photoflora

Not much of a user of the forum, though a very intensive user of PTE nowadays, I hope I'm in the right area! I find the facility which links a sound file to a slide very helpful when things get complex, as they are doing with me now. Without it things would soon go hopelessly out of synch! I'd like to suggest (I think I've mentioned it before) a simple change to the number (light blue on a white square) which appears on the sound file when it's linked to a slide. Could it please be in a more conspicuous colour (I would suggest white out of red as a good visible combination.) In parallel with this, could I suggest a warning message when you remove a slide from the timeline, to flag up that there's one or more sound files linked to it. I have often lost bits of my soundtracks because I failed to notice that the sound had disappeared along with the picture!

The results of the RPS Twenty-Second International AV Festival, Cheltenham 24-25 September 2016 are available here: http://www.ibateman.co.uk/rps/results.html Andrew N Gagg FRPS, Secretary to the Festival

Dave, thanks. If I'm honest, this didn't work for me as you wrote it, but I do now know that copying and pasting gives me what I wanted. Still wouln't mind a 'one-click' control for this though... Ta! ANG

I hope I have not missed something that covers this already (if so, apologies) but here's my wish: I sometimes make mistakes in O&A when importing a new image - if I haven't taken care (don't say it) I may have an object selected when I import the new one, with the consequence that the new image appears as a child of the one accidentally left selected. It would be good to be able to change the status of the 'child' to correct this without deleting and then re-importing it. Similarly I might sometimes change my method for a particular bit of animation in some way, when the same kind of need arises. (The 'child' might have had quite a bit of work done to it, which I might not want to discard.) Any thoughts...?

'Never!' 'What, NEVER?' 'Weell... hardly ever.' (W.S. Gilbert. HMS Pinafore)

Thanks MUR - I'm about to try this out! Looks like a useful interim solution. I suppose the technique will also work for just the latter part of a track or tracks that need moving en bloc...? photoflora

I'm hoping some of the following are not too late to make it into the next edition: I keep thinking it would be handy to have a marker on the timeline in O&A which I could set (maybe more than one) which doesn’t do anything except sit there without moving, as an aid to synchronising different bits of animation. At the moment I do it using the figures in the blue boxes associated with the keypoints, but static markers which could be placed and then removed as required would be a real help – quicker and more intuitive.... Could filenames which have had only ‘subsidiary’ use (i.e. in Objects and Animations) also be shown in bold, or better still apply some other distinguishing feature such as a different colour, or show in italics, or both. Ideally two different typographical characteristics could show when it has been used in both situations – ‘main’ and ‘subsidiary’. (I think I have offered this before, and I believe others have made similar suggestions, so... “Pretty Please” Igor!). Could we have a facility for moving all the sound files ‘en bloc’. As an example of the need, I have nearly finished a very complex sequence, but have not put a sufficiently long black frame at the start. If I want to increase its length I have to shuffle all the sound files along, in all the different tracks, each independently of the other. This could easily cause problems with some of the quite critical bits of sound that have been very precisely synchronised with a particular image or animation. Again I think this has been suggested already, but I’d like to add my voice. Files with long names, especially sound files can look very much alike, as they are truncated when the icon size is small. Peter Appleton (pers. comm.) has reminded me that the full path of the currently highlighted file appears at the bottom of the screen, but could the filename be made a bit more conspicuous please – I’ve been using PTE for years, and failed to notice it! (Yes... okay! Don’t say it!)

Christmas has come early this year! I simply couldn’t wait to start using the full version of PicturesToExe v8... I’ve been a fan of PTE for a long while now. I can’t remember exactly when I first discovered it – it must be almost a decade ago – but over the years it has been a continuing revelation. I always hankered after making Audio-Visuals ‘the old way’, with tape-decks and multiple projectors, but I had neither the resources nor the skill and patience to take it up (besides being too busy with my job as a Production Designer with BBCtv). It’s no exaggeration to say that at last I’ve found my medium – since my RPS Fellowship it’s been a total change of direction, and the mainstay of my photography. I have used ‘the alternative software’ (naming no names!) in parallel with it, while running an A-V group for the Worcestershire Camera Club, but eventually gave it up, as there was no comparison with the straightforward way in which PTE works, and riding two horses at once was a balancing act I just couldn’t perform! However, as my current group of students are happily discovering, PTE gives you total control, at whatever level you are – easy to make a start, and equally easy to produce any effect you could possibly wish for as experience grows. It’s a not particularly surprising fact that the majority of people who enter the competitions I judge are using PTE in preference to any other software, and my own competition entries are crowned with at least modest success now and again, thanks in no small measure to the subtleties of PTE. Integrating audio into the main timeline, together with those volume controls is the cherry on top of a wonderful cake, and apart from making some of the special cursors a wee bit easier to handle, I can’t think what else you might do Igor – it’s difficult to improve on perfection! Though I quite understand the need, I hope the commercial pressure for novelty in the future won’t produce too many bells and whistles that may be attractive as USPs but potentially constitute a distraction from the real business of audio-visual – the telling of a good story. I don’t post much on the forum generally but in this case, I felt I just had to say “Thankyou Igor, for the very bestest Christmas present a boy could possibly wish for!”. Andrew N. Gagg FRPS Worcester, U.K., December 2013

Hello all! Thanks for your responses - Reassuring to know that several of you now confirm this - I feel a bit like the kid who saw Santa, and finally got everyone to believe him! Seriously though, it would be good (and useful) to get to the bottom of this little mystery. I think possibly we need the help of the programmers to explain it and maybe, if it is just a bug, sort it out. I have noticed the problem for quite a long time now (several years/versions I believe). Perhaps our plea for another marker (I've suggested Bold Italic) for pics entered via O&A could be answered at the same time. So as I said, "Pretty Please Igor"! When I can put some more words together, I want to ask about the feasibility of PTE tracking down pictures that it thinks are 'lost' ('blue screens'). I know this issue has been discussed before, but perhaps someone could indicate to me what the latest conclusions on the subject were, please. Thanks everyone for your supportive responses - much appreciated! PhotoFlora

DaveGee, thanks! I maybe wasn't clear enough in the first part of my post...? (The second half Gary has appreciated exactly - see my reply - so I reckon that settles that bit. Please Igor...) I'm hoping someone knows what happens to cause slides that have been 'emboldened' (good word that! :)/> ) by insertion into the time line (as main objects of course) to become 'un-emboldened' <_</> , although they are still part of the (main) sequence. As I said, it seems to happen to sequences that have had a 'history' - is it maybe a change of project name? I don't know and prefer not to guess - I'm requesting an authoritative answer after all... As far as putting used pics into another sub-folder, I'd be very reluctant to do this. I have been a fan of Barry Beckham's 'four-folder' system ever since I started (who's counting how long?) For clarity, I mean folders for: 1. sounds, 2. projects, 3. raw image storage and 4. pictures for show (and maybe a fifth one for documents like the script and any research info.). To complicate this system with a sub-folder for used pictures might in my case at least lead to all sorts of problems - let's face it, PTE does have trouble keeping track of components if they get moved around (but that's rather another issue), and so as an intuitive worker I do have to discipline myself to stay tidy! I keep insisting to my students to look after their 'housekeeping' too, and to stick to a simple system along those lines, and mostly they don't get into a mess if they do... In any case, I may well want to use my pics more than once, and I do like the bold device, if only it were a bit more consistent... Thanks in anticipation! PhotoFlora

Gary, thanks for yours - you have hit the (second) nail right on the head - that's exactly what I was requesting - how about bold italics as a distinguishing mark? 'Pretty Please' Igor! Nobody yet has come up with the reason for images becoming 'un-bolded', even when they haven't been removed from the sequence. I'm sure it has something to do with sequences of mine that have had a history that is in some way less than straightforward, but I don't know any more - I bet somebody out there does though...! Thanks Guys! Photoflora

I posted this elsewhere earlier, but maybe it's been missed... In certain circumstances (I'm not sure precisely which - can anyone tell me please?) the bold face titling disappears from the pictures that have been used in a project. This means that this (very useful) guide to what's been used and what's not becomes inaccurate. Would it be possible to link the 'bold' facility more permanently, or do I mean closely, to what's in the timeline and the 'slides' list? Secondary to this, would it be possible to make some other distinguishing mark for files that have been used as 'added images' in Objects & Animations? (At present of course they look as if they haven't been used...) Thanks in anticipation... PhotoFlora

I hope this belongs here - I have searched... In certain circumstances (I'm not sure precisely which - can anyone tell me please?) the bold face titling disappears from the pictures that have been used in a project. This means that the (so far as I'm concerned very useful and quite satisfactory) guide to what's been used and what's not becomes inaccurate. Would it be possible to link the 'bold' facility more permanently, or do I mean closely, to what's in the timeline and the 'slides' list? Secondary to this, would it be possible to make some other distinguishing mark for files that have been used as 'added images' in Objects & Animations? (At present of course they look as if they haven't been used...) Thanks in anticipation... PhotoFlora

Can anybody take pity on me please? I have watched this topic for some while now, hoping that it would lead me to a straightforward way of putting my PicturesToExe sequences onto a BluRay disc, which I can then play in my BluRay recorder/player attached to my TV, or maybe a lap-top which is capable of playing these discs. I confess to great disappointment that there isn’t a way built into PTE that will do this task automatically. (It would be tactless to mention the principal rival software by name, but it can do just that ‘at the touch of a button’.) Most of what has been said in this topic so far is not at all clear to me – it seems deeply technical, and I’m not a technician. I do however believe myself to be a highly creative person, and what I crave in my simplicity is an equally simple, explicit and clear ‘recipe’, in words of one syllable (and preferably numbers of one digit!) that will enable me to write my PicturesToExe sequences to a BluRay disc, at maximum quality, and play them on my telly or my lap-top. I installed a BluRay writer in my PC some time ago now, with this aim especially in mind and I still haven’t been able to achieve it – can anybody please help put me on the right path – with my apologies if it is already written down in letters five feet high somewhere which I have missed! I suggest (and hope) that I may not be the only one who might welcome some simple instructions – I know the students to whom I teach PTE would welcome it – so you can be sure you will reach an audience of more than one if you can help! My Sincere Thanks in Anticipation, PhotoFlora

I have just picked up on this discussion - it was helpful in that it enabled me for the first time to make '.avi' files which will play using DivX on my (National Panasonic) BluRay recorder plus an HD TV set. I used the Custom setting you highlighted, and the Video Codec XviD MPEG-4, and this works fine (although suggestions as to an even more appropriate codec would be welcome, in case there's anything that will give me improved quality - but it's not bad using this one). There's just one snag - I have tried all the suggested audio codecs (working my way down the whole list) and none of them will give me a file with sound on it. Sometimes my BD player puts up an error message saying it can't play the audio, but still plays the video, sometimes it just plays a silent video with no error message. Many of the test files that I have made using all those different Audio codecs work just fine on my PC... Any suggestions? (I'm off-line for quite a while now, so don't expect a response straight away, but I'll be grateful for any ideas on my return!) Thanks in advance... PhotoFlora

This might be going off-topic. I suppose it's what I've always been comfortable with. I see PP as having been written as a lecturer's medium, which stops and starts at will, and PTE (and others we won't name) as a vehicle for 'all-singing, all-dancing' presentations in real time. I know that PTE can be set up to stop and start as one would for a talk, and also that I can achieve PTE-like effects with PowerPoint (with a struggle), but they seem to approach the problem from opposite ends, if you take my meaning - one's naturally 'real-time' and the other controlled by the speaker's pace. That's my thoughts, anyway. Best... Andrew

Credits to you both then, John, and thanks again - it was a most useful task to take on! Andrew

Horses For Courses Dave! I get a lot of mileage from both these nags - PowerPoint is a great lecturer's medium (I do a fair bit), and PTE is the best thing since sliced bread - for making Audio-Visuals... Andrew PS: I don't use a 'PC' for my lecturing, I use a lap-top... Heh, heh! A.

John, further to my earlier message, now I've had a good look, I would like to quote you fairly extensively, and 'borrow' some of your illustrations, to make up a presentation for my group of A-V enthusiasts. It wil be a PowerPoint presentation, and it will only be used for teaching a couple of relatively small classes here in Worcester. I'll credit you of course! Look forward to your reply, Best wishes, Andrew Gagg (Leader, Worcester U3A A-V and Photo groups)

Just what I was seaching for! Pages 8 & 9 'Crossfading' and 10 'Audio Clip Properties' will be invaluable. I have to teach this, so first I need to understand it... Many Thanks! PhotoFlora

Nobeefstu, hello, and thanks for the translation of the dots - we learn something new every day (or we should!) Good piece of information, but it still doesn't explain the 'two paths' thing, and there's certainly no such legitimate path in my system as: E:\Malaysia Pictures for Show\Rajah Brooke’s Birdwing.png Heigh Ho! All the best... PF

Okay Dave - your model's radically different from the setup I've been using for my whole system for a while now, but worth considering - the essential thing though is to keep the JPEG files 'isolated' to avoid the problems, as you first described. Still haven't found out what's at the bottom of the 'dual path' error message though - see my reply to 'nobeefstu' below (or above) It'll all sort itself eventually I suppopse... Thanks, and Best... PF

Dave, thanks - I can see that a single folder would prevent the problem of course. You will guess from the paths I gave as an example that I have set up all my projects using what I'll call the 'Beckham' structure - i.e. four subfolders for 'Sound'; 'Project'; 'Pictures for Show' (images resized and ready for use) and 'Image holding' ('raw' pictures). With a project with lots of pictures in it 'raw' and 'resized' (likely to run into many hundreds sometimes) there's going to be quite a lot of different kinds of files in one single folder - maybe not easy to keep 'em in good order... Would you like to give me a model of what you are suggesting, or is it just as simple as it sounds...? Having the project folder high up in the root directory is good too, but I tend to work on lots of different things at once - it could get quite busy up there! I still can't understand why those two paths come up in the error message - the one with the (red) bit missing is not a legitmate path - it should not go via 'Malaysia Projects'. The bottom one is correct. If there was a duplicate file it should have the path: E:\PTE & PowerPoint\Malaysia\Malaysia Image Holding\Rajah Brooke’s Birdwing.png Not: E:\PTE & PowerPoint\Malaysia\Malaysia Projects\..\Malaysia Pictures for Show\Rajah Brooke’s Birdwing.png That's why I'd like the paths to be shown complete in an error message - should I interpolate the \..\ as \Malaysia Image Holding\, or what...? If you or any of the other kind people who have helped can solve this one for me I'll have a really Happy Christmas... Thanks everybody and have a Merry One! PhotoFlora

Project contains two or more files with the same names, but located in different folders. Please use unique file names for every file if you want to create template or backup. E:\PTE & PowerPoint\Malaysia\Malaysia Projects\..\Malaysia Pictures for Show\Rajah Brooke’s Birdwing.png E:\PTE & PowerPoint\Malaysia\Malaysia Pictures for Show\Rajah Brooke’s Birdwing.png John, I think you have helped put a finger on this – there was indeed (embarrassing this – sorry Peter) a second instance of my ‘birdwing’ file, in the end title sequence – I used it a while back and forgot it was there! So if we could ask Igor if it’s possible to show the slide numbers as part of the error message. It undoubtedly would help in some circumstances – I’d certainly have spotted my howler sooner! I’m still puzzled as to how there can be two paths, as in my original example (above). The first one still does not make sense to me, as I don’t know how it could have ever existed. So again, could we ask Igor if it’s possible to show the paths in the error message in full, not abbreviated (as in the red bit above)? It would make it much easier to track down mistakes such as the one I made. Thanks and apologies to Peter and John that it took so long for the ‘penny to drop’! PF

Right John! The thing I find irritating is that the path is shown incomplete at times, making it difficult to track down the errant files - e.g. the red bit in the following pair of paths: E:\PTE & PowerPoint\Malaysia\Malaysia Projects\..\Malaysia Pictures for Show\Rajah Brooke’s Birdwing.png E:\PTE & PowerPoint\Malaysia\Malaysia Pictures for Show\Rajah Brooke’s Birdwing.png Thanks for your thoughts... PF