Object Action Menu

[walusa]

I am making a 4-part show. Each part ends with a slide with object buttons to select other parts. All 4 parts are in one master folder with 2 parts contained in separate subfolders. The two parts not in a subfolder are the opening "Welcome.exe" slide and "Introduction.exe". The introduction ends with a selection slide (last slide stayes on screen) so that another part can be selected, including the two parts in subfolders "ClassA.exe" and "ClassB.exe". These also end with a selection slide which stays on screen until an action button is clicked.

On the Objects slide, I use the action "Run application and exit" and then browse to the exe file desired for that button. This sets up a path to the exe file on THIS PC, but I do not know how that path is reconciled on a different PC.

All buttons work perfectly on the PC I use to create the show. However, when I make a CD copy of the contents of the master folder and run the CD on a different PC (PTE NOT installed), the CD opens (Autoruns) to the Welcome slide and the Introduction show can be selected, but the ClassA.exe and ClassB.exe shows in the subfolders do not start. Instead the Introduction.pte file is displayed. It appears that the button just results in exiting rather than activating the desired exe file.

I have tried various things (saving the ClassA.exe and ClassB.exe files to the Master and selecting just the exe file without browsing to pick up the path). Nothing seems to work logically. At this point I am at a loss to figure out how to set up the customize links to get the show selections to work from a CD copy on a different PC.

I do not use "Run application or open file" because the this accumulates previous selections requiring multiple selections to exit. However, I am not certain what the "exit" does in "Run application and exit". Does it mean "Run the selected application and exit the old" or "Run the selected application and exit when finished" ? Anybody know for sure?

I would appreciate any info on how best to set up a selectable 4-part show to assure that a CD copy will run on a different PC.

[JRR]

walus:

Welcome to PTE, seems you have caught on to one of the advantages of PTE quickly !

Try putting all the files in the root of the CD.

I use "Run application and exit" in many presentations and even if the various .exe files are in different (sub) folders on the PC, there has never been a problem running with everything in the root of the CD

Hope that solves it for you

[walusa]

Thanks for the feedback. Are you able to run your shows on a different PC? I have a CD set up with the Welcome.exe and Introduction.exe and associated image and music files in the root with the two separate subfolders containing about 70 slides each with their associated .pte, .exe, and music files. That is what does not work on different PCs. Are you suggesting I should copy all these files to the root, eliminating subfolders?

I have already tried saving just the exe files from the subfolders to the root and they will play OK on this PC if I browse to access the exe file for the Object button. They will not play if I just type the exe filename into the object action field.

I have not created another CD using any options other than the original one and, frankly, I have made so many different iterations that I am reluctant to experiment. I would just like to know what I can do to assure that once I burn a CD, it will run correctly on other PCs.

(PS, this is for my 55th high school class reunion. There are not too many classmates left who can psych out anything at this stage, including yours truly.)

[JRR]

Walusa:

In theory (if I understand your problem fully) so long as the OBJECTS point to the .exe files (even if in subfolders on the PC) then if you put the .exe files (all you need) in the root of the CD, it should play on all PCs, eiother from the CD of by copying the CD to one folder on the new PC.

I am jnot quite ready for my 55th highs school reunion, but I guess I am closer to it than I thought I was.

[walusa]

Many thanks! I set up the object button links in the prescribed manner (path included) then I made a CD of just the exe files and nothing else. I put them all in the root of the CD along with the autorun file and it played perfectly on a different PC.

At least that part of my obligation to my computer-literate classmates is complete. I will now undertake (dad word at my age) the task of making a DVD or SVCD to play on a TV set for my computer-illiterate classmates. Given the complexity of such a task, I may not survive it. Anyway, thanks for your help and... as a famous WWII general once remarked, I shall return!

[JRR]

Walsa:

Glad it all worked.

I got you that far, if you go into the world of DVD and have questions, 'fraid I can't help....