Lin Evans

Hi Fred, Riva actually encodes as FLV rather than SWF because SWF files have an absolute limitation of around 18K frames per instance and many slideshows exceeding about 9 minutes running time when converted to 30 frames per second would greatly exceed the SWF limits. The FLV format is a "streaming" effect which has no limit in absolute frames but is limited only by the storage capacity of the host (server) and viewer's computer (client). Though I have no P2E samples, I do have one test sample which is a "worst case scenario" we created to test this method. It has no "rhyme or reason" and uses the Ken Burns Effects (pan, zoom, scroll, rotate) indiscriminately just to push the frame rate. The slideshow was created in ProShow Gold (for the Ken Burns Effects) then converted by Riva and loaded to my server via Riva's own FTP. Here's a link - remember that this is a "worst case scenario" with about a seven second buffer (will take around seven seconds before the slideshow begins after the link is established). You can use "mouse over" to see the control panel for the player. When the curser is removed from the frame the controls will "dissappear". This demo is designed for broadband and used full frame, large and uncompressed jpg's. Smaller and more highly compressed jpg's would make the show run smoother and require much less buffering. http://www.lin-evans.net/testflv/rivatest.html Best regards, Lin

It seems that recently there have been numerous new users of PicturesToExe who wish to have their slideshows available on the web for people who visit their web sites to play without having the user download an executable file and play it from their computer. There seem to be a good deal of mis-communication about this - so this is my attempt to point those who wish to do this in a direction which will help them get started. First a few things to keep in mind. 1. P2E creates an executable file which can be run from any non-MacIntosh type PC from the hard disk or from a CD or DVD as an executable file. This file has the extension ".exe" which is a format which can't be run directly from the web for numerous reasons. 2. P2E "indirectly" can be used with other software such as Ulead's DVD Movie Factory to create a DVD slideshow which can be played on a television using most newer DVD players which support DVD-R, etc., or on any Windows based PC using Windows Multi-Media Player or other similar software. To do this P2E produces an AVI "Template" which allows the third party software to produce a viable DVD show from the PicturesToExe code. 3. There are several ways to play slideshows over the web including HTML code, Flash, ActiveX, DirectX, etc. Slideshows on the web "should" be kept to smaller file sizes with reasonably compressed images to conserve memory and resources. To convert a PicturesToExe slideshow to one of these other formats requires third party software and can't be done directly by P2E at this time. 4. There are two basic ways a reasonably long slideshow on the web can be played. The first way is called "streaming" where specialized server side software spools out the slideshow a little at a time so the user's computer and web connection can "keep up". This streaming software is very expensive and requires lots of technical expertise to set up and must be done on the server where your website resides. For all practical purposes this approach is limited to large commercial operations who have the staff and resources to put out such a streaming product. It's really not an option for most individuals. The second way in which a slideshow can be "streamed" is a process which for all intents and purposes appears identical to the end user. Technically it's done differently by spooling out the slideshow to the host's computer and then streaming it from that point. The software to do this is very inexpensive and very easy to implement. The up side of true streaming is that there is no way for the end user to "steal" the sideshow because it never resides on the viewer's computer. The down side is expense and technical difficulty. This second way where the slideshow is actually transparently downloaded to tue viewer's computer and streamed from there does present the slight risk of theft. Obviously for most of us we could care less if someone is sufficiently technically inclined as to steal out slideshow. If we really cared we wouldn't make it available as an executable to be downloaded, so the issue of "theft" is really moot. Now - just how can we create a slideshow in P2E and have it available on out website to be played directly without the user having to download an executable file? My solution is to use Flash. Other's have different opinions, but as of yet non have made their "solution" available, so here's mine for what it's worth. I use a product called Riva Producer Lite - Cost? $30 U.S. Link Below: http://rivavx.de/?downloads You will also need to download the freeware Riva Player which can be downloaded from the same link above. How do you do this once you have Riva Producer Lite??? First you create your slideshow using PicturesToExe. Next, instead of creating an executable, you click on "Video" as if you were going to create a DVD. But instead of using the default Video Codec, you click on the small circle next to "create a custom AVI video file" then click on the block "Video Codec" and choose Microsoft MPEG 4 Video Codec. Select the video size you want to have the show and let PictresToExe create the file. This will take about the same length of time as it does to create a DVD slideshow. Once the AVI/MPEG movie is created, you feed this to the Riva Producer Lite engine and provide the paramaters which are needed such as buffering time in seconds, etc., an Riva will create the code as well as provide the means to upload this code to your site. The Riva Player is simultaneously loaded to your site and when the user clicks on the link you provide them (this link can be inside your web code or just a link) the movie will play and you will have what you desire - a P2E show on the web. It will take most of you a couple hours of playing with Riva to get the hang of doing this - they have their own web site with forums for help. It's VERY easy to use and we have had no complaints from our commercial customers about quality of presentation. Is it as good as an executable file on the computer. Absolutely not. Is it good enough for web purposes? We sure think so and so do our customers. Is there a better way? I don't know - I haven't found one yet or I would be using it myself. It works for Windows or MacIntosh based PC's visiting the web. If the visitor's PC is not Flash enabled, this fact is automatically detected and the program will send them to where they can quickly download and install all necessary code to make their computer Flash enabled. Works for us - Lin

Mysty, Please read my response to Connie - same issue applies for you. To run a slideshow created in P2E on the web it must be converted into a web friendly format. There are several ways to do it, but the least expensive is Flash and you can purchase everything you need to make your P2E slideshow available on the web for very little. Email me and I'll be glad to tell you exactly what you you need to make this happen. It takes a little work but it's not difficult to do and I'll be glad to assist you and explain in detail. Lin data2@mesanetworks.net

Connie, The bottom line is you can't run a P2E slideshow from the web as it is. That is neither an executable nor DVD slideshow will run on the web. The user can download the slideshow and run it on their computer or you can convert the code to Flash or something amenable to the web and then anyone can run it from the web. Converting to Flash or other web specific formats such at html is not all that difficult but you do need some instruction and some amenable software. Full sized executable slideshows with large images have too much overhead for web use because it takes too much memory and too fast a broadband for ordinary PC use. If you want to email me I will give you some suggestions as to how this can be done. P2E can create an AVI file which can be easily converted with inexpensive software and run as a streaming type file where a buffer is set up and the slideshow is spooled out to the hard disk of the user a little at a time and is actually run from their hard disk though it appears as though it's running from the web. True streaming takes expensive and specialized server side software and is really only feasible for commercial enterprises. You can create a very nice slideshow which can be placed on the web and accessed by anyone who has Flash enabled on their computer (which is about any PC or MacIntosh computer). Lin data2@mesanetworks.net

Just a quick addendum to what you've already read. 1. Use Audacity or other sound editor to change the fades and breaks between songs to suit yourself. 2. The limits for a "single slideshow" (one executable) are not in the number of images, but based on Windows limits for a single file size which would be compatible with all present versions of Windows. That limit is currently 2 gigabytes. So combine the size of the individual image files, add the size of the combined sound tracks, add a small overhead for the executable file and keep it under 2 gigabytes and you will have the limits. 3. Smaller images dimensions or greater compression both will allow more individual pictures in the show than full sized low compression images. Lin

Hi Jim, That's essentially what the majority of our clients tell us. We quickly constructed and threw that one up as a test only - not a serious example of a slideshow. We put in zooms, pans and rotates just to test them. The shows with this kind of overhead in ProShow Gold work better on PC's over the web than on MacIntosh, ostensibly because the Mac Flash players are less efficient according to the developer. It's definitely far from a perfect solution to rendering a PTE show for MacIntosh, but so far it's the best way we've found and we've tried Java as well. The test show is way too large for a real example, but does bring out the "kinks" in whichever environment it's tested in. We don't expect the Mac clients to use the web shows but make them available for download as Flash to be played under HTML. So far we've not had any complaints so it is "a" solution, albeit not a perfect one.

Java will work as long as there isn't too much movement in the slideshow, but it's much less capable in terms of image quality than Flash, and Flash isn't great either. Once PTE has the Ken Burns Effects enabled, I wouldn't want to suggest Java as a solution. At present there is no "perfect" solution other than a good MacIntosh slideshow program. Any "conversion" process is less than optimal so he will have to pick from those available or find something designed for the Mac environment. Lin

Nothing, that works as well but it still must be downloaded from the web, etc., so the Mac user can put it on their own CD. The problem with either Flash or MPG is getting it into a Mac format on a CD or DVD. The reason I suggested using a Flash conversion is that the client can both download and run from a hard disk on the Mac or see it on the web. An mpeg can be easily stored on your server then downloaded and played on the Mac. Lin

This sounds like a problem with your broadband connect rather than with memory or hardware. It plays very smoothly on each of our seven PC's over the web with perfect sound, but you missed my point. The idea is not to play it over the web but rather to make an AVI movie in flash which can be played on any machine through html be it Mac or PC. Riva Lite is $30, what's the price for the PC emulation software? ..... When played from a CD or DVD the flash show is not subject to streaming issues and bandwidth considerations. Also, PTE shows don't presently have anywhere near the worst case scenario of ProShow Gold with the Ken Burns effects of pan, zoom, rotate, etc., which require much greater bandwidth. There are several ways this can be done, but our Mac Based clients are quite happy with our slideshows created in Flash with Riva Lite - it's just one suggestion.... Lin

LOL - but how does this help his clients? They would all have to purchase the software just to see his shows... Lin

You could consider converting a P2E slideshow to a Flash based show using inexpensive software such as Riva. Even on the web it works pretty well and on a CD or hard disk it should play quite smoothly on a Mac. Here's a link to one I made from a ProShow Gold slideshow. In practice converting a P2E slideshow is identical and will work even smoother without the pan, zoom, etc. Riva Player is free and Riva Lite is all you need (very inexpensive). You use P2E to create an AVI file then convert the AVI to Flash with Riva and play it either on the web or on disk or CD/DVD.... Here's a link to one of my samples: Lin http://www.lin-evans.net/testflv/rivatest.html

Actually, yes - and you "can" save a PTE show as an AVI and play it in Windows Media Player, etc. The "default" is to save a temporary AVI "template" used to create a DVD with other software but which is not the same as an AVI movie, but you can also save to a regular AVI movie. To do this just click in the Video Codec block and change from the PTE Video Codec to something like the Microsoft MPG 4 video codec and save. It will take a bit of time just as it does when you make a DVD slideshow using other software, but there is absolutely no reason why you can't make a normal movie which runs with Window's Media Player, etc. from a PTE slideshow. Lin

I assume the following is what you want. I'm a little unlcear about what PhotoShop has to do with it. The way to link so that someone can send you an email is described below. You can just use any word editor to create the file - actually just take the code below and modify and save it as a file with the extension .htm This small file should be added to your CD along with the slide show. It would be better if you had a menu to autorun rather than just jumping into the executable slideshow so that the email link could be chosen. Any link which opens the user's email program to send you an email should be an html file. You can create the file from scratch with any text editor, but remember to save it wih the extension .htm so that the browser will have access. I really can't understand the part about PhotoShop. Any text written in PhotoShop is simply a graphic (picture of text) so that doesn't work. Below the sample are instructions from PhotoShop for Saving for Web which "may" be of interest.... You just need a small "snippet" of html code embedded in a very simple html document which contains: <a href = "mailto:data2@mesanetworks.net"> Substitute your email address in the above example and add the normal html header and link code following. Here is a complete sample: <html> <head> <p><b><font face="Times New Roman" size="4" color="#0000FF"><a href="mailto:data2@mesanetworks.net">Click here to Email</a></font></b></p> </a></font></b></p> ></font> </html> Just write out the above and give it a name such as email.htm Lin How To Tip: Save a file to enclose in an e-mail message using the Save for Web option. When you save an image to enclose in an e-mail message, you want to minimize file size, while maintaining image quality. The Save for Web option lets you resize an image as well as preview different optimization settings. Each preview includes file size and estimated download time. Thus, without altering the original image, you can see the results of various settings and choose the setting that best meets your needs. Open the image in Photoshop, and choose File > Save for Web. In the Save for Web dialog box, click the 4-Up tab so that you can compare four different optimization settings. The Save for Web dialog box displays the original image with three previews using different settings. Click a preview to select it, and then choose a file format preset from the Preset pop-up menu to see the difference in quality. Repeat as needed for each preview. Choose presets based on the file format appropriate for your image: JPEG for continuous tone images, such as photographs. JPEG compression preserves a broad range of color and subtle variations in brightness, but does not support transparency. GIF for animations, solid-color images, and images with repetitive color, such as line art and logos. GIF supports transparency. If you want to resize the image, click the Image size tab on the right side of the dialog box. Enter the desired dimensions for Width and Height. Click the Apply button in the tab. (When you save the file, Photoshop resizes only the optimized version.) Select the preview that best meets your needs, and click Save. In the Save Optimized As dialog box, locate the folder in which you want to save the image, type a name for the file, and click Save.

I'm not certain what you mean. The purpose of quoting is for clarity so the reader has a clue which of the many posts the reply references. Yes, there are a number of variants of the Coolweb problem and some, as you say, are very sophisticated. This is why I linked to the site containing the free CW Shredder software which is compliments of a engineer/programmer who has been working specifically of the Coolweb problem since it was first detected. It's widely acknowledged as one of the best tools for eliminating these. The programs comes with Spyware Doctor but can also be downloaded free. It's not perfect, but then with these problems as you note, nothing is. Best regards, Lin

Just as an addendum on Spyware Doctor - It was just awarded PC Magazine's Editor's Choice - I just received this email: Lin Dear Lin, We are excited to announce that Spyware Doctor 3.2 from PC Tools has been awarded the prestigious PC Magazine Editors' Choice Award for the best anti-spyware software! PC Magazine reviewers found Spyware Doctor to be the most effective of all products tested in both blocking and removing spyware and keyloggers. In celebration we would like to take this opportunity to offer you and your friends a $10 discount coupon (EDITORSWIN) on new orders of Spyware Doctor 3.2 until the end of July 2005. You are welcome to share this special discount with your family and friends and help them to eradicate spyware from their PCs with the world's best anti-spyware software at a discounted price. If you already own Spyware Doctor and you are using an older version, we strongly recommend that you upgrade to the latest version 3.2 at your earliest convenience. All registered users of Spyware Doctor are entitled to FREE upgrades and updates within 12 months from the initial purchase. Last but not least, we would like to thank all our users for the feedback that has helped us make Spyware Doctor the world's leading AntiSpyware choice.

It's never "simple" - that's why it took me three days to get rid of the Coolweb issues. But the oriinal post I replied to asked about a specific software (Spyware Doctor) and my reply was simply to endorse that software and suggest also the associated program which allows the use to see what's actually loaded and running - and give a rough indication of the "danger". As for which dll is the "correct" one - the question should actually be which ones are "incorrect" and the best way to approach this is by their respective dates and locations. Whenever new files are added - regardless of whether they are "cloned" from existing files, they will have a different date stamp courtesy of Windows. This date can help the user make an intelligent decision about whether these .dll or .exe or .com files are originals or pretenders. Removing the offending files is not for the faint of heart, and prevention is stil the best "cure" - but when a computer is already infected what else is there to do? Yes, if there is a competent service near by where one can take their computer and have it cleaned that's a great solution - but this is certainly not always the case. Many users are miles from anything resembling "competent" service. In fact, the majority of services in my own area would simply low level reformat the entire drive and reload Windows. Great, anyone can do that - but what about the several hundred application programs (in my case) which must be reloaded? Many of these would require extensive research to recover install unlock keys, etc. - so this kind of "shotgun" approach to a repair is not satisfactory in many cases and since there are a number of users who fall into my category the next best approach is to methodically remove the offending files. Also, there are programs specifically dedicated to the Coolweb hijack issues. Below is a link to one which I find useful for both removing most of the Coolweb code and when it can't do so to help locate the files to remove manually: http://www.intermute.com/spysubtract/cwshr...hredder/092704/ Best regards, Lin

Hi Ronnie, I've found Spyware Doctor to be one of the very best (I use a large number of spyware removal programs) available and frequent free updates keep it at optimal protection levels. It finds and removes nearly every spyware with the exception of some of the latest Coolweb browser hijacks, which actually nothing is presently able to eliminate with the user doing some manual work. I was down for three days eliminating some of the Coolweb trash and it was a genuine pain in the behind even for an experienced user like myself. Be sure also to download and use the freeware version of Adaware.. I would also suggest purchasing the following: http://www.neuber.com/taskmanager/regonline.html This $29 package can be your best friend and help you get rid of problems which no spyware can presently fix such as some of the Coolweb browser hijack monkeys. This programe is called Security Task Manager. What it does is let you see exactly what is being loaded into memory and what is running in the background when you boot your computer. It also ranks the programs in order of their "danger" based on several criteria. Because any browser hijack or spyware will either lie latent to run at a pre set date or be actuated to run in memory, you can see the names of the offending files, start your computer in the "safe" mode then manually erase the offending files. Whenever a file is added to your computer it's dated with the day it was loaded. Because of this if you know the date when the problem first was noticed, you can search you files by date and quickly find the pesky little .exe files which cause so much concern. This tool is of great value to help you isolate problem files. Best regards, Lin

Just a quick refresher in case you get lost in the links.... Any CD must have a file named "autorun.inf" on the root (not in a folder) of the CD. This file simply needs to contain some very simple code as follows: --------------------- [autorun] OPEN=rockymtn.exe ICON=rockymtn.exe, 0 ----------------------- In the above sample simplly substitute the name of your own executable file for "rockymtn.exe" . In the vast majority of cases you don't need the second line of code but on some older Windows systems you do. There is no penalty for using it when it's not necessary, and I've never had a CD fail to autostart with the second line used so I would suggest including it. After the comma there is a zero rather than the letter O. One easy way to make this file is to simply go to the system prompt and then do the following: First type CD\ and press the Enter key. This will navigate to the root directory and your cursor will look like this: C:\ > Next type: edit autorun.inf then press the Enter key The editor will open on a blank screen. Type in the code exactly as shown between the dotted lines above (don't type the dotted lines). When you have finished click on File then on Save and a file named "autorun.inf" will be created on the C:\ root of your computer's hard disk. Copy this file using your CD burning software to the root of your cd along with the executable file which the code references. That's all there is to it. Save the file and next time you want to make another slideshow and place it on your CD just repeat the instructions and the already created file will come up in the editor. Change the name of the executable file to the name of your new slideshow, save the file and copy the new autorun.inf to your new CD along with the executable file which runs the slideshow.... Lin

Ron, I don't think it's really your fault that there are multiple posts since it's happened to numerous people. At times, for whatever reason, this forum seems to have issues which make it appear that when one has clicked on "add reply" nothing happens. So the natural inclination is to click again and sometimes for a third or fourth time. Then much later all "clicks" end up registering and multiple posts are made. It seems like a really slow server response sometimes.... Best regards, Lin

Yes, just use an mp3 to mp4 converter. The "identity" will be preserved, but the converted mp4's will work just like any other mp3..... Here's a link to software which does this: http://www.cd-ripper.info/imtoo_audio_encoder.htm Lin

Not "all" DVD players will play a DVD-R DVD created on a computer. Most of the newer models have the ability to play DVD's burned on computers, but older models could not and therefore it's not possible to make a DVD on a computer which will play on ALL DVD players. The process used commercially for making DVD's and the process used on computers is quite different. Commercial DVD's are not "burned" in the traditional sense, rather they are "pressed" using totally different technology costing many thousands of dollars. Also, there is little relationship between the cost of a DVD player and whether or not it will play DVD-R formats. I say DVD-R because it's more widely compatible with commercial DVD players than DVD +R. One of the least expensive, APEX is one of the "most" compatible with different formats. Here's a link where you can determine compatibility of many models: http://www.videohelp.com/dvdplayers.php Lin

Not being able to have a fast broadband is definitely a problem because you simply are wrong about this issue of Royalty Free music. You really need to hear what's available and unfortunately without broadband it's not going to be easy. In terms of "generic," it's actually just the opposite - it's more "specific" because the music is designed for "specific" purposes with specific moods, specific instrumentation, specific lengths with proper transitions, etc. It's good enough for a number of major motion picture companies which have multi-million dollar budgets and when they use it it's because it's "right" for the specifics of the theme not because it's less expensive. Royalty Free music is available recorded by some of the world's top musicians specifically for this purpose. About the only thing you give up is vocal by leading artists. As far as the music itself is concerned, there are literally thousands of incredibly good selections (this coming from a long time musician). From what you are saying I would assume that you just haven't had enough exposure to quality Royalty Free selections. If you know anyone with broadband you really owe it to yourself to get on the web and research the available, you're really in for a major surprise. Best regards, Lin

Though you "may" be able to use P2E for this type purpose, it's really not designed as a sales tools or a side-by-side presentation tool. There are tools designed exactly for this purpose. You may wan't to look here: http://www.imagefire.com/ Lin

I think you're right! - definitely my error here :-) Lin

Considering the fact that the latest version is 4.41, I'm wondering how you have version 4.43? Assuming it's just an error of a "couple" typo's - upgrades are free. Lin