Menu page

[Mike Reed]

I have previously constructed a menu page and buttons using v 4,9. I have tried to do it in v7 and am struggling. I have searched the comments made previously on this subject and have put my EXE files into the same folder as the menu file but I cannot get the buttons to have anything visible on them other than the word button even though I have typed the correct title into the text panel (common tab of Objects and Animation).

What am I doing wrong?

[Johnwnjr]

I have just had to make two menus for a couple of shows I have done or about to do. They all worked successfully and here are the details of what I did with v.7.0 of Pictures to Exe and Windows XP:-

PTE – Making a Menu to Run Sequences in PicturesToExe 7.0

1. Open Pictures To Exe 7.0

2. Click File > New (New Project Dialog appears) Insert Menu name and Click OK.

3. The opening page of PTE is on screen. Find your chosen background slide and double click on it to insert it into the Slide List. This slide is best if it is a JPEG reduced to 1024 x 768 and can be any suitable slide.

4. At the bottom of the PTE Window click on Project Options. Make sure in the dialog that appears with the following tabs, that the following are correctly adjusted:-

MAIN tab – Repeat show until ESC is pressed (change from: Close Show after Last Slide. Delete Tick against Show Navigation Bar.

CONTROL tab – Mouse cursor – Show (change from Auto Hide)

SCREEN tab – Mode Fullscreen. Tick: Fixed Size of Slide.

Delete Tick: Use Hardware Acceleration.

EFFECTS tab – Disable by clicking in blank boxes top right hand side.

Click OK. Save the Project by clicking File > Save.

5. Click on Objects and Animation, and your chosen blank slide will appear, adjust if necessary the size to say 50%. Click OK in the top left menu icons which will produce a button and drag it to the required position.

6. Double Click on the button and from the panel on the right use the first two tabs as required:-

Select a suitable font eg: Microsoft Sans Serif. Size is altered by dragging handles at edges of the button.

Type in name for Button (probably the Title of the Sequence)

Leave Font Colour and Background as default.

On second tab click on “None” and a selection of actions will appear,- Choose: Run Application or Open File. This produces a box with a file icon on right hand side. - Click on this and browse for required sequence or file. Follow dialogs. Click OK at bottom of page.

To add more buttons first click on background to remove handles on last button applied, and go back to 5 above and follow instructions again.

7. To add a general title eg: Name of Club or Name to cover a selection of sequences use the menu “A” which will produce ‘Text’ in centre of the screen. This can be overtyped in the panel on the right in a similar way to adding Buttons (above) and dragged for size and position.

8. When finished Click OK close at the top of the Object and Animations Window. Press f9 (or go to Publish on PTE opening screen) which produces an .exe file. Click Save in the File menu. Click top right hand side X to close.

9. Add a Shortcut on the desktop to open the menu by right clicking on the desktop. Click New > Shortcut (a Wizard appears) Browse for Title.exe (saved in the process of making the menu). To operate from the desktop – Double click the Icon and single click the button to start the required sequence.

To amend an existing menu see next page…

AMENDING AN EXISTING MENU PTE v.7.0

1. Open PicturesToExe Project File ( the one that created the original menu NOT the .exe file). The normal PTE opening screen should appear with the single background slide showing in the Slide List.

2. Click Objects and Animation.

3. To amend ‘temporary text’ previously typed on this screen, double click on the Text and amend as required. This would possible be the name of a club or programme. Click Close.

4. To amend a button that runs an .exe file, double click on it and amend as required referring to first sheet item from item 5.

5. To add another button or .exe sequence to the list, click OK on the menu and proceed as original sheet from item 5.

6. Press f9 or use Publish Menu to create new .exe file (Create dialog appears)

7. Save with either new name or old one (overwrite). Confirm comes up for ‘overwrite’)

8. Close screen ‘X’ top right and click ‘yes’ on PTE dialog to confirm Project update.

9. Close PTE sequences screen or where you save your menus.

10. If overwritten original shortcut can be used. Click and test to make sure the sequences start OK. Can escape (ESC) to save time in running them all through.

John

[Guest Yachtsman1]

Not sure if it is the same in V7, however in V6.0.4 it is a the attached picture.

Yachtsman1.

[Ronniebootwest]

Lots of people have some difficulty when making a 'One Page Menu' with version 7 so I have written a tutorial that is proving very popular.

You can find it on my Web Site here: HERE

[Mike Reed]

Thanks everybody got there in the end.

Mike