ronwil

I have upgraded all of my short "experiments" to Beta #3 and can confirm "Slide-show works more smooth on old video cards". My main computer has Nvidia GeForce 2MX installed. I am wondering now if I need to upgrade, as I originally intended. Maybe I should wait and see how other sequences behave. I have yet to try my projects on my Royale Digital Projection Unit, which has a similar video card but a different OS (Windows ME). Ron [uK]

For my slideshows I always produce an introductory sequence ending with a final image under which there are hidden buttons to open my various sequences. For this in Version 4.0 I use the Object Editor. This facility is not available as yet in Version 5.0. In 5.0, as one of my experiments, I have produced already an introductory sequence for my camera club Chairman's Evening next week, using the "Medallion" idea. With the release of 5.0 Beta #3 and the facility to "Close show after last slide" I had to think of how could I combine the two versions. My answer - Start with a background in Version 4.0, set to keep last slide on screen. Using the Version 4.0 Object Editor place a hidden button say in the top right hand corner of the background set to run the Version 5.0 Introductory sequence. On completion of the introduction it will return to the background and the show could be opened up using the same method by clicking on another invisible button, say in the bottom left hand corner. Ron [uK]

May I add my thanks also. I will now be able to show all of my experiments to Sutton Camera Club at my Chairman's Evening next week without having to press ESC after each. I thought something big was about to happen earlier this evening when I couldn't open the Forum. Since then I have been watching England v Sweden. Ron [uK]

Dom Also if on Beechbrook you click on "Select a Specific File" the sequences drop down in alphabetical order. My demo is titled "Intro Demo". Ron [uK]

I placed my Intro Demo, made in Photoshop and PTE, on the Beechbrook site over two years ago. In it two objects collide in space and explode into our Camera Club logo, before fading into a circle of "moons" covered by transparent objects to open sequences. I concocted the noise of the explosion in Audition from a sound effects CD. My Intro Demo is still on the Beechbrook site. Ron [uK]

I too had to turn up the sound on my system and even then it could have done with being a little bit louder. Otherwise OK. I noticed Lin that at the end you added an additional slide, by a slight movement in the overlay. Also that the sequence closed down after this last slide. I know that we are expecting this latter effect to be available in Beta #3, but how did you do it? Ron [uK] --+

Yes you are quite right in your assessment but it does show the possibilities, when used with more care and a better graphics card. Thanks, I appreciate your comments. Ron [uK]

I have made the modification to my HMS Gloucester cameo and reopened my topic "PTE 5.0 -First attempt". Thanks again for the idea John and my apologies for interrupting the flow of this topic "Route Progress on a map". Ron [uK]

John, in a current topic "Route progress on a map", wrote of giving "...the impression of forshortening, as the boat came bows on". This gave me the idea that I might try using a partial adaptation of the "Medallion" technique to make my destroyer veer as it comes up harbour. I have found it works and have modified the link which I quoted above. Let me know what you think. Ron [uK]

Ken It is just AA (Automobile Association) in the UK but AA also stands for Alcoholics Anonymous John's "The change, at the "U" bend was facilitated by a horizontal pan, to give the impression of forshortening, as the boat came bows on" has given me ideas on my destroyer "HMS Gloucester" with a limited use of the "medallion technique". At least I could make it veer as it approaches. Thanks John. Ron [uK]

I am still making sequences in PTE4, but keeping abreast of things in PTE5 rather than be faced later, as Eddie fears, with a steep learning curve. Have you noticed also the dearth of activity under the heading PTE Presentations? I posted a short "Tutorial" a few days ago which as yet has not been superseded. Ron [uK]

Paul In the case of the destroyer moving from top right to bottom left, the image was prepared in Photoshop. I used the polygonal lasso tool and fine tuning with quick mask to outline the image, drag copied it on to a transparent background and cropped. In PTE 5.0 with an open sea as a background and using Objects and Animation it was added, zoomed out and placed off image top right and keypoint set. Next it was moved to off screen bottom left, zoomed in and a keypoint set further along the timeline. For the foreground I added the same destroyer selection zoomed in further on top of everything and moved it into the bottom right hand corner making sure that the number D96 was not visible. The Spitfire was treated in the same way on another background but as a straight movement from right to left without a zoom. I hope that is comprehensible. It is easier for me to demonstrate than to put into writing. Ron [uK]

Thanks Ken. I forgot there were two sequences and had concentrated previously on the Airshow and not the Hurricane. Paul in his other post did refer to "veterans". My grandson in an article on a Veteran Motor Cycle Rally for our next Camera Club Newsletter, refers to me in words "we didn’t want to lose him among the other antiques!" C'est la vie! Ron [uK]

Paul I have just picked up your post, which appears to hava missed any comment from the usually most helpful members of the forum. I think you have an excellent grasp of what is avaiable at the moment in Beta #2. In my demo sequence "HMS Gloucester" (which is available on my website below by clicking on the thumbnail of a warship in the Links page), I have incorporated a Spitfire flying across the screen. You might likr to try that with your Hurricane. Good luck. Ron [uK]

I agree with thedom. What I am desperate for at the moment is for "Main>Show settings>Close show after last slide" to be activated. I think Igor said that this would be in Beta#3. Why I am desperate is because I have to present my Chairman's evening at the camera club in two weeks time, when I have promised to include in my programme small demos of the latest developments in PTE provided by Version 5.0. Ron [uK]

TheDom No. I have just done and it did. Another addition to 84 years of knowledge Ron [uK]

Boom! Boom! Thanks for that. When I clicked "here" in all cases, on my system it opened and played back in Windows Media Player. As I have this set to repeat even the single boom carried on booming. My solution, opened Adobe Audition, set it to record, then clicked "here" on TheDom's first boom stopping it after 5 booms, repeated it for the second boom and saved after minor adjustments in Audition. Booming marvellous. Ron [uK]

I think you will find that a change was made to Invision Power Board in December 2002 and is probably the reason why you cannot go back any further. I have done a search for my posts and that is as far back as I can go. Ron [uK]

An excellent production in every way. Thank you for providing so many ideas. The more one experiments with PTE 5.0 the more uses unfold. Ron [uK]

Whilst all this has been going on since my last post, I have worked through and written the following tutorial. Preparation of a “Pieces Puzzle” in Photoshop 1. Start a new image File>New. In the drop down menu, name it say “Piece Puzzle Background”; from the Preset select 1024 x 768 pixels; and from Background contents select Transparent. 2. From the Layer drop down menu duplicate the Background layer and name it Piece Z. 3. Open the image you want to “cut up” and resize it to 1024 x 768. 4. Select the image and with the Move tool drag it exactly cover the “Piece Puzzle Background”. Save it as Piece Z.png in your allotted folder. 5. Create a duplicate layer of Piece Z and rename it PieceY 6. Switch off the Piece Z layer and open the Piece Y layer. 7. Select the first area you wish to cut out as a piece and with the eraser tool cover the area to expose the transparent background beneath. Save as Piece Y.png. 8. Repeat from 5 to 7 until the whole transparent background is exposed, naming each piece in reverse alphabetical order Piece Z, Piece Y, Piece X etc. Size 1024 x 768 pixels has been used as an illustration. Ron [uK]

Gary you say "What I'd like to do is to be able to cut out a piece in an image and save that as a puzzle piece. Then cut another piece out and save it, etc... Until the entire image has been cut out and each piece saved. Sort of a reverse-crop. Any ideas...???" You can cut out the pieces and save what is left of each layer in Photoshop exactly as you have described. Saving as Lin has said as a *.png file. Then reverse the order of playback of each saved layer. So you would start with one piece and so on. Ron [uK]

Well done Richard. Two superb demonstrations of what can be done. It didn't like it when I touched the mouse though, but that was my fault. Ron [uK]

Lin's original tutorial contained a half page visual on seven out of the eight pages. Are you sure that the non-illustrated tutorial to which you refer was none other than a response to me in a former thread, which I found also very helpful. Ron [uK]

Irrespective of what has been said it was Lin's early release of his tutorial and help from another source which gave me the key to unlocking the rudiments of PTE 5.0. Ron [uK]

I asked a question yesterday in “Pinned: PicturesToExe v5.00 beta #2” above re other facilities not yet available, but please read the first part of the thread I initiated today entitled "PTE 5.0 - Non active buttons". I am quite happy to wait. Ron [uK]