starting a sequence of slideshows

[wilburke]

Dear forum members,

I'd like to use PTE as control panel for starting up slideshows (in fact: exe's coming from PTE or M.Objects).

This works fine for starting an individual slideshow by using buttons and 'run external applicacation' when clicking.

But I also want to define a button for starting all the slideshows in sequence (one after the other). I tried to enter a list of exe's, seperated with a comma but this starts all the applications in parallel.

Is there somebody who can help me???

[fh1805]

Use the Project Options...More tab to chain each slide show to the next. If you want to be able to start either individual shows or the whole sequence, you will need to have two project files and two exe files for each sequence: one pair that is used to start the individual show and the other pair that is coded to start the next in the sequence.

regards,

Peter

[nobeefstu]

wilburke,

Its also possible to create a single PTE slideshow (your Control Panel with buttons) to perform single playback and/or chain playback.

Create your Control Panel slideshow :

Set Project Options

Repeat Show until ESC is pressed

Disable Hardware Acceleration D3D

Slide 1 - Add buttons to run each single Slideshow.exe (program to Run External application) and 1 additional button to run chained slideshows (program to Next Slide)

Customize Slide setting:

Loop this Slide

Slide 2 - Blank slide

Customize Slide setting:

Display Slide 1 sec.

Show Next Slide After Indicated Time

Slide 3 - Blank slide

Customize Slide setting:

Display Slide 1 sec.

Show Next Slide After Indicated Time

Run External application of your first selected Slideshow.exe chain sequence.

Slide 4 - Blank slide

Customize Slide setting:

Display Slide 1 sec.

Show Next Slide After Indicated Time

Run External application of your second selected Slideshow.exe chain sequence.

Slide 5 - Blank slide

Customize Slide setting:

Display Slide 1 sec.

Show Next Slide After Indicated Time

Run External application of your third selected Slideshow.exe chain sequence.

-This example has 3 slideshows in a chain ... for additional chained slideshows add additional Slides.

-Its also best not to use any Slide Transition Effects in the Control Panel slideshow.

Note:

-Since Run Application is used ... you may experience Taskbar Flashback.

-Using ESC to exit current playing chained slideshow will run the next slideshow in the chain. This behavior is normal when running chained sequences ... there is workarounds but lets see how you start out first.

-The last chained slideshow will take you back to your Control Panel of buttons or Slide 1.

Additional Note:

Its also possible to chain your Slideshows for playback using the Wait parameter within a Bat File .(bat). To hide the Bat File program window from display ... run the file minimized.

[wilburke]

wilburke,

Its also possible to create a single PTE slideshow (your Control Panel with buttons) to perform single playback and/or chain playback.

...

I tried this but my slideshows start in a different order. I made 4 dummy shows (displaying one slide for a short time showing the number of the slideshow). If I look in the TaskMonitor I see that different slideshows are started simultanously. I think the slides for starting up the individual slideshows will run the external application without waiting when finished. After 1 second, the next slide is displayed, starting the next slideshow etc.

I also tried to start a batch file but then I get the error message: "Command line contains prohibited command and will not be performed"

[nobeefstu]

wilburke,

I just tested this example chain using the newly released v6.5 Beata 1 and all works as expected without simultanous playback.

What version of PTE are you using and can you post/attach just the .pte file (without image or sound resouruces) to be reviewed. ?

I also tried to start a batch file but then I get the error message: "Command line contains prohibited command and will not be performed

As for the Bat File test ... I suspect your using the command Start in your commandline which is on PTE's potentialy dangerous Windows' commands list which is prohibited to execute.

My workaround for this is to run just a shortcut of the Bat File from inside PTE. Create a shorcut of the chainshow Bat File... and set its properties to run minimized. Therefore, PTE command would be something like chainshow.lnk

Important Note:

For Chained slideshows to work properly without user intervention ... all slideshows must auto close at end. If the slideshow is not programed to do so and stays on screen ,,, you must manually close to continue the chain playback.

[wilburke]

wilburke,

I just tested this example chain using the newly released v6.5 Beata 1 and all works as expected without simultanous playback.

What version of PTE are you using and can you post/attach just the .pte file (without image or sound resouruces) to be reviewed. ?

I'm working with the official 6.0.5 but I just downloaded the beta-version. This gives the same result with me.

In attachement, pls find the project file.

Thanks for the help !!!

Tento2010_May2-2010_15-37-21.zip

[nobeefstu]

wilburke,

In Project Options | Main Tab - Enable Pause When Slideshow Becomes Inactive. This allows your Control Panel or menu slideshow to wait for the Run Application to complete before moving to the next slide in the chain sequence. I did fail to mention this Project Option setting in my first reply.

Also :

-Project Options | Screen Tab - Disable Hardware Acceleration D3D

-Your can also remove the black image objects you have entered ... as they are not needed. The slideshow will use your Project Option - Background Color if its set to black or whatever.

[wilburke]

Yes This is working! you're genius. Thanks a lot!

[wilburke]

This all works fine for starting pte's exe files but when I start an exe of m.objects, it seems that, when the show ends, my PTE main show hangs on a black screen. Clicking on the window makes the PTE application coming active again and then it continues...

[nobeefstu]

wilburke,

Theres no way to avoid this if the m.objects or any other program does not auto close and exit when complete. Theres no way to detect when the slideshow actually finishes playing unless its closes itself at the end or you manually close it.

As noted in post #5 :

Important Note:

For Chained slideshows to work properly without user intervention ... all slideshows must auto close at end. If the slideshow is not programed to do so and stays on screen ,,, you must manually close to continue the chain playback.

The auto play of a chain link sequence ... requires the external prograns to auto close. Have your contributors rebuild their slideshows to auto close or exit when completed.

[wilburke]

Theres no way to avoid this if the m.objects or any other program does not auto close and exit when complete. Theres no way to detect when the slideshow actually finishes playing unless its closes itself at the end or you manually close it.

the m.objects show does autoclose and exit but it looks like the PTE main show doesn't get back it focus. When I just click once on the black window, then it gets focus and continues.

[nobeefstu]

wilburke,

You may want to perform a few tests to see how the m.objects is exiting and releasing its focus back to the last/topmost window.

1st Test- Play your chain link sequence as normal ... except this time manually ESC out of the m.objects halfway thru its playback.

-Does the focus actively return to PTE and continue with its other links and playback without your (click) intervention ?

2nd Test- Lets test just the m.objects exe without use of PTE. Open Notepad to a normal window. Open the folder of the m.objects exe and play it till it auto closes or exits.

-Does the focus return to the folder (open folder window) in a active state or inactive state ? or is the Notepad window active ?

3rd Test- Same test as 2nd Test above except this time manually ESC out of m.objects halfway thru its playback.

-Does the focus return to the folder (open folder window) in a active state or inactive state ? or is the Notepad window active ?

Note:

Also check the Task Manager after each test to verify the m.objects has fully exited its processes.

[wilburke]

Dear,

I did the tests you proposed. I can answer affirmative for all questions, except for one show that is not auto-closing. I excluded that one and now it's working. Thanks!