Lin Evans

Hi Dom, The music was all from freeplaymusic.com: (correction here) - not freeplay.com rather freeplaymusic.com 1. Saturn Winds: Todd Habermann Vol 2 2. The Wall: World Mix Vol 15 3. Red Sky: World Mix Vol 3 4. Under: World Mix Vol 3 5. From the Heavens: Drama Vol 6 Best regards, Lin

So true, but this is probably beyond either - LOL Lin

Hi Ron, NASA has furnished some spectacular photos - there's so much we can learn from these - what an amazing universe....... Lin Hey Al, It's amazing indeed! It makes me wish that I were a child again just to have the years left to see the developments the future holds. The scope is so vast that the human mind simply can't apprehend the possibilities, but we can appreciate the mysteries and grandeur and NASA has provided so much to think about.... Best regards, Lin

Hi Guys, There must be some problems on the internet between my provider and Europe - I get normal download speeds here. Perhaps try later?? Lin

In 1987 NASA launched Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 on missions to probe space first in our solar system then in deep space. Voyager, as some may remember was the subject on a StarTrek episode. The ship was discovered traveling through space but microscopic space debris had worn off the "O" and "Y" leaving only V GER so it had been named "Vger"... LOL This slideshow is another with slides largely borrowed from the NASA Hubble files. It runs a bit over 13 minutes and is about 35 meg in executable size so broadband suggested. http://www.lin-evans.net/p2e/vger2.zip Best regards, Lin

Would it be possible to have a "switch" which could sync the presently viewed slide in the Objects and Animations to the same slide in the slide list view? For example - I have a slideshow with around 60 slides and in the Objects and Animations screen I'm working on slide 50. When I return to the main screen slide list the default is slide 1. So to get to slide 50 I have to scroll down and I by any chance I didn't notice what the slide number was when I left the Objects and Animation view, then I must look through a number of different approximate slides to fine the one. If there were a way to choose to automatically have the main screen slide list sync to the Objects and Animation presently selected slide it could be a time saver. Best regards, Lin

That's an idea... and probably much easier to implement though I'm uncertain of how much true benefit it would be for the majority. I can see a few scenarios where this could be useful, but unless it was easily implemented I wouldn't want igor to spend much time worrying about it. Best regards, Lin

Hi Gilio, I think perhaps I can see some reasons for convenience sake where having independent tracks which transcend a single time frame might be useful. Let me give one such example. When I create a "starfield effect" with a blue/black star-filled sky and stars twinkling in this sky I do it by rotating a jpg behind the semi-transparent starfield. So as the variegated underlying layer rotates it brings dark and light across the star cut-outs thus creating a twinkling effect. Right now, if I want this effect to continue beyond the first slide I must insert it into each new sequence as the show progresses. Let's say I wanted to cut out only a few stars on each of your numerous beautiful starscapes so the twinkle effect would be seen on each slide. Then I would make semi-transparent PNG files rather than the jpgs as you used and poke a few little "holes" in various places corresponding to some of the stars and rotate my background behind each slide. To do this now, I would have to use my rotating background as an insert in each slide. But if there were a video track such as the sound track where we play mp3 "background" music during the entire show I could inset the rotating background as an independent "background" slide, set the proper rotation speed to give a twinkle effect and let this slide run for the duration timing of the entire show. This would be quite "convenient" but not an absolute necessity since it's easy enough to work around it by inserting it in each slide as necessary. Since a slide once used in p2e doesn't incur any additional "overhead" in terms of memory allocation when it is used again and again, the only real advantage would be in terms of convenience and I doubt that this would be something which most would used except on rare occasions when they have such a need.

Hi Glenys, Tell me where you will be in Arizona and I'll find a couple of stores for you which handle Jon's art (Jon Anderson). The art is Fimo Polymer Clay (a Fiore process) and Jon is considered the world's foremost artist in this venue. The process is very interesting. The designs start being made of bread-loaf sized clay and theses "canes" are then stretched over and again until they are tiny but still containing all the intricate design. They are then sliced with an exacto knife like flat potato chips and molded in tiny "tiles" around clay or wooden forms carved in animal shapes. Finally they are baked in an oven which causes the clay to expand into a single unitary piece. Jon was born in Arizona and was trained as an engineer but his artistic side took over. About ten years ago he moved to Bali and has a studio there with a number of craftsmen who help with the manufacturing of these unique spirit animal creations. They range in size from an inch or so (the little frog on the gold/malachite pendant is two inches) to some larger ones which are 15 inches or so. All the elaborate and highly detailed designs are clay, there is absolutely no paint anywhere on these. His art is sold in various places around the Southwest U.S. and there are a number of dealers in Arizona. They range in price from about $70 for some tiny pieces to several thousand dollars for some of the more elaborate larger works. So if you let me know where you will be in Arizona, I'll get you the address of a few dealers. Best regards, Lin

Hi Gilio, Beautiful presentation in every way..... What is it that you want to do which would require a second timeline track? You can have multiple objectes each on independent levels all with their own animations, transparencies, sizes, etc., as the program is. The essence is that you already have multiple timelines, you have a timeline for each object and you may have literally doezens of objects simultaneously so in effect you have as many timelines as objects already. The way this program works is that you don't "display" multiple timelines simultaneously, but when you select objects the timeline you see (providing you have a keypoint selected) is unique to that object. One object, one timeline, 40 objects, 40 timelines. All keypoints on a timeline with a particular object selected are unique to that object and its activity. When you click and drag the little blue arrow through the timeline, you see the entire activity for each object so you can insert additional keypoints for changes in an activity for any object sequenced to what other objects position and animation are. I really see no need for having separate timeline "diaplays" for each object as it would clutter the screen. Here's a link to a little puzzle slideshow which I made that has 30 separate objects, each with its own timing, animation, size, transparency, etc. all in motion simutaneously - in all 32 different levels of objects. I can't imagine how having additional "tracks" could possibly allow doing things which can't already be done?? http://www.lin-evans.net/p2e/puzzlesmallRAM.zip Best regards, Lin

The PhotoShop issue is a mystery to me. I haven't seen that type of problem and I tried to recreate it but couldn't. Be sure that transparency is set to 100%, check the "Advanced" properties and see if anything looks unusual - other than "normal" for settings. That would be annoying to not have the checkerboard pattern because you really can't tell necessarily where you have erased especially if there are similar areas of color in the layer you are erasing. Hope you find an answer.... Best regards, Lin

Hi Ragnar, No secrets - LOL - the starfield was created in Photoshop by creating a PNG file. Create a transparent image by File, New, then give a size of around 1200x1200 and chose transparent as the background. Leave this checkerboard appearing file up and create a jpg of the same dimensions with a dark blue/black color. Do a "Select All" then "Edit" "Copy" to put the blue/black image on the clipboard then close this image and paste the clipboard to the transparency. This leaves you with a two layer image having the transparency underneath and the blue/black image on top. Cut out the stars with the eraser tool. I used 1 pixel, 3 pixel, 5 pixel 7 pixel and a few larger ones. Vary the opacity to make faint or bright stars. The more opacity the brighter. Save this file as a PNG. Next create a white square of about the same dimensions (1200x1200) then use the Filter, Artistic, Sponge tool to make a variegated sponge-like appearance. Adjust the extremes of levels to make this black and white and if you wish splash around some red, blue and yellow in a random pattern. Save this as a jpg. Bring both into p2E, put the starfield png on the front and the variegated jpg behind. Next enlarge the jpg so that when you rotate it you don't have the "corners" showing through. In other words make it large enough behind the starfield that the variegated portion is always visible. Set this to rotate at a speed appropriate for the display time of your slide. About 170 degrees per minute of display makes a nice "twinkle" effect as the black, white, red, blue, yellow, etc., shines through the cut-outs on the starfield pattern. The Halley's Comet was an actual public domain photo which I pasted on top of a transparent layer the same size then feathered the edges with the eraser tool and cut out all which should be transparent to view. You then crop away all unessential areas. Remember the size and transparency of this can easily be set in p2e so you can make it larger to start or smaller and vary the size and transparency and speed as it crosses the heavens. The music is all royalty free music which I have purchased or from donations. I never use commercial music in slideshows - it's too expensive to buy the rights. There is lots of low priced royalty free music available on the web. I would suggest looking at Barry Beckham's collection which is very, very reasonable. I purchased eight CD's from Barry and they are excellent. There are also many free royalty-free selections around the web - just do a search. Here's Barry's link: http://www.beckhamdigital.co.uk/royaltyfreemusic.htm Best regards, Lin

Hi Don, Audacity works well, but any audio editor should be fine. I haven't used Premiere Elements but that should work. Best regards, Lin

Hi Andreas, The complete sound features are not yet implemented in Beta 3. These things will be added as testing progresses. Lin

Click on "Project Options" then click the "Music" tab, put a check in "Play Background Music" the add the selections for background music through the menu. For voiceover or single slide sounds click on the Browse (on far right of the Sound Tab) from the Main Screen and add the sound track for the individual slide. Lin

Hi Pat, If you either press "F9" or click on "File" "Create Slideshow" the program will create an executable file which you can run. If you just click on "File" "Save" the program only saves the pte template which is a record of everything you have set up with all the transitions and timings and background music, etc., for this particular slideshow. Please give us a bit more information about where you are in the process and which version of PicturesToExe you are using (the beta 3 version of 5.0 or the 4.xx version). At the very simple level, open the program, put a couple images in the slide list, press F9 then click on "save" and you will have created a basic slideshow called project1.exe. If you have already made a slideshow and clicked on "file" save" then you can open it again by clicking on "file" "open" and then press F9, give it a name other than the default of project1.exe and click on save. Pay attention to where it's being saved and look for the "filename.exe" (filename being the name you gave the show). Best regards, Lin

Hi Al, I should have been more clear. It's the "keyboard" arrows where the bug appears to be. Even if there is a keypoint actuated when you click on an object in the object list, the keyboard arrows don't function for navigation purposes until you click on a different keypoint. Best regards, Lin Hi Dave, Thaks for the clarification - I should have said keyboard arrowys.. the mouseclick arrows work fine. It is rather strange - something simple I think and easy to fix. Best regards, Lin

Igor, I believe there is a bit of a "bug" with this feature. For example, if I open P2E and choose a pte file then click on an object in the object list the right and left arrow do nothing to move between keypoints. However, if I subsequently click on some other keypoint, the right and left arrows suddenly allow me to navigate between keypoints. It's as if there needs to be a click on a "different" keypoint before the arrows will be actuated. Best regards, Lin

Hi Paul, Thanks! Igor, Aleksey and Pavel have definitely created a wonderful tool for us to help present our images in exciting new ways. I took the opportunity to see the website of Suffolk Masonry. I think that would be extremely interesting work! You have so many beautiful stoneworks in the UK preservation must be a very high priority. Here in the US, we have some, but none of the antiquity of course of those in the UK and in Europe where centuries of heritage are there entrusted to subsequent generations preserve and to enjoy. I should think that p2e will help you make some great presentations! Best regards, Lin

Hi Al, Thanks! Yes, there have been times when it actually worked to an advantage. On one partiular landscape shot there are pine trees in the foreground and the pine needles are moving and appear almost exactly as if the wind were blowing. I had to do a double take to realize I wasn't playing a high quality video - LOL. I'm not too concerned with the shimmer - it's easy enough to work around it where it doesn't play well into the theme and I think Igor will be adding some code for movement on very small objects which will ameliorate this in those cases. I would rather have the detail and resolution than a completely smooth image during zooms and rotates and loose the resolution and detail so I can definitely live with a work-around for problem areas. Best regards. Lin

Hi John, No, you're a long way from the 2 gigabyte limit - I doubt that's the problem. Once in a while I've also had problems with preview. Preview actually creates a temp executable file which gets overwritten or deleted each time you do it again. I've had a few occasions where the program couldn't erase this temp pte.exe file so the error message indicated to start Windows again. Have you actually cold booted yet? I don't know if this is the same issue, but you might try that if you haven't already done so. As for splitting the project I think at least in theory that you could do this, but I don't think you will have to. The problem I could see with splitting is the sound files if you have any. I suspect that Igor will be able to answer this question but before doing anything so drastic probably it would be better to see if the preview issue can be resolved. Best regards, Lin

Hi Jeff, Thanks! Actually my "day job" is photographing art for galleries and for art gallery clients who live in other countries and are interested in particular art objects on this side of the pond. I've tried to "retire" a couple times, but no luck - LOL, so I have passed a percentage of my work to some of my younger associates and have cut back on my travel and hours but still have a pretty large backlog of work to get out. I think that version 5 is going to be exactly the tool I've been looking for to create shows for these clients. Over the years I've done a good deal of audio/visual shows and in the past few years I've just ran video to supplement the P2E or ProShow Gold still shows from a P2E menu or as an object call from within a P2E slideshow. The video has primarily been to show alternate views of objects quicker than I could do with still images. But this new p2e is going to open lots of doors I think. Once Igor gets the video drop in capabilities incorporated and all the features included I think there will be much less need for creating some of the 360 degree virtual reality photos I've done in the past. The resolution on these has never been all that great but it does offer the client the ability to interactively "rotate" the object and see it from different perspectives. I've found that much quicker to do with a turntable and video camera even though it precludes the "interactive" portion, but with being able to use high resolution images the zoom in is now quite sufficient to allow intricate details to be seen. What we already have plus the ability to drop in a video clip will be the icing on the cake! I found a few "typo's" on my artists credits and had to re-do that file but I think it's all correct on the link now. Best regards, Lin

Hi Ragnar, I can answer part of your question - The non-linear (softer stop, etc.) is coming and will definitely be in the release version and quite probably in the next beta version. There are lots of features which are not yet incorporated into the beta. The "P" may or may not be one of them. I'm not certain what it does either - LOL, but we will find out and let you know... Anyone else know?? Best regards, Lin

Hi Dave, You can only do it with the Version 5 beta 3. Essentially you add the images through the Objects and Animations tab one under the other with no parent/child relationship. This will probably be too much for even this method because it requires extensive use of the video card and you are looking at 190 megabytes of compressed file load. This would require a 256 meg video card to process and most are not over 128 meg and that's only considering the compressed size (1.6 meg). The real load size of your files is much larger because each expands in memory to its true uncompressed size. In short, this may not be a viable solution for that many files. If you could resize them to around 1024x768 it might be feasible but if you intend them for a really large display screen that much reduction may not be reasonable. Best regards, Lin

Hi Dave, Actually the new graphical engine in version 5 beta can transition at 30 frames per second. If you haven't installed the version 5 beta yet, you might want to do that but install it in a separate folder from your present version. How many total images are you using and what is the pixel matrix (horiz by vert pixel count) and the file size in k bytes? You can put all the images in a single "slide" sequence by using the first as your "main image" then importing the rest into separate layers. Adjust the sequence timing by keypoint times between each and they can be displayed at lightning speed - no problem at all with simple time lapse. If you would zip up the frames and post a link to them, I'll be glad to put them in the proper sequence and post a link to the p2e zipped files so you can see how to do it with V 5.0 beta 3. Best regards, Lin