Links - Snow Styles and Snow Demo Video

[Lin Evans]

Hi Folks,

Well, I finally have the snowfall styles finished. There are five style files which are multi-aspect ratio.

There are two style files which create rather normal snowfall for one minute. These are divided into two aspect ratios each. One is 16:9 and 3:2 and appropriately named. The other is 4:3 and 5:4 and also named so that you will easily discern which is which.

There is a style for lage fluffy snow for 30 seconds (same four aspect ratios as above)

There is one for normal snow for 15 seconds (same 4 aspect ratios)

There is one for snow flurries for 15 seconds (same four aspect ratios)

Just download, extract to a folder then import into your PTE styles folder. There is a readme file in English and French. My French is probably laughable because though I can read French fairly well, I have serious issues trying to compose so depend almost entirely on Google Translate.

There is also a 52 meg video which shows you what the snowfall looks like.

Links below to two zipped files. One contains the video and the other a readme first and the styles.

http://www.lin-evans.org/snow/snowstyles512U.zip (about 2 meg)

http://www.lin-evans.org/snow/demosnowstyles.zip (about 55 meg)

I learned one valuable lesson after repeated failures trying to combine my four aspect ratios for the one minute styles. I was using both English and French names and a single spacing error, etc., can result in disaster. I finally gave up and divided the multi-aspect effort into two styles rather than one with all four aspect ratios.

When you are creating mutiple aspect ratio styles, my suggestion is to use an extremely simple name until you have everything finished then just rename the file. I finally discovered that if I called the file "new" each time, I could actually remember, spell it correctly, etc. Once everything was combined, then I just renamed to the complex names I was trying to accomplish for each file added. We live and learn.... LOL

Later - NOTE: The Normal Snow One Minute 16:9 and 3:2 aspect ratio is returning a missing black jpg - just go to objects and animations and erase it for now.... I haven't been able to fix it for a number of reason - not the least of which is not being able to find files on my Windows 8.1 system with Windows indexed search... I'll try to fix this but for now if you use that style, just delete the black jpg in Objects and Animations Object list and it will work...

Later Later: Fixed - Uploaded - done... Stood in the rain for fifteen minutes - created four templates and created a single one minute MARS (Multi-Aspect-Ratio-Style) for normal snow one minute including 16:9, 3:2, 4:3 and 5:4 aspect ratios... Going to sleep now for an hour - LOL

L

Best regards,

Lin

[denisb]

Hi Lin,

I found a picture not present:

Denis

[Lin Evans]

Hi Denis,

Hopefully that is corrected now - I'm not certain what happened.

Please try downloading the snowstyles.zip again. The Big Fluffy style has been replaced internally... Something wasn't right about the style but it appears to work correctly now including the black jpg file...

Best regards,

Lin

Link below:

http://www.lin-evans.org/snow/snowstylesfixed.zip (about 2 meg)

P.S. The updated file is included in the original set and linked on Diapositif...

[davegee]

Lin,

The Black16:9.jpg is "Image not found" - in the 16:9 and 3:2 version.

DG

P.S. I still don't really understand why it is there? I removed it (in O&A) and added a second slide and once again applied the style and (in a KFSD Project) the two slides dissolve into one another nicely.

[Lin Evans]

Hi Dave,

I found it - I now see what is happening and I'll fix it immediately, pack the fixed version and upload it in the same file. Got it fixed and zipped up. All original links plus the one below contain the fix as of now.... Dang.... what a pain to get it all correct. I'm still scratching my head over how I messed that up so badly. I had nothing but problems with the set of one minute styles and trying to straighten it all out but AFAIK it's finally correct.....

Best regards,

Lin

http://www.lin-evans.org/snow/snowstylesfixed.zip (new archive of styles with fix)

Please delete the "normal snow one minute 16 to 9 and 3 to 2" style and replace with the one in this new archive. All others are fine.

[davegee]

Hi Dave,

I found it - I now see what is happening and I'll fix it immediately, pack the fixed version and upload it in the same file. Got it fixed and zipped up. All original links plus the one below contain the fix as of now.... Dang.... what a pain to get it all correct. I'm still scratching my head over how I messed that up so badly. I had nothing but problems with the set of one minute styles and trying to straighten it all out but AFAIK it's finally correct.....

Best regards,

Lin

http://www.lin-evans.org/snow/snowstylesfixed.zip (new archive of styles with fix)

Please delete the "normal snow one minute 16 to 9 and 3 to 2" style and replace with the one in this new archive. All others are fine.

Sorry Lin,

Still not found,

DG

[Lin Evans]

Hi Dave,

Something isn't working correcty in the PTE "replace" feature... I've corrected this and it works perfectly, but when I try to write it to the folder with the other styles to be archived, I've "replaced" the existing style. I'm going to try erasing the original this time. I just tested and it's not doing the "replace" - just apparently giving "lip service" to that feature.

This is really strange... I keep fixing and it works perfectly - then as soon as I test it from the archive where I create the zip - it doesn't work again so that tells me that the original isn't being replaced as PTE says it is.... I'm pulling out my hair over this one.... wow!!!

L

[davegee]

Well, for what it is worth, I would immediately delete it anyway.

It is not necessary.

DG

[Lin Evans]

If it's not fixed this time, I can't fix it - LOL

I deleted the entire archive and tested each one which is working perfectly on my system... I suspect part of the problem may be that I have been using png files from one style to create another.

They work on my system but I'm going to try them on another where there is no chance that the file is being loaded from outside the style....

At any rate I've uploaded the zipped archives which are identical back to the server:

http://www.lin-evans.org/snow/snowstyles.zip

http://www.lin-evans.org/snow/snowstylesfixed.zip

Both are identical and the 3:2 - 16:9 is working correctly every time for me now... If it's not right, I'll give up - LOL

Lin

[Lin Evans]

Something which may play a role here. I've discovered that when I start a "new project" PTE brings up a popup which says Project 1 with an aspect ratio which depends on how you have your defaults set.

If you change the aspect ratio on this screen and click O.K., the new value is NOT applied.... I think that's a bug...

For example, my default is set to 4:3 and if I change it to 16:9 at this juncture then subsequently load a 16:9 aspect ratio image then open Project Options, the original 4:3 is still showing.....

Best regards,

Lin

[davegee]

Lin what are your settings?

I had a 16:9 Template set for New Projects so I deleted that, re-started PTE and asked for a New Project.

I was not asked to change the AR - just accept Project1.

I can't remember what circumstances brings up Project1 and change AR??

DG

[Lin Evans]

Hi Dave,

I'm not sure anymore about what is going on - I'm going to have to take a break. I just extracted the new "fix" and it's not "fixed" - now instead of the 3:2 aspect ratio not finding the black jpg, it's the 16:9 aspect ratio. It works fine on my XP machine but not on my Win 8.1. I absolutely HATE win 8.1.

The problem is that the 8.1 Windows search which is an "indexed" search doesn't find all files, only the files which are "indexed" and I can't determine a way to make it reindex. I load new files and then search for them and they are not there yet I can use my FTP software and find them easily. It's driving me up a wall because I can't determine where the problem is when I can't find the files I have just uploaded to the Win 8.1 machine to work with.

The issue I'm having is that one time everything works perfectly - the next time I try it doesn't work correctly. It works correctly on the Win XP system and doesn't work on the 8.1.

I think this entire issue revolves around trying to "borrow" files with a copy to the clipboard and use them subsequently in a new project to create a part of the style. I'm just not having any luck at all with this multi-aspect style thing. I'm going back to a single style for a single aspect ratio because at least I've been able to get it to work correctly.

I've got to get away from this for a while to clear my head....

Best regards,

Lin

[Lin Evans]

O.K., I went out and stood in the rain for 15 minutes and came back and created a multi-aspect ratio one minute normal snowfall style for all four.

It's fixed - I started all over and made four separate templates to create the new MARS (multi-aspect-ratio-style) for 16:9, 3:2, 4:3 and 5:4

Done - uploaded under same name... I'm going to bed and sleep for an hour - LOL

L

[davegee]

Lin,

Before you go try this as a proof of concept.

Snowy.ptestyle

DG

[davegee]

It is only three AR:

16:9

3:2

4:3

.....but all different AR will work.

I have slightly re-arranged your objects

DG

[Lin Evans]

That works fine as does the last one I posted - I think the problem had to do with not using the original files but trying to "borrow" the ones in the style for creating additional MARS... Once I created an original without a style and copied my PNG's I built the other three and just saved them all as "templates" then saved each template as one of the four MARS.

I've never had so many dumb errors with what should have been a really simple thing .... The problem was compounded because they worked fine on one system but not on the other.

L

[davegee]

Lin,

Snowy was made from a single 1920x1080 project which was then modified to make the other two AR. I used the method that I outline in the article on multi AR Styles in the Online Help File. I have since thought of two modifications to Snowy and I will upload later to show you.

DG

[davegee]

Lin,

This is Snowy2.

Snowy2.ptestyle

It is based on your 1 Minute Snow Style and was constructed using the method described here.

Everything is "Cover Slide" Mode so that even if the User adds an image which does not match the Project AR, it will work.

I have added the 16:10 AR in place of 5:4.

DG

[denisb]

Something which may play a role here. I've discovered that when I start a "new project" PTE brings up a popup which says Project 1 with an aspect ratio which depends on how you have your defaults set.

If you change the aspect ratio on this screen and click O.K., the new value is NOT applied.... I think that's a bug...

For example, my default is set to 4:3 and if I change it to 16:9 at this juncture then subsequently load a 16:9 aspect ratio image then open Project Options, the original 4:3 is still showing.....

Best regards,

Lin

I see the same thing and now I know why.

http://www.picturestoexe.com/forums/index.php?/topic/18267-new-project/

Denis

[Lin Evans]

That handled the aspect ratio completely, but defeats the purpose of having a controlling frame - back to the drawing board... LOL. I think the immediate solution is to not attempt to create components of the style using any components from an existing style.

If I go back to my original template which is just a single slide pte file which "could" be executed as a demo slide, and if I copy and paste the components from that into a new scenario with a different aspect ratio then save that as yet another template and repeat this process for each aspect ratio; I can then use each of these to create one of the elements which are combined into the final style and the black jpg stays put.

Best regards,

Lin

[davegee]

Lin,

The Black JPEG only disappears if you try to make a second generation Style from an original.

I have proven that. Trying to make Snowy from your Original was not possible and I had to add my own Black JPEG. Trying to make Snowy2 from Snowy was not possible so I had to once again add the Black JPEG.

What I don't understand is why second and third generation Styles are possible with regard to the PNG files.

I have asked Igor if he can explain it.

When I made Snowy and Snowy2 I did not close down between different ARs. I just altered the AR and made any necessary modifications before updating the Multi AR Style.

DG

[Lin Evans]

Hi Dave,

I suspect it's because they are contained within a mask. That "may" not be the reason but it's what I would assume...

Bests regards,

Lin