Lin Evans

I would agree with Peter - You really don't need the multiple pictures at all. You actually only need the two as described. Also, I would suggest upgrading to 7.0 because you have lots of nice features available now such as the ability to add video clips. If you post two images (one of the box closed and one of it opened) I'll be glad to make a really quick sample you can use to see how it's done. The "secret" is to use your photo editing software to make the PNG file of the lid itself with everything else being transparent. Once you have that done (if you don't know how to do this, just say so and we can show you how) the rest is very easy to do and you will have a very smooth opening box. Best regards, Lin

Hi Jean, I'll have to work with it some more. It looks as if the aliasing might be the mask rectangle rather than the image. Xaver is rotating the mask container rather than the image inside a mask so that may have some relationship to the problem. I'm using a CRT so it may not be as sensitive for display of aliasing as an LCD display. I can't see that the anti-aliasing feature is having any effect when checked regardless of a mask. Perhaps the problem is that the anti-aliasing itself is just not working? Best regards, Lin

Hi Jean, If you resize the image by distorting the XY axis with the shift key, make it the same size in dimensions as the image inside the mask and rotate it with or without the mask, I see the same aliasing. The mask, at least on my system, has no influence on the aliasing unless you use a bit of blur and then it hides the aliasing. I'm just not seeing that the aliasing is in any way related to the masking. Best regards, Lin

This is what I get with and without the image being in a mask.... Best regards, Lin

Hi Xaver, I don't think the mask has any relationship to the problem. If you remove the mask entirely and rotate that image there is still jagged edges. Best regards, Lin

Hi, Actually, it's fairly easy to do this but the explanation is a little convoluted. What you do is you set the video as "Master" which keeps it playing for each slide which can then have pictures running on "separate slides" in the background (you add the video as "master" on each slide - just copy and paste your mask container). But since you want the pictures to run "beside the video" you may want to run the video "and" the pictures inside masks. Give me a few minutes and I'll make you a quick sample which you can then work from. Assuming you want the video to run it's full length, then your accompanying "slides" would be set up to give equal time to the video divided among the various slides. If the video ran for 3 minutes, and you had 12 slides, then each slide would be set for 15 seconds. So 3 minutes or 180 seconds for the video to run and it would "appear" unbroken on each of the 12 slides which would run for 15 seconds each. Then the "rest" of your slideshow would proceed as normal. Be sure to use either a fade or "quick, not transition" to prevent the entire page from being affected by the transition. As I said, I'll make you a quick sample and post a link to the exe and PTE files so you can see how to proceed. O.K. - here's the sample. I didn't spend much time getting the masks equal or putting enough slides to finish the length of the video so it ends abruptly, but you can see how it's done. You don't actually "need" a mask for other than the video or really even the video but it's "convenient" because you can copy and paste without having to mess with setting the pan, zoom and so on for each independent slide. The "easy way" to do it is to get the first slide absolutely correct for size, placement, etc., with or without a mask, then copy and paste that slide in the slide list as many times as you have slides. Then simply exchange the image in the "properties" tab for each slide with the one copied and pasted. Do this via little file icon in the upper right. Just click on your copied slide name in the objects list, then click on the file icon and navigate to and double click the slide to replace this "copied" slide with. The "mask" isn't really necessary - I just used it for convenience. What is important it to make the video the master and link to it via the choices and then copy and paste after you have the size and position set. Likewise with the adjacent images you want to show on each slide while the video continues to play uninterrupted. Let me know if you get in trouble and I'll help you straighten it out. http://www.lin-evans...lewithvideo.zip (exe sample) http://www.lin-evans...ithvideopte.zip (pte file to look at) Best regards, Lin

I'm glad you've given your "permission" for others to try this product... It seems to me that Brian didn't "recommend it," but rather gave the Mac user's a "head's up" about the product. Since you have "dismissed" it as "not having" the "bells and whistles" of course you can tell us your experience with it, can't you? Or are you simply dismissing it out of hand because you have a crystal ball and know all things "Mac?" It seems to me that you always have negative comments or attempt to "correct" anyone who says anything about a MacIntosh. Did someone appoint you as the resident "expert" in all things MacIntosh, or have you simply elevated yourself to that position? It would seem to me to be polite and tell people just which "bells and whistles" this product doesn't have "if" you really "do" have experience with it, rather than answering a question with a question as you did. I think it's fine to offer help and advice when asked, but you seem to be a bit overly enthusiastic with your quick corrections which have not proven to be always correct at all. Just saying..... Lin

Two things: In PTE go to: Project Options - Main Tab - Aspect Ratio - set it to 16:9 Crop your images to 16:9 aspect ratio. You can size them at 1280x720 or 1920x1080 (both are 16:9 aspect ratio) and when you create the movie for YouTube with PTE, make it HD 1280x720 Best regards, Lin

Hi Jerome, The typical Youtube video is at 16:9 aspect ratio. If you make your video at 1280x720 it will have quite sufficient quality and you will not have crop issues. What you see on PTE will be identical to what you see on Youtube. Best regards, Lin

Hi Davy, I thoroughly enjoyed this. It must have been very difficult to find this great selection of images. These remind me of when I was a child and fascinated by the art found in some of the old bibles, which is the only place, outside of museums, where I have seen pictures like these. Very well done! Thanks! Lin

Hi Daniel, Those are beautiful photos - it seems a place the birds love also and probably because there are lots of tasty snacks to eat! The panorama was excellent and this looks like a great place to visit. Do people live in the little houses along the shore or are these places where they work to select oysters? In Tahiti, on the little atolls such as Manihi where the main business is the pearl oyster, there are tiny houses out in the lagoons where the pearl "farming" in done. There work is done during the day, but nobody actually lives in the little shacks, just a place to work. Thanks for a wonderful view of life in Bassin d' Arcachon! Best regards, Lin

Hi Tom, Those pesky flies are always throwing "monkey wrenches" in our understanding of physics. Actually, it mirrors the behavior of lighter than air substances inside a moving body. If you were to place a helium or hydrogen filled balloon inside a car and stop with a sudden crash, the balloon would not move forward, but rather backward. This is because the air which is contained inside the vehicle goes forward, is somewhat compressed and then rebounds. The fly, being lighter than the air via the act of "flying" is cushioned by this rebounding air, and like the balloon, moves backward rather than forward. Likewise with sudden acceleration. The fly moves forward rather than being "pinned" to the back of the seat as we "heavier than air" creatures experience. I'm thinking that in a vehicle traveling through space at incredible speeds with no gravity but an artificial atmosphere, probably the same cushioning effect would be felt. Hard to say, because any collision these days with our rudimentary technology would probably result in "lights out" for all occupants... What's even more interesting to me, would be what would be the effect of traveling at faster than the speed of light. Since light waves or "particles" depending on how one looks at it, have been traveling from distant stars, would their be an "increase" in the amount of brightness as we "collect" excessive photons traveling at greater than the speed of light (assuming, of course, that it might someday be possible). When I was the official photographer for the 10th annual UFO Congress in Laughlin, Nevada some years ago, I met an interesting person named Bob Lazar, and had some lengthy chats with him. Bob claimed to have worked at Area 51 reverse engineering alien space craft. Of course his claims have been highly criticized and much disinformation has been put out about him, etc., but in my opinion, I believe he is legitimate. I also have met and talked at length with Nuclear Physicist Stanton Friedman who questions Bob's credentials. Regardless of what one might think and of Bob's somewhat shady history, he is and was a brilliant person. Bob, of course, is not the "only" person whose credentials can't be verified - including one very close to us in DC right now. Of the two, I prefer to believe Bob. Bob told me that he was informed that space travel to distant galaxies was possible because space can be "warped" and that by doing so, objects separated by thousands of light years can temporarily be brought very close together. So were this true, it might be possible to effectively travel "straight line distances: of thousands of light years without actually exceeding the speed of light. It's all well beyond my pay grade, but I suspect that this might be closer to fact than fiction. At any rate, it's sure fun theorizing about how it might be, and knowing the background of where the "warp speed" concept originated. Best regards, Lin

Hi Lee, Yes, do take it apart and if you have questions, let me know and I'll try help get you on the right track. The "actions" of the individual photos can be found by observing the keyframes and 3D transforms, specifically the X and Y axis values between these keyframes. The "position" of the photos are controlled by both the position of the mask rectangle within the mask and the position of each image inside each mask. The "Container" position will "move" the position of the image and mask rectangle, but they were not used for this purpose, just set to encompass the entire image. The text position for the individual letters is overall under the control of an invisible "frame" but the individual child letters each have their own positions set via keyframe and "Pan" values. Their "Zoom" values determine their size. The individual letters were created in the text mode then "rasterized to individual PNG" objects and for the "contour" appearance, I took them into Photoshop and set contour in the FX settings. This just gives them a bit more "zip" than the plain PNG output by "rasterize to PNG" feature in PTE. The "roll-up" on the introduction is one of the PTE transitions, but I also did a screen snap and placed it on the "back side" of the main image so there would be more than just the lavender "color" on the roll up. Timing between individual appearances of the five images was accomplished via keyframe. In all, doing this type thing isn't really what PTE does best, but you "can" do it once you are thoroughly familiar with how the program works. Even if you discover that other possibilities offer ways you have not yet discovered, taking apart the sample is, as you say, a good way to learn what the program does. Best regards, Lin

Hi Lee, Here are the links to a similar thing in PTE. These are both the exe and the PTE project so you can see how it was done. I wouldn't attempt it if I were you for something due soon - there is a learning curve. http://www.lin-evans.org/sample/Lee.zip (zipped exe) http://www.lin-evans.org/sample/Leepte.zip (zipped pte project) Best regards, Lin

Hi Colin, Thanks - it was improved a good bit in the Hubble show - if you have the time check it out at: http://www.lin-evans.org/sample/spaceflight.zip (about 78 meg) Best regards, Lin

Hi Lee, Unfortunately, I can't get the link to work. I suspect you would be better off for the short period, as Barry suggested, by staying with Power Point until you have some time. If you could double check the link - I think what you want to do can be done, but need to see what you have. Best regards, Lin Later - O.K., I got it to work outside of the forum. Lee, what you have done with PowerPoint is actually quite simple to do with PTE. There are a number of ways to do it, but the "easiest" way to create your opening page is, as Jean Cyprien suggested, with masks. By masking you can more easily control the "position, size, opacity and time of display for any single slide with multiple objects." The thing which is not possible is having other than simple opacity fades or 3D transforms of some sort for each "object" on a single slide. I will make you a quick sample using screen captures of your MP4 to show you how it can be done. It's not "necessary" to use masks, it just makes it "easier".... Give me a half hour and I'll post a link. What you will get with PTE is much "smoother" actions and much higher quality images. Best regards, Lin

Hey Davy, Thanks for the promotion! Actually, I'm only the Captain. I have some good single malt we could share and discuss the phaser - maybe stun would be good as long as you don't partake of too much of that single malt and accidentally "stun" yourself - LOL Later dude, Lin

LOL - as long as there is "anything" to tax, or any "excuse" to "tax" something, then it will be done. The old saying about death and taxes is pretty much insured for the future of mankind. Yep, in 3434 there will be taxes and all "carbon lifeforms" will be subject, of this I'm certain. Thanks Ken - a fun project and keeping me out of trouble! L

Hey Tom, Ahh, the old "seat belt" - yes, they were rendered obsolete in 3029 when localized gravity was abandoned for intergalactic flights. Now passengers have no need for restraints since the motion of the starship is never transmitted to the occupants who live in a complete "atmospheric" cushion of soft protons. It's rather like being suspended in air. While the "container" surrounding one might bounce around a bit with warp speed vibration, the passengers are comfortably held in their cocoons of plasma in complete safety and comfort. The cockpit was fun - I forgot to turn on the "warp gage," but it's fixed now, and the "revised" upload is about 90% and expected to successfully complete in precisely 2 minutes and 32 seconds from 10:46 mark. Lin

Hi Greg, Indeed - the implications of space and time are unfathomable. It's been great fun making the introduction (and ending) of this show. I suspect it might primarily appeal to children, but perhaps to the "child" in us all. It was a monumental undertaking - "much" more complexity than meets the eye and not easy to accomplish. The "slideshow" part is quite simple, but the introduction has myriad pieces and parts all which must work simultaneously and at the proper times. If it looks relatively simple, then I've done my job which is to make it appear so. Best regards, Lin

Hi, If you could create and post a link to a short PowerPoint show demonstrating what it is that you wish to achieve, then it might be much easier for us to show you how to do this with PTE. The difficulty is that describing in words sometimes makes it unclear exactly how and what you wish to see. PTE is a very powerful tool and there are multiple ways to do most everything depending on your needs. One slide with the effects you want to achieve would then make it much easier to give you a straight answer. Best regards, Lin

For those who dare to go where no man has gone before - we present: The Journey To The Carina Nebula and the antique PTE slideshow created in version 7 of PTE. In honor of the release of PTE version 167 now with full holographic projection, and in memory of version 7.0 back in the early 21st century, we present this antique slideshow with 80 images taken with the nearly prehistoric Earth orbiting Hubble telescope and camera. For those with sufficient bandwidth to download this 78 megabyte presentation, the links are: http://www.lin-evans...spaceflight.zip (Windows zipped exe - 78.3 meg) http://www.lin-evans...ceflightmac.zip (MacIntosh native exe) Though there is no navigation bar, for convenience, you may stop and start the show with the space bar and go forward or backward with the right and left arrow keys. Running time 23 minutes 48 seconds 16:9 aspect ratio Lin

Hey Greg, Don't we all!! Best regards, Lin

Hey Davy, We defeated the Klingons several hundred years ago and adopted their cloaking technology for the Starship Papa Tango Echo. Warp 6 is now a different technology than old warp factors which were based on warp drives which could only partially warp timespace. With our new warp drives, warp six is now equivalent to warp 60 in the days of Scotty and Captain Kirk. Phasers were outlawed in the 47th century and now we have peace in the galaxy. The interplanetary commission holds an annual historical review to discuss the reasons for wars and disputes. It was a hundred years ago when they concluded that not drinking enough good single malt brew was causing a mis-alignment in the molecular structure of all lifeforms and good single malt liquors are now required by interplanetary law at least three times daily. With proper work/life balance and a ready supply of delicious single malt, life is good! Live Long and Prosper! Lin

Hi Tom, I don't use DivX very often, most of the AVI's are MicrosoftMPEG-4 Video Codec V2 made with Screen Recorder Gold, and will work with most of the standard free players such as VLC or Kantaris. On newer systems even Windows Media Player will work, but not one of my favorites. I could drag and drop them and output to exe format, but many people are still afraid of exe files so I have left them in their original formats. Best regards, Lin