Concatenation Problem

[jt49]

The attached zip-file contains 2 projects, Munich-1.pte and Munich-2.pte. In the "Project Options" (Advanced Tab) of Munich-1 there is a "Run Slideshow Command" that triggers Munich-2.exe on exit. Observations:

1. Creating the corresponding exe-files (Munich-1.exe and Munich-2.exe) with PTE 9 leads to a concatenated show that runs seamlessly (The Munich image fades in, and after a few seconds it fades out again). You do not see the handover from  Munich-1.exe  to  Munich-2.exe. The player keeps the final image of the first show on screen until the second show starts. This is OK. It should be that way.

2. When doing the same with PTE 10.5 you can see the handover. A dark flash is to be seen when the second show starts. This behavior severely reduces the usefulness of the command "Run Slideshow on exit".

In my opinion, when concatenating slideshows in this way, it would be fine to have the option that the transition of the first slide in the second show should work together with the final slide of the first show.

Munich.zip

[Igor]

Thanks, we'll check on Monday.

[Igor]

Hi,

PTE AV Studio code fully unloads current show and then loads a new show on Run Slideshow command. There is a short gap and you can see a quick black flash. It didn't appear in the old version 9.0 and earlier - because a screen buffer were not updated and it masked this gap. To fix this flash in current version it will require a serious change in the 3D engine (time and then testing). Honestly, we would prefer not to add this change for current version to avoid new unexpected problems.

[tom95521]

Not sure if this helps but if you use .pteav data file instead of .exe it does not require a new .exe player.

Tom

[jt49]

6 hours ago, Igor said:

... There is a short gap and you can see a quick black flash. It didn't appear in the old version 9.0 and earlier ...

So I have to learn that this black flash is a "feature", and not a bug. This really is a step backward compared to Version 9. The Run Slideshow command now does not provide any significant advantage over Run External Application. The seamless handover has gone.

I have mentioned before that PTE is not well suited for live presentations in which you need both, synchronous and asynchronous audio. For me, a workaround for live presentations would exist, if I could split the overall presentation into sections (separate shows) some of which have synchronous audio while others run in asynchronous mode. But this method does not work any longer because of the said awful black flash when concatenating the parts.

I have not yet come to a conclusion how to go on.

[jt49]

7 hours ago, tom95521 said:

Not sure if this helps but if you use .pteav data file instead of .exe it does not require a new .exe player ...

I would be very happy if this would work. I'm sorry, but it doesn't. I think, the idea behind the command "Run Sildeshow" is that just one instance of the PTE player runs both slideshows (even when working with two exe-files). IMO the player should do it seamlessly, without a visible gap.

[tom95521]

It works for me. I also have the .pteav file association set to the PteViewerX.exe but I don't think that is necessary for the menu to work.

Tom

 

[jt49]

13 hours ago, tom95521 said:

It works for me ...

I don't know what you have tested. Important is that the slide that triggers the second show and the first slide of the second show contain the same image, a photo (not a black one). And this first slide of the second show must have a quick transition (not a fade in). In all cases, when using a command of type "Run Slideshow" I see a black flash (as Igor has said above).

Comparing "Run Slideshow" and "Run Application" when combining shows practically gives the same visual effect (Run Slideshow starts a little bit faster). In its present form "Run Slideshow" does not give me an added value over "Run Application".

[Igor]

Hi,

I understand that this point is important for you. I can't promiss firmly, probably we will able to improve a transition to a new launched show in future version.

You wrote about this issue after 2 years since a release of version 10.0 where this behaviour appeared first time. Did you notice it first time? I don't remember other reports on this subject earlier.

[jt49]

In the past (with earlier versions) I have used "Run Slideshow" several times to combine parts of shows, and it worked well.

When presenting shows from various authors I normally work with a menu show and "Run Application", as the input comes from various sources. In these cases I do not have any problems.

But only recently I have decided to work also on live presentations. In live presentations you have sections with manual control, with audio that runs asynchronously in the background. The best thing would be to have an additional type of asynchronous audio tracks in PTE where I could place sections in which PTE would play audio when the cursor is inside such a section, but without stop of audio when the cursor stops (manual control), and of course with fade in and fade out when the cursor passes the section's start and end. Working with concatenated shows in Version 9 (some with synchronous, others with asynchronous audio) provides a workaround, not fully featured, but not that bad in many cases. But the black flash in Version 10 makes it impossible to go that way. So I have to work with a single synchronous project, where all asynchronous audio is played by an external audio player that is triggered by PTE using batch scripts. It works, but ...

If you would introduce so-called speaker support (something as described above) I would not care about the said black flash