Discussion of v6.0 Beta

[xahu34]

... Perhaps a new Project Options tab called Object Properties, with a series of tick boxes under the heading Child inherits from parent to set the project defaults and extra fields on the O&A Properties stab to allow override at the individual object level:

Child inherits from parent:

Pan

Zoom

Rotate

Centre

Opacity

...

Hi Peter,

The longer I think about your proposal, the more problems come up to understand what you really want to have.

How is the situation today (for sake of simplicity) in the purely 2D case of version 5? The position and size of the top level (parent) objects are described by their O&A parameters, and these parameters refer to the overall screen. What about their children? After creation, a child doesn't do anything. It is "glued" on top of its parent, and it follows wherever the parent goes or turns. The child may obtain its own key points and its own O&A parameters. These parameters refer to the child's own screen (which is not the overall screen). What is the child's screen? It is a possibly moving array spanned by the corresponding parent object (you may say that the parent itself constitutes the child's screen). So, the child's position changes are described in a relative fashion. This is a standard hierarchical model (scene graph), simple and highly effective at the same time. My question: What precise changes do you propose for the given 2D model?

A remark on the 3D situation: As the discussion of Igor and Umberto shows, the 3D model for PTE does not yet seem to be settled so far.

Best regards

Xaver

[fh1805]

A new bug (?) found in beta 22.

When trying to enter negative numbers into input fields in the O&A static window and in the 3D Parameters floating window I find that I cannot do it by keying the minus sign followed by numerical digits. As soon as I key the minus sign the field box is populated with a very large negative number. The only way I can key the negative number that I want is to key the positive equivalent and then add the minus sign. I've found this in the Rotate box and in the Angle X box. I have not tested any of the other boxes to see if they behave the same.

regards,

Peter

[davegee]

This happened in a previous version/beta and was corrected by Igor.

Looks like he needs to do the same thing again.

DG

[thedom]

Igor, you modified the "Z position" to "Pan Z".

It seems very logical to me. Thank you to JPD for this suggestion.

What about "Angle X" / "Angle Y" to replace with "Rotate X" / "Rotate Y" ?

It might help people to realize that the speed options for those parameters have to be set in the "rotate" speed options (like you have to set it in the "Pan" speed options for "Pan Z").

[thedom]

Igor,

A little issue with beta 22 with Border / Canvas Size options.

Here is how to reproduce he problem :

Add an image in the slide list. This image is 1024x768.

Enable border.

Leave Canvas size to 0 (left, top, right and bottom).

Click on the folder icon (in the Properties tab) to replace the original image with a bigger one (1280x1024).

=> Canvas Size is automatically set to 256 for right and bottom (1280-1024=256 and 1024-768=256).

[Picsel]

Well then Daniel can we nominate you to answer all the queries that come along re "where is my exe" ?

ken

Thanks Ken for your funny proposal .....

But you should also consider that some other software on the market, let say Adobe Premiere for example, yes they keep records of your "projects" but not of your "output files" which are video files and that is the right way to work. Nobody is asking for their mpeg files!! If you dont remember in which folder your files are saved there are many tools available on the Net to help you to solve this problem.

Nobeefstu

If I understand your last post I think we are mixing things, I like that PTE keeps records of name/path for .pte files projects "yes" but sorry there is no such need for .exe files.

Best regards

Daniel.

[Igor]

Peter,

When trying to enter negative numbers into input fields in the O&A static window and in the 3D Parameters floating window I find that I cannot do it by keying the minus sign followed by numerical digits. As soon as I key the minus sign the field box is populated with a very large negative number. The only way I can key the negative number that I want is to key the positive equivalent and then add the minus sign. I've found this in the Rotate box and in the Angle X box. I have not tested any of the other boxes to see if they behave the same.

Sorry, I can't reproduce this issue with Beta 22.

I started a new project, added one image to the Slide list and open O&A editor. I clear value in "Rotate" text field and type "-" (without double quotes) and then continue typing any negative values.

Dominique,

Igor, you modified the "Z position" to "Pan Z".

It seems very logical to me. Thank you to JPD for this suggestion.

What about "Angle X" / "Angle Y" to replace with "Rotate X" / "Rotate Y" ?

It might help people to realize that the speed options for those parameters have to be set in the "rotate" speed options (like you have to set it in the "Pan" speed options for "Pan Z").

We'll discuss it today. Thanks for the suggestion.

Dominique,

A little issue with beta 22 with Border / Canvas Size options.

Here is how to reproduce he problem :

Add an image in the slide list. This image is 1024x768.

Enable border.

Leave Canvas size to 0 (left, top, right and bottom).

Click on the folder icon (in the Properties tab) to replace the original image with a bigger one (1280x1024).

=> Canvas Size is automatically set to 256 for right and bottom (1280-1024=256 and 1024-768=256).

I confirm this bug. Thanks!

Xaver,

Peter,

I agree with your statement; but there should be a warning if you open a v5-project with PTE v6, and try to save it. If you do it, you will no longer be in the position to open your v5-project with PTE v5.

I agree. This would be useful warning to receive.

Igor,

If an effect of the File Save is going to be to change the PTE version number, why not issue a warning message box: "You will not be able to open this project in an older version of PTE. Do you wish to continue with the save? Yes|Cancel"

OK, I'll add this warning.

Also since version 6.0 PicturesToExe will able load project files re-saved in future versions. With a warning message of course. To avoid need edit .pte file in Notepad.

[fh1805]

Peter,

Sorry, I can't reproduce this issue with Beta 22.

I started a new project, added one image to the Slide list and open O&A editor. I clear value in "Rotate" text field and type "-" (without double quotes) and then continue typing any negative values.

Igor,

I'll try and recreate it myself using a simple sequence. I found it whilst in the middle of building a complex sequence. If that complex sequence still exhibits the problem, I'll upload it to MediaFire and send you a link.

regards,

Peter

[pisolomau]

Hello everybody

I'd like to buy licence for version 5.6.

If I download version 6.0 beta, the licence I'm going to buy is valid also for this version?

thanks in advance

mau

[Ken Cox]

Hello everybody

I'd like to buy licence for version 5.6.

If I download version 6.0 beta, the licence I'm going to buy is valid also for this version?

thanks in advance

mau

buy the deluxe version and it is good for 2 yrs

ken

[pisolomau]

Thx Ken!

Can the reg key unlock the limitations of 10 slides also for ver.6.0 beta?

[fh1805]

Pisolomau,

Once you have a fully "unlocked" licence then subsequent PTE versions will find that registration key and use it - if it is still valid. Remember, the Deluxe version key (which gives unrestricted access to the VideoBuilder component) is valid for only two years from purchase. The base version key (which unlocks all parts of PTE except the VideoBuilder features) is valid for life.

regards,

Peter

[fh1805]

Igor,

I'll try and recreate it myself using a simple sequence. I found it whilst in the middle of building a complex sequence. If that complex sequence still exhibits the problem, I'll upload it to MediaFire and send you a link.

regards,

Peter

Igor,

I have tried - and failed! Neither a new sequence nor the sequence that I was working on will now give me the error. We'll just have to write this one off as a "one time bug". If it does recur I'll do my best to document it fully there and then.

regards,

Peter

[Igor]

Peter,

Probably I reproduced a variant of that issue you've discovered:

1) Clear value in "Rotation" text field.

2) Type minus ("-"). All is OK now.

3) Continue typing "5".

4) Now if I call for Undo. I see lowest negative value.

Is it that problem?

[fh1805]

Igor,

No, that wasn't the exact sequence of events. The difficulty I am having in trying to recreate the fault comes from the fact that the session had been a long one (over an hour) and I had made many, many changes along the way. Yes, I had used the Undo icon in the O&A window during that particular editing session; but that had been to remove wrongly positioned objects from the Objects List. I'm wondering whether the cause of the problem might have been because I had done so many changes.

I would never think of using Undo to reverse the keying of data into an input field. I would either select the entire key field contents with the mouse and use Del or simply use the cursor arrow keys to navigate within the field and overkey or Del to get the contents as I wanted them.

Since neither of us can readily recreate the problem I think we can safely assume it was a "rare event". I suggest that you do not put too much effort into tracking this one down. I had so much going on in my head - with ideas for the artistic design of what I was doing competing with ideas for the technical design of how I might do the physical build - that I cannot rule out the possibility of it having been "user error" of some kind.

If I ever encounter it again I will do an immediate "File Save As" under a new name, then re-open that project and check to see if the fault is still present. If it is, we've got the little so-and-so captured. If it isn't, then the finger points towards some kind of problem that occurs only after a prolonged session of editing in PTE.

Put this one on the back-burner for now.

regards,

Peter

[Barry Beckham]

I have just upgraded my Beta copy from 21 to 23.

On my Vista machine I got a brief message about a floating point, but the install appears to be OK and I can open projects made with earlier beta copies

On my XP machine it installed without any warning windows appearing, but will not open any projects made with previous beta copies I have had to go back to beta 21 to get it to work.

I tried a couple of installs and it is the same every time.

What I get when I try to open a project is the window below

I tried an uninstall and a fresh download, but it shows the same fault on the XP computer

[Igor]

Barry,

Please could you send me some project (in ZIP archive) which opens with this error message on your PC?

[Barry Beckham]

Igor

The machine the problem is located on is all unplugged ready to do a demonstration tomorrow. I will not have it set up again till Thursday.

Can you wait till then and I will send you a project?

B

[Igor]

Barry,

I reproduced same error message in Beta 23 when I tried to open a project with absent image file used in this project:

Beta 21 shows warning that image file not found.

Beta 23 crashes with "Floating point division by zero".

We just fixed this problem for next Beta 24.

However we need your project file to make sure that we completely fixed this issue.

[Barry Beckham]

Igor

OK, I will check it our just as soon as Beta 24 is released

Thanks

B

[Barry Beckham]

Igor

In relation to that floating point error message I got on my Windows XP computer

I have now tried Beta 24 and it appears to resolve the issue, thank you very much

Barry

[Picsel]

Igor,

Two of our members, working together on the same project have reported the same problem. I tried to reproduce it on my computer but everything was OK on my side.

The problem is as follows : they use beta 22, the project is a very small one less than 10 views.

When they open the project, if they click on the first view and open it with O&A editor that is OK, they also can use the bleue arrows at the top right to go and back to other views without any difficulty but if they start working by clicking on any view except the first one they get a pop-up window asking for Direct9X and hardware acceleration activated on videocard! (please refer to the picture here attached)

They both use PTE since a long time and had never seen this problem before. Is there some explanation of that?

Thanks in advance

Daniel

[Igor]

Daniel,

Please ask them for several questions:

1) Do they always have this problem with Beta 22-24?

2) Installed video card.

3) If close PTE and start PTE, and select second slide (view) and try to open O&A editor. Will it work?

[Igor]

Daniel,

I prepared special test version. Please ask them download and try it:

http://www.wnsoft.com/test/HW_picturestoexe-setup.zip

Will it cure the issue with O&A editor?

[xahu34]

Igor,

I can reproduce the appearance of this message (PicturesToExe requires hardware acceleration ...) with versions Beta22 and Beta25 (HW_picturestoexe-setup.zip) on an old office computer with Intel onboard graphic system (running DirectX 9.0C), not in all cases but with a show including an animated cube (similar to the ones pulished by Lin Evens and thedom). The message shows whenever I open the O&A window, but only in cases where the mini player has run before. If I do not touch the mini player, I can use the functions of the O&A window, although the preview does not run very smooth.

Regards,

Xaver