Lin Evans

Hi John, Click on "FIle" (upper left on toolbar) then on "Create Backup in Zip). The safe executable file for internet feature creates a digitally signed executable file and a data file and combines them both in a single zipped archive. The reason anti-virus software and various Window features are highly "suspicious" of executable files created by products like PTE or other programs which create executable code is that this code is not digitally signed. All major software companies which distribute their products have executable files - lots of them in fact. But these files are exactly alike in every case and they are recognized by a digital signature which is contained as a "reference" which is available to the OS and to various anti-virus companies. If the executable code does not have this digital signature, then it's highly suspect. Since each executable file produced by pte and other such programs are different in content, there is no way to digitally sign them so that they pass muster by appropriate testing methods. To avoid this issue, PTE produces a digitally signed executable portion and a non-executable data file. The exe file runs the data file and everything works identically except the data in not contained in the executable portion. This means that the exe file can be digitally signed and "recognized" as safe by Windows and anti-virus software by comparing the characteristics of the exe part with the reference in the lookup table. In short, it's a way to send out your exe files so they will be deemed acceptable not only to Windows but to various anti-threat software. Best regards, Lin

Hi Robert, Thanks so much for the report and break-down! Congratulations to Igor and the development team for creating a fantastic product which allows AV creators to produce such impressive shows! That 98 percent of the shows were created with PTE is indeed impressive! That speaks volumes about the utility of this great product. Best regards, Lin

Hi guys, Actually, Xaver is only trying to put things into perspective. This is the precise reason why PTE must also expand to larger markets. The AV market world-wide is not a huge market and the position of PTE among AV competitors is already at the top and for good reasons. On the other hand, to gain a much wider audience and more market share for the product, it's necessary to expand the presence of PTE into alternative lucrative markets Best regards, Lin

Hi, Only those sort parameters I listed are available. PTE is designed to "display" images rather than manipulate images and there can be no expectation that the images are original and unmodified as is the expectation with photo-handling applications such as Lightroom. In fact, in the great majority of cases, original metadata may have been modified or missing so that photos which had this data missing would not even be "available" to the user even though they might well be in the folder should this parameter be used as the sort criterion. Your best bet would be to output your photos from Lightroom in the order you want them if the metadata date of media creation is to be used as the sort criterion. Best regards, Lin

Hi, The answer to the first part of your question is that you can't. PTE uses the file name, modification date, type extension, or file size as sort criteria and you may "reverse" any of those parameters, but it doesn't use the original file media creation date. Very often, that parameter may be missing from metadata in files which have been modified without regard for exif or metadata, so it would be possible and even probable to not be able to see certain files if that metric were used as a sort option. Developers must make choices about how to present data and the sort orders mentioned earlier are those which are available. Does LightRoom let you "export" or copy them by media creation date? If so you might output them to a folder by that criterion. PTE offers the video file conversion "option" because some video is more difficult for computers with less hardware clout to display when the CPU must decompress a highly compressed file while displaying in the executable presentation. If you are creating an HD video presentation rather than an executable format for PC or MacIntosh, then there is no real advantage in choosing the "convert" option. On the other hand, if you are creating an executable file which may be used by a client with less than optimal hardware, using the converted video places less strain on the hardware and results in a smoother presentation by less powerful systems. It's your choice and not mandatory to convert your videos before creating your slideshow. Best regards, Lin

Hi Todd, If you will use the zip feature and post a link to the project, I'll have a look and see what the problem is... Best regards, Lin

Hi Xaver, I've downloaded the YouTube MP4, zipped it, and you can download the zipped MP4 here: Link to Dom's Demo Best regards, Lin

Hi Gary, As in any version of Windows, fonts can be added or deleted - you have only to have the fonts available somewhere to perform the process - see link below: Installing or removing fonts Best regards, Lin

Hi Eric, Think of it this way. Let's say your slideshow contains only two images which you want displayed for 30 seconds each. The executable code tells the computer to display these two images and keep them each on the screen for 30 seconds. There are only two images stored in the executable file regardless of the amount of time you want them displayed, in whatever order or if you change the order 100 times and display them for an hour. The entire executable file only requires a single copy of each image and it will display them however the instruction codes tells it to do so. You can zoom in, zoom out, rotate, invert, flip, transform, etc., etc., etc. You could display these two image forever and the executable file will not change size if you add these same two images a thousand times to your show. The computer only uses and stores the two images one time. The GPU of your computer is a "smart" device. It does what it is told and can execute a large number and type of instructions. If you zoom your image, the CPU or GPU can understand increase the size by 1 percent and display again for 1/60th of a second then increase the size by 2 percent and display for 1/60th of a second and so on. On the other hand if you create a video file, the same two images are "stored" inside the file as many times as they must be displayed per second. If you have your video set for a display of 4 minutes at 30 frames per second and your two images are 1 megabyte each, the combined size is two megabytes and they will be stored inside the file 30 times each second for a total of 7200 images. That's one image every 1/30th of a second or 30 images per second times 60 seconds per minute times 4 minutes. The "brain" of the display device, whether it be a beamer (projector), video player, DVD player, BluRay player or otherwise is very small. It has an instruction set which says "load and display this image for 1/30th of a second, unload this image, load the next image and display for 1/30th of a second, unload this image ...... etc., until it reaches an end of file marker. So the two megabytes combined of the two images then become 7200 times two megabytes in file size. This increases by a factor of 2 megabytes for each second of video display time. All "frames" whether identical or different must be stored inside the file. It doesn't matter how many images are in your "folder" - it's only the images loaded into your show which influence the size of the video or the size of your executable file. The executable file is only increased in size by the total size of one each of the images stored and only if they are different. If the same image is loaded multiple times, it does not increase the size of the file further. For a video, each time an image is used, it increases the size of the file accordingly. Best regards, Lin

Hi Gary, In the "executable" or "video" completed files, it doesn't matter whether or not your font resides on the computer because PTE has created a "vector" thus rendering the presence or absence of the font on the viewers computer inconsequential. It's only on your system if you preview the PTE composition that it makes a difference. Before the file is either rendered as a video or made into executable format that it's essential to have the same font resident. Of course if you want to work further on a show and recompile, then it does matter. One of the ways to get around this is to convert the text to PNG then use the PTE Zip backup feature to save the project. This way it will never matter in the future whether or not the font is missing. Best regards, Lin

Nice David!, A very useful and innovative template... Thanks! Lin

Hi Todd, If you have perhaps set the object to a "non-linear" mode such as "smooth" - you will need to set it back to linear before moving the object. If that's the case just click on any keyframe for the object then click on linear and that will reset all keyframes for this object. You "should" be able to move it then. The basic rule is do all motions "before" setting non-linear motion. Changing from linear to non-linear is the very last step... Best regards, Lin

Amazing use of PTE Dom!! Congratulations on an impressive presentation. I would imagine that in executable format it would be even more impressive! Best regards, Lin

Many years ago when the first betas of version 5.7 were introduced - before we had video capabilities, but Igor had introduced 3D transforms and some other neat features, I made this demo of PTE. For example, to rotate the Earth in orbit around the sun, over 600 PNG images and even more layers were used. Images were manually sequenced using around 2000 keyframes or (keypoints as they were then called). Masks had been introduced and good use were made of them. The demo included snow and water effects, 3D transforms, text effects, etc., and was a challenge for all but the better video cards in those days. If your system runs this demo smoothly, you can be assured that it will handle most anything done today. http://www.lin-evans.org/demo/ptedemoshowfull.zip (about 102 meg download) Best regards, Lin

See discussion here: http://www.picturestoexe.com/forums/index.php?/topic/15874-the-wnsoft-wavecache-is-it-limited-in-size/page__p__105186__hl__%2Bcache+%2Bfolder__fromsearch__1#entry105186 Best regards, Lin

Hi Robert, That's a strange situation. Have you tried installing an earlier version to see if it runs normally? It sounds like something is missing from the installation. I would uninstall completely via the control panel "Add/Remove Programs" then go to Program Files and erase any trace of a Wnsoft folder if anything remains and re-install the program in the Safe Mode. Also if you are running "any" virus protection software, turn it off. Actually, using the Safe Mode "should" disable anti-virus software. If that doesn't work, give Igor a complete rundown on the hardware (Video Card type, amount of RAM, CPU type, RAM, etc.). There are hundreds of people running PTE without a problem with Windows 7 so it's definitely something unique to your system. I would be highly suspicious of any anti-virus software. Best regards, Lin

Hi Jeff, Well it's great to have you back - stay tuned because some terrific new features are going to be available on the first beta release of 8.0 which Igor says will happen shortly! You will really like some of the new features which especially will make the video and ease of audio implementation a breeze. Good things are coming is what I'm hearing! I've been playing with effects and animations as usual - one of these days maybe I'll try to make a serious AV show! Best regards, Lin

Hey Jeff, Welcome back!! Where have you been hiding??? Best regards, Lin

Thanks Kieron, I added the link for download of the Sqirlz WaterReflection Freeware to the tutorials section this morning... Best regards, Lin

Thanks Jeff, I added a link to download SqirlzWaterReflection to the Tutorials Section this morning. This is really great freeware and has recently been upgraded so you can modify existing AVI files. Best regards, Lin

Hi Mary, That was eight years ago - we have an entire section devoted to tutorials here: http://www.picturestoexe.com/forums/index.php?/forum/8-tutorials-and-articles/ Best regards, Lin

Hi Guys, The water effect tutorials as promised are up here: http://www.picturestoexe.com/forums/index.php?/topic/7901-pte-made-easy-tutorials-continuously-updated/ Numbers 42, 43 and 44 Lin

Just for fun folks: http://www.learntoma...s/maldives2.zip (about 78 meg zipped PC exe) My MacIntosh link (and MacIntosh Version) Lin

Hi Violet, You don't "open" the VDF file, you follow the instructions on the VirtualDub page and install the file as a "filter" (Virtual Dub Filter - VDF) in the freeware software VirtualDub which you must either have on your computer or install first. My guess is that if you install VirtualDub and this filter, then run your video clips through Virtual Dub applying the filter, that it will satisfactorily remove the logo for you. Best regards, Lin

Hi Geoff, Thanks!! Yes, I will get on that first thing next week - probably have it up by Tuesday or so... Best regards, Lin