davegee

Peter, Xaver, Whilst not disagreeing with either of you, the procedure you are suggesting could cause problems with images coming from multiple folders. The usual procedure is to make a template when the project is completed. During construction (and before the template is made) the distribution of images across multiple folder can, as you know, cause problems. DaveG

Just look at the spec and the inputs/outputs. If they are suitable the quality is very good. It might be just a tad pricey but it will do the job. DaveG

The EDIROL - Optical to USB Interface that I use is two way i.e. both in and out. Presumably they make a suitable non-optical interface. The UA-1EX looks about right: http://www.ediroleurope.com/products.php?subcat=UFA OR http://www.rolandus.com/products/productli...px?ParentId=114 Their USB speakers are perhaps worth a look also - depends on the size of your audience. http://www.ediroleurope.com/product_overvi...&country=GB DaveG

Hi Ron, Welcome back. Do you create menus? Do you have Vista? If the answer is yes to both you would have had problems in the past with menus - this cures it. Not, only that but "Run Slide Show with Return" is excellent and worth trying for yourself. DaveG

Quick Time works well on both platforms. DaveG

Igor, I accept your recommendation, but I have already changed full path to short path and transferred files to a USB drive to play on my Vista laptop and they work very well from the new folder. What problems could happen? DaveG

Agreed Peter, I did this quickly today just to see how it works. If I start again on a different set I would definitely do what you say. It's less than a dozen links so I will have a go. Thanks, DaveG

CHAINING SHOWS Having mastered (I think!) the art of Menus with “Run Slideshow With Return” I wondered if CHAINING SHOWS would be just as easy? Not quite, but it is possible, once again without the flashing to the desktop in Windows XP – perhaps I will be get around to Vista a little later. I used the same Menu and four shows that I used to create the original menu and added an extra button to link to the chain. I linked from the Menu to Show1.EXE using “Run Slideshow” in Options/More. I linked from the Show1.EXE to Show2.EXE using “Run Slideshow” in Options/More. I linked from the Show2.EXE to Show3.EXE using “Run Slideshow” in Options/More. I linked from the Show3.EXE to Show4.EXE using “Run Slideshow” in Options/More. I linked from the Show4.EXE to the Menu using “Run Slideshow” in Options/More. Each of the four shows has to have a new/different EXE file because of the interlinking which is not necessary when linking to shows via “Run Slideshow With Return”. So, to sum up my menu is now able to access each one of four shows individually or in a chain. It would be possible, by adding three extra buttons, to start the chain at Show2.EXE, Show3.EXE or Show4.EXE and return to the Menu automatically and without flashing back to the Menu. The whole project/folder contains a Menu and eight EXE files (two for each show). A problem that I envisage is that transferring the whole project/folder to another computer might be a bit of a nightmare. More later……. DaveG

Good logic. I think I will do some serious playing around with it. DaveG

Just to clarify, are you asking what we would do? Or are you asking what you can do to satisfy the "client"? If your show is going to be 3:2 aspect ratio then I suspect that your only way forward is to present the images within some sort of "frame" within the 3:2 canvas area. You cannot have what appear to be something like 4:3 images fill the area without either stretching or cropping. Stretching would be a no-no for me and cropping appears to be a no-no for the "client". (The Neville Chamberlain image appears to be 16:9 or wider so a frame is your only answer there. Same goes if you make your show 4:3 - you will have problems with the 3:2 images. The ONLY alternative is to present each image in a frame within the 3:2 or 4:3 canvas without stretching. Under the circumstances I think that I would go for a 4:3 show as it would better suit any of the current range of projectors available. DaveG

Hi Peter, You said: "For me, it is not a problem to Create again all my sequences using v5.6..." Is it simply a matter of opening an old project in V5.6 and then doing "Save as" or is there more to it? DaveG

Aaaaah, I'm off to the opticians tomorrow morning!! Thanks, DaveG

"Added "Pause" button to "Object and animation" editor. " Can anyone point me toward this - I can't find it? DaveG

The rate that things are moving - 2002 - ancient! DaveG

If we take your original scan at 1604x1052 that is pretty close to (but not exactly) 3:2 aspect ratio - same as 35mm slide. To get an accurate 3:2 image from that you need to crop it to something like 1578x1052 using the crop tool set to those dimensions. That will take a little from one or both sides of the image. Having arrived at a 3:2 image you can now go to IMAGE in Elements and, with "Constrain Proportions" ticked, you can enter the pixel size you require for either the height OR the width and it will be re-sized to the correct 3:2 aspect ratio automatically. For example if you alter the width to 1200 you will see that the height will automatically be set to 800 preserving the 3:2 aspect ratio of the "original" (cropped) version of your image. If you set the width to 1024 you will see the height automatically go to 682.666666666666666666 because it is impossible to set a 3:2 aspect ratio of 1024 wide and have the height come out as a whole number. It's better to set something like 1200 pixels wide or 1026 pixels wide and fit to screen in PTE. That way the 3:2 aspect ratio will be accurately preserved. Once again, crop to the desired aspect ratio, be it 3:2 or 4:3 or 16:9, and THEN re-size in IMAGE/Re-size using a figure for the desired width and letting the "Constrain Proportions" set the height. Alternatively set the crop tool to 1200x800 (or 1026x684 if you want to get closer and still be accurate) and use that to crop and re-size at the same time. Fit to Slide in PTE in a Fullscreen 3:2 (15:10) project will then FILL the screen ACCURATELY with your image. DaveG P.S. Here's you boat accurately cropped to 3:2 at 1026x684 pixels.

I have obviously not tried every make and model of DVD player, but I have never come across a player that will not play a region free DVD. I'd be interested to know what specific make and model will not play a region free DVD for future reference? It is possible that the age of the player is relevant - ancient players will not play BOTH Pal and NTSC but more modern units USUALLY play both Pal and NTSC and also play region free DVDs. DaveG

OK, Let's start again. 1024x768 is a 4:3 aspect ratio. In order to end up with 1024x768 your image must be 4:3 to begin with. 1000x750; 2000x1500; 4000x3000 etc are all 4:3 aspect ratios. To crop to a 4:3 aspect ratio use the crop tool. Various presets are available or you can make your own. When you want to resize you can then use the EDIT tools to do that with the "Constrain Proportions" ticked - it should always be ticked for images. If your image has been correctly cropped to a 4:3 aspect ratio whichever you choose to change (width or height) the other will automatically change to suit. If you change the width to 768 the height will automatically change to 1024 preserving the 4:3 aspect ratio. BUT, it must be 4:3 to begin with. Crop to correct aspect ratio first - then re-size to 768x1024. Alternatively, crop and re-size at the same time using the crop tool with preset dimensions of width = "768 px" and height = "1024 px" I hope this helps? DaveG P.S. I don't have Elements 5 to check, but since Elements 6 the Re-size command has been in the IMAGE menu, not the EDIT menu as you suggest?

Yachtsman, When you are re-sizing (and if it is with Photoshop) make sure that the "Constrain Proportions" is ticked and only change EITHER the height or the width. That way the re-sized image will maintain the same aspect ratio. Is that the problem? If you want to crop and re-size at the same time you can do it with the CROP tool. Enter 768 px into the width box (for your example) and 1024 px into the height box and then drag the tool over your image. You will notice that it draws a box which is of a FIXED aspect ratio. Take care not to draw a box which covers an area less than 768x1024 or interpolation upwards will take place. Hit enter and it is done. DaveG

You're my mentor, Ken! DaveG

There is an even easier way: ALWAYS keep ALL files relevant to a project in a single dedicated folder. New project - new folder. DaveG

What I would do is scan at the highest resolution the scanner is capable of. Re-size in photoshop to whatever size your project is. You don't even need to alter the PPI/DPI - just leave it. The subject has been covered many times here - there is no difference at all, for the purposes of PTE projects, between a 1024x768 at 8000 ppi and a 1024x768 at 300 ppi. DaveG

Do you mean where on the computer or in which slide the track is "embedded"? DaveG

It's possible that both Bruce and I are misreading your post. You keep mentioning "scanning at 1024x768" or "1024x683". If I am scanning slides I scan at the full resolution of the scanner and the files are then sometimes 50Mb or more. At that stage I take them into CS3 and crop and resize to 1024x768 or 1024x683. You give the impression that you are scanning directly at 1024x768. That's asking for trouble - can you clarify? DaveG

Hi Igor, In Beta 8 I am still not able to enter minus figures directly into the POSITION boxes in "Size / Position in pixels of parent". Have I missed something? DaveG

You are trying to ADD projects to a DVD? I think that you can write 3 at the same time but not ADD to a DVD. DaveG