A problem with Manual control

[PGA]

I have a manually controlled sequence, being used to drive a demonstration session, that is exhibiting one small problem. The Project Options are set to use the left mouse button to advance to Next Slide. When I began my rehearsals for this demonstration session I discovered the problem. The arrow buttons work fine: forwards and backwards on all slides. The left click works fine on all slides - except one. Upon investigation I did find one anomaly. All the slides prior to this one had, in Slide Options, "Keep full slide duration" selected ON. The problem slide and all the ones after had "Keep full slide duration" selected OFF.

How this had come about I do not know. As regulars on the forum will know, I abhor "Keep full slide duration". I have worked through the sequence changing the setting in Slide Options on every slide to be OFF. I have confirmed that the Preference is OFF. The problem of not recognizing the left mouse click remains on just the one slide.

I have checked and re-checked the values I have in Settings > Preferences, Project Options and Slide Options. I can see nothing out of the ordinary on this particular slide or the ones either side of it.

This is now bugging me. I don't like unexplained behaviour in my sequences. Does anyone have any additional ideas?

Peter

[Guest Yachtsman1]

Peter, screen shots of your settings may help determine the problem? I seem to remember in the dim & distant past we crossed swords about using the left mouse button to advance to the next slide, which IMO isn't logical.

Eric

Yachtsman1.

[Barry Beckham]

A corrupt image in some way? but I sort of expect your ahead of that idea and have already tried swapping the troublesome image for another already. Being a logical person as you are

[PGA]

... about using the left mouse button to advance to the next slide, which IMO isn't logical.

The most commonly used mouse button (for a right-handed user) is the left button, which falls naturally under the right hand's index finger. For many years at work I used both Microsoft Powerpoint and Lotus Freelance to create graphic presentations. In both, the factory-set default was left-click to go forwards. The most commonly desired direction to go in a manually controlled sequence is forwards. I rest my case!

[Guest Yachtsman1]

This is a throwback to the days when a mouse only had one button. Todays devices can have multiple buttons, see what gamers use, it's just a case of advancing with the times, up to 3 years ago I'd never used the scroll wheel, now it's the most used function on my mouse. Anyway, screen shots may still help solve your problem?

Eric

Yachtsman1.

[PGA]

A corrupt image in some way? but I sort of expect your ahead of that idea and have already tried swapping the troublesome image for another already. Being a logical person as you are

Yes, it has to be that. But how did the situation arise? My concern is that there is some specific sequence of steps the user can take that gives rise to this problem. If the true underlying root cause can be established then Igor and his team can decide whether the situation should be allowed. And if it has to be allowed, whether there could/should be a warning given to the user that a potential problem is being created.

I have, since opening this topic, dragged a fresh copy of that image into the slide list immediately in front of the one that shows the problem. When I now Preview the sequence, this new copy behaves correctly but the pre-existing slide still stalls. I have then copied, from the pre-existing slide to the new slide, the three frames that I am using to open three application files (an .EXE, a .PTE and a .PSD). After this change the Preview runs the new slide correctly but still stalls on the pre-existing slide. Deleting the pre-existing slide then gives a sequence which runs correctly in Preview and as a built EXE. I have circumvented the problem but am no wiser as to the root cause.

I have used version numbers on my project files so have both the failing project and the working project. When I get some time next week I will extract the code for Slide 16 (the problem slide) from both project files and visually compare the code parameters.

[Barry Beckham]

Peter

Sometimes life can be too short to search too much for these unexplained errors. They just happen from time to time. I stitch hundreds of videos together, but sometime I get one that looks like an Mp4, acts like and Mp4, but refuses to play. Stitch it together again after a reboot and all is OK.

Eric

it's just a case of advancing with the times

That's just a little rich coming from you mate. Is this the same Eric who called me a twerp for suggesting he try PTE 8

[Jacek Stary]

and you tried to give the right mouse button instead of the left? Is there a difference? All my shows are only manul, I never had trouble but I never used the left mouse button. I generally do not use a mouse.