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In the current versions of PTE, opacity is the one keyframe-controllable property that cannot be inherited via the parent-child relationship. And part of the reason is that the frame is not really a frame, it's a zero opacity rectangle. This can readily be demonstrated: in the O&A window add a rectangle and note its icon in the Objects list, then change its opacity to zero and now note its icon. Do the same with a Frame, changing its opacity to 100%. When the v5.0 animation came out I campaigned unsuccessfully for opacity to be inheritable in a selectable manner. I do not want to change the default behaviour of PTE; I realise the immense benefits of being able to fade in/out the individual objects. But for those who sometimes build complex animations, there is often no easy way to fade out a complex structure whilst retaining all the animation of all the other objects. Using version 5, I produced an animated sequence called "Kaleidoscope" which involved over 700 objects on the slide at any one time. Ideally, I would have loved to fade out the various structures one after another. But that would have meant programming 1400+ keyframes to control the opacity of each of the individual objects. Whilst v6.5 was in beta, I produced my "Rubik's Cube" sequence: it had 54 facet images. To programme the fade out of these on the last slide required 108 keyframes. But that cube sat under a master controller frame. Now imagine a version of PTE that allows the user to say: "for this parent (a PNG image of nothing), I want you to impose inheritance of opacity on all its children and children's children - to the bottom of the stack". I could have faded out the entire cube with just one pair of keyframes on the master frame. I have no idea what the programming complexity of this feature would be for the team, but I think it would add immensely to the ease of coding complex animations. regards, Peter

Having had to buy a new PC system (to replace my Vista-based desktop system following its sudden demise) I now find that Windows 7's font collection doesn't include all the fonts that Windows Vista's collection had. That, in turn, didn't have all the fonts that XP's collection had. By opening the PTE project file into Notepad and doing Edit...Find for the text font I have been able to establish the font names that I used in each sequence. I am now having to check every single sequence I have ever built (over 50 of them totalling in excess of 5 hours of running time) in order to identify all instances of "missing fonts" - and then make a decision as to the replacement font. PTE uses some rule or other to select a font to replace the missing one - but that font often is of a size that is different to my originally selected one. I feel that it would be useful for PTE to draw our attention to missing fonts in the same way it draws our attention to missing image files and missing sound files. Further, I feel it would be helpful if PTE showed the font name from the project file in the O&A Properties tab, even when that font is missing on the system. This font name should be either highlighted or greyed out to indicate that the font was missing on this system. I would also welcome some advice from Igor on the exact "rule" that PTE uses to select a font to replace one that it finds is missing? N.B. I know that the original exe files don't have a problem. However, I always run off a menu sequence using "Run Slideshow with Return" to launch each sequence. Each menu is customised to suit that specific audience; and so I have to redo the Create of the EXE files using the latest PTE version. Following the PC system replacement I have had to re-build two forthcoming evening's entertainments. This has highlighted the problem of "missing fonts". regards, Peter

Greetings, It would be very helpful if an Exit button is added to the Video Nav Bar. Gary

Presently, it seems that we can only use True Type Fonts within PTE. It would be fine, if Open Type Fonts could be used, as well. Regards, Xaver

Adding options in right click in project exe including : Next Slide, previeus slide, stop, pause , About Artist , Email , Web , comment about this slide ,...

Hello all I have created some title slides in an PTE file - but want to transfer them to another PTE file - can I save the created slides in a folder for easy transfer, or will I have to transfer each created slide individually. Many thanks

I am using PTE 6.5 and I would like to set it so that the project file is stored in a folder of my choice as default.

Igor, I am not shure if it is worked out or a bug, but in the Q&A window, it is no longer possible to move the key-points on the fly. It its a crime to get the key-points in sync with the music when we have to press the stop/pauze buton first, move a key-point and press play again until its like we want it. Before, I am pretty shure it was possible to grab a key-point, drag it anywhere else and drop it, while the slide and music start playing again from the moved key-point again. Or am I wrong? Kind regards, André

In a future version, in the O/A window, I would find very useful to be able to watch end of previous slide and beginning of next slide too. It would really help to make micro adjustements (PZR) of objects in the current slide.

Igor, Would it be possible to differentiate between the Icon used for PC and Mac? Even a little "PC" or "MAC" in the corner would be better than having to include it in the title as is necessary at the moment. Thanks John

Hi, Igor. I make synchronized slide shows with PTE, but I make also simple slide shows "à la Powerpoint" for lectures. In this case, I use the keyboard or the mouse to navigate through the slides, and it is just fine. Sometimes, during this lectures, I need to present a large document in witch I want to pan and zoom on demand. This is not possible with PTE to-day, and I have to open a different image browser to do so. It would be nice to get a toolbar witch would be activated only when the slide show is temporary on hold. PTE is mainly designed for automated musical slide shows, but it is also widely used like a manual slide show for lectures, and I am convinced this capability would be broadly appreciated.

This may be of interest only to those who build complex multi-object images with complex animations. I would find it very useful to be able to add a text object to the object stack that I could then use to document the details of the technique I have used on that slide - and the reasons I had for doing it that particular way. At present I do this by adding a zero-opacity text object. But the viewable area for a text object is so very small in the Properties tab. What I have in mind is a new object type: e.g. Comment - using icon C. When added to the slide this would open up a large pop-up window into which the documentation details could then be added. I would not want any fancy text formatting in this window - although word-wrap would be very, very helpful. This new object would never be part of the visible slide at any time. It would be there simply to remind the user, at a later date, why the slide was put together the way that it was. regards, Peter

I have found, when building my animated sequences, that there are times when it would be extremely useful to be able to change the status of the 3D Parameters "Show front side" and "Show back side" at a keyframe - effectively turning on or off the visibility of that object instantaneously. I recently wanted to have a cube that had different images on the outside and inside faces and which then "exploded" revealing both sets of images. To achieve this using keyframes and opacity control would be very time-consuming. Had I been able to switch the state of "Show front side"/"Show back side" at a single keyframe, the programming of the sequence would become much simpler. regards, Peter

Igor, Now that video has been released, albeit in its first beta version and with presumably several months of refinement before it is complete, may I put in a request for attention to be directed urgently towards the way in which audio is presented. Quite frankly, in my view as things stand at the moment the situation is pathetic. Sorry to be so blunt but I feel I have to speak my mind. I do not want any additional audio facilities (I can use other programs for that) I just want to use the facilities that are presently available in a user friendly fashion. Quite simply as we are all in the business of telling stories through images I have attached a VERY BASIC illustration of what I believe is required. Regards and congratulations on what you have achieved with video. John P.S. And AFTER you've finished that I would love a Mac version of PTE !!

A major disadvantage of PTE is the fact that images can only be animated within the lifetime of a single slide. I would like to see a mechanism which allows to keep an image across the lifetime of several slides and an appropriate way to program animations. A typical example: You want to show a constantly zooming background across the whole show, but you do not want to program the show within a single slide. Regards, Xaver

I'm trying to think of a way to make this easy to understand so I'll try it like this: Go to O/A screen Add several keypoints On the Animation tab customize the Pan / Zoom / Rotate speeds by "Setting Up " | Glue or separate keypoints Problem: To make a smooth animation, often we may have to separate or glue every single keypoint for each: Pan / Zoom/ Rotate Solutions: 1. Have a "Glue All" and "Separate All" buttons that do everything all-at-once for risk takers a. "Glue All" and "Separate All" for each option: Pan / Zoom/ Rotate b. "Glue All" and "Separate All" for all the points in all three: Pan / Zoom/ Rotate at the same time 2. Make Pan / Zoom/ Rotate tabs for the "Speed Options" dialog box so that gluing and separating could be done without opening and closing so many separate dialog boxes (and if you are me -- forgetting at least one of them). I hope this is kind of clear? jk

Igor I often find I have a need to know the length of my exe file, but unless I am missing something it doesn't display anywhere in the properties of that exe file. If I right click and exe in Explorer I cannot find any reference to the slide show length. I appreciate that I can find out from the project file, but that is now stored off the PC and inconveneinet to locate. it would be quicker to play the slide show and time it. Can this information be put into properties like it is with Videos?

Would it be possible to have the option to load images into a new project via a text file listing the full path and name of the file?

Would it be possible to have the option to load images into a new project via a text file listing the full path and name of the file?

In the OA window,when I copy and paste an object such as a Parent Object frame with Child Objects into a new slide which already contains a few objects, I often want to immediately use Keyboard shortcuts (Ctrl/Shft + PgUP/PgDn) to move the object to a new layer. Trouble is I cannot move the object unless I use the mouse to click on another object and then return to the object I want to move. It's a silly little thing, but I bump into it over and over. Changing that behavior would make me even happier! Thanks Igor and team for a wonderful product that I just love! JK

I have a show in which I go back and forth between slides using keyboard controls. I can set transition effect going forward but if I go to previous slide, the standard 'no transition' seems to apply. Please consider implementing the forward transition, in reverse for previous slide. Thanks, Jeff

Whilst there is much to admire and much to enjoy in the new sound features, I am puzzled at the absence of an "Offset" parameter when using "Add sound" - Customize. May I request that it be implemented please? Ken T

With this new feature, the user could replace an image object with an other one using a simple drag and drop. Simple and efficient.

I get frustrated that when I add text I get a shadow like it or not, then have to go to another tab to edit the shadow. I would like all text effects in one place

Some of my studends on a PTE Workshop asked for "Customized Font" settings. I would like to have the option, to choice one font as a "default font" for a PTE Project. Heinz