think(box)

It would help a lot for P2E shows to have an "Always on top" feature. A PTE checkbox in advanced options could enable it for any type of show, windowed with/without border and fullscreen. With this capability a windowed show can serve as a selector that doesn't get covered up, for example. There are many other uses that I have developed using ugly DOS box "on top" and clicky windoze utilities that don't support script line or shortcut execution. Those utilites are cumbersome and the DOS ones always start with an ugly DOS box. PTE could do it with a really nice looking check box.

Greetings to all, Now that caption of show is available in PTE you have another option: The window title, that you now fully control, may be used to control all shows from a central script. All PTE shows can have a known window title from caption of show, for fullscreen or windowed shows. Search the forum for notes about AutoIt, a free windows scriptiing application that makes custom scripts in universal .exe form, always 40 to 50KB in .exe size. It is fairly easy to learn and the help file is very well done and includes examples. I have been making shows already that capitalize on Window title captioning that I now fully control. It works great! You can have any conditional combinations, detection, running and stopping of shows, menu shows etc. and you can decide what show to place "on top" (in view). A click-happy user is no longer a problem. If you need it, the script .exe file can be hidden and encrypted against tampering users by a simple command in your script file and in the script to exe converter that is provided with AutoIt. I believe that the many new features of PTE are great because they allow me to make shows that are more simple than ever to the person watching it. I make it a breeze for the novice computer user, and no operating manual is required. With AutoIt I am making linked shows that require no clicking of the mouse, have independent music control and mouse-over activation of anything. All thanks to PTE advances and AutoIt.

I have found that icon success is measured in icon file size. You may think you've done everything correctly, but if the icon file size is larger than 2238 bytes for 32x32x256colors then it won't work in PTE. This shows as 3KB in Windows Explorer, so you have to get the exact number from the icon file "properties" sheet. Further, for 16x16x16colors, 318 bytes is the magic number. Because icons can have oddly complex contents, just experiment with your icon tools until the file size is correct for the intended icon image size and color depth. Then you can count on it working in PTE. I suggest making and using only a 32x32x256 icon for PTE. Windows will reduce to 16x16 where needed, and will do it with good quality.

Pete, if I understand correctly then you are in luck. Granot has exactly what you need: Click here for Granot's utilities - find and download number 68, PTEpics PTEpics.exe makes a .txt file like this, displaying pic file paths and names from chosen or default .PTE file: C:\Folder1\Pic100.jpg C:\Folder6\Pic200.jpg C:\Folder3\Pic600.jpg These are hypothetical paths and names. The idea is that however you've coded your show, that is how they are listed in the .txt output file. Here is Granot's help text:

I agree with Jim. I've had path delights when moving in levels of hierarchy on the same drive and between drives. This is one of the more frequent reasons for having to edit the .pte file manually. I think the best relative path source is the folder containing the .pte file, and that it is OK to require that the .pte file is at the top of storage hierarchy for image and sound files. The .exe file should have no relation or restriction though. For example, I make large shows and often have to create the .exe elsewhere due to space constraints.

Sharon, I share some of Barry's reaction in that it is a visual processing overload, being bombarded with rapid and sudden changes constantly. In thinking about all of the feedback I came up with another show idea that may be of interest in fractals. Instead of using dissolves to fade or effects to transition from one to the next, what if you use morphing software to make some intermediate frames and fade (fast is ok, or both) between those frames? The fractals would have to have some relationship from one source image to the next, and that may be tough. And the fine detail may not morph well(?) I don't have enough experience in morphing images to know. How does this sound? Any good morphing software tips out there? BTW I really like some of the fractals from the linked site.

Did you try sending mail to Igor on this? (Igor@WnSoft.com) Extracting images from .exe is a sensitive topic with regards to image theft, as I'm sure you know. It can't hurt to ask. Maybe he has a time-disabled utility.

Oops, sorry Ron. It should be an additional checkbox in my post from 8:56AM. We should only add features and fix incorrect behavior for existing ones. I didn't mean to replace the feature for after the last slide completes. I'm not sure whether you are saying there is a problem right now - does the present Run application after last slide in the Project options, Advanced tab have any incorrect behavior?

Sandra, here's how: In Project options, Effects screen click the button to uncheck all boxes. Then check the box for Fade in/fade out. In the Effect duration box enter a number like 3000 for a 3 second smooth dissolve. You can do custom effect settings in the Customize slide screens too.

For linking shows and other applications I would like to see an alternative to "Run application after last slide": Run application after exit (with app name box) This way if the person watching a show clicks an Exit button in any slide or presses keyboard Esc or Enter, then P2E will start the specified application as P2E exits.

Many would like to see CD and DVD support for P2E shows, either in the form of native support from PTE or by using a .EXE converter or other PTE family application.

cc, I have a print utility that may work for you if you haven't found anything yet. I just sent email to you through the forum for a return email address.

We've all accomplished so much since beta 1 was released. Most of all Igor, Aleksey and Wnsoft have substantially advanced the state of the art in show software. PicturesToExe is more capable, flexible, reliable, faster and simply more impressive than ever. Thank you all. And what's all this talk about anyone taking a rest from situation normal? (no afu!) Speaking for myself, as soon as v4.10 started showing signs of life I resumed making shows that are now better than ever. I have GB's of them lined up for production.

While Igor is busy with 4.10 release preparation and "quiet time" to receive everyone's final test results, we can take all of the requests that were deferred to next version - and new ideas too - and organize them for Igor's future consideration while still fresh in our thoughts. There are standing wish lists around, but these generally aren't being edited after each release. For starters, I would like to request windows style "TOOL TIPS" for images used in the visual object editor if this can be done in PTE. It would be great if there were a two-way choice, that they can show either the photo image file name or an entered name. This method can display a name for a visual object editor image, clickable or not, so that we don't have to build it into the image or add separate text in the vis obj editor. Since tool tips go away with mouse position or elapsed time, they don't always cover up part of a picture. This is particularly important in thumbnail images.

Everything is ready to go now from my testing!

I was sure I read 400MHz the first time Al, but 400 KiloHertz? Now that's slow Sharon, the sound-pic sync worked fine on my 400 MHz system.... And even that is slow I did a quick look around on the site, and I can see there is some interesting exploration ahead. The fractals and the site are all quite well done. Thank you!

Thank you Igor - the server is back and I tested beta 16. One Item is fixed , but one is not Part 1: I tested the GDI Resource leak and it is still there, unfortunately. It seems to work no differently in beta 16 when compared to beta 10. I found that I didn't even have to actually edit anything in the visual object editor. It takes no more than the sequence of clicking Object Editor, then OK and repeat. About 1-2% of free GDI Resources are consumed every time the sequence is repeated. If it helps to know this, the show parameters used are: Windowed, 400x80, Customized slide comment (that displays when you go into vis object editor), PTE navigation bar with five of the possible PTE navigation commands used (that also displays in vis object editor), and a single object button (by the way, not transparent), with button action (any action can be used (maybe even none?) - I tried Exit and Help actions with no change in leak). The system is Win98SE, and PTE is v4.10 beta #16. By the way, I don't see this as memory being consumed until failure. It is just free GDI Resources that are running down to nearly zero before I stop repeating the "vis object editor, then OK" sequence. And once again the increasingly consumed GDI Resources from that simple repeat action are all freed upon PTE exit. Part 2: The Caption of show change was tested in window with border, window without border and fullscreen modes, with a Caption of show and without a Caption of show (hence default applies). Eveything is flawless in Window title caption (window with border) and task bar caption (all six test combinations). Looks great! Thanks Igor

Al, I was hoping that it would be just right .... If only I could download beta 16 and try it! Igor, the server for downloads (or the network path to it) has been down for over two hours. I'm anxious to check out beta 16 (thanks!). Could you please take a look at the server?

You are welcome! I would like to add a note about P2E shows and TaskInfo2003 or other system utilities: P2E shows on older, slower systems are sensitive to the performance demands of other applications. TaskInfo2003, like other system utilities operates at a higher priority than normal applications. P2E shows are normal priority applications. Hence it may be best to disable monitoring tools like TaskInfo2003 (and any others that monitor your system constantly) when viewing P2E shows or any video intensive applications, like a movie player. At all other times, including when developing P2E shows in PTE, it is best to keep monitoring tools like TaskInfo2003 operating and monitoring for problems. Use your judgement on this. For your system's needs try watching a performance intensive P2E show and a movie with and without monitoring tools enabled. If you find there is a difference in viewing quality then considering the suggestions in this note.

Wow, this is great Leif - and a very helpful tip. The screenshot shows that a sortable file name is used for rename from EXIF date info. So if we edit various photos at random times this won't change the sorting in PTE, as long as we have PTE sort by file name. I like SetNameToTime's non-cryptic photo date/time when compared to my camera software's choice.

Igor, I found a GDI Resource leak bug. This time it happens when I run the PTE visual object editor. I lose about 1-2% of free GDI Resources every time I go into the object editor to edit the action of the only object present (a button), and then return from the object editor. According to TaskInfo2003 not all of the GDI Resources are freed when I OK the object editor. I discovered this while editing a show in 4.10 beta #10. If you know that you have not changed any code related to the odject editor in beta 11-15, then this bug is still present. Please let me know if you are not sure and need testing on beta 15. TaskInfo2003 just saved me from a crash due to this bug. I had to stop editing, save .PTE, exit PTE (this frees the GDI Resources) and then run PTE again to continue. Love it!

Igor, you posted this at the same time as I posted a minor new bug in beta #14 topic, FYI.

Want to KNOW when your system is headed for a crash in time to prevent it? Another great Russian software developer also named Igor can help you! Why has Microsoft never provided a feature to alert a user that their house of cards operating system software is headed for disaster? After having the GDI Resource problem from this topic thread I researched, purchased and installed software called TaskInfo2003, in order to get full info about Windows status, tasks and threads and to be able to control them. One of the features of TaskInfo2003 is an alerts alarm system. I just received the first alerts alarm in a small, always on top window that appears in lower-right screen corner until the alert condition goes away or I close it. The alert condition encountered is none other than the subject of this topic thread, a Windows graphical limitation heading for failure. Here is the alert content: Low GDI Resources Alert Level 30% Free GDI Resources 26% Alerts Configuration Help This happened after about a tenth window was opened, supporting Igor's claim that there is a system-wide limit for GDI Resources that can bring the system down if you run out (proven ). There are other Alerts for Low Resources (GDI Free %, USER Free %, GDI Objects, USER Objects and Windows total), Too Many Win32 Handles, and Low Virtual Memory. The help info says that all information, controls and alerts are Windows version context sensitive (for Win98SE I get the items mentioned). The software supports all versions of Windows. In the main app window you get histogram displays of all system activity and resources, including network and Internet activity. Everything is configurable to display what you want and in the way you prefer. And there are several quick access tools to control your system and its resources. This is really great because I can find out that Windows is about to crash and keep it from happening in many cases. And there is an on-going indicator to help as well - an animated taskbar tray icon that displays swap file and RAM use in micro bar chart form in one third of the icon and a CPU utilization histogram in the other 2/3 of the icon (you can change displayed info). TaskInfo2003 was written by another great Russian, Igor Arsenin, who may even be known to Igor Kokarev, the PTE founder we all know so well, through professional organizations. Igor Arsenin graduated from Novosibirsk State University (Russia) quite some time ago and started Iarsn Company (Igor Arsenin) from his own web site. It is now a big business. If you want to read about TaskInfo2003 and/or Igor Arsenin, click this link: TaskInfo2003 information (www.iarsn.com)

You're welcome Igor, and I thank you! I found a minor new bug that appeared during 4.10 series: Minor functional bug in 4.10 series, just found in 4.10 beta #10 show made from 4.01 .PTE file, then tested in beta #14 - and it is still there. Characters are vanishing in customized Help text, while in 4.01 and earlier they did not vanish. This was discovered in created show, but I found that you can see characters were lost before creating show by just looking in the Project --> Customize Help Message, help text window. To view the failure: Put this actual help text line in a .PTE file (from a working 4.01 .PTE file): hlp_line1=========== Music Player Help =========== Open that .PTE file in 4.01 and look at Project --> Customize Help Message and that line displays: ========== Music Player Help =========== Open that .PTE file in 4.10 beta #14 and look at Project --> Customize Help Message and that line displays: Music Player Help =========== In 4.10 beta #14, the "=" character and <space> characters vanish up until text begins, while in 4.01 and 3.80 they did not vanish. If you save the .PTE file from beta #14 after putting back the missing characters, they are once again in place in the .PTE file. But the problem repeats when show is reopened. I.e. it doesn't matter whether you've saved to .PTE from 4.01 or 4.10 beta #14. The .PTE file read-in is where the character loss happens in beta #14. This is known to exist in betas 10 & 14. I do not know at which beta in the series the .PTE read-in module was changed, only that it was OK in 3.80 and 4.01.

I can add to the confusion (like we need any more) Jim, Ken, Al - I am using shows with 5,000 to 14,000 slides that I've programmed to random slide selection and they almost never repeat a slide in 30-60 minutes of random play at 3 seconds per slide. These shows were made with 3.80 because 4.01 has huge 1+ minute show loading/starting times in large shows (and the shortest load time in small shows, adding to the confusion) while 3.80 does not. Since Aleksey has found a way to make 4.10 take only a few seconds to load for the same shows, I've been meaning to re-Create these shows in 4.10. Since 4.10 beta 10 is the last version with taskbar captions working properly in fullscreen mode, I will use that version. I'll add a datapoint about the 4.10 series to Jim's datapoint about 4.01, regarding the question - does random play still seem random. Since software-generated random numbers are often not so random, there is some chance that Igor is using a striding or other method that will have non-random play for certain numbers of slides. So Jim, have you tried a different number of slides in a test copy of your show, like + or -10 or so?