Newbie looking for features

[dagrace]

Disclaimers:

1) I'm a newbie.

2) I've spent less than an hour total working with PTE.

3) I've seen a DaveG on this forum. I'm a DaveG too, but I go by David, so we should be set. You can also differentiate us by our knowledge of PTE!

PTE looks VERY easy and VERY useful. Being one of those systems weenies, I often say "How can I..." to make my life easier (not the programmer's)

For example:

A.) I have a presentation of 40 slides. I the presentation default is a 4 sec delay (duration) on each slide. On slides 11-17, I want to make the delay 1.5 sec. I know how to adjust 1 slide. Is there a way to "mass update" all the slides so I don't have to change the 4 to a 1, then tab over to the ms field and type 500, on each of 7 (or 20) slides?

B.) Same question for any other parameter, like the fade type, or the background color, or ...

C.) Here's what I want to do: I have a picture of a fixed size. On slide 1, I want it centered. On slide 2 I want the exact same image, but moved over .5 inches (or 200 pixels, or whatever), and on the third slide the same image moved over 1 inch. So the effect is that the image is moving over on the screen. Is that possible? Can I control how much it moves? Can I place an image anywhere on the "screen" or does it always center?

I guess that's enough for now. Thanks in advance for all the help. I hope to be an expert someday!

[ContaxMan]

Click on the "Project Options" button & choose the tab that says "Effects". At the top, righthand side of the window that opens, click the little button that shows 2 blank pages to clear all effects. Now you can choose which to use and change the effect duration.

Click the "Main" tab to adjust the time that the slide stays on screen.

The Background colour is set under the "Screen" tab.

Having set the main preferences, "tweak" individual slides using the "Customise Slide" button.

C.) Here's what I want to do: I have a picture of a fixed size. On slide 1, I want it centered. On slide 2 I want the exact same image, but moved over .5 inches (or 200 pixels, or whatever), and on the third slide the same image moved over 1 inch. So the effect is that the image is moving over on the screen. Is that possible? Can I control how much it moves? Can I place an image anywhere on the "screen" or does it always center?

Here are 2 ways to achieve this. If you have access to an image editor such as Photoshop, the easiest way is to create a new document of the screen size you're going to use for your show, e.g. 1024 x 768 pixels, and fill it with the colour you intend to have as background. Then put you image in the correct place. Repeat as many times as you need. Alternatively, make a "dummy image" 1 pixel square & add this to your slide list as many times as you need. Then click on the "Object Editor" button in PTE. Click on the little picture icon (4th from left at top of window) to insert the picture you really want to use. You can then drag this image into the position you want.

I hope you can follow this! Have fun - PTE is a great tool.

[dagrace]

Thanks Roger. Yes it did make sense.

I'm not sure I communicated correctly on issue A), however. I have 50 slides in a show and want to change 20 of them to the same value. I think what you described will change all 50. What I'm hoping to do is "shift-click" or select a range of slides, but not all slides, and adjust something about each one in the selection. If I read your response correctly, after setting the global parameter, I have to tweak any exceptions one at a time.

Is that true?

If so, I guess I'll add that to the thread on "Improvements you'd like to see".

[ContaxMan]

Yes - I'm afraid you're correct - you'll need to change them all then "tweak" the eceptions.

[ContaxMan]

Don't miss Al Robin's revised PTE tutorial (from Beechbrook) - see elsewhere on this site.

Al's MS Excel utility for use with PTE may be just what you need.

[Ken Cox]

Description of Al's treats here

http://www.alrobinson.com/pte_items.htm

ken