Lin Evans

Hi Eric, My understanding is that tutorials and utilities will no longer be available via Slideshow Club but now it will be just slideshows and shows which are demo's of various PTE features. Tutorials will be housed as they always have been here on the PTE forum. A tutorial is not a demo show so you won't be able to upload tutorials to the demo section. Demos are essentially slidshows which are not designed as conventional shows with photos, synchronized music and the ordinary type shows as seen at photo clubs and in competitions, etc. Instead, demos are shows which demonstrate use of specific features of PTE which show innovative ways the program has been used to create and manipulate objects, animations and effects. As always, the administrator of Slideshow Club will approve uploads and make decisions of suitability for the two specific categories housed there. Best regards, Lin

In addition to what David had explained, there will be no need to synchronize the separate images because they will share the identical slide time and each, as separate objects in the same frame, are automatically assigned a start time which corresponds. Though each object has its own "timeline" they (the timelines) are not visible simultaneously, but become visible for each object when you click on the specific object. I believe that doing as david suggests by adding all photos from the first view by sequential selection (click on the first, hold down the keyboard shift key and click on the last and drag the set) is the ideal way to proceed. Then go to the Objects and Animations screen and select the first image which has been loaded to the slide list, right click and add the first image of the second set. This makes the second view image a "child" of the first view. This way when you get the first set of images adjusted to the desired position on the screen you can use the pan and zoom numbers associated with it to copy and paste for all subsequent sets. Also should you decide to later adjust the size or position, the second image of the pair will always be subservient to and linked to the first and will move or resize in concert with the master image. Continue as above until each of the second set is loaded. Best regards, Lin

Hi Barry, One of the things many people have asked about for an extended period is the ability to move keypoints in concert for a specified distance on the timeline. Whether doing animations or precise matching of an object to the audio, some time's it's very useful to be able to move selected keyframes simultaneously. OAK allows this and is a valuable tool for doing precise control such as Charlie did in his show "Jazz." It's quite popular in France and the instructions in the form of a PDF are available in both French and English. It's something Igor is very interested in vis his comments when it was introduced. I doubt that you can assume because it's not widely used in the UK that it has little utillity for most. That's a pretty ethnocentric viewpoint. I would say the the reason it's not commonly known in the UK is because most UK users don't speak French and don't frequent the French PTE forums. It's very popular among our French PTE users. By the way, what's the "UK Forum?" Best regards, Lin

Barry, (OAK - Objects, Animation - Keypoints) it's a very nice program by Jean-Claude Senechal which works with PTE to allow many things You can read all about it on the French forum. Best regards, Lin

Hi Folks, I think we've gotten a bit off track here. I believe the original intent was to find a way to copy one's own exe files when there is no longer a PTE file so that they might be made into a video format and therefore amenable to being posted on Youtube or one's own site to share. The bottom line is that the quality of the screen capture will depend greatly on the "type" of exe show being captured. If it is a simple slideshow with quick or fade transitions and very limited or no animation, then any good screen capture tool which can handle capture at 30fps or so will do an adequate job. If the show has a good deal of animation then I don't believe there is any present software which can do justice to a conversion to video. Actually, if there is sufficient animation, even creating the show in PTE and exporting to an MP4 h.264 will not produce equivalent quality to the executable version in the vast majority of cases. Once the degredation imposed by additional conversions by Youtube, Vimeo, etc., are added, the original exe quality is severely compromised. Virtually the "only" format I've found which can approximate the exe qualiity on a big screen high resolution television when there is serious animation is DivX. I think David I I discussed this once before and he was getting MP4 h.264 to work equally as well, but I've never found it to be nearly as smooth myself. This may be because we are using different settings. Also there appears to be a difference between video captured with a video recorder and displayed and video created by PTE. For reasons unknown to me, video captured with a video recorder as opposed to video created with PTE or Producer or Wings Platinum or m.Objects, is smoother when uploaded to Youtube or Vimeo. But the bottom line is that no present screen capture tool does a decent job of capturing a really heavily animated exe and converting it to video. There are audio capture tools which intercept the sound sent to the sound card and make, for all practical purposes, perfect audio reproductions. To my knowledge, no video screen capture tool works this way and because of this, the video quality is compromised, especially for animated portions. Best regards, Lin

Thanks JT, the two have been also removed from the index... Best regards, Lin

Hi Guys, For those who write a number of articles or tutorials for the forum, if you could please organize them into a compiled list with an index of titles and links it would greatly facilitate not only keeping track but also make it much easier for the forum visitor to find your work. I have created an alphabetic index for the Articles and Tutorials section and when you post a new entry to this forum it will be alphabatized and updated on the master index. If you write a new tutorial it's fine to post the notice of such, but if you have many of them and can organize them into a single entry with an index (doesn't need to be alphabetic) and when you create a new one, add it to your own indexed list with a link, it will help greatly with organization. The new entry will be indexed alphabetically to help the new visitor find what they are looking for and the link associated in the master index will point to your post. Hopefully, the link to the tutorial you provide in your post will then point to your own indexed list. If you have a number of tutorials or articles and create such an indexed list, it can be pinned to avoid being lost in the jumble of new posts as time goes on. The Master Index only points to your post and not to any replies. It would also help if you could use a meaningful descriptive subject name first on your post. For example: Videos, How to Create RGBA alpha channel videos - rather than How to Create RGBA alpha channel videos. This way the indexing will have much more usefulness. I've not followed my own advice in the past, but will make a concerted effort to use this type of naming convention in the future for my own tutorials... Thanks, Lin

3D Cube Tutorial on Youtube http://www.picturestoexe.com/forums/index.php?/topic/15664-3d-cube-tutorial-on-youtube/ A Strategy For Tutorials with SlideshowClub http://www.picturestoexe.com/forums/index.php?/topic/17475-a-strategy-for-tutorials-with-slideshowclub/ An Experiment... http://www.picturestoexe.com/forums/index.php?/topic/16265-an-experiment/ Aspect Ratio http://www.picturestoexe.com/forums/index.php?/topic/16396-aspect-ratio/ Auto-starting - Continuously Looping Video on DVD http://www.picturestoexe.com/forums/index.php?/topic/14728-auto-starting-continuously-looping-video-on-dvd/ Canvas Mounting" Images http://www.picturestoexe.com/forums/index.php?/topic/16609-canvas-mounting-images/ Colored Masks http://www.picturestoexe.com/forums/index.php?/topic/14901-colored-masks/ Creating a Simple Style http://www.picturestoexe.com/forums/index.php?/topic/17060-creating-a-simple-style/ Creating The Video Wall and 3D Video Room http://www.picturestoexe.com/forums/index.php?/topic/15779-creating-the-video-wall-and-3d-video-room/ Custom Transitions - BOOK 5 http://www.picturestoexe.com/forums/index.php?/topic/16003-custom-transitions-book-5/ DVD Problems http://www.picturestoexe.com/forums/index.php?/topic/17335-dvd-problems/ Enclosing Objects Within Wireframes http://www.picturestoexe.com/forums/index.php?/topic/14857-enclosing-objects-within-wireframes/ Expanding Audio Waveform/Expanding Audio Timeline http://www.picturestoexe.com/forums/index.php?/topic/16806-expanding-audio-waveformexpanding-audio-timeline/ Freebie PS Action http://www.picturestoexe.com/forums/index.php?/topic/13983-freebie-ps-action/ How to Add or Remove slides http://www.picturestoexe.com/forums/index.php?/topic/13044-how-to-add-or-remove-slides/ How to create a nice text effect http://www.picturestoexe.com/forums/index.php?/topic/10687-how-to-create-a-nice-text-effect/ How To Use New Animation Feature Tutorial http://www.picturestoexe.com/forums/index.php?/topic/11805-how-to-use-new-animation-feature-tutorial/ How to watch any widescreen slideshow without black strips http://www.picturestoexe.com/forums/index.php?/topic/8084-how-to-watch-any-widescreen-slideshow-without-black-strips/ Jerky EXE on PC? http://www.picturestoexe.com/forums/index.php?/topic/16028-jerky-exe-on-pc/ Keyboard shortcuts for Vista and XP http://www.picturestoexe.com/forums/index.php?/topic/8525-keyboard-shortcuts-for-vista-and-xp/ Keyframes and Customize Slide http://www.picturestoexe.com/forums/index.php?/topic/9143-keyframes-and-customize-slide/ Lip Sync http://www.picturestoexe.com/forums/index.php?/topic/16406-lip-sync/ Making a DVD http://www.picturestoexe.com/forums/index.php?/topic/16089-making-a-dvd/ Media Players (Tv ETC) http://www.picturestoexe.com/forums/index.php?/topic/15071-media-players-tv-etc/ Modifying Transition Times http://www.picturestoexe.com/forums/index.php?/topic/13745-modifying-transition-times/ MPEG4 Files for HDTV http://www.picturestoexe.com/forums/index.php?/topic/13812-mpeg4-files-for-hdtv/ New Tutorial Available http://www.picturestoexe.com/forums/index.php?/topic/14748-new-tutorial-available/ New Tutorial on Snow Buildup Over Time http://www.picturestoexe.com/forums/index.php?/topic/11568-new-tutorial-on-snow-buildup-over-time/ Non-linear PZR http://www.picturestoexe.com/forums/index.php?/topic/6549-non-linear-pzr/ Objects and Animations http://www.picturestoexe.com/forums/index.php?/topic/6549-non-linear-pzr/ Pan/Zoom/Rotate/Center with your mouse http://www.picturestoexe.com/forums/index.php?/topic/10667-panzoomrotatecenter-with-your-mouse/ PicturesToExe Online Help http://www.picturestoexe.com/forums/index.php?/topic/17657-picturestoexe-online-help/ PTE Made Easy tutorials (Continuously Updated) http://www.picturestoexe.com/forums/index.php?/topic/7901-pte-made-easy-tutorials-continuously-updated/ Screensavers the easy way http://www.picturestoexe.com/forums/index.php?/topic/9115-screensavers-the-easy-way/ Scrolling Panoramas for the Challenged Video Card http://www.picturestoexe.com/forums/index.php?/topic/10443-scrolling-panoramas-for-the-challenged-video-card/ Streaming video from your own web site http://www.picturestoexe.com/forums/index.php?/topic/15276-streaming-video-from-your-own-web-site/ Talking Book about Digital AV http://www.picturestoexe.com/forums/index.php?/topic/8700-talking-book-about-digital-av/ The "Invisible Menu" http://www.picturestoexe.com/forums/index.php?/topic/6834-the-invisible-menu/ Transparent To Selection VS Ignore Objects Not Selected http://www.picturestoexe.com/forums/index.php?/topic/7104-transparent-to-selection-vs-ignore-objects-not-selected/ Version 8 English Manual (PDF) http://www.picturestoexe.com/forums/index.php?/topic/17424-version-8-english-manual-pdf/ Video Clips: Adding Video to a Project http://www.picturestoexe.com/forums/index.php?/topic/13769-video-clips-adding-video-to-a-project/ Video "Trimming" PDF http://www.picturestoexe.com/forums/index.php?/topic/13792-video-trimming-pdf/ Voice-over Recordings http://www.picturestoexe.com/forums/index.php?/topic/8003-voice-over-recordings/Zoom VS Z position http://www.picturestoexe.com/forums/index.php?/topic/10705-zoom-vs-z-position/

Hi Paul, Looks great! Because you use an animated gif file, you can set the display time on the slide to virtually any length without affecting the appearance of your animation other than the length of the display. If you wanted this slide to run for say 30 seconds just change the slide time. Also, if you click on the gif file in the Objects and Animations screen, then click on the "Properties" tab and then on the "adjust Image and border" button then on the "Animation" tab from the ensuing Adjust Image and Border window, you have further options for adjusting the display of your gif animation. For example, the "intervals" will reflect the default time established by the creating program (SqirlzReflect in this case) and you can change this intervals time to speed up or slow down the ripple effect without making an additional gif with SquirlzReflect. As an example, here's one I made from an internet picture. The default I used in SqurlzReflect was 30 frames or an "interval" of 30ms. I changed it in PTE to 100ms to get a more gentle and slowly rippling effect. http://www.lin-evans.org/demo/tina.zip (about 12 meg) Though you can't keframe changes in real time for these parameters on a single object, by some creative keyframing and the use of the opacity control, you can actually effect a good workaround. For example, you have an animated gif of a bird flying and you want to change the wing action from a flap to a soar as it moves across the screen. You start the animation either way - flapping wings or soaring depending on the settings you give it in the animations parameters. Then you place the identical gif in a second time and set the wing action to the opposite (flap or not) then keyframe the first out of view with a nearly instant change in 100% opacity while simultaneously keyframing the duplicate which has the opposite wing action in. Since they are separate objects (even though the same file) you can adjust the parameters independently. Best regards, Lin

Hi Paul, The "for the internet" is a tiny bit misleading because some might think that it would be a file which could be viewed much as a video from one's website. What lead to this was the fear of downloading executable code which "could" be possibly hiding a virus, trojan or other malware. Though this has never been the case with any PTE executable which is well protected by the developers, to avoid the issue of anti-virus software creating false positives with PTE executable code, the developers decided to offer the choice of the regular exe file with everything included in the single file, or an executable portion which was digitally signed plus a data file. By being digitally signed, antivirus software will always accept the code just as they do executable code from Microsoft, Adobe or any other major company. So this zipped file is to be hosted on your own or any site and downloaded by the user. The user then simply extracts the two archived files to a folder of their choice and mouse clicks the exe file name and the program runs just as a single exe file would. The difference being the protection of having a digitally signed exe file. The latest operating systems will still give the user a warning, but anti-virus software, because of the digital signature, will not miscategorize the file as a virus. Best regards, Lin

Hi Paul, Another way to "skin a cat" - LOL Sounds logical to me and would love to see the results! Best regards, Lin

Hi Paul, Let us know how it works for you... by the way, I posted one more sequence to my demo on the other link. It's a summer boat and ocean scene with rippling water and a couple extras for fun... It's now updated on the original link... Best regards, Lin

Hi Eric, I suspected that might be the case. The device you ordered functions as the analog to digital converter and should do the job nicely. Best regards, Lin

Hi Paul, If you could download from my link the AVI tutorial/explanation it will help you with understanding the procedure. Essentially what was done is to crop the area created by the mask, paint over the rocks, ice and objects within that area with the same iridescent colors adjacent to these objects then create the ripples by using SqirlzReflect. With no geographical objects (shore line, rocks, ice, etc.) to reflect, the program will simply use the entire area. Once that is done the animated gif created (I used the animated gif rather than an AVI because it's smaller, quicker and just as good and it will repeat for any length of time) will be revealed by the mask created in Photoshop which confines the ripples only to the pure white areas which constitute the mask itself. In addition, because it's too time consuming to diddle with the reflect program to get just the perfect amount of "ripple," the original jpg was used in the layer above the mask as well as below the mask. The image below the mask provides all the geography not revealed by the mask. The identical image above the mask is used with desired (less than 100%) opacity to attenuate the strength of the reflection. Seriously, download the brief tutorial/explanation and you will immediately see how it works best. As for other software to do the ripple effects, I couldn't comment because I only use the one referenced which is very powerful except for the limited selection capability which effectively prevents it from being used exclusively for creating the entire image as used in PTE. This software can be used to create excellent rain effects as well as ripples of several types and including flow direction, etc. I just realized that perhaps you haven't seen the latest post I made on this so I'm posting the link to the example and from there a link to the AV tutorial below. http://www.picturestoexe.com/forums/index.php?/topic/17621-things-which-can-be-done-with-pte/ Best regards, Lin

Methinks you need an analog to digital converter... Best regards, Lin

That's really bad news - Tucows is usually quite safe. I'll see if I can put the necessary files together later today and provide a link. Here's the link: http://www.lin-evans.org/sqirlz/sqirlzall.zip Just download and extract in a folder and run the install program. There should be no malware in this... Best regards, Lin

Settings - Toggle Full Screen or F4 - also the little arrow icon to the left of "Slides" at the bottom right of your screen is a toggle. Best regards, Lin

At the top of your screen ... The Toolbar (File Publish Project Slide Settings Help). Click on Settings then Preferences then Toolbars. I would suggest checking all until you are thoroughly familiar with Version 8. Best regards, Lin

Hi Tom, That's an interesting concept. I think Dominique (theDom) once had a crystal ball which rolled across the screen and magnified as it did that. It was done in a similar way to the method we use to create a "magnifying glass" and move it about the subject area magnifying what lies beneath. To make it accurate, some distortion would need to be implemented. I've been corresponding with Panos Efstathiadis (PanosFX) about the possibility of creating a Photoshop action for iridescent soap bubbles. He's taken it under consideration and if he does it, it wouldn't be too difficult to then perhaps create a crystal ball action with the same type construct. That would greatly facilitate doing something like that with PTE. Best regards, Lin

Hi Moises, What a tremendous amount of work!! Incredible!! I absolutely love Morasoft_151, that is totally cool! Best regards, Lin

Thanks Tom, that's good news. I'll see if Ron has his issue solved yet... Later - here's the link, maybe you could make a suggestion? http://www.picturestoexe.com/forums/index.php?/topic/16715-create-an-exe-file-for-mac-in-vmware-fusion/ Best regards, Lin

Hi Tom, If you could, try outputting a native MacIntosh exe from your 8.1 system and see if it works properly on your Mac. I think Ron was having problems doing that for some reason a couple days ago.. Best regards, Lin

I will keep Win XP on my development system - no reason to change. There have been recent issues and the hackers are now having a field day, but it's still my favorite OS for Windows. Just two days ago I spent over 13 hours chasing a really annoying virus which I picked up following an Adobe lead. The Windows Security Essentials immediately flagged it and flashed a message which indicated that I need do nothing because it was handled by the program. Turns out it wasn't at all. Not only wasn't the problem "fixed" but subsequent use of the external Microsoft security program provided on the Microsoft site could find no problem. I ran AVG, Kaspersky, Malwarebytes, Super Anti-Spyware, and Ad-Aware. All found "some" problems and corrected, but none could find the culprit. What happened is that every few seconds a "rundll32.exe" file was added to the task manager. After a time there were over 150 instances of this file each sapping RAM. If I deleted one it was immediately replaced. I opened Windows in the Safe mode and looked everywhere but could not find the culprit. I searched the web for similar problems to no avail. Finally, I downloaded a freeware program called Process Explorer by Sysinternals. This program let me see what was linked with the complete path to each file being currently displayed in the Windows Task Manager. It also let me "suspend" as well as erase the action of any running program. I discovered a file in the Windows System 32 folder called "winthemes_services.dll" which was proliferating all the rundll32.exe clones. I went back to the Safe Mode, searched for the winthemes_services.dll file just to be sure it wasn't lurking somewhere else and deleted it from the Windows System 32 folder. Case closed. Thirteen hours of frustration and literally none of the current anti-virus/anti-threat software could recognize the culprit. I guess these are the things we will have to suffer with in the future when we leave Win XP open to infection on the web..... Hopefully, even though Microsoft no longer supports XP the antivirus protections will still work when and if they find all the proliferation of threats we can soon expect for this OS... Best regards, Lin

I posted a link to the tutorial/explanation on the original post... Best regards, Lin