Change 'Default Slide Durations' for only images

[goddi]

Igor,

Please change the 'Project Options/Main/Default Slide Durations' to apply to only images, not to video clips.

If you have many video clips in the project and you want to change or tweak the duration of the image slides, the changing of the 'Default Slide Durations' will change the duration of the video clips. Then you have to go into each video clip and reset its length. There does not seem to be any need to have the 'Default Slide Durations' affect video clips.

The additional frustration is the File List does not show 'length' so you have to go to a lot of clicking around to get that information. Not only that, but if you had set some overlays of images at the beginning or following video clips, this setting gets removed and you have to go through readjusting that setting.

Removing video clips from the  'Default Slide Durations' would solve many of these problems. Not to mention showing the extensions of the files in the Slides/Timetable views would help too, so you know which is an image vs which is a video clip. I know you said you don't want to do this but I hope you would reconsider.

Thanks... Gary

[davegee]

1 hour ago, goddi said:

Igor,

Please change the 'Project Options/Main/Default Slide Durations' to apply to only images, not to video clips.

If you have many video clips in the project and you want to change or tweak the duration of the image slides, the changing of the 'Default Slide Durations' will change the duration of the video clips. Then you have to go into each video clip and reset its length. There does not seem to be any need to have the 'Default Slide Durations' affect video clips.

 

THis makes absolutely no sense to me.

The purpose of that setting is (primarily) to set the duration of new slides.

It does not affect Video Clips added to the Slide List. A Video Clip added (dragged into) the Slide List will set its own Duration.

If, at some stage, I want to change the Duration of a slide or a group of slides (Contiguous or Non-Contiguous) I use Slide Options.

I can also change the "Slide Name" in Slide Options to identify Video Clips, Main Images which are PNG, GIF etc or anything that I want if adding an identifier in PS etc is a problem. (This does not alter the Image File Name).

DG

P.S. Surely a more sensible suggestion would be an option in Slide Options to "Lock Duration" of a slide?

[goddi]

3 hours ago, davegee said:

THis makes absolutely no sense to me.

The purpose of that setting is (primarily) to set the duration of new slides.

It does not affect Video Clips added to the Slide List. A Video Clip added (dragged into) the Slide List will set its own Duration.

If, at some stage, I want to change the Duration of a slide or a group of slides (Contiguous or Non-Contiguous) I use Slide Options.

I can also change the "Slide Name" in Slide Options to identify Video Clips, Main Images which are PNG, GIF etc or anything that I want if adding an identifier in PS etc is a problem. (This does not alter the Image File Name).

DG

P.S. Surely a more sensible suggestion would be an option in Slide Options to "Lock Duration" of a slide?

Dave,

This probably makes no sense to you because your work flow is different than mine. But even if we differ in our work flow, excluding video clips' durations from being changed when you change the 'Default Slide Durations' makes sense. Do you think that before you start a project you know exactly what the default slide duration should be? And you would always set it before you put in any video clips? Do you use video clips?

But, say you want to adjust the default duration of 5 seconds to 4.25 seconds after you a have put in all your images, and you also have already put in your various video clips. If you have many video clips and you want to change all the images' durations to 4.25, the easy way would be to change the Default Slide Duration to 4.25 for all slides. This would especially be useful if you wanted to tweak the overall length of the project to fit your established music length by just adjusting the duration of the images. If changing the Default Slide Duration did not affect video clips' duration, this would be easy to do.

Your way would be to highlight each contiguous group of images in between each video clip and make the change. Wouldn't it be more intuitive and easier to just use the Default Slide Duration to make the adjustment, and not affect the duration of the  video clips? If someone doesn't use a lot of video clips, it might be hard to see the importance of this suggestion.

Sure you can change the 'Slide Name' to identify video and images. But why do we have to go through all this extra work when the information is already there. Just let it show.

My suggestion would not affect your work flow at all. But it makes sense to me that the setting the 'Default Slide Durations' should exclude video files. And change the name to 'Default Image Duration'.

Gary

 

[jt49]

17 hours ago, goddi said:

...  Please change the 'Project Options/Main/Default Slide Durations' to apply to only images, not to video clips ...

This does not make sense, and it is not a question of a particular workflow. Videos, images, texts, etc. are visual objects, while slides are something completely different. Slides are logical objects, they are containers for all the visual objects. And such a container may include hundreds of visual objects. Perhaps you are asking for an additional button "Apply the default slide duration to all existing slides that do not contain any video"?

[goddi]

2 hours ago, jt49 said:

This does not make sense, and it is not a question of a particular workflow. Videos, images, texts, etc. are visual objects, while slides are something completely different. Slides are logical objects, they are containers for all the visual objects. And such a container may include hundreds of visual objects. Perhaps you are asking for an additional button "Apply the default slide duration to all existing slides that do not contain any video"?

Greetings,

Perhaps I have not used the proper terminology. But, yes, I am saying that the ' Project Options/Main/Default Slide Durations' should apply "to all existing slides that do not contain any video" or are not videos. That is exactly what I am saying. It is so easy to see the problem that it currently creates. Put several videos in the project. Change the 'Default Slide Durations' to, say, 4.25 seconds. All the videos get changed to 4.25 seconds. That is the problem.

Sure you can do what Dave says, which is to highlight each section in between the  videos and change the duration using the Slide Option. I have a project that has a potential of over 30 video clips amongst about 200 images. To  go through section by section to change the Default Slide Duration is the hard way to do it to avoid changing the duration of the videos. Why not just exclude videos from being effected by the Default Slide Durations? Why would you ever what it to effect the durations of videos???

Gary

[goddi]

Greetings,

Perhaps a video would demonstrate better the problem that I see with using Default Slide Durations if you have video clips. This is probably an extreme example where all but the first slide are videos, but it shows the effect. If I change the Default Slide Durations for All Slides, all the videos change too.

Gary

DefaultSlideDuration.mp4

[wideangle]

I agree entirely with Gary. It is a real pain to have to go back through each video slide and reset it to its original time length.  

It brings us back to a previous thread which discussed the merits of having an option to keep the original duration of a slide or to allow it to change.  To me that is an obvious and logical way forward.

Regards

wideangle

[Barry Beckham]

Why not just exclude videos from being effected by the Default Slide Durations?

Because in the Project Options the settings are designed as global setting. 

This would especially be useful if you wanted to tweak the overall length of the project to fit your established music length by just adjusting the duration of the images. 

Yes, but in doing so, surely you're upsetting all your carefully synchronised images and video. If I understand you correctly, this wouldn't be a good idea at all.

I appreciate we all have different ways of doing things, but if I had my content a little too much for the music, I would find other and I would argue better ways to deal with this. Reducing the slide time overall would be the last thing I would do.

[goddi]

9 hours ago, Barry Beckham said:

Why not just exclude videos from being effected by the Default Slide Durations?

Because in the Project Options the settings are designed as global setting. 

This would especially be useful if you wanted to tweak the overall length of the project to fit your established music length by just adjusting the duration of the images. 

Yes, but in doing so, surely you're upsetting all your carefully synchronised images and video. If I understand you correctly, this wouldn't be a good idea at all.

I appreciate we all have different ways of doing things, but if I had my content a little too much for the music, I would find other and I would argue better ways to deal with this. Reducing the slide time overall would be the last thing I would do.

Greetings Barry,

Sure, the Project Options settings are designed as a global settings but let's make it work properly. If you think that 'Default Slide Durations' should apply to videos too, then when you drag down a video clip, it should take on the 'Default Slide Durations' setting? It does not and, of course, it does not make sense. So if you change that setting, why would you want it to change the duration of video clips?

I think those who do not agree with this suggestion, have never used video clips. All it takes to understand the problems is to put one video clip in the project and change the 'Default Slide Durations'. Did you take a look at the video attachment in my previous posting? Does that not show the problem? If you have placed video clips in the project, you can not change the 'Default Slide Durations' without causing severe problems. That leaves you locked into a setting you might want to adjust later in the project.

There is a function called 'Fit all slides to soundtrack'. This setting would automatically spread all content, even videos, to fit the soundtrack and unfortunately change all the videos' durations. This setting would work well only if you did not have video clips. So if the 'Default Slide Durations' would be make to not affect video clips, the adjustment of the 'Default Slide Durations' could be used  to tweak the overall duration of the project within the soundtrack. Yes, it might disrupt some timing of music content, but that is easier to fix, if needed. If you did not have 'carefully synchronized images and videos', this would be very helpful. But at least the user would have a better tool.

Gary

[davegee]

Gary,

Please do not make assumptions that you cannot possibly make.

You are not the only one here using Video Clips.

The reason that I answered your suggestion is that I think that you are using the wrong tool for the Job. You also appear to be having difficulty in distinguishing between Slides and Images.

Default Slide Duration does "what it says on the tin" - it sets a Default Slide Duration for all new slides added to the Slide List after that Setting. You drag an image into a Slide in the Slide List at the Default Slide Duration that you decided on.

Adding a Video Clip to the Slide list is a "Special Case" and as such it sets its own Slide Duration.

Any changes to the Durations of existing Slides are catered for under the Slide Options Button - it allows you to select any Slides to which you want to apply changes.

Once again I make my alternative suggestion - A "Lock Duration" function in Slide Options, perhaps being automatically set as default when a Video Clip is added s a Main Object, would do the job just as well. Perhaps we could call it the GODDI Button.

DG

[goddi]

5 hours ago, davegee said:

Gary,

Please do not make assumptions that you cannot possibly make.

You are not the only one here using Video Clips.

The reason that I answered your suggestion is that I think that you are using the wrong tool for the Job. You also appear to be having difficulty in distinguishing between Slides and Images.

Default Slide Duration does "what it says on the tin" - it sets a Default Slide Duration for all new slides added to the Slide List after that Setting. You drag an image into a Slide in the Slide List at the Default Slide Duration that you decided on.

Adding a Video Clip to the Slide list is a "Special Case" and as such it sets its own Slide Duration.

Any changes to the Durations of existing Slides are catered for under the Slide Options Button - it allows you to select any Slides to which you want to apply changes.

Once again I make my alternative suggestion - A "Lock Duration" function in Slide Options, perhaps being automatically set as default when a Video Clip is added s a Main Object, would do the job just as well. Perhaps we could call it the GODDI Button.

DG

Dave,

I did not say I was the only one using video clips. I think there are not many people using video clips. Even judging by the very limited responses to any posting about video shows, too me, there is much going on with videos. Anyway, you took my statement a bit too far. Perhaps, users of videos have not run into a situation that causes this problem, yet.

Your suggestion that 'any changes to the Durations of existing Slides are catered for under the Slide Options Button'. Sure, you can do this. But when you have dozens of video clips spread throughout  the project, this is a tedious process to change each section of images to avoid changing the duration of the video clips. And then, if you do it once, then change your mind and want to try a different duration for all the  image, you have to start all over again. Why not just make it simple and just exclude video clips from  having their duration changed? This would be just so simple a fix. It would not affect anyone who wants to use the 'Default Slide Durations' as it does now. I really don't understand the opposition. I wish all the users of video clips would chime in. Seems we have a split decision?

Perhaps the 'Default Slide Durations' function was created before the ability to use video clips were introduced into PTE. It worked well then, but not now.

Gary

Added Later: You also said the "Default Slide Duration does "what it says on the tin" - it sets a Default Slide Duration for all new slides added to the Slide List after that Setting". Yes, it can. However, it also says 'Apply to all slides'. This means that you can not only have new slides set to this duration but you can change it later for all slides if you decide. So it is not only for 'new' slides.

[Barry Beckham]

I have never changed the default slide duration in project options, either at the start of a project or at any time while creating it.

I work almost exclusively in the Time-Line window personally and make all my adjustments there.

Good luck with your request 

[goddi]

On 4/2/2017 at 0:17 AM, Barry Beckham said:

I have never changed the default slide duration in project options, either at the start of a project or at any time while creating it.

I work almost exclusively in the Time-Line window personally and make all my adjustments there.

Good luck with your request 

Greeting Barry,

Yea, there are many different ways to tackle a project. I am working on one now with about 130 slides, of these are 28 video clips. I now want to change the duration of all of the images to see if I can make the show a bit shorter. So this will be a laborious process if I decide to do it, to have to highlight each non-video section.

But the more frustrating or disappointing thing is we get so few responses in the Forum. Most are from the same 'Enthusiast', 'Advanced' or 'Senior' users. Where are the rest of the users? I have posted several questions and received few or no responses. I am very happy to get these responses from you guys but, gee, I wish other users would give their opinions on postings.

Gary

[Barry Beckham]

Responses......

I think it's because some think you're barking up the wrong tree. Asking for a change that doesn't seem to be very logical perhaps.

When you talk of changing slide time globally to get a project to match the music, I can't help thinking that isn't the way to go. It's the quick way, but I will take some convincing to say it's better or has any merit.  Who would want to change global slide time after a slide show is made or half made? I will suggest not many because all synchronisation will be lost.

Try working almost solely in the time line and add one image/video at a time and program that to the soundtrack. When that is perfect move onto the next. After all, it's the music that determines mostly where content appears on that time line.

 

 

[goddi]

38 minutes ago, Barry Beckham said:

Responses......

I think it's because some think you're barking up the wrong tree. Asking for a change that doesn't seem to be very logical perhaps.

When you talk of changing slide time globally to get a project to match the music, I can't help thinking that isn't the way to go. It's the quick way, but I will take some convincing to say it's better or has any merit.  Who would want to change global slide time after a slide show is made or half made? I will suggest not many because all synchronisation will be lost.

Try working almost solely in the time line and add one image/video at a time and program that to the soundtrack. When that is perfect move onto the next. After all, it's the music that determines mostly where content appears on that time line.

 

 

Barry,

The  funny thing is that my suggestion would not affect your way of working a project in the least. We will have to agree to disagree. My point was not necessarily to change the global time just  to match the music, just a side effect.The 'Fit all slides to soundtrack' does this but it also changes the durations of videos. Just to be able to adjust the 'default slide durations' without affecting videos' durations seem to be good enough reason to make the change.

However, my point about not getting much response from the rest of the participants in this Forum was more of a general opinion. For example, I made a post with a list of 16 suggestions for improving the program, making it more intuitive, easier to use. It has 242 views. Only one person, Igor, responded with a 'thanks for the ideas'. It would be nice to hear pros and cons from users.

Gary

[Barry Beckham]

Well, if I make a suggestion I am not too interested in other people's views, because you can never please all of the people all of the time

At the end of the day, it's Igor who has to prioritise and decide which suggestions go forward and which don't and I am happy to live with that. Imagine igor trying to include all our pet suggestions  The development would grind to a stop I would suggest.

No, your suggestion will not affect me at all and I wasn't suggesting it would.