Layers

[kduncan]

Hi,

as the names suggests, I'm looking to add a PNG image (with many transparent area) which will extend across multiple slides. Please excuse my ignorance but I've searched for about two hours in total and come up with nothing (including reading the manual).

Thanks,

Keith

[Barry Beckham]

Keith

You will need to create the file you want that contains the transparent areas in an image editing program like Photoshop or Elements and then save that in Png format which will retain the transparent nature of the image. Then import that image into your work in PTE via the Objects and animation screen. Click the icon top left of that screen to add the Png to your show.

[kduncan]

Hi bbdigital,

thanks very much. First step accomplished: I've added the file to the show and it works well but it still disappears when the underlying slide changes - I'd like one slide to last over the whole presentation.

Sorry for appearing dumb.

Keith

[Barry Beckham]

Keith

Lets say what you need to last over the entire show is a frame around/over your images.

Add that frame.Png file via the Objects and Animation (O&A) screen

Highlight the file name as it appears in the Objects box on the right of the (O&A) and hit Control C. That will copy it to your clipboard

User the little black arrows top right to skip to the next image in your slide show and hit Control V and the Png file will be copied in place, skip to the next slide and do the same, etc etc

[davegee]

To add just one proviso to Barry's suggestion:

Make sure that, in the slide you are pasting to, nothing is highlighted. If you don't the PNG etc will be pasted as a " child" of the highlighted object.

DG

[dpletts]

Barry has outlined a perfectly reasonable approach to adding a 'layer' to a series of slides, but I have been wondering for some while whether the ability to add another visual layer on a different visual 'track' - in the way we can add extra audio tracks - might be something for the future.

David P

[Ken Cox]

DAVID

write up your idea and put to the

Ideas and suggestions for next versions

section for Igor to see

ken

[Barry Beckham]

Yes, when you add the image, you get the opportunity to add the image to this file, or all files in the show

Same thing for borders and canvas applications

[xahu34]

Keith,

You have discovered a major disadvantage of PTE compared with other tools (Wings Platinum, m.objects) which use the concept of parallel image tracks. PTE is based on a single sequence of containers (called "slides"). Each image object lives inside a container , and it will have vanished when the container's transition to the next container has finished. Therefore, the object has to be reinserted into the next container if it is to go on living. The works well, as long as the object is static (no animation) during the transition, while animations typically are kept inside a single container. So (as an example), it is a hard job to program a show with a background that is constantly zooming, provided that you do not want to keep the whole show inside a single container.

Regards,

Xaver

[kduncan]

Thanks for all your replies - I now know about hierachies within slides, but that my ultimate goal, a separate 'slides' track is not supported.

This is, I believe, a major limitation and, were it not for the fact that my presentation needs to be 'clickable' I would have used Vegas instead. Disappointing and definitely something which needs to be addressed in further releases - lack of this functionality seriously hampers it's use (especially when it's clearly available - adding a copyright logo as an image is possible across all slides, so why is it not possible to have multiple image tracks...)

Cheers,

Keith

[JEB]

Hi Keith,

Have you not answered your own question? Perhaps I've got hod of the wrong end of the stick (quite a common occurance) but if you use the copyright facility to load your PNG would that not do what you're after?

John

[JEB]

Hi again,

Just tried it and it certainly enables the addition of a frame as Barry mentioned. However EVERY slide in the show would have to have this superimposed. Could be ok in some circumstances I suppose.

John

[xahu34]

Keith,

I think that you cannot compare two different types of applications: the slide show program (PTE) and the video editor (Vegas). I agree that the single track model of PTE has some limitations, but in my experience I have never noticed any problem. Whenever I used PTE I was able to simulate parallel image tracks in the way described above. You should not forget that PTE offers a scene graph model (here called parent/child concept) that provides a lot of advantages which are not provided by competitors. There may arise problems in the future (version 7) when PTE will allow video object. I guess that these objects will have to run in a single slide.

Regards,

Xaver

[susiesdad]

Keith

Hi Keith,

----------------------------------------------------------------- but if you use the copyright facility to load your PNG would that not do what you're after?

John

I've just tried this with a simple png file and it works very well. Everything on the slides, including transitions, occurs beneath the copyright image and shows through any transparent shape. This technique is briliant. Thanks John I shall be using this many times in the future.

Alan

[davegee]

It's called "thinking outside of the box" - well done - good solution.

However, it is a work-around and the ability to copy and paste to ALL SLIDES would, no doubt, be useful for other purposes than just adding a border.

DG

[Barry Beckham]

Davegee

Dam

Why didn't I think of that, well done and a great option, I wouldn't even call it a workaround.

[davegee]

Barry,

The reason it is a work-around (and a good one for this purpose) is that you could only use it ONCE.

If you wanted to paste multiple objects to multiple slides it would not be possible using this method.

DG

[Barry Beckham]

Yes, but for thin lines or frames it works a treat, even though it will add them to the blanks too, but apart from that its great.

This is what we want when we add an image in O&A screen, the choice to apply the added image to just that one image, or the whole slide show

[Ray Groome]

I am trying to catch up on this discussion.. please can you spell out how I can use the copyright facility- I too am interested in a convenient way of adding a boarder without taking all my images into Photoshop.

[davegee]

Go to Project Options/Advanced and click on "Show Copyright Logo".

Load your pre-prepared PNG image which consists of a white line over a transparent background. Use a PNG which is the same size as your Project Screen Size.

You can also put a line around an image in O&A, "Properties" Tab - "Adjust Image and Border".

However, using the last method is not suitable for images with PZR effects.

DG

[Ray Groome]

Davegee

Thanks, I have found that but when I go to Customize Copyright logo and click on the browse icon, nothing happens. Is this a fault with the latest program?

The problem with the 'Adjust Image and Border' facility is that the width of the border reverts back to a default value rather than remembering the last chosen value- which is not very convenient when you have a lot of slides to work with.

[fh1805]

...I have found that but when I go to Customize Copyright logo and click on the browse icon, nothing happens. Is this a fault with the latest program?

Ray,

I'm using v6.5.2 and the Customize Copyright function is working properly for me.

regards,

Peter

[davegee]

At what point is "nothing happening"? Are you able to "Browse" to the PNG file.

You need to tick the box in front of "Show Copyright Logo".

You will not see the PNG line in O&A - it only appears in preview or in the EXE.

DG

[Ray Groome]

I was unable to browse to find a png file- nothing happened when I clicked the browse button. But I have now found the cause of the problem! In solving a compatibility problem - see the thread titled 'Crashes-Windows 7 and PTE 6.5.2' I followed the advice to adjust the Compatibilty options under PTE/Properties/Compatibility . I have now reverted to the original settings and the browse function returns!

So in solving one problem I created another!

So the solution to the crashing problem that I have encountered is: avoid the Aero Themes in Windows 7 Desktop Backgrounds and only use a Basic plain colour Theme.

Life is getting too complicated!