JEB

Thank you Igor. John

Igor, I have sent you a PM with a zip file of the project. Peter, No it's not an upgrade problem. I was just playing with some ideas using 7 beta 11. As you will see I have sent it to Igor. Thanks both, John

Hi, Thought I should update. This only appears to be happening within this one project. I have started a couple of other test projects and been able to make several changes to the % without any problem. Still can't get it to work on my main project though. John

Hi, Not sure if this is specific to 7 Beta 11 but not had this problem before. While changing " % of slide to show main image" in PO/More from previously altered 90% to 80% and clicking "set for existing slides" I got the attached message. PTE would not make the alteration but after saving and quitting/reopening the 80% instruction was still there but the slides were still at 90%. John

Hi, Thank you all for your time and suggestions. Barry, that is how I usually do it (copied from one of your early demo discs of some years back). I have also added it as a "copyright logo". The benefit of this method is that it only needs to be inserted once, however the downside is that it appears on every slide - even blank slides. Peter, Sheila, I will play around with your suggestions over the next couple of days. Lin, as you say "sadly" it can't be done in the way I had hoped. What do you all, and others, think about this? Do you think that it would make sense for this facility to be ALSO included within Project Options/More/Default Settings along side "Display shadow" and "% of slide"? If there is any support for this I would be happy to put the idea forward to Igor for the future. Regards John

Hi, Hopefully I am missing something but is there any way of setting border width and colour, globally or even selectively over a number of slides? This seems strange when you can set a default shadow and % of size in Project Options/More. John

Barry (Pom), .......is that some people are not happy unless they have something to whinge about. Your paying too much attention to your new countrymen. John

Hi Ave J, I can only reiterate what has been said by others above. PTE and almost as importantly, the community frequenting this forum, offer an outstanding service. I would strongly urge you to upgrade to at least 6.5. The latest Beta 9 of version 7 appears to be getting close to its release stage so, given that you are not exactly new to PTE, I don't think you would regret upgrading to that. Go for it! Regards John

Yes Dave, It does have HDMI. John

Gentlemen, Thank you for your continued input. First the not so good news. My TV is NOT 1920 x 1080 but 1366 x 768. I don't know how I thought otherwise. I suspect that I established at some point that it was the same aspect ratio ( very close) as my monitors and camera (all 1920x1080) and allowed myself to believe the resolution was also the same! Wishful thinking! The better news is that I contacted Sony and they tell me that my TV has HDMI 1080i input but I have to get an HDMI cable rather than the Scart cable I presently have to connect my FreeSat box and TV and I'm in business. Once I have done that I can properly address the PTE issue. Thank you all for your gentle probing! "Softly, Softly, Catchee Monkey" John

Gentlemen, I thought I should update you on my progress and then ask another question!! Firstly, my assumption that I would have to wait for the CD to arrive from Wnsoft was ill-founded. An email arrived with download instructions and key, so I have been able to carry out my tests using 7 beta 9. I have arrived at the conclusion that for my set up I have to reduce to 90% to avoid clipping edges. I still don't understand why but I'm sure there is a good reason which is beyond my comprehension! Dave, to my subsidiary question, regarding your suggestion of the use of a Media Player Box. What I don't understand is what exactly it offers me given that my TV is not HD. Obviously I do have a DVD player connected to my TV which I use to view DVD's produced by PTE as we have been discussing. I have had a look at a spec for an Iomega Media Player on Maplin's site and for only £50 it's not expensive. But what does it do for me? Does it in some way improve the quality of image on my non HD TV? I assume that it is not in itself a DVD player but sits between my existing DVD player and TV - correct? Your explanation would be much appreciated. Regards John CORRECTION _ It was not an Iomega box I was looking at but a Viewsonic HD Mdedia Player. I searched for Iomega and failed to check what I was presented with!!

Dave, I think that makes things a little bit more clear. Though my TV is flat, wide screen I don't think it is HD hence no USB port. I was about to do a little test and have just discovered that my DeLuxe license has expired so have sent off for an update on disc which will take a few days to reach me. The option to purchase on CD appeared to suggest that that was in addition to a download (though I may have picked that up incorrectly) so I'll just have to wait!!! No rush as I've not used the facility in months. In the meantime thanks both of you for your replies. John

O.K. This is where I have to expose my ignorance! Im not entirely sure what either of you are describing. What I do is from Create I select DVD - Video Disc. Using PTE's burning software I end up with a DVD that can then be played back through my DVD Player onto my TV. I haven't had occasion to do this for a while but I think that's all there is to it. I can of course burn several shows onto the same DVD and the PTE program provides a menu facility. My original question regarding the Aspect Ratio of 16:9 being shared by my images/PTE/TV as far as I can recall appeared not to present any issues, though as I say it is some time since I actually did this. If I understand you Dave this is what you are referring to. If so what is likely to be the problem? Peter, am I correct in assuming that what you are describing is some method whereby a TV with a USB port and some sort of technology can read the data on the USB stick. Presumably this data is the AVI file option in PTE/Create. John

Hi, Can anybody say how relevant the "Show safe TV zone" facility is in the following circumstance? Show is created with a screen aspect ratio of 16:9, image ratio 16:9 and TV monitor 16:9. Also, have I missed something or has "Aspect Ratio of a slide" been removed from Project Options/Screen in 7.9? I confess to have been keeping my head down in recent weeks! John

Barry, 1920x1080 DT & LT John

Hi, I don't know if anybody other than myself finds the following a bit of an irritant? When selecting text in O&A and the little text box appears, logically, in the centre of the slide with the word "Text" I inevitably want to start to type from the keyboard forgetting to move my mouse up into the appropriate box under Properties, selecting "Text" and ONLY THEN being able to start inputting my text. Would it not be better if when initially selecting the "Text" Icon, Properties Tab is opened automatically and the word "Text" is highlighted ready for inputting? Just a thought that would in my view improve things without, I presume, major surgery. Regards John

Hi, I'm with Peter on this in as much as I agree that we drastically need a new user interface, more than additional features. If however some UI enhancements can be provided prior to any major re-write that would presumably be useful to Igor as a means of gauging reaction. I also see merit in the idea of "Lite and Pro" versions if the improvement to the UI can only be achieved in that way. I have no problem with the idea of potential new ways of "skinning the cat" and suspect that most regular PTE users will welcome the opportunity of continued participation in the development of this fantastic program. It will come as no surprise to anybody that I hope any improved UI will include the presentation of Audio! Thanks Igor for your invitation to participate in this topic. Regards John

Igor, Would it be possible to differentiate between the Icon used for PC and Mac? Even a little "PC" or "MAC" in the corner would be better than having to include it in the title as is necessary at the moment. Thanks John

Lin, I was aware of the problems relating to a Mac version - only hopeful that they may be surmounted soon. Regarding Audio, I still consider the way in which it is presented is very, very POOR indeed. I have spent many hours working with it and am able to make use of it to a reasonable extent. However, as I think you yourself are implying, it falls short of being user friendly, to put it mildly. Yes I have watched Jean-Claude's videos which are very helpful. My concern is that due to its complex interface many newcomers to PTE, of whom I meet many, are perplexed as to why it (audio) has to be so clumsy to operate. I want no more features than are available only that they are more simply applied. Sorry for hi-jacking this topic but I feel it important to make this point as often as possible in order to attract the attention of Igor. After all I bet he has got little else to do at the moment!!! Regards, Disgruntled John.

Hi,

Hi, I just thought I should report a recent experience. I recently (6 months ago) bought a Macbook Pro which I am finding to be the best computer I have ever owned. Hopefully some day there will be a Mac version of PTE available and I can ditch my PC. The other day I downloaded a Mac version PTE show from Barry Beckham and it would not run, just a white (opening) screen which I later discovered could be manually made to move forwards and back with the arrows - no audio. I downloaded the PC version to my PC and it worked perfectly. I reported the matter to Barry who suggested I raise the matter here. It is of some concern that there may be a problem, though up to now the few shows that I have converted to Mac have worked perfectly on the Mac. John

Charlie, Thanks for replying and to your friend at Google for doing the hard work!! I have made arrangements to fly from Edinburgh to Pisa and drive down to San Querico d'Orcia for a few nights then return via Bologna after about five nights. My wife and I will be back to Verona and the Dolomites in June and then perhaps Umbria in September! Over the past few years Italy has got under our skin (hope that translates!). We used to go to France frequently when the kids were young and still plan to go back - but the years are running out. Regards John Vive la France

Hi Charlie, Thank you for the link to your "Jazz" show. This is the first example I have seen of the use of video within a slide show that demonstrates how video can be used tasefully to enhance the show without distracting from the message. However on reading the other posts I was attracted to have a look at your other creations. Stunning! You have made me very envious of your talent and given me I hope inspiration for a visit I am planning to Tuscany in May. This will be my first visit, accompanied only by my camera. If I can get only a few images like yours I will be delighted. As for Venice and Burano, perhaps I will return there later in the year. Thank you for sharing. Regards John

Igor, Now that video has been released, albeit in its first beta version and with presumably several months of refinement before it is complete, may I put in a request for attention to be directed urgently towards the way in which audio is presented. Quite frankly, in my view as things stand at the moment the situation is pathetic. Sorry to be so blunt but I feel I have to speak my mind. I do not want any additional audio facilities (I can use other programs for that) I just want to use the facilities that are presently available in a user friendly fashion. Quite simply as we are all in the business of telling stories through images I have attached a VERY BASIC illustration of what I believe is required. Regards and congratulations on what you have achieved with video. John P.S. And AFTER you've finished that I would love a Mac version of PTE !!

Hi, I do not pretend to have a totally clear understanding of this issue as I have not delved too deeply into this area, to some extent because of its general complexity. What experience I do have has left me feeling that though there is fantastic flexibility for the manipulation of various objects enabling results that can be mind boggling, the control of such activity is not in any way user friendly, certainly not for the majority of PTE users. In my view this lack of attention to user friendliness is evident in many areas of this otherwise fantastic program. I sincerely hope that after the launch of video, Igor takes time out to address this issue and finish off quite a number of unresolved, irritating issues. Otherwise, PTE is going to increasingly become a program used only by a limited number of highly skilled specialists. Already I am finding potential newcomers being put off by some of the more difficult to understand processes and turning to other products, many of which are as far as I can see beginning to catch up with PTE regarding generally acceptable quality. Regards John