MultiShow Revisited

[nickles]

About six months ago, Granot released a very nice PTE slideshow player called "MultiShow". For newer PTE users that are not familiar with this software....a screenshot can be found here:

MultiShow Screenshot

I and several friends have used this software to distribute our slideshows on CD's to friends and relatives (I'm just an amateur photographer that uses PTE to bore my acquaintances with my work). The program can be downloaded from Granot's Website here:

MultiShow Download

After several months of usage...I have a couple of very trivial modifications to the software that I would like to see Granot implement. I will use this thread to solicit your opinions and if you have any suggestions for other modification please speak out.

1. When MultiShow starts it generates the following message:

"You can temporarily install presentations and run them from your Hard Drive. This may take few minutes to install and will result in better performance.

Do you want to temporarily install presentations?"

"yes or no ?"

Unfortunately many of the people I send CDs to aren't very computer saavy. I've had a couple of people call me an ask what to do? Of course I tell them if the show plays ok when you answer no don't worry about it.

I would like this message to be optional.

One suggestion would be as follows:

If in the cfg.ini we set the following line:

Install Presentations=0

Which indicates that the shows are not to be installed on the HD...can you prevent this message from appearing, if the above setting of 0 is made? Many people that I distribute PTE slideshows are confused by this message and aren't sure how to respond. Every one that I deal with have CD players that are fast enough without installing shows on their HD.

Another option would be to automatically install the show and indicate that the show is loading in the slideshow information window.

I've got about 100 slideshows on my HD and have a desktop Icon to MultiShow. My grandkids view them all the time. I've had them reply yes to this question and resulted in all 100 slideshows being copied from the HD to another partition which is a "pain" and consumes considerable time.

Another alternative would be for Granot to sense that the shows are on a CD prior to posing question.

I solicit your thoughts concerning this.

2. On most multimedia players a "double-click" on an item in the playlist window will result in that item playing. This would be a nice convenience as most users are used to this method of operation. At present a user must highlite a specific item in the play list then then depress the "Play Selected Shows" button.

Regardless of whether these modifications are made, I will continue using this nice program that Granot has so graciously created for us.

sincerely

Ken

[LumenLux]

MultiShow and the related MultiShowTOOL are both very good products from Granot (boxig.) Having been somewhat involved in the original testing, I am a "fan" of the program. I don't have occasion to use it as often as you do Ken, but it has proven to be very good and even flexible beyond presenting PTE shows. (More about this later, perhaps.)

As for the message about installing to HD - I'm not sure your suggestion is yet the optimum solution. (see also boxig's reply in other recent thread.) I think perhaps a careful "re-wording" of the message might be a solution. I know I have included additional explanation on occasion in attempt to clarify to the recipient what is "best" for them. I will try to take a look and bring back a possible wording/action. Maybe you can consider whether such an approach would solve the confusion.

[Ronniebootwest]

I am a fan of everything that Granot produces but I must confess that I have never looked at this utility, until now that is. I downloaded the 'multishow' program and also the 'mutlishow Tool' and had a go. Alas, I was unable to make much sense of it though - very confusing to a simpleton like me.

Can you give a brief 'how to do it' so that I may evaluate the utility a little more. I am finding it pretty difficult to understand the steps required to actually get my exe files listed.

Please explain the relationship between the 'Utility' and the 'tool'

Thanks!

Ron

[nickles]

Ronnie:

I'll try to step you through it.

When you downloaded MultiShowPlayer and unzipped it a folder waqs created that looked the following:

Root Directory of CD

I added the subdirectory called "Shows"(It must be called Shows). The "Skins" subdirectory was placed there by Granot when you unzipped his file.

I then copy the slideshows(in this example I placed 3 of my shows in the folder) and a descriptive text file into this "Shows" subdirectory. My example looks like this:

Shows Directory

Now when I double-click "MultiShow.exe", then MultiShow player displays the 3 shows I had placed in the Shows "subfolder". Looks like this:

3 Show Example

Notice that I've hi-lited the show called "A Fall Walk in the Garden" . The descriptive text file I placed in the "Shows" subdirectory is displayed in the bottom Slideshow Information window. At this point if I depress the "Run Selected Shows" button the hi-lited show will run. If I hold down the Ctrl key while I select show with my mouse I can hi-lite or select multiple shows to run.

I've not used MultishowTool so I can't discuss.

Also notice that Granot has placed a very good help in the directory. Just double-click "MultiShow Player Help.exe".

Also you can replace the Logo that comes with your own logo.jpg but it must be precisely 700w x 530h pixles. Here is one I made for myself:

logo.jpg

This is the generic logo provided by Granot:

logo.jpg

Hope this helps. Once you figure it out....I think it's an exceptionally program.

I'll attempt to answer any other questions you might have. Just post.

sincerely

ken

[Ronniebootwest]

Hello Ken, thanks for the step by step guide - it solved a few of my problems. Following your suggestion to create a sub-folder called 'Shows' makes the whole thing easier to follow. I now am not even going to use the Multi Tool that is available. I have managed to create a simple folder that contains just 3 shows and it seems to work fine (though I have not yet tried burning this to a CD yet). Please explain how you create and add the text file for each show.

I reckon that I will be using this utility from now on because I am impressed so far.

Ron

[boxig]

Hi Ken and all members,

I have uploaded a test version with new option:

Install Presentations=2

1 = Install all.

0 = Pop up message and let user decide.

2= View from CD without any message and can not install.

Download test version here.

Robert wrote:

"I think perhaps a careful "re-wording" of the message might be a solution."

I think this suggestion is very good. We can still change the message and use the new version if you test it and it will wrok fine. Someone of course will have to re-write the message.

"Another option would be to automatically install the show and indicate that the show is loading in the slideshow information window."

Do you mean animated progress bar while installing ?

'"On most multimedia players a "double-click" on an item in the playlist window will result in that item playing. This would be a nice convenience as most users are used to this method of operation. At present a user must highlite a specific item in the play list then then depress the "Play Selected Shows" button."

I think in this case it will be wrong because in music players you can click on any item while another is playing and player will close previous file and open new file. With exe shows it can cause users problems if he clicks on item and then click on another by mistake or just because he changed his mind. The first clicked show will open anyway and he will have to close it before selecting another file.

"I've got about 100 slideshows on my HD and have a desktop Icon to MultiShow. My grandkids view them all the time. I've had them reply yes to this question and resulted in all 100 slideshows being copied from the HD to another partition which is a "pain" and consumes considerable time."

Why your grandkids are using again the CD if all shows were already installed in the previous run ? Maybe I misundertood, can you explain this problem ?

Any other problems, suggestions or just feedback are very welcomed.

Ron,

Be careful, you can end up being confused like me - too many Granot's Utilities is not healthy

As you know I am on vacation in Thailand and working on my new "PTE Spliter". Please remember this will not split one big show to many small shows but one big show into many small segments to easily send by emails, then user click and see the big show. Any member who wants to be a tester can write me (sorry, no salary).

Granot

[nickles]

Ron,

Use windows Notepad to create the descriptive text file for the show then store the file in the Shows folder with the identical name as the slideshow except it should be a ".txt" instead of ".exe". Notice my text names here:

Shows Directory

When you create a CD make sure that the Multishow files are in the root of the CD with only two folders, "Shows" and "Skins", as I depict here:

CD Root Directory

Regarding "Skins", if you look in the Skins directory, Granot has supplied 2 differen skins, Basic Skin.jpg and Skin06.jpg. If you copy(not move) one of these skins in the same directory with Multishow.exe and then rename it Skin.jpg that skin will be used for a different color of the player. I have a folder of about a dozen different skin colors you can download here:

Skins Download

Let me know if this skins link doesn't work.

Hope this helps

ken

[nickles]

Hi Granot,

Boy you're quick to respond! I'll download the test version and let you know.

Another option would be to automatically install the show and indicate that the show is loading in the slideshow information window.

Do you mean animated progress bar while installing ?

No but that's a good idea. I was thinking that you could use the bottom "slideshow information" window to indicate the slideshow is loading. Like replace the text with:

..........Slideshow Loading.......

On most multimedia players a "double-click" on an item in the playlist window will result in that item playing. This would be a nice convenience as most users are used to this method of operation. At present a user must highlite a specific item in the play list then then depress the "Play Selected Shows" button.

I think in this case it will be wrong because in music players you can click on any item while another is playing and player will close previous file and open new file. With exe shows it can cause users problems if he clicks on item and then click on another by mistake or just because he changed his mind. The first clicked show will open anyway and he will have to close it before selecting another file.

I guess you are right. All my shows run full screen and MultiShow doesn't appear when the show is running. If the show is not full screen I assume that MultiShow still appears and one could click on another show while one is running.

Why your grandkids are using again the CD if all shows were already installed in the previous run ? Maybe I misundertood, can you explain this problem ?

Yes, you misunderstood. I have about 100 shows on my HD in a subfolder with MultiShow. I have a desktop Icon that points to MultiShow in these folders for my families convienience. This many shows will not fit on a CD. When they run MultiShow it is running from the HD, but MultiShow still asks the question to store shows on the HD when there really is no need to as they are already on the HD.

Hope you're having a nice vacation.

sincerely

ken

[nickles]

Granot:

Great! Great!

"MultiShow2003.exe" fixes one of my complaints. Now my grandkids(who are visiting this week) will not be able to make a second copy of the slideshows that are already on my HD. Although I gave them detailed instructions the first time that I discovered they had inadvertantly copied them to a different HD partition.

Thank you....mucho...mucho

Have a good day.

sincerely

ken

[boxig]

Ken,

I uploaded new file with the "Loading" and "installing" message in the window as you asked. But I had no time to make a project and check it. Can you plaease check it ?

Granot

[nickles]

Boxig,

I tried the MultiShow version that displays the "loading show". The "loading show" message did not appear while the show was loading but appeared after the show had played and MultiShow reappeared. If the message is included it should immediately appear in the window and maybe flash "on and off" a couple of times while the show is loading, as the message is not real obious. Immediately after the show has played the normal slideshow descriptive text should reappear in the window, unless another slide show is loading.

Has anoyone else tried this version out?

sincerely,

ken

[boxig]

Ken,

I uploaded new test file.

Can you check if there is any change now ?

Thanks

Granot

[Ronniebootwest]

Where is this new uploaded test file? I csnnot find it, can you provide the link please.

Ron

[nickles]

Ron:

This should get it:

MultiShow2003 Download

ken

[nickles]

Granot:

The latest of MultiShow2003.exe works great. Thanks alot!

Others:

If you run the latest version of MultiShow from a folder thats on your hard drive(HD) I suggest that you set "Install Presentations=2" in the cfg.ini file. If you run MultiShow from a CD set "Install Presentations=0" or "Install Presentations=1" to permit the shows to be installed on the HD. "0" will temporarily store the selected presentation on the HD before it is run. "1" will temporarily store all slideshows on the HD that are on the CD prior to running any of them.

ken

[boxig]

That's good news.

Since I'm on vacation I don't have hereall tools to upload a full new version but anyone who download the new file from here and use it instead the old file can use the new feature as Ken described:

"Install Presentations=2"

Thank you Ken.

Granot

[Lin Evans]

First, congrats on a great menu program! I was wondering if it were possible to provide a means of allowing a background jpg to float behind the white screen where the list of file names is written? I assume that your code replaces the white area which appears on the skin.jpg with an identical backdrop for the text when the executable calls the skin? A watermark type background with a scenic just showing behind the text would look nice here, but if I substitute the white area with such it dissapears when the executable is run so my assumption is that it's being overwritten. Same for the green where the .txt files appear?

Best regards,

Lin

[boxig]

Lin,

Thanks. I think both are not possible but I will try tomorrow and let you know, maybe it is possible to add image instead of the green area.

Granot

[nickles]

Lin:

I think the background idea would be a very nice addition.

Let's hope that Granot can pull it off.

Ken

[boxig]

Lin and all members,

MultiShow - New in version 2.0.0.5

Important:

========

This zip is not the full version.

If you have already the old version just replace "MultiShow.exe"

with this new file. Otherwise, first download the full version from

my web site, including "MultiShowTool" and then replace the file.

Notice that the help file is not updated. Here are the changes:

1. Install Presentations=2

This will prevent message askung user if he wants to instal filesl.

If you write "2" then user can not install files.

2. Added optional feature:

If you add image called "txt.jpg" with all your files it will be

displayed as background in the lower window where you display the "About CD".

I added to this zip a sample image "txt.jpg". Include it with your files to see how it works.

Image size must be: 646 x 96 pixels to fit the window.

Direct download of version 2.0.0.5

Members who like to help, please put a link on your web site to my main page (do not put direct links to programs since names can be changed)

I will very much appreciate a link to:

http://www.thailandphotoalbum.com

where all PTE and other programs are.

Lin, second requested feature can not be implemented.

Thank you

Granot

[nickles]

OK Granot!

I love your background....what do you think Lin?

How about a similar background for the Playlist Selection window.

Don't know if it is feasible or possible...but can the displayed text be slightly bolder to compensate for the background?

You're a good guy Granot....

thanks for the update...along with your efforts.

For others:

Here's how the latest version(2.0.0.5) appears with the txt.jpg that Granot created:

MultiShow with Text Background

ken

[Lin Evans]

Yes, thank's very much Granot!! That's exactly what I had in mind.

Ken, I think that Granot said he can't do the same with the playlist window - that was my other request. Apparently that one can't be changed but having the option of inserting your own jpg in the lower window adds a lot.

Best regards,

Lin

[nickles]

Lin & Granot,

What y'all thinK?

MultiShow in Leather

ken

[Lin Evans]

Cool! I like the texture - I didn't change the texture on my "revision" but did change the "face" to personalize it like this:

http://www.lin-evans.net/sample/skinsample.jpg

Lin

[nickles]

Lin:

A very nice skin variation with a personal touch.....

thanks for sharing.....

ken