Deluxe v Standard Licence

[TonyFalla]

I have had PTE in various versions since 2004/5, but for personal reasons haven't used it much in the last 12 months, today for the first time I started to use Version 7.0 . Now I know I am going senile but I have been trying to understand the new licence agreement and all I am getting is a headache.

Where can I find a list of what is considered standard and what is considered deluxe?

I bought a Deluxe Licence a few years ago but this new version tells me it expired about 18 months. My understanding at that time was that the Deluxe version gave you additional output methods such as video, u-tube, iPad, etc none of which I have ever used. Looking at the WNSoft site I get the impression that some of the new features of 7.0 e.g. video clips, are only included in the Deluxe version. Am I correct?

At the end of the day I want use PTE to produce a sequence that I will put out as an exe file for a PC or a Mac. Currently I don't see me using video clips but I may want to in the future. Do I need a Deluxe Licence for this?

Tony Falla

[TonyFalla]

I am even more confused now. I thought I would try to see if I could create an Exe file for Mac, it came up and said that my licence had expired but I could still use previous version. I had the option of Buy or OK, I clicked OK, expecting it to take me back into PTE. No it then allowed me to create a Mac App which I transferred to my Mac and it played.

What is going on? If my licence has expired then it should stop me from doing things not covered not let me carry on regardless.

Tony Falla

[Lin Evans]

Hi Tony,

Let me see if I can help sort it out. Your existing version would allow you to make native exe files for the MacIntosh so PTE is just telling you that your Video Builder has been superseded by a newer version which you are not eligible for free upgrade to. Consequently, your system created the Mac version just as it would have the day you purchased Video Builder. You software doesn't "quit" working when Video Builder expires and you can always continue to use the version you have complete with all the features resident in that version.

Video builder is not necessary in order to add video clips. Video builder allows the creation of DVD's and MP4's, uploads to iPhone, YouTube, iPad, etc., but if your old version of PTE had a version of Video Builder, that version will continue to operate just as it did when you purchased it. It will continue to work just like it always has, but you don't get whatever features are only available in the latest version. When you "upgrade" to the latest PTE version, the newer Video Builder version comes with, but it won't work unless you pay for it so PTE "reverts" to the older version to do whatever it was capable of doing.

Best regards,

Lin

I am even more confused now. I thought I would try to see if I could create an Exe file for Mac, it came up and said that my licence had expired but I could still use previous version. I had the option of Buy or OK, I clicked OK, expecting it to take me back into PTE. No it then allowed me to create a Mac App which I transferred to my Mac and it played.

What is going on? If my licence has expired then it should stop me from doing things not covered not let me carry on regardless.

Tony Falla

[TonyFalla]

Hi Lin

Thanks for that but the senility must be really bad today as I am still confused. What you seem to be saying to me is that when I load the latest version of PTE there is (possibly) a revised version of Video Builder with it. When I start up PTE and then try to use Video Builder the software says I haven't got a licence for this new version and offers for me to pay for a new version. If I decline this offer then my old version of video builder is used. It is this last bit I can't get my head round where is it getting my old version of Video Builder from?

I currently have 3 versions of PTE on my PC 6.5.8, 7.0 and 7.0.1 all of which have been installed since my licence expired, all of which the Video Builders have dates corresponding to when they were released / installed. What I don't get is that unless there is some very clever programming how does the software distinguish between what your licence permits and doesn't permit. If it is using my old version of Video Builder where is it getting it from, as I could have had a problem and cleared my disk and lost my old version of Video Builder. The only way I can see it working is that Video Builder somehow contains all versions and when you come to use it it selects the one corresponding to your licence but this seems very cumbersome.

I am not trying to be argumentative I am just trying to understand how it works and wondering what happens if people decide not to pay the licence does there come a point when for some reason their old Video Builder is no longer available for whatever reason?

Tony Falla

[Lin Evans]

Hi Tony,

You didn't mention the details on your previous post, so I assumed you still had your previous version active. It appears from the fact that PTE knew that you had a "previous version" that the information is still in the registry and the program is still installed on your system even though you may not have the icon on your desktop to run it.

If you use Windows Explorer and look in the Wnsoft PicturesToExe folder you will see that in each version of PTE, Video Builder has its own folder and it's own files. I assume that a usable version of Video Builder exists on your system and that this information is contained in your Windows Registry. If you have not "uninstalled" the last version of PTE which had a licensed version of Video Builder, then it will probably still be useable.

As I said earlier, Video Builder is not necessary to use video clips and the old version you have will "always" work if it is not "uninstalled." Look in your Program Files for Wnsoft PicturesToExe then look for various versions and I'm betting that your version with a usable Video Builder is still installed. As long as you don't uninstall it, it should be usable permanently. Installing a new version does not overwrite the old.

Best regards,

Lin

Hi Lin

Thanks for that but the senility must be really bad today as I am still confused. What you seem to be saying to me is that when I load the latest version of PTE there is (possibly) a revised version of Video Builder with it. When I start up PTE and then try to use Video Builder the software says I haven't got a licence for this new version and offers for me to pay for a new version. If I decline this offer then my old version of video builder is used. It is this last bit I can't get my head round where is it getting my old version of Video Builder from?

I currently have 3 versions of PTE on my PC 6.5.8, 7.0 and 7.0.1 all of which have been installed since my licence expired, all of which the Video Builders have dates corresponding to when they were released / installed. What I don't get is that unless there is some very clever programming how does the software distinguish between what your licence permits and doesn't permit. If it is using my old version of Video Builder where is it getting it from, as I could have had a problem and cleared my disk and lost my old version of Video Builder. The only way I can see it working is that Video Builder somehow contains all versions and when you come to use it it selects the one corresponding to your licence but this seems very cumbersome.

I am not trying to be argumentative I am just trying to understand how it works and wondering what happens if people decide not to pay the licence does there come a point when for some reason their old Video Builder is no longer available for whatever reason?

Tony Falla

[nobeefstu]

Tony Falla,

Hopefully my responses to some of your questions wont add to your confusion.

At the end of the day I want use PTE to produce a sequence that I will put out as an exe file for a PC or a Mac.

App for Mac is actually a Deluxe Upgrade feature. PTE will allow you to Publish to Excutable file for Mac if you dont have the Deluxe Upgrade Key. However, the app file is tagged/labeled as Created with Trial Version .

I currently have 3 versions of PTE on my PC 6.5.8, 7.0 and 7.0.1 all of which have been installed since my licence expired, all of which the Video Builders have dates corresponding to when they were released / installed. What I don't get is that unless there is some very clever programming how does the software distinguish between what your licence permits and doesn't permit. If it is using my old version of Video Builder where is it getting it from

PTE only uses it own version specific Video Builder component. If you open a Pte file in V7.0 PTE ... it will not produce a video using V6.5.8 Video Builder component. You have to open the Pte file in V6.5.8 to get its specific Video Builder component However, you can create a video in V7.0 in Trial mode with tags of Created with Trial Version .

I am not trying to be argumentative I am just trying to understand how it works and wondering what happens if people decide not to pay the licence does there come a point when for some reason their old Video Builder is no longer available for whatever reason?

To use a expired but valid Deluxe Upgrade Key ... you must continue to use/keep the older PTE/Video Builder version to Publish with full Deluxe featues without Trial tags. The Deluxe Upgrade Key is always valid for any older versions as long as it has not past the expired date. What this means is if you just bought a Deluxe Upgrade Key today ... its always valid and good for all older versions .

*PTE Deluxe features work in Trial mode with tags of Created with Trial Version even if you dont have a valid or expired key.

[Ken Cox]

USING PETER'S FAQ SECTION SEE

http://www.picturestoexe.com/forums/index.php?/topic/10579-faq-why-does-my-videobuilder-key-not-work-with-all-pte-releases/page__view__findpost__p__68564

there are some entries in the section that might explain further

ken

[TonyFalla]

Thanks for the replies, he of little brain is starting to understand what is going on. From your replies I now understand the situation to be

PTE consists of two parts PTE and Video Builder, the licence for PTE for existing customers is for life, the licence for Video Builder has to be renewed every two years. Video Builder is the software associated with the "Create" function and is for everything except a PC Exe or Screen Saver.

This is the bit that is still unclear.

One person is saying that if your Video Builder licence has expired then you should use the Video Builder from your last version when the licence was valid. How do you do that? Do I have to replace Video Builder for 7.0.1 with that from a valid version or does the software look for it?

Another is saying that you can only use the PTE and Video Builder in a specific pair, i.e. Version 7.0.1 Pte will only work with Version 7.0.1 Video Builder which is logical and what I would have expected. He then says that if you use a Deluxe feature with an expired licence then it will still work but in Trial Mode and produce a version with Trial Tags. I took a closer a look at the Mac version I produced yesterday expecting to see a watermark saying "Trial" or it to end after a dozen or so slides but no that didn't happen, it was only when the sequence was half way through I realised what was happening. Only the main slides are shown with a fad in / out, no O&A or other sophistication.

So my conclusion is that nobeefstu is right, you can only used matched pairs of PTE and Video Builder and if I want to produce executable Mac sequences I need to upgrade my licence. If you want to retain your Deluxe features without renewing the licence then you must remain with your last valid version of PTE and Video Builder.

My final comment is that the way this has been done is very confusing. In my opinion it would be simpler to understand if when you don't have a Deluxe licence either you cannot use the Deluxe features or it says you can produce a trial version which is watermarked or only works for a limited number of slides. The trial I produced yesterday for the Mac doesn't really tell me if my sequence would work on a Mac as I still don't know if the Mac version copes with complicated O&A.

Many thanks to all those who replied and helped me to clear my befuddled brain

Tony Falla

[nobeefstu]

Tony Falla,

My final comment is that the way this has been done is very confusing. In my opinion it would be simpler to understand if when you don't have a Deluxe licence either you cannot use the Deluxe features or it says you can produce a trial version which is watermarked or only works for a limited number of slides.

The different keys have also made Igor's job somewhat complicated. ... as he still maintains and honors the previous Lifetime Key purchasers of the product. Most software products these days have abandoned their Lifetime Key customers and now just pay as you go for each version upgrade.

You should read the new changes if you have not done so already:

Licensing and Upgrades - WnSoft Forums

[TonyFalla]

I think part of the confusion is because Igor is an honourable honest business man, a rare commodity these days. A lot of companies would have just said we are stopping PTE and are now bringing out a new product which would just be PTE with bells and whistles, you can upgrade to the new product for a discount price of x but after this you will have to pay for major upgrades. This is in effect what has happened but has become complicated by Igor's commitment to honouring the original free for life licence.

Again many thanks for all the helpful info

Tony Falla