Improving usability of PicturesToExe

[Tonton Bruno]

In my opinion, the first thing to do to make the O&A windows much eausy to understand, is to include a SCREEN object in top of the object tree.

This is the way PTE is build.

PTE is a true Object Oriented Software.

All objects are organized acording to the Parent-child structure.

There should be a SCREEN object automatically incuded in the object tree.

This object must not be removable.

This will make clear for everybody what Size and Position of each object are standing for.

[Tonton Bruno]

The second main thing to do is to group all object controls in only two windows.

One window for fixed parameters :

A second window for dynamic parameters, witch can be modified for each Keypoint :

Notice that I indicated the unit used for each parameter.

These two images are part of a tutorial for french users.

The best way to organize these two windows is certainly an interface similar to the one of Lightroom, or Nikon View NX2 (free software from Nikon).

Today, the most confusing point is about the pop-up windows of 3D Parameters.

Ther is a mix of fixed and dynamic parameters, and the Z rotation is missing, as it is located in the "Animation" tab.

[Tonton Bruno]

This is available already. I've been using a customized template as my default template ever since v4.42. Just open a new project, set your Project Options to your own preferences, create a template from the show then set that as your default for all new projects.

Helo, Peter.

I am sorry, but I don't find any menu with the option "create a template from the show", neither the option "set as default".

Could you be so kind to explain me how to find these commands ?

[fh1805]

I am sorry, but I don't find any menu with the option "create a template from the show", neither the option "set as default".

Could you be so kind to explain me how to find these commands ?

In v6.5 it is File...Templates...Create Template from this Show to save the template and then File...Templates...Manage Templates to select and set your default template.

Peter

[davegee]

Just to add to what Peter has (correctly) said.

If you do it in reverse order i.e. MANAGE Templates first, you can designate a folder other than PTE's default folder for Templates which is on the C drive.

I keep my Templates Folder on an external drive - I TRY to not let ANY of my programmes write to the C drive to minimise the need for defragging.

Once this is set up then Create a Template will always save to your own pre-designated folder.

It's true that if you want to change your default Template for all shows it has to be done in MANAGE TEMPLATES.

DG

[CorVdK]

1)

I also support that the user can choose some basic settings before starting a project.

This can be, a fixed number of parameters that are introduced, ex. duration 4 seconds, fade time: 3 seconds, collection of images, video and audio, etc.

Many of today's software starts with a welcome screen where the user has to answer some questions.

What would you do?

- Create a new project

* A standard project (with a fixed number of parameters)

* An advanced project (custom settings for advanced users)

Enter name of project

A folder is created in users "Documents" with the project name

- To work on a recent, existing, project

- A project with template

- Reference to Help

2)

One can not avoid it, PTE will be easier to use, when objects can be presented in a visual way, preferably on multiple timelines.

The use of other programs, to make an audio mix, should be avoided or even expelled.

Objects such as images, videos, music, voiceover, sounds and effects must be easily positioned and moved on the timelines.

For many people the current sound capabilities in PTE are still unworkable because of the non-visual presentation.

3)

About Peter's post #15

3 Ensure that every option, every icon, every command, every button has a "tool-tip" pop-up that appears whenever the mouse hovers over that item

4 Ensure that each tool-tip is a hyperlink to an expanded piece of "context sensitive help"

I accept that this will impose a big workload on the translators. But, I firmly believe that PTE is now so complex that it needs some kind of context-sensitive help.

Workload on the translators:

The English context-sensitive help is already there in the language ini-files of PTE.

All the sentences have been translated by most of the translators as far as I know.

I follow the translation in French and I did it myself in Dutch.

Only a few of those tool-tips and pop-ups have been used so far, there is a lot more.

(It's a list of about 23 pages of printed text)

Cor

[Tonton Bruno]

In v6.5 it is File...Templates...Create Template from this Show to save the template and then File...Templates...Manage Templates to select and set your default template.

Thank you Peter !

In the frnench version, we found Fichier...Albums...Créer un Album à partir de ce diaporama to save the template and then Fichier...Albums...Gérer les albums.

I was looking for something like : Fichier : modèles de projet and Fichier...Projets...Gérer les modèles de projet.

The french translation "Album" is a good concept, but unfortunately we loose the "Template" concept.

Thank you again, Peter !

[Picsel]

Hi Igor

following my previous post, here are some other suggestions :

1) Main Window for Slides (see pict1& pict2) :

- "Add sound" button could be moved on the same line with "Customize Slide" and "Objects and Animation" (see pict1)

- "Change Image file" could be moved on the pull-down menu (right click on a dedicated slide) and could replace "Clear Slide list" as this feature does not concern the slide selected but all the slides.(see fig1)

- "Comment" box (above the viewer) could be moved to a new tab to be added in "Customize Slide" window (see pict3)

- Scale expander for thumbnails of the file pannel could be moved at the bottom side of this pannel (see pict2)

- Then, in order to ease the use of slide list, some control buttons can be added just above the slide list, such as : " Clear Slide List", "View of Slides F4", "New transition", "Cut transition", "Undo", "Redo". In such a modification, the Main Window layouts are the same for Slides or Timeline.

- Main Menu, there is no need for "Publish", "Project", "Slide" which then could be suppressed (see pict2)

- So one suggestion : a new Main Window for Slides could look like pict2

2) Main Window for Timeline (see pict4)

- add the time scale expander available also with Ctrl+F10/F11

3) Sound editing

To ease the usability of the "Audio clip properties" ( Project Options/Music tab or Add Sound) it would be fine to enable to switch between Slides and Timeline in order to set the right parameters (as it is up to v7.0 beta5, we cannot switch between Slides and Timeline when the "Audio clip properties" window is open (see pict5)).

Best regards

Daniel.

[aplman]

In my opinion, the first thing to do to make the O&A windows much eausy to understand, is to include a SCREEN object in top of the object tree.

This sounds like a good idea -- but it should be a SLIDE object, not a screen object.

It could waste screen space, however, as all other objects would be indented.

Ken (APLman)

[davegee]

Ken is right - SLIDE not SCREEN.

DG

[Cèlou]

What is required of a program designed to make the slide show is to do what he can do well.

Do not try to overcomplicate PTE in making this program a gas plant that will be incomprehensible to newcomers.

PTE does what he has to do and so much the better.

The only thing for me would be a breakthrough would be to move several key point at once.

[JEB]

Hi,

I don't know if anybody other than myself finds the following a bit of an irritant?

When selecting text in O&A and the little text box appears, logically, in the centre of the slide with the word "Text" I inevitably want to start to type from the keyboard forgetting to move my mouse up into the appropriate box under Properties, selecting "Text" and ONLY THEN being able to start inputting my text. Would it not be better if when initially selecting the "Text" Icon, Properties Tab is opened automatically and the word "Text" is highlighted ready for inputting?

Just a thought that would in my view improve things without, I presume, major surgery.

Regards

John

[davegee]

Hi,

I don't know if anybody other than myself finds the following a bit of an irritant?

When selecting text in O&A and the little text box appears, logically, in the centre of the slide with the word "Text" I inevitably want to start to type from the keyboard forgetting to move my mouse up into the appropriate box under Properties, selecting "Text" and ONLY THEN being able to start inputting my text. Would it not be better if when initially selecting the "Text" Icon, Properties Tab is opened automatically and the word "Text" is highlighted ready for inputting?

Just a thought that would in my view improve things without, I presume, major surgery.

Regards

John

+1

DG

[Guest Yachtsman1]

Hi,

I don't know if anybody other than myself finds the following a bit of an irritant?

When selecting text in O&A and the little text box appears, logically, in the centre of the slide with the word "Text" I inevitably want to start to type from the keyboard forgetting to move my mouse up into the appropriate box under Properties, selecting "Text" and ONLY THEN being able to start inputting my text. Would it not be better if when initially selecting the "Text" Icon, Properties Tab is opened automatically and the word "Text" is highlighted ready for inputting?

Just a thought that would in my view improve things without, I presume, major surgery.

Regards

John

To make it consistant, I think it should be the same as adding text to buttons.

Yachtsman1.

[Igor]

Thank you very much for your suggestions!

[Barry Beckham]

Igor

I had an email today from someone who has a problem with a product key I sold him. The issue is VideoBuilder, being out of the 2 year free upgrade period.

When I go to www.wnsoft.com to find the link he needs to purchase the upgrade, I find no references to upgrading the VideoBuilder product key.

It didn't seem right for me to have to click the buy now button for PTE before finding a link for the deluxe version, I didn't want PTE, so it took ages for me to find what I was looking for. I wanted the Video Builder upgrade key, not PTE.

Shouldn't the attached page have a third option for those who just wish a quick route to upgrade the VideoBuilder part of their product key