Borders

[Barry Beckham]

Igor

After reading the thread started by Peter on borders I realized that I didn't know how two of the tabs worked. I had long since given up on PTE borders, because I found them confusing and long winded. However, as a result of the thread I took another look to try and find a use for them and I still find them confusing. The canvas size when tried seems to work a bit like a crop tool. When you move the top and bottom sliders, you can see some sense in it, but when you move the left and the right sliders it all goes wrong. The animation tab is also baffling, not sure why its there or what I can do with it. As we have seen few examples demonstrated, many others don't either.

I agree that this is an area that does need to be re-designed and my view borders need to be :-

1. Placed on the inside edge or the outside edge of an image/object

2. Be placed on one image or all of them in one operation

3. After No2 above, the ability to remove the border from a strategic few images/objects. (forum members, yes I am aware of work arounds, but that is not what is needed here)

I also think the ability to add arrows was a good suggestion by Walker76.

I also still want to see the ability to add texture/noise to objects/backgrounds. Computer colour is just too smooth and unatural.

[xahu34]

... The animation tab is also baffling, not sure why its there or what I can do with it ...

Look at it when using an animated GIF!

Regards,

Xaver

[Barry Beckham]

Xaver

Why would I want to do that?

[xahu34]

... Why would I want to do that?

I don't know what you really want. Maybe, you don't not want to use animated GIFs at all. But if you insert one, you can modify the animation parameters for replay in PTE. E.g. you can change an infinite loop (Repeat = 0) to a fixed number of repeats, you can modify the animation tempo (via Interval), ...

Regards,

Xaver

[xahu34]

.... The canvas size when tried seems to work a bit like a crop tool. When you move the top and bottom sliders, you can see some sense in it, but when you move the left and the right sliders it all goes wrong ...

Please tell us what you really mean!

Regards,

Xaver

[Barry Beckham]

Xaver

To be honest I wasn't asking for help, but suggesting to Igor that this is an area that needs some thought as someone else suggested yesterday. I am quite happy to make a suggestion to Igor and allow him to decide on it's merits based on commercial and practical issues. I wonder sometimes how he ever sorts out good ideas from these threads.

[Lin Evans]

Hi Barry,

Actually, I think you implied a question about what the animation tab was for which is what Xaver explained. The animation tab is quite useful for those who use animated gif's in their presentation. Experimentation with this is the best way I've found to enhance understanding.

Best regards,

Lin

....

The animation tab is also baffling, not sure why its there or what I can do with it. As we have seen few examples demonstrated, many others don't either.

[davegee]

Lin,

I don't want to bring up the subject of intuitiveness again (that's Peter's territory) but here goes:

How would a beginner like myself know that the Animation Tab was useful when using (animated) GIF files?

Like some others, I have absolutely no interest in animated GIFs so I would experiment with still images and get nowhere.

If the answer in Post 4 was given in Post 2 then there would (possibly) be a greater understanding between all.

DG

[Lin Evans]

Hi Dave,

Hindsight is always 20/20 I guess. Actually, were I designing the interface, the animation tab would not be under the "Borders" canopy, but perhaps that was done for expediency when the feature was introduced.

It's difficult sometimes, to decide where to put feature calls in a program. Several who wanted to use animated gifs were very glad to see these features implemented, but the manual and documentation (at least to my knowledge) didn't cover it and that's too bad because if you use animated gifs these are absolutely "great" features. For example, when I put my "eagle" inside the wire frame "globe" I wanted to make the entire animation loop seamlessly (remember, you first thought it had multiple slides?). I couldn't have done that without the ability to alter the wing beat frequency of the eagle to facilitate a seamless start for the loop. The interval feature allowed me to do that without having to resort to a third party software and remake the entire animated gif. Even with an excellent third party software it would have been awkward at best because to get it "right" was an iterative process.

Best regards,

Lin

[xahu34]

... If the answer in Post 4 was given in Post 2 then there would (possibly) be a greater understanding between all ...

Sorry, but I normally expect from a forum user to use his/her brain, and to practice some experimentation. Isn't it a pity that there was a need for post 4 at all

Regards,

Xaver

[Barry Beckham]

All the tab needs is the word animated gif, but the post was a SUGGESTION because it was placed in the IDEAS AND SUGGESTIONS SECTION. It wasn't solely just about the animated gif options alone.

Sorry, but I normally expect from a forum user to use his/her brain, and to practice some experimentation. Isn't it a pity that there was a need for post 4 at all

What the hell is the matter with you people, can't you just accept a suggestion without starting the insults and inuendos. Leave your petty sniping to the other threads and please leave just one where we can make a suggestion to Igor and allow him to decide if it's something he wants to pursue.