JRR

ngwb: Welcome to PTE, I am sure you will find it a great software. As with any software there are a few things that one needs to get sorted out and then all falls into place. I have not seen the message you received, but it sounds to me as though you have not put your music under the tab on the PROJECT OPTIONS which makes it the background music. (But you must have as you say you have been using the TIMELINE to synch. Maybe you have you have assigned music to the first image via the sound line at the bottom of the MAIN screen and/or on the MUSIC tab of CUSTOMIZE IMAGE. This might be interefering with the synchronization set up on the TIMELINE. However I am confused as to how, if you are using the timeline to synch, and previewing it using the timeline that it would not work when using the PREVIEW button on the MAIN page. SOrry if my answer is not cyrstal clear, but without a little more info that is all I can say. I know thereare other forum users who will likely have a better clearer reply then this. But if you could let us know where your music is "loaded" that might help us to help you. You might also want to downlaod and look at Alrobin's PTE tutorial as it might help you work through PTE initally. You can download it from here I belive it is on page two.

If I can expand on Ron's good advice - MP3 files, if you are concnerned with the size of it for e-mailing or downloading, I try to use 96-128kbps - Image size: --I don't worry about changing the dpi to 72, I just go with whatever it is (That is a whole other dialogue ) But I use 800x600 if using fades under 2-2.5 seconds and larger (1024x768) if using fades over 3 seconds. (I use the same size of image throughout). -- I "jpg" the images at quality 5, of whatever will keep the final image at 100-200kb

Hi Isabel: Yes there is away to do what you want. (I assume you mean you want to adjust the time of the images to the music, not the music itself) I am not sure how you are doing the timing right now, but it seems you are not using the TIMELINE. Here is what I do. (You can see the images transitioning in the right side of the TIMELINE) 1. I start to work on the PTE show, by loading in all the images (usually starting with a black one) and then using PROJECT OPTIONS > MAIN tab > I click on Synchronize slide show to music duration. 2. After setting the other PROJECT OPTIONS tabs the way you want, I click OK and then Save AS. (I always use SAVE AS/CREATE AS to make sure the right name and (sub)folder is being used) 3. Then I go back to PROJECT OPTIONS > MAIN tab > CUSTOM SYNCHRONIZATION > TIMED POINTS > ADD ARRANGED POINTS That spreads you images out evenly over the music duration. (Purists will enter each transition as they listen to the music, but I have a tin ear and tend to do it quickly via this method and then fine-tune the timings) 4. Then I adjust the timing of each slide both for time on screen, transition time and effect (via CUSTOMIZE SLIDE) Positioning an image in #4 is achieved by dragging the image using the small numbers below the TIMELINE to wherever you want it. A hint: When you start the show using the TIMELINE you hit PLAY, if you want to stop it to fine tune a slide timing, hit PAUSE and then you can click PLAY again and it start from where you stopped it. If you hit STOP, it restarts again at the first image. The positioning of where you are in the show is shown on the TIMELINE by the little blue triangle. You can click below the TIMELINE as the show is playing and that will re-position you to where you clicked. If you want to check the show with a larger image than the TIMELINE smaller image. You can use the PREVIEW button on the MAIN PAGE, which will start the show from slide one. Or using the little "slice of bread" in the bottom right of the image preview screen on the MAIN PAGE. Simply highlight, in the SLIDE LIST below the IMAGE PREVIEW, where you want the show to start and then click on that blue and white "Slice of bread" and the show will start full screen at that image for you to check the transitioning etc. I hope that helps

Bernard: Al's pte Adjustor will work well to sort the images for you without having to drag them around within the PTE screen. You can use it to re-arrange the sequence at any time. I tend to use an outside software (ThumbsPlus) to pre-sort the images as Ken suggests and re-number (automatically) them before loading them into PTE. (Of course I always make changes within PTE no matter how carefully I plan ahead. )

Steve: I just did a real quick check (there are lots of references to keep you occupied for a while ) look at: previous discussion Here is a software that I think was recommended along the way by someone. buttons

Steve: Welcome to PTE. I think you will find it a great software and lots of help at the forum (usually better than what I am about to say ) There was a discussion on this and several softwares suggested several months ago. You might want to try doing a search (bottom right corner) for buttons But I suspect someone who contributed at that time will come along and provide more definitive thoughts than me

Photo26: I am not into the DVD aspects, but there is a new PTE forum for those discussions at: PTE DVD forum You can find lots of info there and ask for any missing info

Great idea Bob! I am sitting here in Ottawa, the Capital of Canada (wishing our unseasonal rain would stop and we get to keep our snow ) Best wishes to all ! Jim Robertson

Bart: Good resource material. Must have taken you a while to put that together !!

Igor: Thanks for the fix re the mouse scroll wheel. It has been an eye-opener how many people absentmindly play with the wheel when they are watching shows on the computer !!

Igor: I would opt for version 2 or 3 I am not sure what the vertical parallel white bars on the left side of #2 are for. That seems to be the only difference between 2&3

Joyeux Noël Michel !! Merci pour votre aide, "thoughts" et contributions.

Igor: Thanks for your responses !!! Re the mute/control volume. If I understand it properly, it should be applicable just for the current presentation. Thx I will go look at you nav bars now

Stu: Re your posting: (I still can't work the quote feature properly) "I personally enjoy PTE as a Slide Show ... and not as a multimedia player and viewer that will be limited to specific PC requirements ... then all these files become so huge and demanding and ontop we want them to play from CD... which is creating more min requirements to many users. " I fully agree with you !! I would like PTE to continue evolving, but as a more sophisticated slide show, not as a media player. But I am sure there are others who would like a more grandiose application.

Tom: Yes, you are correct, you have manually click on the Object to start the show. I understand what you are after now, the screen divided and running separate shows. I don't have a use for that (that I can think of now ) but others might like the feature.

Fromatoz: You are right the OBJECT editor is a great tool. I am not exactly sure what you mean by "sub-shows" are running simultaneously as parts / objects of the "main-show". But here are some examples of what I have done using the OBJECT editor that worked VERY well: - I have a number of one image shows that "launch" other shows via OBJECTS on the one image. I use an image from the show to be launched as an "icon" to click on - I also just completed a PTE presentation that uses 106 PTE slide shows that launch (via OBJECTS) from either the "first page" or from various pages within the shows. So there are shows running inside slide shows at times. Is this perhaps what you meant as "simultaneously" ? There was a show on Beechbrook several months ago that used Objects extensively. The JUKEBOX, I doubt if it is available there anymore. Maybe someone will be able to direct you to where it is available.

Igor: I have tried it to a limited extent. Seems to work fine for what I was hoping it would do !!

Igor: What about being able to go to a particular slide in a presentation ? We need to be able to pause/stop presentation and then type in a slide number for it to go to. Looking forward to new effects too !! Thanks for chance to suggest Jim PS (Since I am here... how are you coming with the OBJECTS that will remain in position with different screen resolutions )

Nettleton: Glad we helped. As a general rule, I use 800x600 pixel size images as I tend to use only fades at less than 2 seconds. If your fades are longer than 2 seconds, then you can usually get away with 1024x768 pixel images and have a smooth transition. The time on screen is not important, what is important is that PTE has time to complete the transition from one slide to the next, plus a little breathing room (Al suggested 1/4 sec minimum) before the next transition starts. Hope it all works out. Once you get the hang of it, PTE is great !! (It is even great before you get the hang of it )

Merlin: Now I understand the "different" use. Thanks Cool Edit is a good package, I assume you know that it is now Adobe Audition and more $$$$$ The multiple segments make sense in terms of what you are doing and I guess not linking them together into one sound track makes it easier to change your narration. But keeping your "mix session" in Cool Edit would let you paste your changes into the original/current track. Alrobin has a PTE Adjustor that would let you adjust the timing of the images if pasting in a new segment requires a change to the timing of the images. I suspect you could use it to make the time changes without resynching the entire show by hand. You can find it at: http://www.alrobinson.com/pte_items.htm

Good morning from the colonies Nettleton and welcome to PTE Off the top of my head I suspect it has something to do with the .exe file size and/or the the speed at which the computer is reading from the CD. So a little more info might be helpful. Factors to think of are: - is the music MP3 at about 96-112kbps ? - are the image file sizes about 100-200kb ? - have you tried the CD on other computers ?

Merlin: I am biased as I do all my shows that way, but I think it depends on what you do with your show. 90 slides in one 60 minute show does seem "different". If you do present the images non-stop, then I would think that you would find the "joints" in the music much smoother if you mixed them in an editing software (If you want advice as to which one, ask. I will assume you have one for now) and then do your synch using the timeline. If you show the 90 slides in segments with physical breaks in the 60 minute show then it might not be so important. But with the Navigation controls now usable in a synched show (yeah for IGOR !! ) you can still synch it as one show and stop and go as you wish. Not sure that helps without knowing more about your show

Barb: There are three places to add the music file in PTE. - PROJECT OPTIONS> MUSIC - CUSTOMIZE SLIDE > MUSIC TAB - Main page, bottom "SOUND" Each do different things, but all should play the music for at least one image. Where did you place the sound file ? What type of file is it ? MP3 or WAV ? (or Ogg I think it is)

Bear: There have been a very few minor problems with the keys, but they are usually straightened out right away. As Igor says the "install" is easy. Hopefully you will feel much better once this is sorted out and you see how great the software is. The forum is a great place for advice

Interestingly, I told a couple of regular users/contributors that the forum is back, but they still can't get into it !