Saving as for a project

[JRR]

I am not sure if this is a problem with me or the software. I think it applies to previous versions, but not sure as I only have the beta 4.0 loaded now.

When I create a new show I give it a project name of course. Lets call it "A".

Then I will often tweak it a little for various reasons and not want to lose the original project "A", so I do a SAVE AS and call it "B".

It is saved as "B" (I can see it in my folder) and if I hit preview, "B" runs. But the project name at the top of the screen is still "A".

Even if I go FILE OPEN "B", it still shows as "A".

I suspect I am not understanding something here so if someone could point me in the proper direction on this I would be very happy. It is very confusing now I as I have double check to try figure out what version I have loaded.

Thanks

Jim

[Ian]

Hi Jim

In the Project Options window, you can select the "Change Project Name" button to modify the title that appears in the main Title bar.

Ian

[JRR]

Thanks Ian

That sounds what I am looking for.

But, says he sheepishly, I can't find the "change project name" button in Project Options. Which tab is under ?

Guess I need to be lead by the nose right to it.

thx

Jim

[Guest guru]

Jim, see "Project" menu, the second after "File", then the second option of menu, "Change Project Name".

[Ian]

oh-oh! You're quite right Jim, in v4.0 there is no longer a button in Project Options. Guido's suggestion is now the only way to change the project name. I got so used to doing it the other way I forgot about the Project menu!

Ian

[JRR]

Found it Guido

thanks

But....

That actually changes the name of the existing .pte file

I already have the pte file saved as "B"

I am trying to get "B" to show on the very top line when I have "B" open.

Is this making sense ???

Maybe I should be changing the name of the project using this route rather than SAVE AS when I tweak "A" to "B" ??

Jim

[JRR]

I just tried changing the name through PROJECT - CHANGE NAME, it deleted the old name and gave it the new name.

As an example I had "A" saved, tweaked it and then used PROJECT - CHANGE NAME to call it "B"

"B" was there, but I lost "A".

I need both A and B, but I want the top line to show which one I am working with.

Maybe I am asking it to do something for which there is a better way to do it ?? Should I go back and set up a new project when I do the tweaking ??

Jim

[Guest guru]

No Jim, no mistake by you - and I think there is no other way.

I too don't like very much this PTE behaviour, and already said here. I too wish to see the name of open project at the top of the page!

[Ian]

Hi Jim

I just tried to do what you're after, and it worked.

Say you've opened "A.pte". Change the name of the project to "A" and save it.

Then change the project name to "B" and save as "B.pte".

When you re-open "A" the name will be "A", and likewise for "B" - (unless I've misunderstood the intention!)

Ian

[JRR]

Thanks Ian, but it really does not work as Guido says.

If I use the SAVE AS route, I get both "A" and "B" saved, but only A shows as the project name at the very top of the screen regardless of which one I have open.

If I save A, then tweak it and SAVE AS "B" then use PROJECT CHANGE NAME to "B" I lose "A"

Jim

PS: I am always amazed at how great this forum is, so many people keep and eye on it and jump in to help !! Thx

[JRR]

One last word on this (from me anyway) As there is some confusion as I might not have stated it properly and Al Robin clarified something to me.

The real issue here is that there seem to be two things called PROJECT, that get intertwined.

When you go with a new show, you hit FILE-NEW and you are asked for a "project" name. This is the name that goes up at the very top of your screen. Lets assume I give it the name "FARM"

As you work though your show and SAVE it as you work, the .pte file is named FARM.pte. No problem,

But when you decide to make a slightly different version and want to keep both, you do a SAVE AS and call it FARM2.pte.

The name at the top of the screen is still FARM, even though you are working with FARM2.pte. The only way you know whether you have FARM.pte or FARM2.pte active on the screen is to do a SAVE AS and see what file name shows.

The initial Project naming of FARM is the overall project you are working on. The FARM.pte and FARM2.pte are really 2 files within the project. Unfortunatley they are called project files as well. Hence the confusion.

Using PROJECT- CHANGE PROJECT NAME changes the overall project name but not the underlying .pte files. (and will not clobber either of the two versions of the show providing you have saved both versions before. I incorrectly stated that before and have re-confirmed that.)

What I (and Guido I think) would like to see is BOTH names at the top of the screen. The overall project name and the individual .pte file that we are working with. Or better yet, simply the .pte file active at the moment.

In my examples above, The overall project name is FARM, the individual files are FARM.pte and FARM2.pte.

The top of the screen would be better to say FARM-FARM.pte if FARM.pte is active, or FARM-FARM2.pte if FARM2 is active. (Or simply drop the "FARM" and go with FARM.pte or FARM2.pte.

Hope that clarifies it

[Truelight]

Aren't ya glad we don't have to go through this when naming documents in Word? I'm not sure whether sometimes the intent becomes muddled when we see a program make the transtion from Russian to English (and I can't even begin to imagine the change to the dozen or so other languages PTE supports!), but sometimes what should be simple isn't.

Is there some reason why Save and Save As should not operate the same as they do with other programs? Both the .pte file and the .exe file should be the same so far as I'm concerned and I should simply be able to name them whatever I like. If there is a reason to do it some other way, perhaps the WnSoft folks might explain it.

Which brings up another issue... I see many suggestions made for program improvements, but rarely do I see Igor or any other WnSoft staff (are there any others?) get in the forum and and speak to these issues. I appreciate this forum and the opportunity it offers users to share ideas, but how much better might it be if a WnSoft representative actively participated!

[JRR]

Truelight:

1.

[JRR]

Sorry about the last post, Somehow I hit a short cut I did know about and it was posted before I was finished.

Truelight

1. This has nothing to do with Russian translating to English.

I tried to summarize in the last (but one post) that it is an issue of one term (project) being used for two purposes. SAVE and SAVE AS work the same in PTE as they do in MS WORD (Not that WORD is a best software in the world)

2. I understand IGOR looks at all posts and he has done, and is doing a great job with the software. I have seen his comments on many posts.

Considering the price we pay for this software it is a freebie, then consider the constant improvements that we get based on requests from users who use PTE for many different uses and thus ask for the sky. I have NEVER come across a software that can do so much, be so responsive in terms of changes for users and yet give it away.

Maybe you would like Microsoft or Adobe to take this software over? The price would go up 20 to 30 times the current price and updates would have to be paid for.

Jim

[Guest guru]

After the two posts of Jim, I think I have almost nothing to add...

I totally agree with him. Actually I too wish the Project name I'm working on is shown at the top of the screen. Sometimes I'm working on two presentations at the same time (called, say, "Test_4" and "Winter in Turin"), and whichever I open I see always the same name at the top of page.

As I said other times, in my opinion this is surely not much suitable and convenient, also because in general I keep several versions "in progress" of each presentation I'm making (say "Turin1", "Turin2", "Turin3" and so on).

[alrobin]

I'll add my two-bits worth, too. I agree with Jim and Guido and Rick on the file naming issue.

I think the main reason for the confusing design is that Igor is a programmer, and in programming systems it is common to have a "project" name, to keep all the multitude of files involved together and consistent, and separate "file" names, which can sometimes be changed independently of the "project" name.

However, here in PTE, we don't need this level of sophistication, and it only serves to confuse things. Each "file" is usually treated as its own separate "project".

So, Igor, if you're listening, this would be a good thing to correct in the next beta version. Unless, perhaps, you can provide a logical explanation as to why it is set up this way and the advantages this provides.

Ciao,

Al

[Ian]

Having now had some dialogue with Jim on e-mail, the work-around I suggested somewhere above does actually cure the problem!

This is the note I sent Jim:

The "Project name" and "File Name" are two seperate items and can be either the same or different. The thing that PTE doesn't do is automatically change the project name when you do a "Save As" instead of "Save".

Say you have a file called "Mountains.pte", and a Project Name also called "Mountains".

Using "Change Project Name", change the name of the project to "Valleys". The name in the Title Bar changes to "Valleys", but at the moment the working file is still called "mountains.pte".

Do a "Save As". The suggested name of the file will now be "Valleys", and if you save it you will now have two files, one called "Mountains.pte" with a Project Name of "Mountains" and one called "Valleys" with a Project Name of "Valleys".

At this point, both files will have identical slides and timings, but either can now be edited independently of each other. Whichever you load will either have "Valleys" or "Mountains" in the Title Bar as required.

You can actually change the Project Name to anything at all - it doesn't have to match the filename. Just make sure you use "Save As" to save it in the first instance and choose whatever filename you want. Likewise always use the "Create As" dialogue when making the exe or you may find that an earlier version gets overwritten.

[JRR]

Thanks Ian !!!

It works well

BUT do be careful when creating the .exe file. As Ian says use the CREATE AS function

Jim