Do you turn OFF Hardware acceleration

[Igor]

You know that Project options contains an option "Hardware acceleration (Direct3D)" which is turned on by default. This option came with v5.0 two years ago.

Some users disable this option to create a menu project which runs other slideshows. Because simultaneous work of two slideshows with hardware acceleration could slow down PC. But in v5.6 we've added "Run Slideshow" command which provides seamless start of one slideshow from another one having only one slideshow's engine in memory of computer.

When slideshow work without hardware acceleration it utilizes special CPU based graphical engine which we should support and continiously test and extend with new features.

However now we're experiencing difficulties with adding of new features - when you untick "Hardware acceleration" option it doesn't support Masks, 3D transition effects and 3D transformations, antishimmering (mipmapping).

Probably it's time to remove the old mode and always use hardware acceleration for slideshows? It will speed up developement of PicturesToExe and will decrease size of EXE file.

If somebody still would like to create a menu sequence, he can use any previous version.

What's your opinion on this question?

[fh1805]

Igor,

I now build all my menu sequences using "Run Slideshow" or "Run Slideshow with Return" and leave hardware acceleration turned on. I've had no problems with this approach and find it works very smoothly indeed. What I have not done is to have animation in the menu sequence.

I would be quite happy for you to remove the option to turn hardware acceleration off if this is going to make it simpler for you to maintain and enhance the PTE code.

regards,

Peter

[Henri.R]

Probably it's time to remove the old mode and always use hardware acceleration for slideshows? It will speed up developement of PicturesToExe and will decrease size of EXE file.

If somebody still would like to create a menu sequence, he can use any previous version.

What's your opinion on this question?

Igor,

In my opinion we always must use hardware acceleration; in fact we are carefully choosing a computer with a appropriate graphical card so it seems very obvious to me to use this (rather expensive) equipment!

Moreover, in the near future I'm convinced that more and more applications are using the combination of the mainboardprocessor(s) and the nowadays very powerful graphical cards...

regards,

Henri.

[Igor]

When we add inserting of video clips, it also will require hardware acceleration.

[thedom]

It would be interesting to know the reason why already 2 people disagree.

Is it because they have old equipment ? Or is it for an other reason ?

[Adda]

Yes, sometimes I have to use an very old notebook, if I want show pictures with beamer in other locations.

Best regards

Adda

[xahu34]

... If somebody still would like to create a menu sequence, he can use any previous version ...

I regard the menu functionality still as quite useful, as it helps to combine slideshows (exe-files) produced with different tools (e.g. PTE, Wings, m.objects). There is no problem to use v5.6, but will it run under Windows 7 and other future Windows systems?

Would it make sense to provide a menu and sequencing functionality for external applications within v6 with very restricted presentation features, but without use of Direct3D?

Regards,

Xaver

[Ronniebootwest]

Igor,

I agree with Peter and I tend to use the same options that he mentions. In fact, I always recommend that it be turned on in all my PTE tutorials now.

I therfore agree that it is time to ALWAYS USE HARDWARE ACCELERATION.

Ron West

[bwat]

I only turn off hardware acceleration when building menus using buttons to start shows.

Whilst it would be possible to close the menu when a show runs and re-start it with 'run slideshow' command at the end this would only be possible if ALL slideshows were built with this facility and everybody building a show knows the filename/path of the menu being being run. This is OK if you have full control and have built all shows yourself but this is not always the case.

At our Camera Club we have frequent AV evenings where members can show their work (irrespective of quality, experience or standard) so they can see their work projected. These shows are opened on the night by a 'purpose built' menu prepared for the particular evening with the evening organiser having received shows from the respective members via disc, memory stick or Email.

These shows are built using numerous systems, from simple 'freeware' programmes, ProShop Gold, MS bundled software such as their moviemaker, etc, etc,not always PTE. We cannot dictate (only encourage) the use of PTE. As a result for our shows it is necessary to keep the menu resident on the computer throughout the evening and run each show 'on top' of the menu. In fact we use two open 'menus', a black slide with a small button to open the main menu and the main menu itself, both running below any slide show so as not to give any 'flasback' to the windows desktop on exiting a show. At times the menu buttons have to be programmed to run Windows Media Player if a member has their show built on a DVD for TV use in lieu of exe format.

If hardware accelleration is on for the menus then the slideshows do not run smoothly, hardware accelleration off, no problem.

To remove the facility in PTE to disable hardware acceleration would prevent us building menus for the Club evenings using any future PTE version and consider it essential that it is retained.

Regards

bwat

PS (If I'm doing anything wrong and anybody can suggest a 'workaround' for this please let me know).

[davegee]

BWAT,

Build your menus in PTE V4 as Igor suggested.

DG

[Ken Cox]

BWAT,

Build your menus in PTE V4 as Igor suggested.

DG

but Dave

according to some of the experts that visit the forum

ver 4 is so antique/old school and of no use

ken

[Guest Yachtsman1]

Short answer, I don't know if it is on or off, all I can say is 5.5 seemed to be as far as my equipment would operate normally, 5.6 I have to turn off the laptop screen when using a projector or external monitor or my animation judders.

Yachtsman1

[Guest Yachtsman1]

Short answer, I don't know if it is on or off, all I can say is 5.5 seemed to be as far as my equipment would operate normally, 5.6 I have to turn off the laptop screen when using a projector or external monitor or my animation judders.

Yachtsman1

Just had another think about this topic, I think the poll is unfair as you have to answer both questions, as i can't answer the first I can't vote.

Yachtsman1

[fh1805]

Eric,

Check the settings on Project Options...Screen tab. That's where you'll find the Hardware Acceleration option.

regards,

Peter

[Guest Yachtsman1]

Eric,

Check the settings on Project Options...Screen tab. That's where you'll find the Hardware Acceleration option.

regards,

Peter

Hi Peter

That doesn't tell me what the effect is???

Regards Eric

Yachtsman1

[bwat]

I don't want to fall out with you experts but to remove a valuable tool (in my and my Camera Club's case an essential tool) in future upgrades of a product just because it is infrequently used and tell Users to they need to employ an earlier version of the product to be ludicrous.

It's like Adobe taking the crop tool out of CS5 and saying you need to obtain Elements 2 to carry out that task. If future upgrades of PTE are to limit their use to, which I suggest, many present and future Users then the appeal for upgrading becomes diminished to the 'ordinary' worker.

I'am all for improvement to an already fantastic product but surely the 'basics' and existing tools need to also be retained so that all tasks in producing our AV presentations can be done with the the 'latest' version, now and in the future.

bwat

[fh1805]

Eric,

You were complaining that you couldn't answer the first question. I told you where to find that answer. You've now answered it so now you can particicpate in the poll.

regards,

Peter

[Guest Yachtsman1]

Eric,

You were complaining that you couldn't answer the first question. I told you where to find that answer. You've now answered it so now you can particicpate in the poll.

regards,

Peter

Maybe I'm talking with my mouth full??? I don't know what effect turning off hardware acceleration has, therefore I can't answer question 1, therefore I can't vote.

Just read the poll again and I suppose I leave AE on if that is the what default is, however I would still like to know what the effect of turning it off is, or I cannot truthfully answer the poll.

Eric

Yachtsman1

[baldsparky]

Hi

I too use the menu system mentioned with hardware acceleration turned off to watch my own and other peoples shows,

Can I just ask a couple of questions please? (I guess that's now three questions)

1) If you use an earlier version of pte to create the menu, can you still use the latest version to create your shows and then will these run ok from the menu created with the earlier version?

2) Can you still get hold of the earlier version 4 to create the menu, as has been mentioned in nthe earlier post?

Kind regards

Many thanks

Paul

[xahu34]

Hi Peter

That doesn't tell me what the effect is???

Regards Eric

Yachtsman1

Hi Eric,

This sounds as if Peter were responsible for your knowledge on the basics of PTE. As a 5-star-advanced member of the forum you may rethink your position. What about some elementary research?

Regards,

Xaver

[Guest Yachtsman1]

Xaver

Did you pull the legs off flys when you were young???, or were you never young???, maybe you are Nosferatu re-born??? since when did how many posts you have made give an indication of your knowledge of the subject??? Get back in your coffin where you belong.

Yachtsman1

I knew my Mother was right telling me not to speak to strangers, you really are a sad b*****d.

[xahu34]

... since when did how many posts you have made give an indication of your knowledge of the subject??? Get back in your coffin where you belong ...

Sorry,

But I would expect some minimum knowledge from a member who overwhelms the forum with posts. Maybe that my position is wrong, who knows?

Best regards,

Xaver

[nobeefstu]

Hi

I too use the menu system mentioned with hardware acceleration turned off to watch my own and other peoples shows,

Can I just ask a couple of questions please? (I guess that's now three questions)

1) If you use an earlier version of pte to create the menu, can you still use the latest version to create your shows and then will these run ok from the menu created with the earlier version?

2) Can you still get hold of the earlier version 4 to create the menu, as has been mentioned in nthe earlier post?

Kind regards

Many thanks

Paul

Paul,

As for Question 1 ... I do not see any problem here. Just program the v4 buttons to run the newer version shows. To have the newer version shows run the old verrsion 4 ... use Run and not Run Slideshow setting.

As for Question 2:

PicturesToExe 4.49 - WnSoft Forums

http://www.picturestoexe.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=7753&st=0&p=48272&hl=%20PicturesToExe%20v449&fromsearch=1entry48272

[jfa]

I don't know what effect turning off hardware acceleration has, therefore I can't answer question 1, therefore I can't vote.

Eric you have answered the question with that statement!!!

You obviously never turn it off, if you did you would know the effect!!

[Guest Yachtsman1]

Eric you have answered the question with that statement!!!

You obviously never turn it off, if you did you would know the effect!!

I thought I'd already clarified that?

However I still can't fill in the poll which is intended to gather opinion whether to make a change to PTE when I don't know what switching off HA acheives. Despite a number of replies, no one has clarified the effect. It's another subject that many people assume everybody knows how things work, but don't ask because they think they will have scorn poured on them because they don't know.

Yachtsman1