News of development

[Igor]

We're working hard to prepare the new version - PicturesToExe Deluxe 7.5.

When we finish the new timeline with audio editing we will publish the first beta version.

Another new feature of the next version will be fully customizable toolbars on the main window of PicturesToExe. You can re-arrange buttons, hide unused ones, or add advanced buttons for the most used functions, move buttons between top and bottom toolbars.

PicturesToExe Deluxe 7.5 will bring the following major improvements:

1. New timeline with audio editing (in progress)

2. New slide list (almost done)

3. New file tree (almost done)

4. Updated design of the main window (done)

5. Updated design of the Project options options window (done)

6. Updated design of the of the Slide options window (done)

7. New manager of transition effects with preview (done)

8. Editor of custom transition effects (done)

9. Customizable toolbars on the main window (in progress)

10. New AVI output window with same design as HD video output + built-in video codec (done)

11. Refreshed design of PicturesToExe (done)

12. New graphical engine for future improvements and effects (almost done)

13. New Settings of PicturesToExe window with all program options (done)

14. Improved playback of video clips and better support of video formats (done)

[Lin Evans]

Hi Igor,

Any editing capability for audio on video clips - such as fade-in, fade-out?

Thanks,

Lin

[xahu34]

Again my question from March 27: With the new AVI output, will it be possible to create AVI videos that are larger that 2 GB?

Regards,

Xaver

[Guest Yachtsman1]

Hi Igor

Re "We're working hard to prepare the new version - PicturesToExe Deluxe 7.5."Does that mean these upgrades are not available on the for life standard version.?

Regards Eric

Yachtsman1.

[Cèlou]

PTE is a great version 7.0.5.

PTE 7.5 will be a great version and I can not wait to taste all these innovations.

Congratulations to you and Igor to your team.

Can you give us a track, to know to what period we may have our favorite tool?

[orizaba]

Igor,

What about masks in 7.5? ("negative" mask, as suggested before)

What about alpha channel and chroma key (as recently spoken) for a future upgrade?

Thanks.

[Igor]

Any editing capability for audio on video clips - such as fade-in, fade-out?

Lin,

Yes for audio clips. Can't say about video clips yet.

Again my question from March 27: With the new AVI output, will it be possible to create AVI videos that are larger that 2 GB?

Xaver,

Yes if you make an AVI file with our built-in video codec MPEG4-ASP. MPEG4-ASP is equals to XVID and DIVX. I just checked up this function and successfully created 2.7 GB AVI video file.

Re "We're working hard to prepare the new version - PicturesToExe Deluxe 7.5."Does that mean these upgrades are not available on the for life standard version.?

Regards Eric

Of course, it will be a free upgrade to version 7.5 for users of the old Standard edition. Excluding video output options which are part of Deluxe license.

For the AVI output we did an exception to the rule, because AVI output always was a part of the Standard edition. So you additionally get for free fully reworked AVI video output with built-in video codecs. Creating a AVI video file is very simple now.

PTE is a great version 7.0.5.

PTE 7.5 will be a great version and I can not wait to taste all these innovations.

Congratulations to you and Igor to your team.

Can you give us a track, to know to what period we may have our favorite tool?

I think about June-July for the first beta version.

What about masks in 7.5? ("negative" mask, as suggested before)

What about alpha channel and chroma key (as recently spoken) for a future upgrade?

Not in this version, sorry.

[Cèlou]

Thank you for your reply Igor

[deskjet1uk]

Hello Igor,

Thank you to you and your team for all the hard work and I look forward to using the new version.

regards

Ralph

[orizaba]

We're working hard to prepare the new version - PicturesToExe Deluxe 7.5.

When we finish the new timeline with audio editing we will publish the first beta version.

Another new feature of the next version will be fully customizable toolbars on the main window of PicturesToExe. You can re-arrange buttons, hide unused ones, or add advanced buttons for the most used functions, move buttons between top and bottom toolbars.

PicturesToExe Deluxe 7.5 will bring the following major improvements:

1. New timeline with audio editing (in progress)

2. New slide list (almost done)

3. New file tree (almost done)

4. Updated design of the main window (done)

5. Updated design of the Project options options window (done)

6. Updated design of the of the Slide options window (done)

7. New manager of transition effects with preview (done)

8. Editor of custom transition effects (done)

9. Customizable toolbars on the main window (in progress)

10. New AVI output window with same design as HD video output + built-in video codec (done)

11. Refreshed design of PicturesToExe (done)

12. New graphical engine for future improvements and effects (almost done)

13. New Settings of PicturesToExe window with all program options (done)

14. Improved playback of video clips and better support of video formats (done)

Igor,

Are you intending to introduce (hopefuly in v7.5) "Setting up Speed Options" for 3D parameters?

It's somewhat disapointing to put a Slowdown in a Zoom, for example, and if picture includes, for example, a "Rotate X", the Zoom effect ends slowly but Rotation not, which turns Rotation not useable (not a perfect combination in most cases).

Again, what about "negative masks"? You already said "not now". Are you intending it for soon?

Thanks.

[xahu34]

...

It's somewhat disapointing to put a Slowdown in a Zoom, for example, and if picture includes, for example, a "Rotate X", the Zoom effect ends slowly but Rotation not, which turns Rotation not useable (not a perfect combination in most cases).

...

The speed options for a normal Rotate also work for Rotate X and Rotate Y.

The speed options for a normal Pan also work for Pan Z.

Regards,

Xaver

[orizaba]

The speed options for a normal Rotate also work for Rotate X and Rotate Y.

The speed options for a normal Pan also work for Pan Z.

Regards,

Xaver

Thanks very much Xaver.

Who would guess? Not intuitive, at least for me (separate fields, any indication...)

Yes, I just tried and it works! And this offers possibility of a lot of real nice effects, I am happy.

Thanks again.

Regards,

Jose

PS: Any idea of this kind about "negative masks"?

[BEB]

Can someone explain what a negative mask will do. I can't say I am entirely sure?

[orizaba]

Can someone explain what a negative mask will do. I can't say I am entirely sure?

As I put it, "negative masks", not negative masks...

Some 2 years ago I "explained": a mask which let pass the outside space, instead of the inside space.

Got it?

[fh1805]

As I put it, "negative masks", not negative masks... a mask which let pass the outside space, instead of the inside space.

Jose,

If you make your own masks, isn't this just a case of reversing your process? If you currently start with a white slide and paint black on it then, to create a "negative mask", all you would do would be start with a black slide and paint it white! Or were you, in your original post, asking for there to be two more preset masks "Negative circle" and "Negative rectangle" (to use your terminology)?

Peter

[davegee]

negative masks are easy to produce in any software with an invert selection function.

dg

[xahu34]

...

Who would guess? Not intuitive, at least for me (separate fields, any indication...)

...

You should keep in mind that images in PTE are now 3D-objects. An image is to be regarded as a rigid body in a 3D-space, having 6 degrees of freedom, i. e. the position of its center (parameters: Pan X, Pan Y, Pan Z) and a 3D-rotation around the center (parameters: PTE Standard Rotation, Rotate X, Rotate Y). Now, if you program an animation, you do it by defining a new position of the center and 3 new angles. Thus, the animation consists of a 3D-Pan, and of a 3D-Rotation, and for each of both parts you just have one set of speed options. It's OK, isn't it?

Regards,

Xaver

[xahu34]

... Any idea of this kind about "negative masks"?

The predefined masks, as they are today, work well by defining the outside part as transparent. What about the outside part in case of inverted versions of the given predefined masks. Should it be defined as opaque? I don't know if this will lead to performance problems?

Regards,

Xaver

[davegee]

Can you not use PNG files as masks?

DG

[orizaba]

Jose,

If you make your own masks, isn't this just a case of reversing your process? If you currently start with a white slide and paint black on it then, to create a "negative mask", all you would do would be start with a black slide and paint it white! Or were you, in your original post, asking for there to be two more preset masks "Negative circle" and "Negative rectangle" (to use your terminology)?

Peter

Yes, when I am "forced" to make my own "negative masks" (such as a simple rectangule or circle) that's what I make.

For sure, I was refering to 2 more PTE presets, so avoiding such own work for these 2 simple masks.

Jose

[orizaba]

The predefined masks, as they are today, work well by defining the outside part as transparent. What about the outside part in case of inverted versions of the given predefined masks. Should it be defined as opaque? I don't know if this will lead to performance problems?

Regards,

Xaver

Thanks for explanations about 3D. Clear.

Concerning "negative masks", that's a question for Igor to reply!

I have no idea about eventual performance problems with opaque outside... but it seems to me that no problems at all!

And such "negative" presets would avoid a lot of work to users.

Regards,

Jose

[orizaba]

negative masks are easy to produce in any software with an invert selection function.

dg

That's what I think! Why not inside PTE itself, Igor?

[xahu34]

Jose,

let me start with the remark that I would like to see more flexibility for the predefined masks, as well. On the other hand, just having the inverted versions of the given predefined masks is not what I would consider as very helpful. We should ask for a more sophisticated model. Presently we have predefined white circles or rectangles, where the complete outside part is black (keeping in mind that the outside part of a mask is defined to be transparent). If you ask for the negative mask, you seem to want to see black circles or rectangles whose complete outside parts are white. As I already said, I have my doubts that this will be good for the overall performance, and in many cases the new mask effects can be achieved with standard masks, as we have them today, just by changing the order of the layers.

Regards,

Xaver

[Igor]

Jose,

This suggestion ("negative" mask) in our TODO list. Thanks.

But Xaver is right. There are technical difficulties with this kind of a mask. It necessary to change the mask engine. Our programmer who is responsible for this code is very busy now with rewriting of the graphical engine for version 7.5.

[orizaba]

Jose,

This suggestion ("negative" mask) in our TODO list. Thanks.

But Xaver is right. There are technical difficulties with this kind of a mask. It necessary to change the mask engine. Our programmer who is responsible for this code is very busy now with rewriting of the graphical engine for version 7.5.

Thanks Igor (assuming that "TODO" list means future improvements...! "TODO"...?)

Good news!

Jose