LumenLux

Friends, you are invited to view my latest "effort" and comment on it. I think the purpose of New Year - Old Fun will probably be evident, but I would still invite any observations you may have on it. PTE Presentations on Beechbrook.com

In the "pinned" topic: Pinned: Topic has attachmentsPicturesToExe v5.00 beta #8R * 123 50 admin1 3,257 Yesterday, 10:21 AM Last post by: admin1 The topic heading tells me that last post was "yesterday, 10:21 a.m. by admin" A few minutes ago, I posted to the topic. My post shows up for reading, but the topic header still shows the yesterday post as the "last action." Not very important, but can someone tell me why this would appear this way?

I continue to test DVD Builder every chance I get. My most recent project has been done in V4.48 and I wanted to give Builder a chance for the DVD version. DVD Builder asked me to resave in V5, which I did. The resultant DVD is the clear quality we know. However, none of my "objects" show up, so I have some blank screens in the DVD version. I assume this is because V5, in spite of all the O & A capabilities, does not have active all the object features of V4.48. Or is the ommision a part of the unfinished DVD Builder? Or both?

Another good idea. See what happens when a blizzard gives you time to think. I expect Igor could do it and could even offer a selectable random mode on the "+" button you suggest.

Kloggy, I'll just add to Lin's answer, the screen shot of the settings I used. My full camera frame was 3872x2592 (3:2). To change that to 4:3 (monitor) I wanted to remove left and right edges. The 4:3 calculation told me I needed 208 pixels off each side to leave the desired 3456 pixel width. The heigth remains as the original 2592. In the next lower section of the Irfanview screen, I simultaneously resized the cropped dimensions from 3456x2592 to 1024x768.

After help from Ralph to have BreezeBrowzer do it, I then realized how to use Irfanview to do it. Irfanview is one I normally use, so will likely do the job in the future. My intent was to possibly use CoverSlide setting instead of cropping outside of PTE. For the desired sequence at hand, I have ended up using V4.48 for the known-stable sound sync. I had considered using V5 if the CoverSlide would have accomplished the cropping instead of Irfanview. I think now I can go back to making the envisioned show and leave the deep stuff to you. I don't even mind you stirring up the mud as long as you are near to guide me through it.

Thank you all for the many possibilities that came out of this! Some of the referenced software does not do what I was seeking but have other nice features. Hawk did lead me to BreezeBrowzer which does do what I needed. After successfully using BreezeBrowzer, I was also successful in understanding how to use Irfanview to do the same thing. Being that I already use Irfanview, and it is free, that will likely be all I need in the future for this specific operation.

Silvia - can you reach theDom website from a different computer at your work or a a neighbor's home? Also, maybe you can try free Firefox browser, which I use to visit theDom.

I know very little about web sites and hosting. I do know that my under-utilized (my fault) website has been absolutely reliable to the best of my knowledge. It seems to be very fast for downloads and when I have any support questions, the on-line answers are within minutes and right on target. I don't know that they really cater to doing web-site construction for you. But I think they are very reliable at hosting. Full disclosure: I started with my host about three years ago after a similar reference here in this forum. I think if someone signs up "through" me, I get some kind of concession on my next renewal. If you want to take a look, you can click on the banner at the top of my page PTE.do-some-good.com. If someone does sign up through me, please let me know. I don't remember if there is any automatic credit or whether I or the new user has to bring it to the host's attention. Also, there have been other satisfied users with their favorites that you can find by searching this forum. As for pricing - I studdied it carefully on the front end. But once I'm satisfied with the service, I don't trouble myself with keeping up with the competition and the many promotional approaches. I think my host is still competitive and a good value. As you already suggested, reliable value is probably real value.

We are closer on our views on this than might be apparent. Most often, like you, I want to specific crop for a specific composition, subject placement, subject size, etc. My current project, being largely a "narrative" presentation of fun with the grandkids, allows me to "compromise" my normally prevailing approach and accept the "auto/arbitrary" crop on some 200-300 slides. Then if I see one that I clearly must make more aesthetically pleasing - I could make a new crop of it. That said, and now that I have found the auto crop tool I seek, I am worried I may not be satisfied with my compromise when I am done.

Thank you all for the interesting, sometimes confusing, and helpful discussion. For my personal current needs, it seems to me the "answer" would be to make "Cover Slide" a global choice. I hope Igor, when back, can answer here whether that is possible.

You are right Ken. But it doesn't seem that "not finding" would be part of that preparation. Does your Windows Search function find .pte files that are stored in \Application Data folder? Anyone else?

You may want to look at my similar question and discussion going on in the topic of Beta #8: LumenLux post Jan 5 2007, 09:45 AM Post #28 I am using V5 for a presentation of 200-300 slides. The photo files from camera are 3872x2592. (Same as 35mm, 2:3 ratio.) I want the PTE presentation to use the 4:3 ratio to fill my PC screen. I am content in most cases for the photos to be cropped equally left and right in order to fill the screen and leave no black borders at top and bottom. It appears this can be accomplished in V5 by choosing the "Cover Slide" mode. This seems to require checking the "Cover Slide" box on each slide. In this case about 900 mouse clicks are required. Is it possible, or would it be possible to make a global option so all slides would take on the "Cover Slide" mode? There is also a related topic about batch cropping for use in Version 4.48 (or for Ver. 5) if it can help you by avoiding the "Cover Slide" clicks on 500 slides.

Thank you Brian and so many others helping. I am trying several recommendations. In case other users are also seeking, I had to add "pair" after "bluefive" in the link above.

My current setup of PTE V4.48 has the .pte files saving to c:\Documents and Settings\All Users\ApplicationData\PicturesToExe. When I use Windows(XP Media Edition2002) Search the .pte files do not show up. The .pte files in other locations are found by Search, but not those that are saved in \ApplicationData (under Administrator or under All Users.) Why is this?

Very good! The sound is also a big factor. All these great demos from so many - they give me more ideas but no more time. Thank you. (The link on your site to the PS brushes has a "period" at the end that won't allow the link to work.)

I have to interject here Al - I went outside last night to shovel when our day of snow quit for a half hour. It was the most wonderful quiet I can remember! The new blanket of snow dampened all sound. No wind. I could almost here the full moon! If I could capture that level of silence I would use it in half of my PTE presentations! Wonderful. Absolutely a connection with God.

LOL indeed! You are really on top of this weather deal! Looking out the window yesterday at the falling snow, I found myself judging nature against you ! I think one factor that makes your snow look so real is the different planes that you have the the snow riding down. When watching the real thing it was very close to your representation. I did find that if I tried to follow a specific flake, that an individual flake swirled around much more than I would have guessed. When looking "normally" (casually) the flakes out the window appear surprizingly on planes as you have them. I suppose you could use more planes and fewer flakes per plane to fit your scene with any given flake size and wind velocity. To quote the artist again - LOL. Now on the elk in the rain. I really like the surface water and the rain-created ripples. It did seem though that many raindrops must have been not impacting the puddle. The real question I have though - The white rock toward the right,near the puddle edge, reflects in the puddle. The white rock on left, by elk butt, does not reflect. How is that? Is the reflective puddle and the rain drop ripples, a Photoshop action that you had previously found and shared, or is it a new deal?

Thank you Ken. I had not looked at EZthumbs recently. On your mention, I downloaded and explored. I think it does not do what I need. It seems to resize nicely with many options. But I think what PTE needs is a slide that has actually been cropped. Unless the slide is "cropped" to the needed ratio (3:2), a resized file still results in the black border at the top and bottom when used in PTE V4.48. So in my immediate case, the camera file 3872x2592 when resized only ends up 1024x685 - which of course does not fill the 1024x768 monitor. I think I need a batch crop which will take the camera width 3872 pixels and remove 208 pixels from left and right edges. The resultant 3664 x 2592 should fill the monitor or could be resized to 1024x768. So I am still looking for the simple batch method of taking 208 pixels off left and right sides. Do you know Al whether the process is available in both PS and Elements versions? I have always thought the "Save for Web" in Elements option was a very good way for our PTE use. Do you have any idea if "Save for Web" can be incorporated in a batch process? Maybe I'm "off base" in my perception of the very good quality/file size of "Save for Web." But I remember Guido (Guru) agreed with me long, long ago.

I agree Al that Project Option choice would be the best. And it seems if it is possible to make it the default then it would also be possible for Igor to make it a project option. As a project option it would be very easy for a growing number of DSLR users to cover full screen of "older" monitors. Of course I too would in most cases want to custom crop. But it my present project, I could save consideralble time by making the global choice and then custom crop the few slides that required it. My desire to use Cover Slide is because, as far as I understand, it is the only way within PTE V5 to make a 3:2 camera file cover the 4:3 computer monitor at 1024x768.

I am making a presentation of 200-300 slides. The photo files from camera are 3872x2592. (Same as 35mm, 3:2 ratio.) I want the PTE presentation to use the 4:3 ratio to fill my PC screen. I am content in most cases for the photos to be cropped equally left and right in order to fill the screen and leave no black borders at top and bottom. As best I can tell, the slides need to be cropped before being put into PTE V4.48. I often use Irfanview for batch processing, but I can't understand how to batch crop as I desire. In Batch/Advanced Options, the upper left of window has "Crop" options using X & Y coordinates etc. Can someone explain how I can use that to simply crop equally off both sides of photo so the 3:2 original will then fill top and bottom of my 4:3 screen. I am hoping Irfanview can do such cropping without requiring re-saving the .jpg several times in the process. But so far it seems you have to crop the left side, save, then crop right side and save again, and then resize etc. Again, I just want to fill my PC monitor screen while losing as little of the photo as possible. Can Irfanview batch mode do this? Alternatively, Photoshop Elements "Save for Web" would be very good, but I don't know if that can be utilized in batch mode?

I am using V5 for a presentation of 200-300 slides. The photo files from camera are 3872x2592. (Same as 35mm, 2:3 ratio.) I want the PTE presentation to use the 4:3 ratio to fill my PC screen. I am content in most cases for the photos to be cropped equally left and right in order to fill the screen and leave no black borders at top and bottom. It appears this can be accomplished in V5 by choosing the "Cover Slide" mode. This seems to require checking the "Cover Slide" box on each slide. In this case about 900 mouse clicks are required. Is it possible, or would it be possible to make a global option so all slides would take on the "Cover Slide" mode?

Thank you for sharing some of your Island with us! Thank you also for sharing your creative talent. How about telling us a little about yourself. Interesting presentations are even more interesting when I know something of the artist.

Thank you Sam for the greetings through your show. It is true that those of us who have been around awhile, all expect and recognize your fine work.

Igor and Sergey - I have written you directly but am posting here also in case other forum members are experiencing similar problems. I am sorry for the delay. You had asked for me to send .pte files of this problem. I have not been able to find .pte files that duplicate the problem. In fact, I found a different problem that may have confused my experience reported. What I have now found is that one DVD I was using would not erase by DVD Video Builder. The DVD is RW+ and like others I use with no problem. But with the problem dvd, DVD Builder would report on screen that the shows and menu would process and burn, but the DVD would remain the same as what was already on it! Maybe that is why I thought only 1 out of 6 shows burned. Now I find a new problem with the "Save As" in DVD Builder. Some menu information will show on Builder screen, and will even burn ok, but will NOT save properly. I have attached screen captures to show you. The first screen is as I saved the .ptv. The other capture is the .ptv as it appears when re-opened. I think I have seen other examples where I have made changes in DVD Builder but the changes are not saved properly. I hope this helps. Please let me know if further testing will be helpful. The above problem also leads me to a suggestion or request: In DVD Builder, if I want the same Title and layout on multiple pages of Menu, it is very difficult to make every page identical. It seems it would be a good idea to make multiple title pages to default exactly as the first screen is constructed by user. Often the Title should be the same on all pages and then the individual thumbnail labels could be changed as necessary. Also the title could easily be changed, but the size and position of Title and Thumbnails would automatically be in proper place. Do you understand what I mean. I think it would be much better and I see no disadvantage. Please let me know what you think.