Any way to put more slides after the 'last slide'?

[Icypeak]

I'm making a show that will be over 300 photos long and needs an index, as well as having a number of 'hidden' informaton slides that can be accessed by the user clicking a button on some of the slides. I can't figure out how to do this with PTE, as unchecking the 'show image' box doesn't acutally hide the slide, just the photo (the background still plays and takes up time). I'd like it if I could add a number of slides AFTER a slide that I can select as my 'last slide' of the show (ie, the show ends after that slide is played), so I can put my hidden slides, index menu, etc. there so they won't play as part of the show, but can be accessed from within the show by clicking buttons.

Anyone have advice for how I can do this, or other work-arounds for this problem?

I'm also wondering if anyone has noticed that the 'make custom color' function for text (comments) doesn't work, in that you can use a custom color you create , but there is no way to save it to use in other slides, it disappears the next time you open custom colors dialog.

-David

[alrobin]

David,

I assume you are synching the show to the timeline.

Just add a couple (or more) of slides to the end of the show on the "slide list", but do not add them to the timeline.

Put your buttons on the first of these, and have one of them refer to the next slide by number. Don't forget to click "Permit control of show" in Project Options.

Put in the oven for 35 minutes and then run!

[Icypeak]

No, I hadn't any need to synchronize the show to the music, and it takes about 7 music tracks to fill the show. I could join the MP3's into a single track and try this, if there is no other solution, but what then happens to the music synchronization when the viewer clicks a link to jump out of the show and view the 'hidden slides' that aren't on the timeline? Does the music just stop until they jump back into the part of the show that's in the timeline? What if they jump into another part of the show (as in using my index)? Does the music jump to the middle of another tune to catch up? That wouldn't appear very professional to me.

-David

[alrobin]

If you use the timeline, you are automatically (by definition) synching to the music. And, this is the only way to put together a "professional" show where the slide transitions will always occur in the same place in the music regardless of the computer which plays the show.

If you are not synching, you can have certain slides start up a new music selection, and when you re-direct the show to those slides, that music will always play.

If you are synching the show and have selected "permit control of show", the music will always play at the same position for the same slide, even if you back up or jump ahead to a certain slide.

You don't have to join the music together (PTE works well with a list of music in Project Options), but it is easier to visualize the overall result (e.g. by using the waveform if you are synching the show) if all the music is joined together into a single selection.

Hope this helps.

[Icypeak]

Thanks Al,

Synching the entire show to the music track won't work for this show for a number of reasons, as I would like the user to be able to pause on certain slides, back up, and advance faster than the automatic rate without screwing up the music track that's playing. I also want it to be possible to jump to other parts of the show with clickable links without interrupting the music that is playing.

It may make more sense for me to make 8 seperate shows, one for each segment of my original show, each with their own music track (non-synched), and then I can have another seperate show that is an index to all of them with clickable buttons to run each segment, and have each segment linked so that if the user doesn't go to the index at the end of a show, the next show will automatically play. It seems like a clunky work-around, but the only one I can think of. I'll have to see if there is any gap between shows when they are linked (run EXE after last slide), which would also look bad. The lack of music fade-out at the end of each show also may make this not turn out well. It needs to look seamless.

-David

[alrobin]

Yes,

We can't always have our cake and eat it too! Unfortunately.

[Icypeak]

Ah well, I'll add the ability to both be able to 'not autoamtically show slide' and also to be able to define a 'last slide in show' that you can still add more special slides after it to my wish list for future versions. Thanks for your input

-David

[Hawk]

Icypeak

Would this method work for you.

Create a Menu Show as you’re starting show (1 image show with links to all separate shows) – No music – Leave last slide on screen.

Each individual show use navigation bar for user to have control, forward – previous – pause.

If each show for example has 1 to 50 slides.

You can use an action button example on slide 3 to go to slide (hidden slides) 51 – 52 – 53 to display the info you wish. On these slides 51 – 52 – 53 setting a reasonable time for user to read and stay on screen now you would have an action button to go back to slide 3 and continue the show.

Give the last slide # 50 – a lengthily time so as it will not continue to your (hidden slides) 51 – 52 – 53 – and place an action button to EXIT – which will now return you smoothly to the Menu Show still on screen running in the background.

As you want the user to jump back and forth and not knowing how long to view one show, could you not let the music simple repeat?

[Icypeak]

Thanks Ralph,

That's sort of what I ended up doing, but I didn't make seperate shows. I did add a 'time trap' to the end, to seperate the show from the index and 'hidden slides', which are behind a 10 minute 'trap' on the last slide of the show, which has option buttons to exit, restart, or go to the index.

I also used Boxig's Font Installer 2 program, run from the first slide, to install 4 fonts needed for the show, but noticed that the computer has to be re-started before these fonts are seen in the show, which is too bad.

-David