Lin Evans

Hi Sam, There is some confusion here. First, Proshow Producer executable output can only be run on a Windows based computer or on a MacIntosh running Windows. Proshow has no ability to create native MacIntosh executable code like PicturesToExe can. So if a MacIntosh computer is running a Proshow creation, it's either a video created by Proshow or the MacIntosh system is actually running Windows. I think Dave is correct - it's the fact that a video is subject to both the volume controls. In this case, and if a MacIntosh is being used to play the show, my suggestion would be to output your shows in both Video and Native MacIntosh executable format. That might open the eyes of the "experts" who appear to be deluded in their bias. You might also explain to the "experts" that PicturesToExe has the ability to also output a "digitally signed" executable file. Proshow does not have that ability either. Best regards, Lin

Hi John, Well, the good news is that we can assume that it's indeed some sort of resource issue. I suspect the reason it works for someone using a regular Windows system versus the Mac with a portion dedicated to Windows is related to a differential in the timing of the availability of RAM. The only other potential place where I can see a possibility for an issue is that perhaps something in the original PNG file isn't tolerated in the same fashion by the Mac hardware. If you were to remake the original PNG in exactly the same way I'm betting it might work. I long ago gave up trying to understand all the intricacies of the lives of electrons. They seem at times to have a mind of their own. Best regards, Lin

Hi John, It would appear that the issue has to do with the construction phase during the executable build. This can be deduced because the exe I created from your zipped file runs - but you couldn't create it on your system. This could be because all resources of your system are not available such as insufficient RAM from the GPU, or it could be that insufficient resources are simultaneously available. Igor probably could confirm but in order to find out what is causing the problem some experimentation must be done. The first thing I would do is begin manipulating the variables. Since the problem is evident at the preview stage, the first thing I would do is substitute a different PNG file - it really doesn't matter that it is even a similar thing, just a PNG which you can determine is functioning. Don't change the keyframes at all, just choose a different PNG and make it a much smaller one which doesn't occupy the entire 1920x1080 pixel dimension. If this one works, then the problem can be localized to either GPU or CPU RAM possibly not being addressed or insufficient. If the file still will not build in the preview - then substitute a much smaller parent file leaving all your keyframes as they are. See if that will build in the preview. By doing this you will be able to possibly localize which, if either file is creating the road-block and Igor can investigate further. The fact that you lost the ability to access your DVD is a clue and perhaps by localizing the problem now apparent, both issues might be resolved or at least sussed out... Best regards, Lin

Hi John, it works normally on my system in both the mini-viewer and the normal preview. I'm wondering if you might be running into a resource issue of some type because of the size of the file... I'm going to create an exe and post the link below and let's see if the exe works properly on your system... http://www.lin-evans.org/john/preview.zip Best regards, Lin

Hi Al, It's been a while - welcome back!! You didn't do anything "wrong" but if you're wondering why your reply ended up in a bracket with numbers it's possibly because you clicked on "Quote" or "MultiQuote" .... doesn't matter - Hope things are going well... Bests regards, Lin

Hi Roger, Temporarily disable the anti-virus and try again - lately there have been several anti-virus programs which give false positives. Nod 32 is an excellent anti-virus but it may be interfering with the executable code. Best regards, Lin

Hi Roger, If you could zip up your PTE project (File - Create Backup in Zip) and post a link we can have a look and see if there is any obvious issue. Also could you say whether you have recently changed or updated your anti-virus software and which, if any, you are using. It would also help to know the operating system version and resouces of your computer. Also, please try to make an exe file with no specific animation and see if the exe creates normally. Best regards, Lin

Way to go Mark!! Congratulations! Best regards, Lin

Optimization creates a video which is much easier on the system. When a video is played back via executable code, if there are heavy animations, it really taxes the system to keep up. When video is optimized, the stress on the system is greatly reduced because the system doesn't have to both decode heavy compression as well as execute the video. Optimization makes the video most amenable to playback smoothly on challenged systems with less than optimal cpu and gpu. Even with my very powerful second system with a 4 gigabytes dedicated video RAM, 32 gigabytes of very fast system RAM and a top-end Intel CPU i7 playing back an MP3 with lots of animation can get jerky. After optimization, even my much less powerful XP system can nearly always play them smoothly. Dedicated video players can play MP4 h.264 usually much smoother because that's "all" they are designed to do. PTE has many other functions and isn't designed as a dedicated video player so optimization works very well. The trade-off is larger file sizes because the decompression is already done before the video is loaded. Best regards, Lin

Just a thought - you do know that this is already an option I assume. In case you are not aware, the settings are controlled by the default template: "Settings" "Preferences" "Templates" "Blank Project - Template for New Projects" "Customize" "Control" then un-check "Show Navigation Bar" "OK" "OK" Best regards, Lin

Hi Barry, You could, but I think what Mur is getting at is that there would be then a "reference" point in the audacity file which one could use as a pointer to "fine tune" the position of the image but with just adding the image via the timeline you would have slightly less visual help. Maybe I'm understanding this wrong, but I thought the idea of the audacity file was to temporarily have two identical audio tracks. The one from audacity would be only used to set the image timing and would then be deleted? Best regards, Lin

Hi Hans, No, it's not a PTE issue if disabling Panda resolves the problem. Perhaps Panda is indeed causing the problem. Nobody can solve this problem for you if you refuse to temporarily disable your virus scanner and test. Simply take your computer off-line (disconnect it from the internet) then there is no possibility of getting a "virus'" Disable Panda and see if this corrects the problem. If it does then Panda is where the issue lies. Many thousands of users are not having issues and there are plenty of good anti-virus programs which do not have issues with false positives or interfere with the operation of other software. Maybe it's a Panda issue, maybe not but we will never know unless you can be reasonable. No software is perfect and Panda has been problematic for some and for actually deleting system files... Panda also has a history of many false positives. Here's a review by one user and below results from testing the last time Panda was tested for false positives. Perhaps there is no problem with Panda but there could very well be one from their history: -------------------------------- 5 of 5 people found the following review helpful1.0 out of 5 stars computer killer, August 19, 2011By sticks - See all my reviews This review is from: Panda Global Protection 2011 3-PC- Soft Pack (CD-ROM)When Panda was first introduced to the U.S. I purchased it and used it with satisfactory results. For some reason it became unavailable in my area so I switched to a different brand. It later appeared in our area again (about 8 or 10 years back) so I once again purchased it. I was using Windows XP at the time. Everything seemed to be okay then Panda began telling me that I needed to do a re-install. This would happen almost every day. Then one day it informed me that a file was infected and had been deleted whereupon my compute promptly shut down and would not re-boot. It would not re-boot because the file that Panda deleted was a vital system file. I was able to boot into Safe mode and remove Panda. I informed Panda of the problem and was told that every antivirus application would do something like that from time to time. Strange but none of the others I used ever did that. After that incident I used various Internet security applications; Norton, McAfee, AVG, Kaspersky, etc. until Panda's 2011 version came out. I installed Panda's 2011 version on my wife's computer and my own. We are both running Windows Vista. Everything seemed to be doing fine. Until, once again, I could not boot my computer. Once again Panda had taken the liberty of deleting and/or putting system files into quarantine wherever Panda hides that. This time it was impossible to boot even in Safe mode. I had no recourse but to do a complete drive format, re-install Windows, software, etc. Needless to say Panda was not re-installed. A different Internet security package was installed on our home computers. Because I had the almost identical occurence on two different computers running two different operating systems years apart due to Panda's inability to recognize system files I could not give Panda even one star but Amazon requires that you give at least one. If I were to rate it honestly I would give it a -5. Customer ReviewsPanda Global Protection 2011 3-PC- Soft Pack16 Reviews5 star: (6) 4 star: (3) 3 star: (0) 2 star: (0) 1 star: (7) Average Customer Review3.1 out of 5 stars (16 customer reviews)Share your thoughts with other customersCreate your own review --------------------------------------- Best regards, Lin

It wasn't.... LOL but it should have been... Lin

Hi Claudio, Yes, it can be installed using Velcro so that it can quickly be removed and replaced. It can also be simply held around your neck on a lanyard (a piece of cord which attached to the device via an adhesive pad) then just held up to the screen when you need it. Best regards, Lin

To add to what Claudio has said... There are several ways. Zip the executable output and save that or create an MP4 and save it in a zipped format. The zip format will preserve the integrity of the files which can sometimes be corrupted by anti-virus software. For Windows based PC's it's also nice to create your executable in the "Safe Executable for Internet" mode which not only is a digitally signed file, but also creates its own folder when downloaded. Best regards, Lin

One of the ongoing issues for compact cameras which require the photographer to use the LCD as the viewfinder (that is no electronic or optical viewfinder) is that with the sun at our back and especially when low on the horizon which is often is at the "golden hour" for photography, it's nearly impossible to either frame the subject or see the menu options or settings presently on the camera. This makes for difficult and very annoying times. Plus, with these type cameras and those of us who are a few years older, we have to hold the camera at arms length trying to frame the image. In all, this is at best a really exasperating experience. It's much easier to get good images which we can support the camera close to our body and wouldn't it be really great if we could actuall SEE the danged LCD? There have been a number of solutions over the years and one which I have used since the days of the first digital cameras is one by Photosolve called the Xtend-a-View. This product was born from using the old slide viewers - you know the little optical device we used to look at our mounted slides without a projector? Phil Williams, owner and manager of Photosolve began making these viewers when no one else had anything like them. Now there are numerous version available and many cost as much as our compact cameras such as the Zacuto Z Finder which can sell for as much as $375.00 U.S.D. !! Fortunately, Photosolve still has the Xtend-a-View and their new Pro 3.0 model works perfectly with the new 3 inch high-resolution LCD displays on the back of many new compact cameras. My review below is specific to the three DP Merrill versions of Sigma's high resolution compact cameras, but the Xtenda-a-View Pro 3.0 with the Xtend-a-Mount Omni will work with about any compact camera having a tripod mount. So if you are having an issue seeing your subject and reading the LCD to make settings or see menus in bright sunlight - here's a solution! As some may know, Sigma has produced an LCD "loupe" type viewfinder for the new Sigma DP Quattro camera, but nothing for the DP1m, DP2m or Dp3m compact cameras. The Sigma solution for the Quattro costs $300 plus shipping but thankfully there is a MUCH more economical solution for the DP Merrills. Over the last couple years I've tested numerous solutions for the DP Merrills, and have finally found the answer. I tried Hoodman, Carry-Speed, Zacuto and others but the best solution I've found is less expensive and works better. It's the Xtend-a-View Pro 3.0 by Photosolve. I've been using the Xtend-a-View line for many, many years with dozens of my digital cameras and have found them to be rugged, dependable and a fine solution. I finally talked to Phil Williams, the owner of Photosolve and tried his latest solution. It works perfectly! Follow the link below to my mini-review of this fine product. Though this review is specific to the Sigma Merrill cameras, the device works with virtually any compact camera. http://www.lin-evans.org/xtend/index.htm Best regards, Lin

Claudio, Personal Message - look at the top right of your display and click on the number surrounded by red.... Best regards, Lin

Hi Mur, Just follow the instructions, load the style and apply it to your own images. Then once the animation is complete, you will be able to see the O&A which the style has created. Best regards, Lin

Hi Rudi, The PTE error should identify the names of the missing pictures. Do a Windows Search and find where they are currently on your system. Once you find them, then you have two choices: 1. Move them all to a common place then in Objects and Animations, click on the file name which is missing then click on the Properties tab and by "pictures" click on the far right and navigate to their new location. Select the missing file then double click on it and it will be linked to the new location. Save the PTE file. 2. Write down the locations where the missing files are located then do as above. Best regards, Lin

Hi Claudio, Initial experimentation reveals that the best way to rotate the 3D object is to use two frames making the second frame a child of the first. Next make the cube or jpg the object of the second frame then move the top level frame to the position you wish to rotate on and move the middle level frame back to the original position. After doing this, rotating the original top level frame will rotate the object off-center. You do not move the centers on any of the frames or the grandchild (original cube or other object). I haven't worked out the math yet to give you precise positioning, but here is a little pte file with a single PNG file which I rotate off center via the parent frame. http://www.lin-evans.org/pte8/rotate.zip If I get some more time to play with it this weekend I'll try to work out the details for you.. Best regards, Lin

Hi Claudio, No, I think your PTE is fine - let me experiment a little and get back on this... Best regards, Lin

Hi Claudio, A "Cube" is actually a construct of six objects rather than a single object so the easiest way to control the rotation center is to make the cube a child of a frame and manipulate the center of the frame which will in-turn control the cube as if it were a single object. This is essentially true of all 3D objects in PTE - they are constructs of separate 2D objects so use a controlling frame to manipulate 3D objects as if they were a single object. That's the beauty of the hierarchical parent/child relationships with PTE. Best regards, Lin

http://www.picturestoexe.com/forums/index.php?/topic/7901-pte-made-easy-tutorials-continuously-updated/ #43 or #47 or both on link above which is page 1 of this thread. Scroll down to get to actual links when you click link above: Best regards, Lin

Hi Dan, Actually, that link seems to work fine right now - perhaps the server was down when you tried it. I will duplicate it on another server and when it's uploaded I'll put the link below on this reply... http://www.lin-evans.org/pte8/waterreflecttutorial.zip Best regards, Lin

Hi Igor, Yes, I use it. It's something to me that sets PTE apart from the competition. I create several - for different type shows.... What I have used it for is to create presets. For example, when I want to have identical shadows behind slides which are presented over a textured background I set the first one to give me exactly the size, direction and opacity and having the template I can instantly apply it to subsequent slides without writing down the settings and applying them individually to each slide - It's been a great timesaver for me. for example: