PicturesToExe v4.40 beta #2a

[Grumpygrandad]

Just tried the new effects, wonderful.

Many thanks Igor for a fantastic product.

George.

[ADB]

Igor

The timeline is working fine accept for one thing in my opinion.

Say you program a show with all your customized syncd transitions and you decided that the show is fine accept for the start of show where you want to now have two slides where previously you had one long slide.

If you go and add a new transition point all that seems to happen is that the next transition point shifts from where it currently is to where you are inserting the new slide, you then have to go through the whole show and adjust all the transition points.

You need to be able to insert a brand new transition point that doesn't effect the other transitions you would also have to add a slide into the slide list where you want the new slide to go.

What would be ideal is if you could go to the timeline, right click and select INSERT NEW SLIDE this would then add a transition point leaving everything else as it was but it would also propmt you to select the new slide from a file window, once select it would place the slide in the right place in the slide list. This would be a very intuitive way of adding additional slides to an almost complete show.

[Ednys]

Thank you Igor,

I am quite pleased it wasn't all my fault!

Keep up the briliant work, I find it a fantastic program and still have a lot to learn. I use a lot of the basics but have not yet experimented with some of the features.

Thank you for writing it and continuing to improve it.

[ccmanz]

Say you program a show with all your customized syncd transitions and you decided that the show is fine accept for the start of show where you want to now have two slides where previously you had one long slide.

The way I was able to add a new transition and picture

in a already sync show:

I added the picture to the end of my show.

Then I went to the timeline and dragged the new point

Back where I wanted it.

This works well for me once I was use to the new format.

cc

[Guest Techman1]

Chuck,

I like that idea, I'll have to try it. Some shows are so large that it makes it a bit cumbersome to do it that way though.

Igor,

If you can add ADB's suggestion easily I believe that would make for an ideal solution to this. I believe it's Ripple Editing and if you can turn it on or off that would make it where you could insert with no effect on the timeline or with effect which would push everything down further from that point.

Thanks for the latest Beta, things are looking good from my standpoint!

Fred

[ccmanz]

I just find an easier way to move the slide.

Once you add the picture to the end of your list.

Then go to the timeline.

click on the new transation point and change the sync time at the bottom.

This will move the picture back to the area you want it in the slideshow.

cc

[ADB]

CCMANZ

Just tried your idea on inserting a new slide, worked perfectly! - Thankyou :-)

However I still feel a new user will not find this method very intuitive, I don't think it should be too hard for Igor to add the following functionality:-

1.Right click timeline

2.Select INSERT NEW SLIDE AT THIS POINT

3.You are taken to a file list, probably the main file list you have open in your main PTE window at the time

4.Select the slide

5.Done

[markoc398]

Igor, the new version is looking great.

Will the update have a way to keep linked buttons from moving when viewed at a different resolution than originally created? That would be very helpful.

Thanks.

Mark

[Fedorov]

Igor the new page transitions are fantastic - one minor complaint from some user feedback I got...

If my slideshow is set to use the pagecurl (bottom-right to top-left) - when the user presses the left cursor or BACK button to return to the previous slide they would prefer to see the OPPOSITE page effect i.e. top-left to bottom-right.

They found it very confusing that although they were navigating BACK the slideshow/page looks like it is going forwards if you know what I mean

I don't know whether you can add an option to "apply opposite page curl with back button"???

Great work though!

Fedorov.

[alrobin]

However I still feel a new user will not find this method very intuitive, I don't think it should be too hard for Igor to add the following functionality

I agree with Andrew.

For example, now, if I remove a slide from the slide list and then promptly re-insert it where it was before and then open the timeline, the times for slides beyond the insertion point are changed from what they were before, with no obvious pattern.

I prefer the option where, if one deletes a slide, the transition point is still on the timeline unless one goes in and removes it too, and vice versa. It's a two-step operation, but more intuitive. Unless some other logic could be applied.

I don't mind if the transition points are removed too, as long as the other transitions retain their relative position when the slide is re-introduced. It would be easy then to "grab" onto them in the timeline and move them back a notch if the relative times were still the same.

If someone doubts what I'm saying I can send you a short example with instructions on how to replicate the situation.

[LumenLux]

I doubt not. I do agree ADB and Al.

[Jill]

Hi Igor

My findings so far with version 4.40 beta 2

My spec is PIII 450mhz with 128mb ram running Win 98 SE.

1. Diagonal curl works great, even on this VERY SLOW PC.

2. Customize Sync.

Love the changes you have made.

- Customize Slide button not available when waveform is shown.

- Update button no longer seems to do anything

- Cancel button did not work at all when I first tried it , but now seems to !

- Not sure what 'arrange points' is supposed to do

Would it be possible to 'lock' selected slides to points on the timeline but allow others to be altered.

e.g. Lock slide 5 at 0:34, slide 8 at 1:10, slide 15 at 1:56 but allow remaining slides to be arranged, dragged, shifted, added or deleted?

3. Object Buttons

- 'Run application and exit' seems to exit first then run the application!

I have a sequence with 'when show ends keep last slide on screen'. This last slide has a series of buttons that allow the viewer to select which sequence to run and then close the show when they choose. When the 'close' button is pressed I then want to run a final sequence which has credits etc. and close the show. I have set the properties of the 'close' button to be 'run application and exit'. However it seems to exit first then run the application. So that the show displays the desktop then runs the final credits, thus breaking the flow of the whole show.

Am I doing something wrong or is it meant to work that way. The end sequence is set to 'show first transition form desktop' but I have also tried without this set and it doesn't seem to make any difference.

Thanks for all your hard work on making PTE such a great program.

Jill (North Wales)

[Barry Beckham]

Igor

I use object editor for my menu for tutorial CD's and downloaded the beta version. I then could not make a sucessful link via button properties to open another program.

The link just will not operate once the slide show is created. I returned to version 4.31 and its fine.

Can you check that out as something appears wrong there. The link string in the properties box appear withing quotes in the beta version.

Something like this "Videos\Creating Movement\Creating Movement.exe"

Barry Beckham

[Maureen]

Hi Igor

Thanks once again for all your hard work and such a great product.

Love using it.

Unlike Ian and Barry (Hi guys !) I have created menu links with the object editor which works fine for me.(maybe my set up is OK for this Beta version or it just likes the Welsh accent when I talk to it - have you tried that Ian?)

Can I please make a simple suggestion?

When you put up the most recent Beta upgrades they are often "hidden" within all the e-mails. Would it be possible to pin just the Beta upgrades to the top of the pinned list, and then tell us that you have done so within the pinned E-mail comments? Hopefully no-one would then start putting comments tagged onto the latest upgrades, or the point would be missed.

If we miss visiting for a while then we could miss the latest Beta upgrade, if it is hidden within the long string.

Just a thought.

Love playing with the new Betas....no problems found so far.

I'd still like to see the transition points absolutely glued tight until we delete them with nothing moving either side if we delete or insert.

I frequently create my shows with PTE, Photoshop and Audition open together.

I'll start with a beta version of a show and as I put images into PTE I'll create new intermediate images between two earlier ones (gets more creative dissolves).

I may create two or three new images inbetween the first two original images.

By keeping PTE open, & testing the effect I can see quickly what I need to do.

The big problem is the movement of transitions.

Again if I edit the sound - same problems can occur.

Thanks again for all you do and all those who help with the free utility programs.

Best wishes

Maureen

[alrobin]

I agree with Maureen re the movement of transition points and would like to offer the following suggestions:

First, on the timeline we need to decide whether we are managing images or transitions between images. I feel that if we delete a transition on the timeline, then we should have a choice as to whether the image is removed from the "slide list" as well. Sometimes we want to remove both the transition and the image, and other times just the transition. However, adding another step after we press the "delete" key would make the operation too cumbersome. So, I suggest that there should be an option button to indicate whether "delete" will mean "remove transition only" or "remove or add image and transition". Maybe the default setting should be "remove transition only" as it was before, to keep things less confusing. There could also be two buttons on the timeline, one for "remove transition only" and one for "remove or add image and transition" for those people who prefer to click on a button instead of hitting the "delete" key.

Secondly, in the new beta, if we remove a transition from the timeline, then if we close the timeline and then immediately add another slide in place of the one which was removed, some strange things happen on the timeline. On one example I tried, the transition pattern at the end of the show appeared at the place where I was adding the new image. The way I would like to see this work is as follows: if we select "remove or add image and transition" then when we add an image between two existing images, I would like to see a transition appear on the timeline mid-way between the transition for the image to the left and the transition for the image to the right of it. As in the case of deleting images, the transitions on either side of the new one should remain unchanged. Note that if these two options are made available, then there should also be a very clear reminder message displayed to indicate which option has been selected.

For example, if the transition to image #3 is at 20 seconds on the timeline, and the transition to image #4 is at 30 seconds, then if we add an image between image 3 and 4, its transition should appear at 25 seconds on the timeline (midway between 20 seconds and 30 seconds). It is an easy matter to then click on the timeline and fine-tune the time for the new image #4 to say 24.105 seconds. However, this action should only happen if the option for "remove or add image and transition" is selected.

If the option "remove or add image and transition" is selected, then if an image is deleted from the slide list, it's corresponding transition should also be removed from the timeline, leaving all transitions on either side undisturbed.

My views, only. I would be interested in hearing other's opinions on these ideas.

[Maureen]

I agree with Al's suggestions

BW Maureen

[ADB]

AL

Sounds good

[JRR]

Igor:

I admit I have not had time to try the new beta yet, but I have been following the forum and it sure seems the timeline and deleting transitions/slides is causing confusion and problems, other aspects seem to be going OK.

Alrobin's suggestions sound great to me in theory (keeping in mind I have not had time to play yet).

Al didn't pay me to say this by the way

[LumenLux]

Al didn't pay me to say this by the way    

Well you better get on him quickly, he's normally quite generous with his tips to the rest of us.

[alrobin]

Well you better get on him quickly, he's normally quite generous with his tips to the rest of us.

Not any more!

[denwell]

Jill

Object Buttons - 'Run application and exit' seems to exit first then run the application!

Yes this is so. I overcame this problem, which exists in the beta but also in previous versions, by adding an extra (black) slide to the show which is to 'exit'. This slide has a duration of just a few seconds.

This overcomes the 'flash' of the desktop and the show exits unseen a few seconds after the 'new' show begins. This seems to be the only way to get over this problem which was discussed some time ago in this forum.

Try it and report back.

Den (NE UK)

[denwell]

Jill

Figured it out :

In show's project options > 'Keep last slide in show on screen', then programme the button object (or an image) on last slide, in object editor, to 'run application and exit'.

This of course only works with a synched show when 'permit control of show' is checked in project options.

Seems to work in this beta.

Den (NE UK)

[The oldie]

Let me add my congratulations and hearty thanks to Igor and his team for a splendid new v4.4. I took the excellent advice on the forum before getting a super new laptop. , 3.2 gig processor, 1gig Ram and 80 HDD. XP Home with SP1 and everything runs perfectly.

Can I support most strongly the proposals of ADB, Maureen and Alrobin about the timeline. The ability to anchor points and add or subtract slides and points without disturbing the rest is so important.

Another point which I think would be a help. If one leaves the timeline,

say to go into the light table view, when you return you are back at the beginning of the sequence. With a long sequence this can be a nuisance.

(I am assuming I haven't missed something here to cover that?)

By the time we get to 4.5 there will surely be very little left to improve!

Regards to all the good prople on the forum.

Alan in UK

[ronwil]

Alan

I am not sure what you mean. When you click OK in the Timeline window you are returned to the main PTE window at the last point or selected image when you left. If you then go to the light table the selected image is highlighted. I don't know how many images there are in your long sequence, but judicious use of the slider, bottom right of the light table should bring all your images into view

Ron [uK]

[The oldie]

Ron,

To try to clarify,

If you leave the timeline to go into, say, the light table view, and then return to the timeline, the cursor is back at the beginning of the timeline. You then have to plough through the sequence to return to where you were working?

I am quite happy with the working of the light table, which is excellent,

As I said before, I may have missed something to avoid this.

Alan in UK