Lin Evans

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

Hi Violet, There are a couple possibilities. First you could do as Dominique suggested and use your own logo, etc., as a PNG to lay over that same area. Another way would be to insert a mask and run the same video inside the mask but move it an inch up or down. Assuming there was a suitable area of background within an inch or so of the video, you could make the mask very small - about a quarter inch larger than the text all around and just run the same video both inside and outside the mask, except offset the one inside just enough to hide the text with the surrounding background. In the portion of the video you captured, just moving the inside video far enough that the text was outside the masked area would just show more "ocean" and look fine. On the other hand, if the background area were something with detail, it would look strange. Because you can keframe the video's position inside the mask, you could move it as needed by manually dragging the video navigation bar through the extent of the video and inserting a pair of keyframes as needed to move the video around inside the mask. This would be much more work than just using your own initials or logo, etc., but might be worth doing if it's really important. Without actually having the video to test, it's not easy to say which way would work best. Using your own logo or you own initials, etc., would work but it would be on every frame if that's not a problem. The "easiest" way, if you can do without that small part of the bottom of the video, is to run the video in a mask and just "cut-off" the bottom inch or so. Just use a rectangular mask, run the video inside. Hold the shift key and left click on the small black "square" on the bottom of the mask and "drag" it upward until the bottom of the video with the text is hidden. Best regards, Lin

Hi Violet Put up a screen capture to make it possible to see what you are trying to do. There are multiple possibilities, but without seeing it it would be impossible to give you helpful advice... Lin

Thanks Jim, You mean something like this? Morning Glory Pool link (about 14 meg) Best regards, Lin

Hey Ken, LOL - We're all excited about 8.0 - going to be fun for sure! Best regards, Lin

Hi Guys, Creating this little one minute slide was actually a good deal more complex than it might appear. It begins with rippling water in a lake then near the end, the ripples are gradually stilled. The complexity consists of animating portions of a scene separated by intervening objects such as the large tree. It's complicated by the vegetation in the foreground and around the edge of the lake in several places. I worked out procedures for getting this to look as natural as possible in terms of animating a still image. Obviously, the ideal way to do this type thing would be to set up a tripod and shoot a minute or so of high resolution video, then take a still frame without moving the camera. They it would be as simple as a two slide dissolve transition, but there may be times when that isn't possible, and the effect is still desired. If there is sufficient interest, I'll make a tutorial to show anyone interested how to proceed. It isn't difficult to learn, but it involves learning a few things about some other free software and how to combine the output and that of perhaps Photoshop, (or if you don't have PhotoShop, PixBuilder Studio will do nicely) to render the final slide. It can produce a very nice slide to spice up one or two of your favorite slides for a show.... Link to Autum Lake (about 13 meg) Lin

Hi Andrew - Fifth download was the charm .... worked perfectly with both PKZip and 7-Zip !!! Great job - what an extravaganza! I loved the little gals in "kilts" - that was cute. Were the Indios Aztec? Amazing how this has grown from "closing the beer tap" in the old days..... Loved it - everything works! Best regards, Lin

It's really strange - 7-zip returns this: I've downloaded three times - twice from the original and once from Beechbrook... Best regards, Lin

Hi Andrew, I can't figure this one out - I downloaded it from Beechbrook and tried both PK Zip and 7-Zip and neither would open the file. I don't know if something on my end is corrupting it or what's going on. I can open all the other zip files fine so it must be getting somehow corrupted in the download. Here is the size of the .rar file per Windows: 177 MB (185,880,637 bytes) Best regards, Lin

Hi Andrew, I've downloaded it twice, but both times I get errors and it won't open. I've tried PKZip, Windows Zip and a couple others... not sure what's happening... Best regards, Lin