Back-up-to-Zip

[JEB]

Igor,

I wonder if some thought could be given to improving the method of identifying the location of identically named images when creating a "back up in zip".

I totally accept that this is a problem caused purely by bad working practice …….. but none of us are perfect …….. certainly not me.

Two suggestions come to mind -

Rather than show the offending files singly which entails re trying to create a zip each time in order to identify the next file, could all instances not be shown together in a list? This list could then be grabbed and printed out.

My second suggestion would be to not only show the file paths but also the slide number in which the duplicated files are located. If I could only have one of these enhancements it would be this one!

Hopefully,

John

[Ken Cox]

I moved this thread to suggestions

ken

[thedom]

My second suggestion would be to not only show the file paths but also the slide number in which the duplicated files are located. If I could only have one of these enhancements it would be this one!

I frequently have this problem too.

That's why I fully support your suggestion ! :-)

[Barry Beckham]

I frequently have this problem too.

That's why I fully support your suggestion ! :-)

Me too. It's one of those OH ---- moments when the warning message appears.

[davegee]

I guess it must just be me!!

You are asking Igor to build something in to make it easier for you to correct the result of bad practise?????

He will probably do it and it will probably be easy but really guys, you only make that mistake once, surely?????

Lots of smilies.

DG

[Ken Cox]

and then always ask "when is the next version coming?":angry:/>

ken

[thedom]

1383262565' post='112827']

Me too. It's one of those OH ---- moments when the warning message appears.

And when this moments happen, the fastest way to fix is right now is for me to edit the .pte file with Notepad+

Dom, Bad Boy ;-)

[JEB]

Dave, Ken,

It seems to me that Igor, without being asked, decided at some stage that it was worth providing the information we have i.e. advice that there are duplicate file names in different locations. All I am asking for is the identification of the offending slides. Clearly this can't be a major problem. Hardly likely to hold up development of the program. I'm sure that all of us can think of little things that can be improved that will have the potential of making PTE even more user friendly, particularly as it gets more complex with every new release.

Cheers

John

[Barry Beckham]

You are asking Igor to build something in to make it easier for you to correct the result of bad practise?????

He will probably do it and it will probably be easy but really guys, you only make that mistake once, surely?????

Lots of smilies.

DG

That is exactly what I am saying.

Dave... You are a PTE expert, but the one point you seem to have forgotten is the time when you were not expert at this software. The vast majority of people are not and never will be experts. Many people make slide shows twice a year and the second time they do it, they forget what they did the first time. You, me and others here live, eat and breath the software so calls for improvements like this is not so much for us. However, if experienced users like me can fall foul of this from time to time doesn't that tell you something?

There used to be a feature of Dreamweaver software, I am sure it's still there. If you selected a jpeg or gif outside the web site structure you had created, a message popped up and said something like. This image isn't in your web site template and may cause problems when up uploaded to your web site. Do you want to copy it there Now ? It was a great feature because as you duck and dive among different drives it is easy to draw an image from what you think is the right folder, but isn't.

If this is something that could be adjusted easily then Igor should consider it as it makes the software that little bit more user friendly, especially to those who use it infrequently. If it's something that is going to tie up his team for sometime, then forget it, but it's his call.

[davegee]

OK, you make a good point.

But why not ask Igor to put something in place to prevent you using two images with the same name from different locations?? At present you are asking him to clear up your mess afterwards.

Lots of smilies.

DG

[Barry Beckham]

It's not clearing up a mess Dave. It's humans who sometimes make a mistake and a need for software that is forgiving of those mistakes. How it's achieved doesn't matter, but if it can, why not. In this day and age ask yourself why it is that so few people in camera clubs take up AV? I say this day and age because we live in a visual world with everything we see being more and more on a screen of some type.

What better way is there for Photographers than even the most basic and simple slide show for them to show their photography to others, yet they don't. I am sure the reasons are wide and varied, but I bet one of the biggies is that they don't want to look forward to months of learning just to produce a slide show, or hours of frustration just because they are not one of the experts. Look at how people use every means they can, this forum included to bitch about the slightest problem with software. It's those negatives that always drown out the positives and those who may have thought about taking the plunge may not, because its just all seems too difficult.

Well I want software that is easy to use and so does everyone else, don't they? There are no marks issued for degrees of difficulty in photography only the end result. Most people need encouragement to take the plunge and the easier you make the software the more will take the plunge.

[davegee]

It's not clearing up a mess Dave.

Sorry Barry,

We will have to agree to differ on that one.

I have always believed in the six P's.

Perfect Preparation Prevents P*** Poor Performance!

You are an educator - and a good one>

Educate them!!

:)/>:)/>:)/>

DG

[Guest Yachtsman1]

Just had a quick look at the current manual, scanned up to page 15 & didn't find a reference to "FIRST CREATE A FOLDER TO STORE ALL THE ITEMs YOU WISH TO INCLUDE IN YOUR AV SHOW". That has been a basic requirement since I started using the software in 2007" "IIABWFI!!!".

Yachtsman1 ;)/>/>/>

[PGA]

"IIABWFI!!!".

Huh?

May I make a plea to all forum members on behalf of the non-English speaking members? Please avoid unnecessary abbreviations and all forms of idiomatic speech. They do not always translate well when using online translation tools. Remember, this is a forum and not a chat room: you are broadcasting to all, not speaking person-to person.

regards

Peter

[Guest Yachtsman1]

You are quite correct Peter, however there are so many abbreviations in current threads I thought I'd try my own IIABWFI :o/>/>/> Just did a google define on that & it came up with the Indian Institute of Banking :o/>/>/> which is not what I meant, bet Xaver could have de-ciphered it :lol:/>/>/> For those who wish it clarified "If It Aint Broke Why Fix It!!!" ;)/>/>/>

Regards Eric

Yachtsman1

[jkb]

Getting back to the topic at the start of this thread, if it is possible to show the offending slides when a duplicate name is found, this would help.

Better still allow the duplicates to be replaced with the file from the correct folder at the point of creating the backup zip.

It is not only bad practice that can lead to this problem.

This situation can occur easily when collaborating on a sequence with someone else.

John & I made a joint sequence, each working on particular parts of a very complex animation which were then combined to form one slide. We each created a backup zip of the parts we had done. Because of this the images were coming from different folders but had the same name.

I have never managed to go through & sort out the objects from the different folders, so am unable to create a backup zip of the completed project. Ended up with a Template instead.

Jill

[davegee]

On a positive note I would like to make a suggestion which might be a little radical but might work and solve all such problems.

What if, when starting a new Project (File / New), PTE created a new folder into which you would Import all of the necessary elements of your Project?

This could work automatically - any image etc that you wanted to use in your project would be duplicated in the Project Folder.

Any image imported this way would automatically flag up two different images with the same name or the same image from two sources with the same name.

Tackle the problem at source.

In the case outlined by Jill above I would consider Batch renaming the images etc with the initials of the co-workers - that way duplication would not exist (just thinking out loud - I don't know the full circumstances of the project).

DG

[jt49]

In my opinion, JEB's suggestions are fine. But PTE could offer another optional service: When creating a zip-backup, it could suggest the user to insert the images with identical names in renamed versions (with some obvious renaming), while changing the project file appropriately.

jt

[davegee]

JT,

We have a saying in the UK:

"Closing the stable door after the horse has bolted".

DG :)/>