Comments on PicturesToExe Deluxe 7.0 Beta

[Igor]

Anthony,

The benefits of built-in video convertor in following beta releases of version 7.0:

1) Best format for executable slideshows for smooth playback in real-time.

2) Optimal file size for converted video clips.

3) Simple in use.

4) Good integration with PicturesToExe.

Video convertor will NOT require Deluxe license. It is a basic feature of version 7.0

[Antbrewer]

Igor,

Thank you for your speedy reply.

I will await the final version of 7 before I seriously play with the video tools and options etc.

Another learning curve for many of us but enjoyable at the same time.

Anthony

[Igor]

For all,

Please try version 7.0 Beta 9. It's a very reliable beta.

[Igor]

I published my show "Spring Time" which use all key features of PicturesToExe Deluxe 7.0:

[nealmorgan]

I can't see the New Navigation Bar in Slideshows With a slider control for rewinding

[Ken Cox]

in the older versions there was a box to check to turn it on

is the box checked

not sure but think you have to have manual contrl turned on as well

please tell us what your solution was

ken

[davegee]

In V7 beta 10:

>Project Options> Main> Tick Show Nav Bar

>Customize Nav Bar

>Choose style and add the controls you require - set Auto Hide Time etc.

DG

[Ken Cox]

Dave

does one have to have it in manual to work?

ken

[davegee]

Hi Ken,

Manual?

It's possible that Neal is asking why there are not as many choices in Video Style as there are in the other two styles?

DG

[Ken Cox]

project options - permit manual control

since ver 3.4 I have always set manual control and show nav bar - when i doa show i work things back and forth till i am satisfied

- you newbies just got familiar with the nav bar in the last couple years so i take it for granted how it works - in the last year this was brought up and i thought in order for it [nav bar] to work you have to have manual control selected

i complain all the time for manual control of a show so one can study the show -- if i was entering a show i would disable these sort of things but this forum is not the "big competition show" and these features can be turned off and on so easily why not give the viewer the option

when somebody's show has a problem it makes things a whole lot easier to help if manual control is enabled - i would like to see #'s on the slides so the viewer can add additional info to the owner -- after all shows are put up to be critiqued are they not?

auto run shows get the esc key pretty quick if can not study things

CONFLOW WROTE HOW TO DO A MANUAL SHOW IN 2004 - cant remember if he published it to all or not

ken

[davegee]

project options - permit manual control

since ver 3.4 I have always set manual control and show nav bar - when i doa show i work things back and forth till i am satisfied

- you newbies just got familiar with the nav bar in the last couple years so i take it for granted how it works - in the last year this was brought up and i thought in order for it [nav bar] to work you have to have manual control selected

i complain all the time for manual control of a show so one can study the show -- if i was entering a show i would disable these sort of things but this forum is not the "big competition show" and these features can be turned off and on so easily why not give the viewer the option

when somebody's show has a problem it makes things a whole lot easier to help if manual control is enabled - i would like to see #'s on the slides so the viewer can add additional info to the owner -- after all shows are put up to be critiqued are they not?

auto run shows get the esc key pretty quick if can not study things

CONFLOW WROTE HOW TO DO A MANUAL SHOW IN 2004 - cant remember if he published it to all or not

ken

Ken,

The "new" Nav Bar (video style) allows you to PAUSE a show using a mouse click. Optional controls are Previous and Next Slide Buttons. You can also alter the Auto Hide Time, Fade In and Fade Out and Scale of the Nav Bar.

The two other styles (AIR and SKY) offer more controls but don't look as neat as the VIDEO Nav Bar.

If the Nav Bar is turned OFF then the SPACE Bar will pause the show IF Permit Control Of Show is enabled.

It's up to the Author?

I have my little pet hates as well - if any author writes a little script to change my screen resolution he/she is blacklisted forthwith!

DG

[Ken Cox]

guess who would be on the list - oh i forget he has changed his tune since moving out of the homeland

k

[Igor]

Any issues with video clips? I'm starting to worry that I don't receive bug-reports on this feature.

[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.

[Igor]

I understand Barry.

Some news on the following Beta 11. It will include a significant improvement in the time system of slides.

[Cèlou]

Will we then turn down the sound of a video.

By advance thank you

[Barry Beckham]

I notice that in the Objects and Animation screen of beta 11 the label for the objects area is down at the bottom right of the screen, as apposed to the top of the box in version 6.5

I can't see how anyone is helped by a label being down at the bottom of the screen where it can easily be missed.

[nobeefstu]

Barry,

I notice that in the Objects and Animation screen of beta 11 the label for the objects area is down at the bottom right of the screen, as apposed to the top of the box in version 6.5

I can't see how anyone is helped by a label being down at the bottom of the screen where it can easily be missed.

I first thought the Object Count was missing in the new Betas. However, I see Igors logic placing it in the Status Bar along with the other Status Info

[Barry Beckham]

What logic am I missing that you spotted and I missed :-)

[nobeefstu]

Barry,

The very bottom bar in the program window is commonly termed as the Status Bar. Its used to display current status information within the window. Not all programs use or display the Status Bar. Windows Explorer functions also displays the bar ... the user needs to select View | Status Bar from the top menu bar.

[Jean-Claude]

With new duration time implementation, it would be necessary to send to user a warning message

when situation described in attached picture occurs.

It is only a light slide order change but the consequence is however important.

Message could be

'Slide #2: pure duration time is modified.

Beginning with slide #4 synchronization is lost

Do you want to continue?'

[Barry Beckham]

Igor

I have been doing a fair bit of work with beta 14 (sadly not added any video yet) and there are still some areas of the project options that I feel defy logic. I am mindful that you wanted to streamline the project options, presumably so that new users of PTE can understand things more quickly.

Some of these have been raised before, but maybe its worth bringing them altogether.

I have watched a number of slide shows from a varied set of people since this topic was raised before and the navigation bar is not being used in slide shows for 99% of the time. I would therefore suggest that switching it on as a default is not logical. It should be off as a default.

I still believe that having the aspect ratio on the main tab isolated from slide size, is a waste of time. Forum members aside, most people do not relate to this at all. Unless it is intended to link this automatically to the screen resolution being used, it should be located in the Screen Tab alongside the size of slide.

In the music tab, the option “Don't interrupt sound comment when next slide appears” should be ticked by default. When would any slide show maker, wish a sound comment to stop abruptly when the next slide appears.

In the screen tab we have the Use Hardware acceleration and the one time I inadvertently turned that off. I had all sorts of troubles, even the transitions were bad. So, do we actually need it there, what purpose does it serve and can it be removed at least to the menus.

When I edit an already selected sound comment in PTE, PTE hangs onto the old one, or at least the length of the old one. I edited a sound comment today in Audacity, then saved that sound over the original. The new sound comment was longer than the one over written, but cut off abruptly at the length of the previous one. I had to find a work around, before the new sound comment would work correctly.

We also have similar problems when editing already selected images and then saving them back with the same name, so do we need a refresh button or can PTE be made to refresh automatically.

The issue I reported recently with Mac slide shows stalling on the first image, does seem to be a PTE problem and not a Mp3 fault. If you recall, it was Mac slide shows made with just commentary only.

Members who own Macs say that the Mp3s I posted (Audacity and Camtasia) both play OK on their Mac, but once they are used in a PTE show, the one recorded using Camtasia doesn't work and the one made with Audacity does. So the issue does seem to be with PTE.

[Guest Yachtsman1]

Barry

I class myself as an average user, reading your last post I had difficulty with the para

(I have watched a number of slide shows from a varied set of people since this topic was raised before and the navigation bar is not being used in slide shows for 99% of the time. I would therefore suggest that switching it on as a default is not logical. It should be off as a default.

My understanding of the term "Default" is "As standard", you seem to be contradicting yourself? Personally, I don't use the nav' bar and would prefer the set up as it is now, off as default (standard). I assume want the nav bar set up as you want because you use a tablet? I don't know of anyone else who does.

The other items you mention relating to sound and Camtasia, I don't think you can blame PTE out of hand, could it not be Camtasia doesn't like PTE not visa versa? I'm still using version 6.04 out of choice, so cannot comment on your other complaints, maybe I'm talking out of my seat , but it is early

Regards Eric

Yachtsman1

added later

found this definitin on the net

Computer Science A particular setting or value for a variable that is assigned automatically by an operating system and remains in effect unless canceled or overridden by the operator: changed the default for the font in the word processing program.

[Barry Beckham]

Eric

My apologies, but the paragraph sounds OK to me, but let me put it another way.

By default the navigation bar is turned ON, showing automatically in a slide show unless you switch it off. If all the slide shows we see posted have the navigation bar switched off, then doesn't it make more sense for the default situation to be navigation bar off. Like it used to be.

If your going to assign a setting automatically, shouldn't it be what most people use.

With regards to Camtasia, I am not blaming PTE for anything, but we are reporting back on a beta copy with the purpose of getting it as good as possible. Igor will need to know this information, because Camtasia seems to be widely used. Its in Igor's interests to make sure PTE does run OK for Macs using Camtasia. (if possible, of course)

Can you please stop referring to my observations as complaints, its a BETA VERSION.

[Guest Yachtsman1]

Barry

I agree

By default the navigation bar is turned ON, showing automatically in a slide show unless you switch it off. If all the slide shows we see posted have the navigation bar switched off, then doesn't it make more sense for the default situation to be navigation bar off. Like it used to be.

That is the norm on the version I am using, default nav bar off, if the default (nav bar on)has been changed in the current versions I think that is incorrect, especially if the manual isn't keeping pace with developments.

In my terms if you don't agree with a change, that's a complaint, whether it's a beta or not.

Eric

Yachtsman1.