Lin Evans

Yes, indeed my opinion. Of course the implicit assumption in your statement is that PTE is primarily for AV productions, which is itself yet another opinion, even if shared by the majority. We indeed do "need" better support for audio to help those preparing AV productions, etc. We also "need" video clip drop-in support because it's necessary in order to keep PTE "competitive" in today's market even if when it is finally incorporated, it may not be as popular a feature as imagined for the stated reasons. The only caveat which, in my opinion, developers need to keep foremost in mind is not to let "feature creep" overwhelm an otherwise fantastic tool. All the "features" present in some competitive products tend to make them a (please pardon the American expression) "Jack of All Trades, Master of None" in my opinion. Excessive features frequently lead to yet more "bugs" and sometimes make using a product so complex that only specialists can take advantage of them. It's always a difficult path for developers to travel when trying to maximize utility and still keep the product simple enough that it doesn't overwhelm new users. Best regards, Lin

Hey Tom, LOL - yep, more of a "world globe." The Crystal Ball concept as seen in your link is really cool - not a new idea, but always refreshing. It is a bit of a time sink programming the animations of individual leaves, and I'm not really completely happy with it yet so probably will work some more on it. I can take some solace though in the realization of what the great fashion photographer Melvin Solkolsky once told me; that sometimes major magazines will spend as much as $50,000 "on one image" in post processing in order to get it just right! That was a major eye opener. Imagine how many man-hours are involved, even at the high rates charged by really talented Photoshop experts! That make the few dozen hours I spend pale by comparison. Best regards, Lin

Hi Eric, I don't see any reason why this would be any different than doing this on a hard disk except there is a limit on USB flash drive in terms of the number of files in the root. I'm not certain what this limit is, but I doubt you would exceed it. Essentially, you create a "menu" in the following way. Open PTE and start a new slideshow containing only the one slide you wish to use as the backdrop for your menu. Use your editor to create small image "icons" to be used to call each slideshow and load them as "objects" and place them on the main image as you like. If you don't want them to be little "squares" or "buttons" then create them as PNG files with transparency and they can appear to "float" on the surface of your menu. Each of these little "icons" or "objects" then will be assigned with the Objects and Animations "Common Tab" the "Action on Mouse Click" to "Run Slideshow With Return." Place all your slideshows on the "root" rather than in folders because the cascading nature of peripheral devices may assign different device names. When you then click on an Icon, the slideshow it calls will run and after the end your "menu" will again return. I would also make at least one icon and assign it to "Exit," etc. That's really all there is to it... Best regards, Lin

http://www.learntoma...s/seasonspc.zip (Windows) http://www.learntoma.../seasonsmac.zip (MacIntosh) Vimeo Link: http://vimeo.com/8110601 About 35 meg... Lin

Hi Ron, I just downloaded Camtasia Studio 6 and ran a trial and it worked fine on my system with the same DirectX you are using (9c). I'm using the nVidia 8800 GT card and XP Home Edition. Which OS are you running? You might want to contact Techsmith's technical support via the "Help" link in Camtasia. This will capture information about your OS, Directx, video and audio environment, etc., which might help discover the problem. Best regards, Lin

Hi Igor, 8:39 AM here in Colorado - web site works fine for me.... Best regards, Lin

Hi Mary, Thanks for the reminder. Many of our French PTE users are truly talented and artistic people who indeed produce superior and charming slideshows. I also highly recommend that forum members here take the time to visit and gain inspiration from the numerous well thought out and masterfully presented shows. Best regards, Lin

Just some fun stuff: About 6 meg... http://www.learntomakeslideshows.net/xmas/3dpictureframemac.zip (MacIntosh) http://www.learntomakeslideshows.net/xmas/3dpictureframepc.zip (Windows PC) Lin

Hi Ed, Actually, Igor has responded to this type post several times and patiently explained that he is working on it as quickly as possible and will have it soon. Though I'm also looking forward to the feature; when it has been done, I'm betting that it will not be one of the favorite PTE features because users are going to quickly realize just how large video files will make their slideshows. Only a few moments of an HD quality video can add "hundreds of megabytes" to a slideshow size even with the very best compression. Want to show friends your new slidshows with video clips? Be prepared to absolutely must have fast broadband and hope that all your friends also have the same. Be prepared to wait for long periods for download viewing slideshows containing high resolution video clips. I have numerous presentation slideshow products which allow video clips myself, (Photodex, CodeJam, AVStumpfl, Cyberlink, etc.) and I rarely use them because PTE has features none of these others have which are more important to me. I also have several high-end presentation video products (Sony Vegas Video - full complement, Adobe Premiere) which easily allow me to mix stills and video clips and I rarely use them either. Yes, it's nice to sometimes drop in a video clip in your slideshow, but the novelty quickly wears thin. Yes, PTE must have video clip drop-in and also sound controls to stay competitive. But I think not because people "really" need these features as much as that they "think" they need them. Best regards, Lin

Hey Barry, You have the "POWER" to control the weather! LOL. A few years ago I was in Sydney at Christmas and almost had a heat stroke! The only salvation was the incredible beach. In 1968 I was there in August and it was freezing! I just had to do something about the weather - HA! Best regards, Lin

Hey Tom, Humboldt county is pretty temperate for sure. But the nice thing is that you can go east a bit and have all the snow you want - LOL. I thought it might be easier for most to just use the animation rather than go through the rather laborious process of creating their own "snow" PNG files. I remember it took me many hours of experimentation when I first began playing with the idea of animating snow. It took quite a while to get things the way I wanted them and over time I've made a few dozen different snow effects which I save and use for different types of snow, but the one in my snow cube is pretty generic. It's easy enough to just change the slide display time to speed up the snowfall without having to change the three PNG files pan speed, etc. I hope a few users will read the post and find out just how easy and quick it can be - LOL.. Best regards, Lin

Hi Eric, You must first create a transparent layer, copy and paste the moon image on this then erase the parts you don't want to show and save the file as a PNG. Rather than learn now, why don't you post a link to the image of the moon and I'll quickly do it for you then you can practice with the original and learn the process? If you like, just use this one: http://www.learntomakeslideshows.net/eric/ericmoon.png Best regards, Lin

Hi, I'm a bit confused. Don't you already have access to the pan, zoom and rotate tools when the 3D box is open? Are you saying you would like this duplicated inside the 3D Parameter box? Best regards, Lin

Hi Ron, It "sounds" like perhaps PTE and Camtasia are fighting for the use of Direct X. That is you have two programs each trying to use the video exclusively, or perhaps Camtasia is trying to have exclusivity. Why don't you try opening PTE first and minimizing it, then load Camtasia and see if there is any difference? Best regards, Lin

Hi Folks, With the season being upon us, at least in those parts of the world where it's presently winter (sorry Australia!) I thought it might be nice to provide a way to very quickly and efficiently animate your winter scenes with snow. To this end, I have made several tutorials including the latest one which shows you how to copy and paste one of my snow animations from the Christmas Snow Cube Template and use this with any image. It takes less than 60 seconds to animate any image you choose with a nice snowfall by using this method. The animation runs 60 seconds and you can, of course, duplicate the same slide indefinitely and run the animation as long as desired. Just download the tutorial here: #22 http://www.picturestoexe.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=7901&st=0#entry49109 You can also download the zipped PTE Christmas Snow Cube tutorial and template at the same location, or from the "Templates" section of the forum under my name. Best regards, Lin

Hi Jeff, O.K. http://www.picturestoexe.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=7901&st=0#entry49109 Tutorials #20 and #21

Hi Tom, Good to hear! Thanks! The template and first tutorial are ready - link above on the original post which has been edited to add links to the template and tutorial and two other versions with sound. Best regards, Lin

Just a few words and a suggestion that if you frequently animate or create special effects, you may seriously want to look at this free, incredible utility. For instance. If you have a need to split images and perhaps recombine them you can always do it the hard way with Photoshop (assuming you have the requisite skills), or you can do it the easy way with PhotoScape. There are really too many features to even begin to explain, but let me expand on the above. To make my cube faces, I need square images. To make perfect facets for the Rubik's Cube effect or for the nine facet "look" which I like for some of my other effects (such as the Christmas Snow Cube) I simply place my square crop from PhotoShop in PhotoScape, use the handy dandy splitter and instantly split the file into nine perfect, equal sized segments. Then to make the little mini-cube facets I use the PhotoScape "Combine" tool to put them quickly together with a plethora of possibilities. One actually has to see this tool in action to understand how truly useful it is. Later, I intend to make a mini-tutorial on how to create the square faces for my Christmas Snow Cube and show how to use both Photoshop and Photoscape to quickly achieve the desired effect. I strongly suggest that anyone who wants to use my Christmas Snow Cube template download and install PhotoScape from the link below. You won't be sorry! http://photoscape.en.softonic.com/ Best regards, Lin

Christmas Snowcube Template: http://www.learntomakeslideshows.net/xmas/snowcubetutorial/christmascubeptetemplate.zip http://www.learntomakeslideshows.net/xmas/snowcubetutorial/snowcubeavitutorial.zip Lin

O.K. For you who have considerable understanding of PTE animation - just go to the link (tutorials) under PTE Made Easy, PTE for Smarties section (FAQ and Tutorials) and you can download the template. Create 800x800 pixel (square) images for the six sides, name them side1.jpg through side6.jpg. Unzip the template into its own folder and copy your own cube sides overwriting the placeholder files and run the PTE file, create an exe, modify the movement, size, etc., as desired. For those less familiar, download and look at the AVI tutorial (same link). Essentially, there is a master controller frame for motion. A child frame for size and each side of the cube (side1.jpg, etc.) has an attached mask with the snow animation. Delete this for any side you don't want snow animation on (don't delete them all). To replace, just copy one of those you have left and make it a child under the side1.jpg, side2.jpg, etc. Use the master controller frame to control motion of your cube. You can change the center of this frame to get non-linear motion, etc. Use the size frame to control the size of the cube (with keyframes, of course). Remove the "smooth & custom" motion before changing size or adjusting motion. Put it back if you like, or not. A link to the Tutorials section is provided on the original post above for convenience.... Best regards, Lin

Hi Jim, Just interplay with the snow, but actually it wouldn't be that difficult to animate their tongues somewhat. Watch this one - the first time through just watch the little Pika's ear..... http://www.learntomakeslideshows.net/sample/captive.zip Best regards, Lin

Hi Kieron, Thanks much, I'm glad that the tutorials were helpful! I have added another slide to the demo animation showing the possibilities of a 3D effect in the snow through the "window" scene. This is achieved via the "pan Z" feature. Best regards, Lin

Hi Mary, Thanks! I replaced one side of the cube with a "through the window" snow scene to show one of the possibilities. It's on the same link. Tom, if you get a chance to download again and check on the MacIntosh I would appreciate knowing if this works O.K. on the Mac. thanks, Lin

Hey Tom, No problem - Actually, it's not that difficult when the "animation" lives as a separate entity via masking - probably no one else thought it was all that important - LOL. I'm talking to Panos about a template for this so thought some folks might find it interesting. I'll get to work this week and have a template and tutorial posted as soon as I can. Best regards, Lin

Hi Gary, What you have learned is that you can't just burn an MP4 to a DVD because DVD format is not HD. There is another step required. To do what you want to do you must have some specialized software. There are several software packages which will burn an HD (MP4 h.264) to "standard" DVD format. I can't tell you all of them, but I do know that the Pinnacle Studio 12 software does this. You will need to ask Pinnacle "which" of their packages (ultimate, standard, etc.) will do this or whether all will. I believe some version of Nero also does this. Also, Roxio (Toast) seems to have some software to do this. Here's a link: My link What they do is format your "Standard" 4.7 gigabyte DVD media to BluRay format and use your PTE MP4 h.264 file to create a BluRay output on this standard media. Then to play this you need to use the BluRay player you have purchased. Here's a link to Pinnacle: http://www.pinnacles.../Studio+Family/ Best regards, Lin