pixels is about one third of 3504x2336 pixels. Therefore, when using the Crop Tool to resize a portion of the original image, care has to be taken not to crop too tightly. Can I assume that were I to crop with the 1024x768 setting an area less than one third (or whatever the correct fraction is) then PS will add pixels - correct? I have run some tests to try to demonstrate this to myself and find that I have to go substantially below the 33% before serious deterioration is detectable. Perhaps a different image may show this up more dramatically or perhaps my eyes are not discerning enough! I have also played about with the resolution setting when using the crop tool and this seems to have no effect on the quality of the image. This leads me to believe that resolution is irrelevant – correct? Thanks in anticipation. John PS I will not be able to respond to any reply for a few days.

Neil, David, Thank you for taking the time to view and in particular for your comments. It is a wonderful location which I will return to to try to capture more of its character. These pictures were taken in two very brief visits one in October of 2006 and the second in April of this year with my wife who has little patience for photography. Perhaps you know the problem! We were very fortunate with the weather. I know it can be very wild on that coast as at that point there is nothing but the Atlantic Ocean between Scotland and North America. I will probably have another go at pan and zoom timings. I had tried to slow things down but was concerned that I may have overdone it so it is good to get another opinion. Thanks again, John

Ken, Thanks again. I've got it now. I did look in "comments" but I can't have released my mouse so didn't get the options and assumed I was in the wrong place. It's comforting to know I'm (perhaps) not yet senile - just stupid! Regards John

Ken, Thanks for your reply. Your initial link did not appear to be related but the following additional link looks like it may be related. http://www.picturestoexe.com/forums/index....6455&st=100 What I believe I saw was a drop down list of options to enable the selection of items like filename, directory route, slide number etc to be displayed on selected or all (I think) slides in a show. Perhaps I was dreaming! I'm beginning to think that is the most likely senario. Regards John

Folks, Bill Hines of Beechbrook has kindly loaded a short show that I recently put together using Beta 11. The show is titled "Sanna Bay" which is probably the most westerly point of the Scottish mainland. The images were captured initially as record shots but it is a part of Scotland that I would love to return to to try to do justice to its character. I have used the wonderful, slow, smooth, pans and zooms that Igor and his talented crew have given us but hopefully not too frequently. I hope you enjoy and may be inspired to put Sanna Bay on your list of places to visit. Your comments would be appreciated. Regards John

Please help a senile old man. I am certain that in exploring either Beta 10 or 11 recently I stumbled across a feature that enabled a range of data such as file name, directory, slide number etc. to be displayed automatically during a show. I now can’t find it! Where tell me where has this little feature gone? John

Lin, Could it not be that when the "tag" changes to "Custom" that this simply reflects that "separate", which presumably is the standard state has been changed to "glue" and therefore we no longer have a "standard" state but a "customized" state? Just a thought! John

Folks, I have recently completed a short show with Beta 10 and am like everybody else delighted with the improved PAZ, particularly the soft landings and take-off. However I have a problem, which I don’t think, has anything to do with Beta10 as I am sure I have seen it referred to in the dim and distant past. I am getting quite a lot of “shimmer” both in Pan and Zoom. I do not think I have over sharpened (my normal settings for USM in PS are:- Amount 100-150%, Radius 0.3-0.7 and Threshold 0). Images that have no PAZ have no “shimmer”. Any suggestions? Regards John P.S. I will not be able to try anything out till next week as I will be away for a few days but will respond on my return.

I asked this question a month or so ago and Igor indicated that this would be likely at some stage in the future but as I understood it it was not a high priority. So don't hold your breath! John

Thank you Lin and Steve for you multi-keypoint explanations. You've saved me hours of needless wear of my l depleting brain cells. This product has been well worth waiting for. And of course a BIG thank you to Igor and his fantastic team. Without getting too philosophical it's a pity our politicians couldn't show the same degree of cooperation as is demonstrated in this small community. End of sermon! Regards John

Ron, I think you'll find that the question was raised by Igor. John

Igor, I would certainly agree that the word Synchronize should be removed. As a relatively new member I can remember the confusion that this word caused for me. I am now assisting other new users within my camera club and believe that any action that will simplify and clarify an action can only be a benefit. I would go along with any of the suggestions proposed by ADB or preferably PeterS who proposes "Linked" rather than "Locked". Regards, John

Folks, Thank you all for your input. I have tried it out this morning and it works fine. It is certainly better than having to go into PS and then import the PNG. Igor, I'm sure we are all looking forward to your future solution, but this work-around can be lived with for the present. We don't want to distract you from your immediate tasks. While I have your attention, thank you and your team for the wonderful work you are doing. Regards John

Thanks Folks, Typical ! Ask a question and get four replies in 31 minutes!!! Lin, I will temperament in the morning. Cheers all, John