davegee

I have come to this thread a little late but, because it is relevant to something I am doing in a current project, I have checked it out. The current behaviour seems perfectly normal. There are two scenarios: Firstly if the Common "Name" is not changed and the Image is changed using the Properties Tab then then changes are reflected in the O&A Window Objects List. However, if the Common Name is changed to the users preference (say Object 1 etc) then changing the image in the Properties Tab has no effect on the O&A Window Objects List. "Object 1" will always be Object 1 even if the Image related to it has been changed. It seems to me that if the Common "Name" is changed to, perhaps, "Label" it would make more sense? DaveG

I'm not sure exactly what you mean but if you want the same pan and zoom on each slide you could set the first the way you want it and then copy and paste it as many times as necessary. By changing the image in each of the copied slides in O&A / Properties / Picture from original to your next image you will have saved youself a certain amount of repetitive work. There are probably other ways - I'm sure someone will jump in. DaveG

Well, I'll be................................... Thanks both, DaveG

Peter, An interesting point arising out of your post. I have often wondered if it would be better if PTE opened up as a blank screen similar to PS / Elements etc. rather than opening the last saved project? I think that the recently opened files option would provide all that is required. Maybe a menu item which would give either option would be useful. DaveG

Hi all, The way I have been using it is as follows: Let's say that I am doing around an hour's work per day on a particularly long project. With Auto Save set at 10 - 15 minutes, the first day's work is saved as Version one. When starting work on day two I open Version one and immediately save as Version Two. Auto Save will do its own thing and then when I finish I will save as Version Two. On day three open Version Two and immediately save as Version Three etc. The end result is a series of Versions any which could be returned to if necessary. This should result in an insurance against all manner of possible catastrophes and each version takes up very little space. I don't consider that any possible changes in Auto Save would be worth the time spent on it (by Igor) at this stage so I am quite happy to continue this way. If anyone could suggest an improvement in what I have described I would certainly consider it. Thanks all, for taking the time to contribute . DaveG

Eric, Do you mean that you want to be asked regularly or when you exit? Auto save is a deterent against loss of work due to a crash etc DaveG

Daniel, I had the same problem earlier today. I have sort of come to the conclusion that PTE likes Compuserve GIFs (Save As) and does not like some of the variants offered by Save for the Web. DaveG

Auto Save project file has been with us for a while. What, in your opinion, is the best way to make use of it? Do you just let it overwrite your original pte file; do you save a different version from time to time? I am thinking that, on a long project, it might be a good idea to save a new version on a daily basis and only Auto Save over the current day's work. Any opinions? DaveG

Davy / Mark, The show plays OK on my desktop machine but consider this: The show is "Fullscreen" and I'm viewing on a 1920x1200 monitor so the images, for the most part, are zoomed and panned beyond the limits of their 2048x1360 resolution (on my monitor). Getting the resolution of each image down to 1400x1050, as Mark suggests would make the situation even worse in terms of image quality unless the "window" of the show is limited to 1400x1050 and no pans or zooms were applied, which was not the object of Davy's excercise. I'm beginning to think that the image resolution means very little unless the resolution of the monitor on which the show was created is given? Any thoughts, anyone? DaveG

Tony, Something to consider for the future: A 3:2 aspect ratio image will fit to the height of a 1920x1080 output projector wheras it will only fit to the width of a 1400x1050 leaving you with black bands top and bottom. The difference in image sizes then becomes 1620x1080 as opposed to 1400x933.333333 (a physical impossibility). The difference in image quality is immediately obvious and the 16:9 aspect ratio has the advantage even if you don't use the full width - black bands at the sides are far less obtrusive than black bands top and bottom. DaveG

Andre, If you trying to make HD MP4 - why are you using 1920x1200? You need to size your images to 1920x1080 and set everything up fo 16:9 - 1920x1080. DaveG

Hi, The specs that you quote for your card don't sound quite right? DaveG

So, practically speaking, where does all that leave us? I tried a couple of experiments/tests to try to differentiate between at least two of the options available. Details as follows. Test 1 Image size:1400x1050 Monitor Resolution 1920x1200 Screen Options: Fullscreen; 4:3; 1400x1050: Fixed Size of Slide unticked. When the 1400x1050 image is added it fits the PTE project screen in the Mini-Player as expected. If I play this in Preview mode on my 1920x1200 monitor the 1400x1050 image is fitted to the Height of the screen (1200). If I create an EXE file and transfer it to a laptop with a 1024x768 native resolution monitor the 1400x1050 show fits to the monitor. Test 2 Image size:1400x1050 Monitor Resolution 1920x1200 Screen Options: Fullscreen; 4:3; 1400x1050: Fixed Size of Slide Ticked If I play this is Preview mode on my 1920x1200 monitor the 1400x1050 image is seen in the centre of the monitor with black bands all around – pixel for pixel. If I create an EXE file and transfer it to a laptop with a 1024x768 native resolution monitor the 1400x1050 show fits to the monitor. Conclusion: For monitors whose resolution is smaller than the image size (but the same aspect ratio) either EXE will “Fit to Screen”. On a 5:4 monitor (1280x1024) either EXE will fit to the WIDTH of the screen with a black band at the top and bottom. For monitors whose resolution is greater than image size only the EXE in which the “Fixed Size of Slide” is used plays correctly and without upwards interpolation of the image. So, as I said above: Work to the size (resolution) of YOUR monitor's native maximum resolution. Quality 10 images - 8 if you feel that nothing has been lost. Fullscreen show - with Size of Slide set to your monitor resolution with Fixed Size of Slide ticked. Your show will Fit to Screen on all monitors "smaller" than yours and will maintain the set size on all monitors "larger" than yours. DaveG

Tony, The 1024x768 and 1400x1050 formats are both 4:3 aspect ratio so no black borders will show if the 1024x768 show is upsized to fit the 1400x1050 projector, but some degredation, however small, will take place. If, as in my example, the 1920x1200 show is projected on the 1400x1050 then black bands will show at the top and bottom. IMHO, in todays scenario with a probable (?) majority of people using DSLRs in photo clubs, the 4:3 aspect ratio is a thing of the past. The 16:9 aspect ratio projectors (1920x1080) are MUCH more beneficial to photographers in photo clubs and the sooner they are adopted on a wider scale than now the happier I will be. DaveG

Tony, You can, for instance on a 1920x1200 monitor, work with 1920x1200 images and use Fullscreen 16:10 settings and tick the Fixed Size of slide. On monitors with resolutions "smaller" than 1920x1200 the EXE will "Fit to Screen". On monitors "larger" than 1920x1200 the EXE will maintain the 1920x1200 format. If your PC/Laptop monitor resolution = Projector Resolution then that's what you will see on screen. To avoid interpolation/degredation the best scenario is: Projector Resolution = PC/Laptop Native Resolution = Image Size. DaveG

Work to the size (resolution) of YOUR monitor's native maximum resolution. Quality 10 images - 8 if you feel that nothing has been lost. Fullscreen show - with Size of Slide set to your monitor resolution with Fixed Size of Slide ticked. Your show will Fit to Screen on all monitors "smaller" than yours and will maintain the set size on all monitors "larger" than yours. DaveG

Hi Paul, I will quote what Igor originally said: PTE does a better job of interpolating downwards than it does at interpolating upwards. So, while pixels are lost when downsizing the quality loss is not as bad as, for instance, playing a 1024x768 show at full height on a 1920x1200. DaveG

Paul, Your "Not Far From Home" show plays in the centre of my 1920x1200 monitor (Black Line/band all around). DaveG

Hi Paul, I think it means that your show will fit to screen on any monitor UP TO 1680x1050 but on, for instance a 1920x1200 screen or bigger, it will maintain its 1680x1050 resolution. DaveG

That should please most people Igor. What changes will this mean (if any) in the top left (Menu) portion of the interface? DaveG

Our thoughts are with you all. Best wishes, DaveG

Umberto, I'm not sure if I fully understand your statement, but producing multiple shows to cater for different screen resolutions does not work for me as well as making one show which fits all resolutions and screen sizes. JPD has demonstrated this approach and I would urge you to look at it. I am, in the main, using 1920x1200 images and making all shows fit all screen resolutions. I would be a lot happier if I could restrict the upper limit of the screen resolution shows are viewed on. DaveG

Hi Ed, No assumptions made (I'll leave that to others) but what I was offering was an option to the overcrowded monitor problem if Multi Tracking is introduced. To illustrate, I have just counted 65 objects in a slide that I am currently working on. If there were a keyframe track for each object.............. I can't envisage being able to see track 1 and track 65 at the same time, even on a Multi Monitor system, without some sophisticated switching arrangement for tracks. Nevertheless, for those who can afford it, want it or have enough space for it, Multi (Dual) Monitor support would not only help in this problem but make the days a little brighter for at least one other member here (not me). http://www.picturestoexe.com/forums/index....=9351&st=23 DaveG

Peter, Just out of interest do you copy my finding that if a new button is created in your original menu which is not connected to a frame (parent/child) it behaves as it should? When I tested your original I was able to have your button on a slide doing the wrong things and my button alongside it doing the right things. If it is the slide duration surely it would affect all buttons (on the same slide)? Rephrase: The slide duration workaround is only required for objects which are part of a parent / child relationship? Just trying to understand. DaveG

Here's an idea - it was recently requested that Multi Monitor capability be built in. If this was done it might be possible to have any combination of Timeline / Mini Player or O&A with multi keypoint tracks on one monitor and the main display on another? I disagree with the Audio Tracks but if you must have it that would appear to be a way forward. DaveG