Barry Beckham

Igor To be honest I am not using video clips. I am waiting for the video convertor to appear in PTE before doing so. Otherwise I chase all over the place with various video convertors, all of which have far too many options and later you will add a convertor and my time could be wasted. The clips from the Canon 5D don't work as you know. If I am to mix stills and video, I want good quality video and not tiny fuzzy clips. I hope the convertor you add will allow me to do that.

These images were taken in the past couple of weeks. No real story line just an excuse to present some images that I like. To be found at the top of this list http://www.beckhamdi...digslidesw4.htm or on Beechbrook

Eric You downloaded a 125MB file !!!!!! I am proud of you, see it didn't hurt much did it

Like it or not Barry, I'm afraid that we all have the facility you speak of No we don't ! It doesn't take a great deal of a brain power to work out that a quick sentance written on the fly in an email or a forum is not the same as a detailed letter. I have become involved in another forum recently and it contains none of the nonsense you see here, despite many people commenting on many other peoples pictures. So, it doesn't have to be like this at all , but then one thing I have learned in my life is that some people are not happy unless they have something to whinge about.

I am going to do a colledge course this year, which is designed to ensure that no matter what anyone says on the forum, I will be able to find some offense in what was said. I feel sort of left out of things, I find I am not being offended as often as I would like. Its not fair that others can find offense at almost anything, but I can't. I want to have a stamp and a fume and toss my dummy out the pram too.

Try hard Just get the screen up that shows all the images as thumbnails along the bottom of your screen. Click the first of those on the far left and look up at the extreme right corner of the window, where it says "Add Sound" now use the arrow keys to skip to the right keeping your eye on that "Add Sound" area. When you get to a slide that contains music you will see it clearly. Click on it and select remove sound file. You don't need any other software and it will take you a minute or two

Igor This is more like it. The best example we have seen yet on the use of Video. I am most interested in the video convertor your going to add to a later beta version. My first experiences with video from a Canon 5D were dissapointing. After looking around at various video convertors, they are so numerous and the Any Video convertor has 40 + Ways to convert a video. To be honest, I can't be bothered to get into that sort of complexity and neither will the average user. I also will not be investing in a HD video recorder, so the Canon 5D will have to do. I look forward to where we go with video created with DSLR's

Thanks Igor, but a little confusing. I use a graphic tablet solely for all my work, don't have a mouse connected at all, so you can sometime inadvertantly click and drag items, but I don't usually have any problems.

Igor/Forum Members I am not sure if this is a PTE issue, but I have noticed on about 4 occasions with beta 8, that when I launch the program it has lost the file tree. I have never noticed this with any other version of PTE. I do use key stroke short cuts a lot, but as I said, never had this happen with other versions and don't think I have hit Ctrl+G by accident 4 times. Has anyone else noticed this and did what I did a few times and put it down to my own error

Mickp Perhaps members have been frightened off by those who have become upset by the comments. Its just not worth the hassle. All people seem to say comments welcome, but I don't think we all buy that do we?

Igor I was working today on a new project and I needed to go in and out of the Project Options > Audio Clip Properties a few times and realised I would really like to be able to make an audio change and dismiss both of these wondows with a touch of the enter key. I find myself using the enter key a lot on programs as it is the same as OK

Igor Are you able to say what beta version we are likely to see the video convertor you have mentioned. I havn't done a great deal of work with video to this point as I would rather wait and use the video convertor you will include with PTE.

I have produced a short tutorial meant for an up and coming seminar. At the seminar I will deliver the information live, but here its recorded of course. So, for anyone interested, you will find it at the link below. http://www.mediafire...mats%20PTE7.zip I also produce a regular Newsletter to all the purchasers of our tutorials or music and I have kept this exclusive to that group, but for those interested you will find it at the link below. It does contain a free video that this month relates to PTE, hence my decision to post it here for those interested. Or for those who just like a whinge a bit http://www.beckhamdigital.co.uk/newsletter/may2011/may2011.pdf

DG I am not saying your wrong here, or looking for an argument, just putting forward a view based on my own knowledge. If a new user can produce a slide show quickly and easily, they may get hooked, but if not, they may float away. If you teach, then you must know there is a huge difference in abilities and knowledge within individuals. Its why many use PSG I hate to say. They seem to find that easier to get started with.

DG I mean that we have to think of the wider user. Is fine for us who know the software almost as well as Igor to find work arounds and ways to do things and I accept it is a fine line a developer has to walk. However, the new user of PTE will not start with a template and instantly know how to set it up. So, defaults need to be set for the majority of users, not the few enthusiasts.

But that assumes everyone knows what you know and they don't.

Igor. Yes, I am aware of the three clicks, but that is 3 clicks more than in previous versions. Surely a default setting is the one used by most people, most of the time and unless members say different, I would suggest that the navigation bar will be used very rarely, so by default it should be off. I am only going by the many shows we see posted on this forum and Beachbrook over the years and trying to recall how many times the navigation bar was used. As I said, very rarely. Peter I have only just downloaded beta 8 having been away for a while and the navigation bar appears for me. Try a file > new and I think you will find its there.

My appologies Igor, but that navigation bar showing up at the bottom of the screen every time I hit the preview button is driving me nuts. It draws the attention and I find I miss what I was looking for. Am I the only one who can see no point in this being switched on as a default? Who uses it in the making of a slide show and how? Surely those few who want it can turn it on. I just find it an irritant, but then I am easily irritated perhaps

Dave It sounds like your computer screen may be much larger than the slide show your making at 1024*768 and the images are being expanded upwards. See the screen grab and try ticking the box that says Fixed size of Slide. I think that may do it. That little box ensures the slide show is played at the size you made it on all size monitors.

Argonaut I may not have made myself clear with what I said. That it needs to be simple for the new user to throw in some images and have them fit their 1280*1024 screen and also their friends 1920*1080 screen too. Perhaps the use of 1280*1024 and 1920*1080 was too broad to use as an example. I think you need to accept that not all users are keen photographers who care much about cropping. Think of it this way. PTE can now handle images straight from most cameras (in size I mean, not raw) and as long as we don't expect the image to dance all over the screen a great slide show can be made. The user is encouraged to do this because now we can sharpen on the fly and deal with any moire effect with the smoother option. Most cameras produce a 3:2 format and most people now seem to be using 16:9 or 16:10 format screens. You cannot drop an image straight from your camera into a slide show and have it fill a 16:9 and 16:10 screen. This is where a global cover screen option may be good. Not for you or me who understands the complexities of slide shows, but for those who don't yet, but still would want to get a slide show made quickly, and for those who don't care much about AR, resolution or cropping. What prevents more users from taking up AV is they fear the learning curve of the new software, but find a way to allow them to throw together a slide show in minutes and they will take the plunge. Once they see how much fun it is, then they may explore the complexities a little further. Its getting them to take that first plunge is what my suggestion was all about.

Thank you

I think I would rather just leave Igor to pick out, what he thinks is relavent from the ideas and thoughts put forward. The ones he thinks are important and practical from a programmers point of view too. I am not sure a poll will help, you will never get a concensus of opinion on any forum. I think Igor can make a choice from those ideas offered. If the intention is for PTE to pick up the users AR automatically then its not that important.

Igor Re:- beta 6 I seem to be the champion of the newer usr of PTE. Personally the AR placed on the Main tab is OK for me, but what about those who don't know or care what their AR is. Doesn't the Virtual size of silde settings need to be with the AR? Unless you do plan to pick up the screen resolution automatically in a later beta.

Thanks for all the feedback, I think I have the answer loud and clear