denwell

Look under 'Project Options'>Screen>Screen and Slide - type in the pixel sizes of your images, check the box 'Fixed size of slide' - BINGO! If this is what you've done - I can't offer any explanation, it works for me. DEN (NE UK)

Not exactly seamless if a continuous sequence is needed with no (black) spaces, but an adequate enough way of constructing a long show out of separate segments. However, what Lin has outlined is as good as is needed to join separate segments together. If this is done, without the whole audio track, then it's a simple matter of adjusting/creating the audio to suit the longer sequence. It would be very tricky to just join small 'scenes' together, bringing part of different audio with them. It requires that the audio track is a separate entity, regardless of how the slides are added -all in one sequence or from separate segments. If the audio track are for completely independent segments, then just add these tracks to the music playlist in Project Options in their appropriate places in the order of tracks. I hope this is clearer to you than I've explained it here! DEN (NE UK)

Gary If you've not yet cracked the 'pause' command in the action to allow repositioning take a look at this. You need to check the box as shown to pause the action, to allow the necessary resizing/positioning of the crop area. When you have 'accepted' the crop, the action will continue. Good luck DEN (NE UK)

It certainly works on my system Gary - I get a square crop that's not distorted and when saved can be read by PTE as a project icon. The crop area can't be edited within the action - just moved around the image and sized proportionally. You could try to re-record the action from scratch on your system - there's only two procedures to record. The aim of an action, as I'm sure you know, is to automate long and complicated 'actions' in PS. As this one is a very simple and basic procedure, maybe it's best to create your 32x32 icons manually using the crop tool and mode change, and saving as .ico files. We've gone around full circle here! DEN (NE UK)

Phew I'm getting confused in my old age. The crop set here was 64px square - not 32px as intended. Here we go again - try this one. Fingers crossed. DEN (NE UK) Icons.zip

Gary I've retried the actions (in CS2) and get a square crop on all sizes! If you get a suggested crop that's rectangular, try accepting this and see if the resulting image is indeed a square by checking Image>image size. Beyond this I'm at a loss to explain it further. Actions are intended to make things easier but they can also be frustrating! DEN (NE UK)

Apologies - I've reworked the action set and checked it out and it should now give a square crop! Let me know if it's OK now . Icons.zip DEN (NE UK)

Thanks Igor - I see it now! Just a thought - have you considered providing the ability to 'scrub' the audio with the blue triangle in the O&A timeline now we have audio there? It would help to position a keypoint with more accuracy - even a quick reaction with the 'pause' control/spacebar can miss an important point in the audio track. DEN (NE UK)

Peter In the "Tools" menu (bottom RHS of O&A view) DEN (NE UK)

Igor Can you explain a little what the "Color view of keyframes" option is all about - I seem to see no differences in the O&A window? DEN (NE UK)

Here is a Photoshop action set to make 16x16px, 32x32px and 64x64px icons after installing the Icoformat.8bf file. Extract the set to your PS >presets>photoshop actions folder. Very useful shortcut to make PTE icons directly from PS - you can adjust the position of the crop before the action completes. I've used Irfanview to make icons previously but directly from PS fits into the workflow better. (See later post) DEN (NE UK)

Mine too - I presumed it was an audible warning that the .exe had been created OK. DEN (NE UK)

Peter A good point! I experienced the 'lock up' and weird screeching and then began to think about the need to produce two versions of each show, one as stand alone and one to form part of the menu-driven show - rather a chore and confusing if they get mixed up. I'm in no way technically minded, but on purely practical grounds I would support your suggestion to Igor. DEN (NE UK)

Thanks for that Igor I didn't appreciate that I would need to programme "slideshow.pte" to re-launch the menu, as it is already programmed to remain on screen - but it does work! This is a great feature, and I'm pleased to hear that the "wait for key press to advance" is to return soon to allow manual advance/reverse of shows. It just gets better! DEN (NE UK)

Igor Thanks for this great new feature which will be well used - but I can confirm what Ian is saying - both slideshows quit together. There seems no way to return to the menu! DEN (NE UK)

Thanks Lin and Tom I think the penny has dropped! Lin your animation is very realistic and is just what I was looking for - I'll try variations as you suggest. Tom - your leaves are good too but they don't seem to 'turn' towards and away from the viewer as Lin has managed. Lessons to be learned - I'm more and more amazed by this very powerful tool. thanks all DEN (NE UK)

Igor Does this mean that older slideshows (created pre 5.6) can be opened and re-saved in this version to access the "Run slideshow feature you propose? DEN (NE UK)

Thanks for that Lin I'd grasped the fundamentals of moving the centre of rotation etc but I would want the object (leaf) to fall fluttering side to side in small arcs, zig-zag style as it falls but keeping the same orientation to the viewer. Peter A has given me a starting point which I'll pursue but any further pointers would be welcomed. DEN (NE UK)

Can anyone give me any pointers to creating the effect of a leaf falling to and fro ? Also an object describing a smooth arc trajectory. Seems to me it could involve a lot of complicated keypoints, I hope I'm wrong but I haven't succeeded yet. Any thoughts? DEN (NE UK)

Do I understand it that in beta3 we still cannot use slide display options such as 'Wait for a key press or mouse click to show next slide'? I'm working around this by using a display time of 400 seconds and manually 'clicking' forward, but I'll be pleased to see the feature activated again -next beta? DEN (NE UK)

For what it's worth - I have succesfully converted a show of 18mins to iPod MP4 file with beta 1 (conversion time : 64mins) and also one of 6min duration with beta2 (conversion time : 18mins). My PC didn't appear to be stuggling, but used 100% resources, as one would expect. Both were produced into the same folder as the .pte, and both worked perfectly producing great quality videos on my iPod. So, to reinforce Fred's post, I run XP Pro SP2. Can this possibly be just a Vista thing? Have faith in Igor and his team! DEN (NE UK)

Peter I thought you would be deep in preparation! I find VLC plays anything I care to throw at it - and it's FREE see: Videolan DEN (NE UK)

Dave Muxing or multiplexing is the correct expression here I believe. It is the standard expression used when referring to the process of combining audio and video during production of a video file. "In video editing and processing systems, multiplexing refers to the process of interleaving audio and video into one coherent transport stream" DEN (NE UK)

Eric/Peter I find that it is best on location (if you have time) to leave AGC off and set the levels manually. The AGC seeks out low sounds in the background on location recordings and tries to amplify them, which causes 'jumps' in level back and forth from the main sound/voice. I've not done much 'studio' recording of voice overs but as you have complete control of background sound polution, again you are able to set the level manually and check the quality as you proceed with the recording, although I suppose the AGC should cope OK as it's only dealing with one sound source. It's only where you have to 'grab' the recording quickly on location when there's not time to fiddle with the levels that AGC is of benefit - horses for courses I guess. There are settings for the AGC on the H2 which supposedly adjusts the quality for a number of circumstances including speech, instruments, concerts and studio recording. There's also a limiter setting which should go a long way to avoiding clipping. I've not checked these out but they could be useful. This is my experience and I find the H2 copes admirably. Any 'dullness' in voice quality can be improved using voice compression settings in editing software which level out the high and low levels in the speech, giving a more consistent presence to the voice. This I find tricky to apply, but there are a few references to suitable settings on the net - trial and error, but perhaps beyond the needs of a simple V/O for a basic slide show. Persevere Eric DEN (NE UK)

You could also try - Produce a 10second silent mp3 track in Audacity- save- then in Project Options>Music>add music add this silent track, making sure it is positioned at the top of any other tracks you have selected. Hit OK and in the timeline you will see the additional time added at the begining of the sequence (indicated by a short vertical line above the end of the 10seconds). I keep a stock of pre-recorded silent tracks of various lengths on file to use in these cases. DEN (NE UK)