nobeefstu

Richard, CDRom Drive speeds are by nature alot slower than hard drive speeds. Its all about data transfer speeds ... and how fast it gets processed. You Show specs as stated seem to be in order by my accounts. Have you some extreme timing or demanding fades used within your Show? As this can cause playback issues from CD. If your not sure ... remake another version relaxing your timing and or fades to see if the problem persists. Also make sure to use good quality CDR disc and a not so low X-speed types. As this can also cause problems sometimes. Also the speed of the CDRom unit itself can play a part in how smoothly things go. Sometimes it takes abit of adjustment of your Show setup-settings to have a smooth CDR show. As stated before ... CD playing of a Show in no way can match the superior PC hard drive played show. Some setting compromises must be made for CDR playing.

Close maybe I really like button sound clicks with mine. Maybe oneday when Igor hasnt much else to improve ... we can get more expanded button actions (mouse over, sound clicks etc) But Iam quite content with what we already have ... and rather have other more needed additions and improvements.

Hello Nashua I use W98 and 98 SE and havent had such a issue. In the meantime, maybe you oughta test out some other user made shows to see if its just your friends show giving you the issue. Try Beechbrook Site ... lots to choose from and download http://beechbrook.com/pte/

Al, My best guess is that his layer order is not quite correct. Mainly because when he advances/returns to the page ( its like page refreshing) ... all Objects return to normal. I suspect he has the active object beneath his static object. Active objects will work beneath static objects ... but the normal result is Jim's experience. Using Copy and Paste object function for multiple objects can cause this problem real easily.

Jim, Check to see how you are layering your objects. Create your Text Object first ... then create the Button Object. The Button Object must be the upper most (layered) object. Give the Button Object the destination properties. The order of object creation plays a key role here to avoid the problem you are experiencing. Always keep your active object on top of other static objects. As far as I know this is not a bug ... its pretty much a trait of active objects when layered (this happpens in many other programs and is not unique just to PTE) New Note : Some other programing tools have the capability to control the order of object layers ( move to top, move to bottom, etc.)... thus not totally dependent on order of creation. Since PTE does not have this capability ... we must be watchful of the order of when we create them for use in layering..

Robert, Come to think of it ... I had McAfee a few years ago (several versions prior) and had noticed a considerable slow-down difference when I upgraded versions. I then trashed McAfee ... and went to Norton. I immediately noticed a faster improvement and have been happy ever since.

Robert, You can try this little tool that helps you take control of start-up programs. Startup Control Panel by Mike Lin : http://www.mlin.net/StartupCPL.shtml It allows you to turn off or remove the culprit files at your direction. I use the standalone exe version (a cpl version also avail). This program makes life much easier ... without totally removing anything until you know whats what. It will enable/disable/remove all without rebooting as MS always does when changes are made. Its not always easy to find such info ... sometimes it hit and miss Give that tool a try, as this will aid you in atleast getting a handle of what may be happening. New Note : I forgot to add this simple little tool also StartupList makers of Spybot http://www.lurkhere.com/~nicefiles/ Lists all and every autostarting app on your system. Checks Autostart folders, the Registry Run keys, Autoexec.bat, Stub Paths, ICQ Agent, Program extensions, Win.ini, System.ini, Wininit.ini, Wininit.bak, Winstart.bat, Dosstart.bat, as well as checking for duplicate instances of Explorer.exe and checking for superhidden extensions. It does not configure anything ... but just creates a extensive list file of whats loaded and running at the time your make the test

Amazing ! This quick ? I know originally the anticpated date for this feature was expected much later. Just think ... we wont have to see this featured requested end over end and post after post. Will this be the end of them ... I seriously doubt it

I think the ESC key feature works just fine ... its pretty much a universally accepted practice. ESC only closes the active window open (or window that has current focus). If a user gets click happy on the ESC key ... then each relative window that gains focus will ultimately get closed. However not all programs will close by ESC ... sometimes the programmer diables the ESC route or traps the ESC key. If some other Key function is enabled ... we would have to someway convey this function to the user at the start of the Show. This would make more work and things a little ugly from presentation design perspective As Al states, I too dont want any messages " Asking" me if its OK or am I sure I want to exit. Note: I understand Boxigs request and useful need for his posted option. Since we have the ability to run a external program at PTE close ... this would make it possible to run the external program even if the PTE Show is ESC or closed prior to it normal ending. The current or existing condition does not allow this to happen if we close prior to the shows ending

mannybr, This should be easily accomplished. If you RIGHT CLICK your .SCR files ... a pop-up menu should appear giving you several options : Things like Test, Configure, Install, etc ...this is the way it works on W98. I cant see XP being any different, if anything it should be alot easier and better ... since everybody claims XP does everything better.

Marco, Just to add to Al's comment. PTE will execute just about any file ... using the PCs default program that opens or launches it. The Users PC must have the registered file type associated with a particular program thats capable of opening it. (Un-registered file types will not open) Major Note : However, you can not use Parameters. PTE does not have this capability. The use of Parameters has been a suggested topic for a new feature.

M2, We here have all been "new" to PTE at time or another ... plus with the upgrades and changes implemented into new versions, we continue to learn new things all the time As for your slideshow timing differences : If you build your Show Settings using Syncronize slideshow to music duration ... this feature resolves the play/timing variance among different pcs. You have 2 types to choose from : Automatic syncronization or Custom syncronization to invoke your needs. Major Note : In using the Sync feature ... all mouse input/actions (button/object/navigation bar) are inoperable. Sync shows disable the mouse and disallows the user any control over your show. New features in future (real soon) PTE versions will enable the user some mouse control within a sync mode show.

Ron, See PTE Faqs 14. Question: How can I make my presentation (.EXE file) starts just after inserting CD into the drive? Answer: Create new document with name "autorun.inf" using any text editor (e.g. Notepad) and write the following strings: [autorun] open=YourPresentation.exe icon=YourPresentation.exe (Note: instead of "icon=YourPresentation.exe" you can write "icon=YourIcon.ico") where "YourPresentation.exe" is the name of your presentation. This file ("autorun.inf") must be copied to CD disk with your presentation. Note : Your own menu show name will replace the YourPresentation.exe in the above locations. Put all files on CD ROOT if you want to keep it simple ( not using folders or paths)

Eric, I would think by your PC specs all should be fine ... its not that old My first guess to start, make sure your video card/settings are all in order. (refresh rates,color depth,etc.) How about your monitor ? CRT or LCD ?

Ron Your issue may be due to using a SYNC show setting One major point to remember : Currently PTE does not allow use of the mouse during a SYNC mode music setting. The only way to have the mouse enabled to execute your button objects is to build your show without any SYNC. (Future release versions of PTE will enable mouse actions ... but not yet.)

bjc , I suspect the issue surrounds more UNISYS as the patent holder of the GIF and control of its use ... and not Igors. Heres a brief cut ...and maybe not such a well known fact to many users here :

MikeyUK, Any image program such as PS, PSP, etc can be used. Save your image as bmp, jpg,gif. One major note ... your new images when used as buttons will not react like normal push effect buttons that PTE uses. Import your button images into PTE Object Editor ... and give them a Action on Mouse Click to perform. If you want simulated push effect button of your button images ... overlay a PTE Button Object ontop of your button image. Size accordingly to cover image ... make the PTE Button Object properties Transparent and give the PTE Button Object ( not your button image used under it) a Action on Mouse Click to perform. Boxig has already given you options for :

Ron , That previous function is no longer required or needed in latest PTE versions ... therefor negating the choice to perform. As to your playing issues : What Settings are used ? Syncronized to Music ? Automatic or Custom Sync ? As a First Test : If your using Sync to music settings ... simply reconfigure your show to manual play advance(disable sync to music). See now if your show performs normally or has same issues. If your show plays without issues in manual ... it may then be some timing/settings you performed in sync creating your issue. Additional Note: I heard this before ... but verify each and every file size ... again. Some users accidentally allow oversized ones to sneak in unknowingly.

Joanna , My first guess is that you have used a direct path in your destination string labeling. Always use relative paths in your destination strings. Relative paths never use drive labeling (C:\,D:\,etc). Examples using relative : If both your exe files are in the same folder ... you need just the name of your file in the destination path string labeling (easiest choice for most users). myshow.exe If your using folders that contain each of your show exe parts ... you must show a relative path from the executing file location (or from the root pending upon your folder setup). \foldername1\myshow.exe

Igor, I use navigation controls quite often myself ... and enable/ disable the wheel mouse would be helpful. This would limit any surprises a user may encounter when fiddling with the wheel ... plus allow us more control over direction of play. I also think having this option would be helpful: Especially once you implement the navigation ability in Sync Mode shows. There are times we want the user to proceed as we prescribe ... and not have a backdoor approach (such as keys) that would overide the direction we may prescribe.

Bill, I totally agree ... as long as its " a very intelligent utility " . I imagine my main thought is if the PTE creator can create a "bug free" show that will run on any Users computer ... before they venture into changing the screensize of their Users.

Boxig, I live by this moto too ... 99.9% of the time : I personally wouldnt make "changing the screen size to fit the slideshow" ... as this can possibly promote lots of issues if the Users PC (monitor/adapter/settings) cant handle such screen sizes. Its not so bad in stepping down a particular screensize than the User is currently using. But where issues could arise is when the screensizes are stepped up. Plus, I think many Users are quite critical of their screensize/adapter/settings ... and would not prefer some outside force taking control of them. Some of us PTE creators use some vastly different screensizes ... so it be like force feeding another User to yourscreensize. I think its best for us PTE creators to create the various size shows if we want to support other screensizes ... and let the User decide what to do.

Welcome, Lukefoto No ... you are not missing anything. The customization you inquire about is not possible. Igor plans some modifications to the navigation bar in up coming versions ... but there is not alot of details on this subject yet available. You can ... but by only currently supported customized options. Note: Your only alternative at this point in time is to create your own Navigation Bar ... by using the Object Editor features. Once you create this file ... save it as a Template ... then you can use it again and again in future shows. However, this method still does not allow you to use as a Default.

Al, Wonderful ... a great piece of work ! Implementing naration into your tutorial greatly enhances the instructional value of this very informative tool ... making it much easier for users to learn. I suspect now ... you may get requests to support other lanuages

Ok, Robert I still have your email listed. I will package it and send today. I will also include the Comdlg32.ocx file separately (as a test to perform) just incase your XP config settings is not allowing it to function remotely. I will supply instructions (as it only needs to be placed in your window/systems folder. These XP setting/things can be irratating. Its also possible you already have it in your sys folder.