Online slide shows

[jean_manitoulin]

I have just completed my first slide show for Manitoulin Island. I am really chuffed with it so far but I can see some obvious problems.

Even though a I sized all the images through the batch process in photoshop, some of the images do not fit inside the window, even though they are the same size as the other images that do fit properly into the window. I thought I started with photographs of all the same size, so can anyone advise me how to make the odd ones conform to size and fit into the window. The oversize images are between 200 and 300 k, where most of the others range between 80 and 120 k. The total file size is 11.1 mg. Is this reasonable for a slideshow?

Also what is the coding for linking the slideshow folder to a webpage. I would appreciate assitance from anyone, who can advise me how to get this working on line.

Many thanks in anticipation.

Jean

[Alan Lyons]

Hi Jean,

Just on your image size, did you switch off "preserve aspect ratio"? this is on by default to insure that when you resize an image it remains at the same ratio, i.e. a scan from a 35mm slide would have a 3:2 ratio. This would explain why some images fit and not all. If you change one demention say the width aspect ratio finds the hight within the orignal ratio. Switch off and you have to edit both dementions, but watch out for distortion. I usually find a happy size which all images will go to without much distortion, then, resize again to your ideal width. this is done with aspect ratio on so all images get the same drop. This may not be the ideal for screen size but you will be fairly close,

Alan

[dagrace]

My 2 cents' worth...

I never turn off "preserve aspect ratio". I'm not willing to fight the distortion Alan describes.

So I either crop and do a little math (in the Info window in PS, it shows the dimensions of the crop before you actually commit to it), or if I can't crop and keep the same ratio, I deal with the pics not all being exactly the same size.

Admittedly, I've only built one show with PTE, but even "before PTE" when I was showing "slides", I didn't insist that they all be the same size.

There is also a command in PS (which I've heard of but never used) (and I can't look right now because I'm at work) where you can say "resize this picture to either xxx height or yyy width, whichever is smaller."

So if you're going for 800 x 600, it will make sure neither dimension exceeds that, but still maintain the aspect ratio.

Hope this helps.

"Chuffed" must be good, but I've never heard that term before. Can you elaborate? Is it a "regional" term? If so, what "region"?

[ronwil]

"Chuffed", meaning delighted or pleased, is certainly in my vocabulary in the UK.

As regards image sizes, mine always end up the same before I commit them to PTE, so I do not have any jumping about in their final projection. In Photoshop, after any adjustments for converging verticals etc. I crop in the ratio 4:3, then, preserving the aspect ratio, resize to 1024 pixels width, it is as simple as that.

Ron [uK]

[loweskid]

chuff

verb tr.; usually passive (British) (slang)

to please or delight

example: he was chuffed by his pay rise

ETYMOLOGY: probably from chuff (adj) - pleased, happy (earlier: chubby), from C16 chuff (obsolete n) a fat cheek, (of unknown origin)

chuffed - adjective

My comment - probably heard more in the north of England, certainly quite common in my part of the world (Manchester).

[dagrace]

Thanks all for the wonderful English lesson!

In my work I have cause to deal with many Brits and have some dear friends there. Whenever we get together, we continue to be fascinated in the differences in our "common" language. We get past spanners and torches and boots and lorries and jumpers very quickly, but I still find terms every time we talk. Even if I completely understand, it's interesting how we construct sentences a bit differently, or the slightly different uses of the same word, e.g., "bit", "clever", "the" (really!).

So thanks again. One of the side benefits of using an internationally known/used program with a forum of truly friendly people.

If anyone wants to take this discussion to another level, we can start another topic, or email me! I am quite chuffed by this exchange!

[Alan Lyons]

Winston Churchill once discribed Great Brittan and the USA as,

"Two great countries seperated by the same language"

[DaveG]

To get back to the dimensions theme, if you use Photoshop, select the crop tool and you are offered the option of inserting the required dimensions for width and height.

If you enter 1024 px and 768 px respectively and then draw your selection your cropped picture will automatically resize to 1024 by 768 pixels and automatically preserve that aspect ratio. You can do this before or after most operations but it might be wise to leave any sharpening until AFTER the crop.

Same goes for 880 by 600 (or 600 by 800 in portrait format).

DaveG

[dagrace]

DaveG,

Wow!

I never profess to be a Photoshop wizard, but I use the crop tool a lot and I've always wished there were a way to do what you just described. I usually use the info box to see that my current crop selection is 1456 pixels wide, so if I want to rezise ultimately to 1024 x 768, I divide 1456 by 1024 and multiply by 768, yielding 1092 for the height. Then I adjust the height of my selection.

This looks so much easier!

I'm curious at the statement "you are offered the option of inserting the required dimensions for width and height". Where is that? On the tool bar? A seprarate window? I'm not at a computer that has PS on it right now. I'll have to look.

Thanks for the great tip!

[MikeL117]

It depends on the version of PhotoShop. In 7, CS and I think 6 (can't remember where it lived in the earlier versions) it lives on the options bar (usually attached just below the menus. It is quite versatile with or without resolution and in any units. Don't forget you can also rotate but if you want correct your perspective you have to not fix the size.

The marquee select tools have even more options.

Mike

[atomiton]

question:

how to i shrink my presentation to a smaller size! Is there a FAQ on this?

[alrobin]

You can't shrink the entire PTE show itself. You have to reduce the size of individual slides and/or music selections, or leave out slides and/or music to reduce the size of the show.