Push PTE

[Tripstrilles]

Possibility to preview the image files as thumbs to sort and rename them easier, like in other programs (Aqua Show, Kais Power Show, Pro Show Gold ... ). So we don´t need ACDsee or other software to do this.

Merry Christmas to all

Tripstrilles

[Marcovelo]

Hi,

About "Flash discussion", I agree with Al's point of view, and I think the suggestion of Fromatoz about Flash is far from asking PTE to compete with "Oracle" ! (please... !)

I'm not a "Flash maniac", I just think it can open a door to animations for people interested in it, with a very interesting SWF format: very small, you can produce nice anims of only 2 KB (for those who like small files that fit on a floppy !!!).

"SWF animatation will require incorporation of player module which may take 300-800 KB!"

Not necessarily. A program to play a Flash movie can be done in less than 100KB.

I think Igor was talking about the size of the Flash player component here.

But the Flash player can be also view (and used) as a registered Active X component, part of the system, like an optional Dll. At a programation level, this can be seen like a system "driver" (an independant "layer" between the application and the system).

"Implementing SWF will limit alot of PC users. Also requiring Flash runtime to be installed on the users PC ... and to have Flash needs certain version of IE installed. Then you want the Flash installed silently so as not to disrupt the Show. However its not a wise practice to install something without users permission ( I dont think Flash allows use without permission)."

Stu, adding a "Flash Object" in the Object Editor will not force people to use it !

Yes, it requires Flash component to be installed (but no need of "certain version of IE"), but:

1- 98 % of PCs with Internet connexion are already "Flash enabled"

2- in case Flash is not installed, it is easy to propose to either install it (from CD), or download it, with "yes/no" button. And this, only the very first time, in rare cases.

"we havent even addressed the contols we would want over SWF used in PTE"

I suggest an "Animation Object", like the "image object" or "button object" in the Object Editor.

- select "Animation Object" in the toolbar

- the "open file" dialog appears allowing to select your animation file (*.swf here)

- position it with the mouse where you want on the slide

- right-click to set properties: adjust (eventually) size, loop mode, transparent background, and action on mouse click

If Flash is not installed on client computer, PTE can simply ignores the object, or we can also imagine a new checkbox in Project Option: "Display a warning message if Flash component is missing", with the choice to install or download it.

In my opinion, PTE is already a Multimedia software, with images, sounds, AVI, buttons, clickable images, hyperlinks...

To be used seriously (and to show its advantages), it requires already a PC with 500-900 Mhz minimum, a sound card with not too bad speakers, a graphic card with on-board memory, in order to get nice dissolves effects.

I know WnSoft still writes in Faq.txt (probably out of date) :"Minimum Spec: Pentium-100 (or similar AMD/Cyrix), 16 Mb RAM, 1 Mb Video card". But just try to play a show with above configuration (if you still have one like this !) and tell me !!!!

All computers you can buy today are already Flash enabled, as part of the system itself.

Today, PTE can produce AVI (as an option) and then you can burn a DVD using external software (and I don't think "Minimum Spec" and even "Recommended Spec" are enough !!!!), but not all people have a DVD player connected to their TV (I don't have one, none of my family members have one...). And I don't speak about DVD burners...

Can we say: "AVI output is not good because not 100% of final users have a DVD player ?". And may be some have a DVD- or DVD+ or something that does not support SVCD and they will be very frustrated to not be able to read their Chrismas present ?

Unfortunately, you even cannot tell them to click on a "download" button to upgrade their DVD player...

As far as I'm concerned, I'm happy some PTE users enjoy new AVI feature, I think it's a good option, even if I'm not using it for the moment, because I haven't "all the required components" installed (hardware and software), and it's far more complex and expensive to get these components than to click on a free internet link if Flash is not yet installed...

That's only my opinion.

Marco

[fromatoz]

... And I fully share your opinion, Marco. Excellent arguments.

Tom

[nobeefstu]

Marco,

My thoughts were just based on actuall/past experience.

I love Flash ... as I currently still build a few projects with Macromedia Flash 4 (swf and executable)

Yes, it requires Flash component to be installed (but no need of "certain version of IE"), but:

When I first distributed Flash 4 (swf files) ... this was awhile back ... The users Pc required a certain Versiion of IE. I imagine now the newer Flash installers dont require this ... since they are probably now supplying and not relying on what the users system has of IE.

2- in case Flash is not installed, it is easy to propose to either install it (from CD), or download it, with "yes/no" button. And this, only the very first time, in rare cases.

Many companies I dealt with did not allow their workers Pcs an active internet connection ... therefore I had to supply the distibutable runtimes from CD. Then at that time I found many Pcs not up to par on their IE version. It turned in to alot of head aches Also depending what verion swf is created ... the necessary version of player is required. ( A version 4 player will not play a version 6 swf ... unless the creator maks it compatable for older versions.)

Stu, adding a "Flash Object" in the Object Editor will not force people to use it !

Im not saying it did. PTE does not make users use music and other options either

My basic thought is I think PTE has many other features to upgrade and enhance prior to venturing into the Flash teritory.

As MikeL117 said :

Flash would be good, but something simpler like animated GIFs would do almost as well for animated titles.

Gif is simple and non complex and every Pc can play them ... but Pte has yet to venture here also.

When I make programs ... I try my best to make them for just about any PC to play ... well at least as low as a P2-233-32 (my low end test Pc) ... even if they are without internet connection

[Marcovelo]

Stu,

Be sure I understand your opinion.

Therefore, some comments:

"I imagine now the newer Flash installers dont require this ... since they are probably now supplying and not relying on what the users system has of IE"

Only one file is required: Flash.ocx or swFlash.ocx. Copy it in your system directory, and register it by: regsvr32 "swflash.ocx".

Not too difficult... and can be to automated easily.

"A version 4 player will not play a version 6 swf ... unless the creator maks it compatable for older versions"

Yes, so I force my Flash editor to produce Flash 4, because it's enough for my needs.

I can also provide swFlash.ocx v7 with my presentation if required, with a small batch file to install it.

"Many companies I dealt with did not allow their workers Pcs an active internet connection "

So just don't use Flash, or provide the activeX component on CD (free licence agreement).

It depends what you want to do.

Personnally, I don't deal with compagnies, just personnal use and for my family and friends, they all have Flash installed (but no DVD player on their TV !).

"My basic thought is I think PTE has many other features to upgrade and enhance prior to venturing into the Flash teritory."

I agree with you, I understand your thinking, but I personnally think priorities is more likely decisions to be taken by the programmer itself !

For example, many of us are not very interested in "automatic watermarking", (I personnally think it is a totally unusefull "gadget" because it can be easily done externally), but this feature is considered by Igor, and I don't see how I would say: this is not a priority. May be it is very important for others and can be commercially interesting for Igor ?

One way to let users enjoy Flash with PTE (only if they want !) will be to have the possibility to enter an "argument" to current "Run external application" feature. In this case, we will be able to use external utility like: MyPlayer "MyMovie.swf".

This would permit to improve the use of external utilities (not only Flash), without bothering Igor.

Igor ?

"I try my best to make them for just about any PC to play ... well at least as low as a P2-233-32 (my low end test Pc) "

Me too. My main PC is P2 350 Mhz (so it's easy! ), and my FlashPTE demo works perfectly on it !

Stu, since I have uploaded my demo with Flash on Beechbrook, I have recieved dozens of emails, and answered to more than 40 differents PTE users (most of them are not members on this forum !) on using Flash in PTE (with FlashMe). Many of them are building PTE shows with Flash (I just received a very nice show today). Just to say there is not only one way (the "good" way or "your" way) to use PTE, and also it's obvious some people are interested in using Flash with PTE.

I would be pleased to see animated Gif in PTE too, but I'm not sure to be able to reproduce the effects demonstrated in my demo...For example, what about a panorama effect on a 1600x600 photo in Gif with 270 images ? Do you think it will fit in 120 KB ? Same problem for a 20 seconds fullscreen animated intro in Gif...

But I'm not a Gif expert...

Marco

[Ken Cox]

Igor

Position of Comments

At the present time the comments position is 8 preset positions.

Other than putting text directly on the original picture with a graphic program, or using p2e's Object editor

Is there any way you could change the program in such a way for example that if I picked the top of the screen position i could lower/position it in increments to say 2" by using 4 buttons -- up - down - left - right ?

With the advent of the AVI feature I am finding that one has to look towards the future more and more when composing a show -- one must scan the pictures for the "big screen" and placement of text can very easily get lost in the "sizing"

ken

[MikeL117]

Is there any way you could change the program in such a way for example that if I picked the top of the screen position i could lower/position it in increments to say 2" by using 4 buttons -- up - down - left - right ?

Hi Ken

There is a quick way to change the position vertically at the moment for single line comments (within limits). Set the position to bottom and alter the line spacing until the comment is within the text safe area.

Igor

I have been doing some changes to an AV of mine and found a few limitations with the present timeline that you may consider doing something about.

I had to add another title slide at the begining, what would have been very useful would have been a facility to add some time and push all subsequent transition points to the later time. Also adding and deleting slides to the show requires moving back and forth between the timeline and the slide list to add or delete transitions at the correct point in the timeline before I forget which I have just changed. Could adding or deleting a slide add or delete a transition at the correct position on the timeline?

One other observation. I converted a none-synched show into a synched show and lost all the timings I had manually set up. Could there be an option to base the arrangement of timed points on the cusomized and default timing preferences instead of the duration of the music?

Keep up the good work

Mike

[Ken Cox]

There is a quick way to change the position vertically at the moment for single line comments (within limits). Set the position to bottom and alter the line spacing until the comment is within the text safe area.

thanks Mike

will have to give it a go

but i think i want more than that

tried -100 pixels and + 100 pixels settings and could measure no significant change on the screen

ken

[MikeL117]

It works for me in all the options I have tried except top position. It's not a lot but quite noticeable on screen. I haven't tried it on video yet.

If you can get it to work it might get you through until Trusty Igor can fit a more versatile option into his schedule.

[alrobin]

I had to add another title slide at the begining, what would have been very useful would have been a facility to add some time and push all subsequent transition points to the later time.

Mike,

Maybe you've tried it already, but my "Adjustor" model (available on p. 3 or 4 of Beechbrook) might help you globally rearrange the timing of your slides until Igor has time to work in a similar option into PTE. You have to already have MS Excel 97 or 2000 installed, though. If you are used to spreadsheets, it won't be too hard to figure out.

[MikeL117]

Thanks Al

I knew I had read of such a utility. I tracked it down, downloaded and tried it. Very comprehensive and useful. I can see this saving me several hours.

Thanks again

[Ken Cox]

Mike

i tried again and suceeded in moving comments, thanks for the heads up.

i wonder why the top position does not work?????

k

[denwell]

I would agree with Mike - the ability to easily add/delete or replace slides anywhere in the timeline with respective custom settings would make life much easier when altering an existing or adjusting an ongoing creation.

I have Al's Adjustor and find it very useful when globally moving slides along the line etc. However this area of adding/replacing on the fly needs to be looked at by Igor. Not many of us are able to get it right first time !

A peaceful New Year to you all

Denwell (NEast - UK)

[MikeL117]

i wonder why the top position does not work?????

Ken

The space is probably added to the baseline and the top position does not use this as an anchor. If you need it to work at the top put a space on the first line then the comment on the second line (as you will know hitting enter brings up the text edit box). The line space will then add to the second line.

Igor

Denwell just reminded me of another very useful feature. The ability to copy the cutomized option from one slide and paste into another would save considerable time in developing a sequence. Or even a set of various customizable options that could be applied as styles. That would help with developing and dramatically speed up modifications.

Happy New Year

Mike

[Ken Cox]

The space is probably added to the baseline and the top position does not use this as an anchor. If you need it to work at the top put a space on the first line then the comment on the second line (as you will know hitting enter brings up the text edit box). The line space will then add to the second line.

Mike

your "top" method works

thks

and

HAPPY NEW YEAR

KEN