Lin Evans

Dom posted a link to a very nice free program which creates "reflections" in water under any image. The program has the ability to output AVI, Animated GIF or sequential files including jpg format. By exporting jpg's you can then import them into pictures to exe. Here is a sequence of over a thousand files which were simply duplicates of the 29 frames used to make the effect. Because PicturesToExe uses duplicates for processing in a very, very efficient way, there is no big memory hit for using a thousand or even a few thousand images which are largely duplicates. The following link to a sequence created by Reflections as sequential jpg files then 29 of these were loaded into P2E Beta 5 and then easily duplicated by using the CTRL key and clicking on each of the original 29. From there a simple copy, paste, paste, paste, paste, etc., gave over a thousand images but the entire executable is less than seven megabytes. Import the originals, then set the Project Options Effects to none and set the individual time to zero seconds and between 2 and 6 ms for each slide before you copy and paste them. In PicturesToExe Project Options disable transitions and set each of the individual slides to about 66 ms which gives a frame rate of about 15 frames per second. This works our very well for smoothness of the water ripple effect. If you don't already know how to copy/paste, use the 30 frame sequential output in Reflections then I suggest putting all of the jpg's in a folder by themselves. Select them all and put them in the slide list. Only when you have all the slides set for 66 ms and Quick, No Transition, then click on the first slide, go to the bottom of the list and hold down the shift key while clicking on the last slide. This will select all slides. Right click the mouse and left click on "Copy Slide". At the bottom of the list right click the "Paste" and your 30 slides will be copied complete with all the 66 ms times and no transitions. Repeat the "paste" until you have a bit over 100 slides then repeat the copy process by clicking on the first slide the hold the shift key and click on the last. Do the Copy again and past the 100+ slides at the bottom. When you have a bit over 500 slides, repeat the copy process again and past that additional 500+ on the bottom. When you have a bit over 1100 slides at 15 frames per second, you will get about 2 minutes or so of effect. You can then individually adjust slides inserted before and after and go on with your show. If you only want the slide with the effect for a number of seconds, divide the 1100 slides in half for one minute, in quarters for 30 seconds, etc. http://www.lin-evans.net/p2e/reflect.zip Best regards, Lin

Hi Al, You don't have to disassemble them, the program can output sequential jpgs so it's ver easy to make something like a 30 frame sequence then just duplicate it for a run of the number of seconds you need in PicturesToExe. Because p2e takes advantage of duplicate photos, there is no big memory hit and it actually works well even with several thousand images. Putting in the first 30 takes a bit of time, but then you can select them with the CTRL key, copy the whole lot and past them numerous times. Here's a sequence of a few seconds done that way. There are over a thousand images in this sequence, but they consist of ony 29 actual images duplicated so that the file size is only about 7 megabytes. http://www.lin-evans.net/p2e/reflect.zip Best regards, Lni

I don't think the feature is enabled to stop the music yet. I use silent mp3's to hold it until the show is over. Yes, the water in the desert idea is an interesting juxtaposition. Maybe you could add some "palm trees" and have a real "oasis" as a fade in for the end of the mirage? Best regards, Lin

Cool - reminds me of the Java applet "lake" popular a few years ago. http://www.ibdprince.com/java2.shtml Lin

Hi Peter, Yes, (sequence using some of these techniques) I posted a link in your other comment. Quote from my explanation above: Best regards, Lin

Hi John, Are you using a CRT monitor on the desktop? If so, try hooking up the video output from the laptop to the CRT and see if you still have the same effect. It could be the difference between LCD and CRT. The CRT has a phosphor "persistence" which adds some smoothness to movement while the LCD often has problems displaying the same files in the same way. When you drag your mouse cursor with the laptop do you get a "trail" which lags the actual movement? Just some possibilities. Best regards, Lin

Hi Peter, Here in the U.S., to my knowledge, we have no AV competitions. I create slideshows for clients (primarily Art Gallery owners) to help them display their products for their own customers. I also sometimes display my own photography via sequences (I do photography professionally specializing in photographing art). My "hobby" is wildlife photography. I have no real interest in competition other than enjoying the beautiful results. As I have explained earlier, the purpose of making these rather complicated demonstrations is not an end in itself, but rather a teaching aid to allow those who wish to make very subtle improvements to their own sequences to understand how the various features of PicturesToExe and other presentation slideshow software may be used to that end. Quite obviously, most will not use this program as 3D modeling software - there are already many good programs which are designed specifically for that purpose, but the capabilities in PicturesToExe "may" be exploited by those who wish to make a very sophisticated and entertaining "opening" or "preamble" to their sequences. Just because the capabilities are latent in the program doesn't mean we "must" use them but rather that when and if we decide we need them they are available. Having these capabilities within a program without either knowing that they exist or knowing "how" to exploit them is rather a waste, so better to have the knowledge and not use it than to want to achieve an artistic effect and have no clue as to how to proceed, I think. Here is a link to an actual artistic sequence I created which uses some of the powers of PicturesToExe. This one is a tribute to the Hubble telescope... This one a zipped executable of around 35 megabytes.. http://www.lin-evans.net/p2e/vger2.zip Best regards, Lin

Hi Jean-Pierre, Yes, I'm sorry I didn't completely explain. The tutorials will certainly include the PTE files. My purpose in not posting them now is to avoid answering the same questions many times. This will be done all at once via the tutorials, instructions, executable files AND pte files. The elliptical orbits are done using the "rotation" feature by adjusting the "rotational centers" of the planets orbiting the Sun locked to a position on the Sun just slightly off the geometrical center. The parent/child relationship is used with each PNG for the individual planets being duplicated. One is used for the ellipse, the other for the rotation on-axis. The one used for the ellipse is set to zero opacity and the one for the on-axis rotation or (spin) is set to 100% opacity. Because of their parent/child relationship the spinning planet follows perfectly the invisible ellipse planet. Doing this requires that the PNG file for the individual planets be perfectly cropped so that the planet indeed falls in the very center of the PNG. Because "centers" are actually the "center" of the PNG, rather than the visible "object" itself on the PNG to make this work properly also requires that the PNG be carefully constructed. As you see, even the explanation can be complex which is why it will be necessary to have "both" the instruction as well as the samples to include the PNG files, the JPG files, the EXECUTABLE "result" AND the PTE file which shows the relationship. But for the majority who have yet to understand how this all fits together, having the PTE file right now with invisible objects and "apparently" meaningless keypoints which "seem" to be doing nothing and without adequate explanation just creates confusion. So to avoid answering the same questions many, many times I will post ALL the information with the tutorials. Also it's of little value to most to have the component files now (PNG's, etc) without an explanation of how they were created in Photoshop and why certain issues such as careful cropping are very important. Because of this issue, the tutorials will contain not only the files themselves but instructions showing how they are created so the user can create their own to fit their own requirements. Best regards, Lin P.S. Yes, as with your ellipse example, sometimes it's not easy to construct. The result, however, is what is important. As with our sequences (slideshows), a good one may take a long time to construct, but isn't it like playing the violin well, if it were "easy" then everybody would do it? LOL

Hi Dom, Fee free to post the zipped executable, but I'm holding off on posting the pte file until I finish my tutorials on these effects. I have several shows in the works and one just semi-completed (Solar System) which have some pretty sophisticated effects and without a complete explanation of how these effects are accomplished the pte file would be very confusing except for the really advanced users of PicturesToExe betas. I plan to publish a "how to" on not only the use of the variois PNG files to create the snow, swirling snow, planets with dual rotation, sun with swirling gas and solar eruptions, cube pictures and so on, but how to actually create the raw materials using Photoshop, etc., (PNG files, etc.) which make the effects possible. Some are quite complex to create and there would be so many questions that I would rather answer them all at once by the tutorials. These tutorials will be supplemental to those Jeff and I are planning for the version 5 release and will be available free for all PicturesToExe users. Email me if you want to look at the pte files for any of these and I'll post them for you, but I don't want to make them public until I have the text and samples to explain in detail how they are made and used. Best regards, Lin

I've had a few questions and emails about how some of the effects I'm using in various shows are accomplished. Rather than post some VERY confusing pte files along with the executables, I plan to furnish a complete explanation of how these effects are accomplished and a tutorial on how to not only implement the effects, but how to create the raw materials using Photoshop, etc. This will include the PTE files. The following link is to one of my later iterations of the Solar System effect. Obviously not to scale in any fashion and only depicting the Sun, Earth, Moon, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn and a Star Field. Notice the following effects and be assured that by the time version 5 is released I will have complete instructions for those who don't already understand how these are being done. Note that I did not include the normal "shadow" over the earth as it rotates, nor did I create the moonphase shadow but know that this is quite easy to do but would be much more "effective" in terms of viewing if only the Earth, Moon and Sun were in the frame and made much larger. I may do this in another simulation so you can see the effect. Effects: 1. Star field moves during the two minute presentation so that Ursa Major (the Big Dipper) becomes visible by the end of the sequence. 2. The planets rotate around the Sun. Not in a perfect orbit, but slightly eliptical as in nature. The planets not only rotate around the Sun, but spin on their own axis as if viewed from above. The spin speed is not the same on any two planets, Remember, this is happening on a two dimensional plane with the illusion of three dimensions. 3. The Moon orbits the Earth twice for each rotation of the Earth. The simulation covers two rotations of the Earth around the Sun, or two years. Obviously the spin speed of the earth is not correct because if it were, the earth would spin extremely fast to simulate the actual single rotation in a 24 hour period. For two years this would be 730 revolutions while the moon makes 24 revolutions around the Earth (about once each month). Since this is all happening in two minutes, to simulate accurately the spin for the earth would be so fast that the simulation would be silly, so the only thing accurate is that the moon orbits the earth twice for each complete Earth rotation. 4. Notice the Sun complete with swirling gasses and flames.... So how this is all done will be eventually revealed along with instruction on how to simulate snow, move clouds, make swirling snow, make cubes, etc., but for now just watch and if you are interested and have no idea how this is accomplished, just think about it and perhaps some of the answers will suddenly become apparent. Link: http://www.lin-evans.net/p2e/planets.zip Best regards, Lin

Hi John, Just to be sure we are on the same page - is it the show called "puzzlesmallRAM" which "stutters" on the laptop, or the show with the smaller image (which is actually the large ram model)? The large RAM show has "Ta Dah" on the bottom black under the goats while the small RAM show has "Ta Da" in the center and ends with a spinning goat.... It's very strange that the small RAM show would be anything except extremely smooth because the entire show has a ram load of only the size of a single puzzle piece image on the large RAM model. If it is indeed the small RAM show which has a noticeable stutter while the large RAM model doesn't, then it's not the video card but some other variable causing this. Your video card on the half-dozen or so I've tested runs the small RAM model a smooth as silk and stutters a tiny bit only on the circling puzzle piece on the larg RAM show before it begins a counterclockwise spin before settling into the front goat's stomach area. Anyway, there is some other variable accounting for this rather than your video card if it's indeed the small RAM show with the stutter. In any case, your video card should be fine for producing any PicturesToExe shows. Best regards, Lin

LOL - some weeks are better or "worse" because I have less work these days trying to "retire".... Here's one you may have missed while enjoying the beach - I envy that trip - haven't been to the beach in a few years! http://www.picturestoexe.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=4680 Best regards, Lin

LOL - burning the midnight oil again - sometimes an idea just won't let go until I try it out. I've improved the simulation a bit now (same link) and added a bit of music. Actually it's more complex than it seems at first glance. The planets must rotate around the sun but not in perfect orbits. Notice that Mars and Earth are very close together at first as on the 27th of this month will be closer than ever before in recorded history. The moon has an elliptical orbit around Earth as does Earth around the sun to account for the seasonal distance differences. Also the planets must spin on their own axis at different rotational speeds. The sun "pulses" or gets brighter and dimmer with solar flares, etc., and the entire visible star field has a slight rotation. Saturn has to have rotational correction during the orbit around the sun to keep it from "flipping" upside down in appearance. Obviously nothing is anywhere near scale but just following "some" of the characteristics of planetary movement. The amount of control we have with this program is truly amazing. Of course these exercises are only learning experiences and have little to do with producing excellent slideshows with proper presentation and aesthetics and definitely over the top for effects, but also useful I think to help understand how we can use subtleness in movement and effect to enhance photographic images and the aesthetic experience. Best regards, Lin

What? You didn't see the eclipse? If you blinked you missed it - LOL Best regards, Lin

http://www.lin-evans.net/p2e/planets.zip Just fooling around, not to scale..... Lin

Hi John, Sometimes simplicity is best, isn't it? The snow was produced with PNG files created in Photoshop. There are three PNG files use in the snow effect. Two are used to produce the falling snow and one for the blowing snow effect. Before too long I intend to have a "free" How To tutorial on these various effects as a part of the tutorials Jeff Evans and I are contemplating for users of PicturesToExe version 5. All will be explained including the Photoshop manipulations to create the various objects. Best regards, Lin

LOL - Just for you...... http://www.lin-evans.net/p2e/planets.zip Lin PS - too bad we can't rotate on two centers to make it accurate. Obviously this isn't to scale and only includes the sun, stars, earth, mars, saturn, jupiter and the moon - hey maybe some day - HA!

Hi John, Your card has 128 meg individual RAM and should do quite well. Try the two video files I linked to on the post below asking about the same card. The small RAM version works smoothly on about any video card and the large RAM version will only run smoothly on a top-of-the line card. On your card all movement except for the single piece circling should be very smooth. Even on my ATI RADEON 9800 Pro the single piece circling near the end is slightly jerky. This test is a real torture test for video cards. "Flicker" is not usually caused by the video card but rather due to aliasing because the files have been resized. Very sharp images will have flicker whenever there is zoom or pan and small highly detailed subjects are not running at either native resolution or have been resized by PicturesToExe on the fly by the bilinear algorithm. When the same files are resized with bicubic or a derivative or other sophisticated anti-aliaing algorithm they will normally not have excessive flicker during movement. The issue with zoom is that the program absolutely MUST resize to render the executable. There is a built-in "blur" feature which takes off the "edge" a bit on overly sharp images or you can manually soften them with 1 pixel or less gaussian blur to minimize this. In the release version of PicturesToExe 5.0 Igor expects to modify the existing algorithm to greatly improve the operation. No matter what kind if video card you have, you will sometimes get flicker on pans or zooms. It does this with every program I've ever used to make the Ken Burns Pan, Zoom, Rotate effects.... Best regards, Lin

Hi Kenny, The ATi Radion Xpress 200M is a very nice card which will run anything you create on PicturesToExe in fine fashion. I just tested this card about 40 minutes ago with my two test videos and it works very well indeed. I posted a link to these two files some time ago but will post it again here. The first is a small RAM version which will run smoothly on about "any" video card with 32 meg RAM or better. The second one is a real torture test which requires 128 meg card which will handle heavy RAM loading and deliver great 3D graphics. If you put these two files on a flash card and carry them around when you shop, you can test any system's capability of running PicturesToExe files. Both these files use 32 layers to present the show, but one uses tiny PNG files while the other uses files which are quite large. The first file is called puzzlesmallRAM.exe and the second is puzzle.exe and you can easily tell which is which visually. The small RAM version is larger on the screen and says "Ta Da" while the large RAM version is smaller on the screen and says "Ta Dah". http://www.lin-evans.net/p2e/puzzlesmallRAM.zip http://www.lin-evans.net/p2e/puzzle.zip Best regards, Lin

Congratulations to Igor and the team! Great to have the transitions and the new circle feature is fantastic! Best regards, Lin

We average around 20 per week, give or take. Best regards, Lin

Hi Richard, Whatever happened, PicturesToExe did not "do" anything to your drive. PicturesToExe does not burn DVD's and has no communication with your DVD drive. Roxio controls your drive for burns but I doubt that it has anything to do with this problem either. The chances are really good that this simply happened while you were attempting to burn the second disk and has no relation at all to any of the software. PicturesToExe can either produce an AVI file or an AVI template which contains only the sound and passes the video information along to whichever program you use to burn the disk. To produce an AVI file from P2E you use the Custom AVI function which allows you to choose whichever codec you have available which is amenable to the particular job being presented. DVD burners have a quite limited lifespan - much less than you might expect. I've been through about five including three Plextor top-of-line, an HP and a Sony, and this in less than two years. The chances are that your drive simply failed for the same reason most do. If it's under warranty, get it replaced, if not buy another. Before you do either, you might try another burning engine such as Copy To DVD or one of a number of freeware to be sure you don't have some corrupted driver software (this also happens through no fault of any software). Best regards, Lin

You probably just don't have it set up correctly. Go to Project Options/Main and set the time for each slide to zero (on the left) and 2 ms on the right. Next set up each individual slide in "Customize Slide/Main" to zero and 2ms. Be sure to set no effect, quick transition. Here is a link to a quick executable set up that way. These are not sequential, just random 1024x768 images at about 500K each...... Press ESC to stop.... http://www.lin-evans.net/p2e/movietry.zip Best regards, Lin

Hi Ken, Yes, probably a bit more demanding on resources than the first because of the additional PNG.... The bird is a Stellars Jay - black and blue best regards, Lin

Fun with copy/paste http://www.lin-evans.net/p2e/fun.zip Notice the optical illusion at the end when the room appears to distort.... Lin