Re-publish a batch of PTE files

[aplman]

I have used PTE to make all my travel presentations over the last 12 years.  Now that further travels are out of the question, sharing my productions with new friends in my reitrement vllage is my main hobby.

As each show consists of a number of EXE files, held together by a modular EXE file menu structure,  making a small change often needs several modules to be re-published.  Is there a batch way to do that, without having to process each PTE file separately?

[jkb]

For your Menu are you using Run Application or Run Slideshow?

If you use Run Slideshow then all exe's & Menu need to be published using the exact same version of PTE.
If you use Run Application then it doesn't matter which version they were made in.

So if you make a change to one of them you only need to re publish that one file
And if you give it the same name then you don't even have to change your Menu.

Hope this helps

Jill

[aplman]

Thanks Jill - lovely quick response, very much appreciated.

I have been using Run Slideshow, believing that was the preferred way.  I thought Run Application was for outside software, which might cause PTE to lose control.  Seems I have allowed myself to be swayed by my unquestioning loyalty to PTE.

Of course, I have suffered many times from that dreaded "version mismatch" error messsage.  Life without that will be so much better, if i can face the effort of making the necessary change throughout my files.

So my new question is this:  Can I change all occurrences of Run Slideshow to Run Application in a batch way?

[aplman]

Further thoughts.  It was the "with return" that led me to Run Slideshow.  I do noty see "Run Application with Return".  Can I assume that the calling project will resume after Run Application?  I am sorry I am not in a position to experiment for myself (labouring under nested difficulties!)

Thanks to you again, and Best Wishes for 2023.

[jkb]

If you select all the Objects that have Run Slideshow at once, then yes you can change them all to 'Run Application or Open File' in one go.

I have just tried it - in PTE11 - with Text Objects, don't know if it works with Buttons as I never use them.

I always use Run Application as for Competitions etc I can get files made with many different versions of PTE as well as different programs.

The only difference is that you will get a very slight 'Flash' as the show starts, this is a Windows thing & can't be avoided, but isn't that noticeable.
With Run Slideshow you do get a smooth transition to the Show from the Menu

If you set your Menu to 'wait for Key Press to show next slide' then it will stay on the Menu Slide until you press the right arrow key on the keyboard to move to the next Slide or if there isn't one then it will exit the Menu.
Your Slideshow will run & it will return to the Menu.

Jill

 

[aplman]

I offer sincere New Year Greetings to all of you who read this forum, and especially to Igor and the other clever and patient folk who keep PTE AV always improving.

Perhaps I should be starting a new topic, but it suits me to relate this matter to the previous helpful comments by Jill.

(1)  I love the concept of using EXE files for slideshows.  I have been a Windows user for 40-odd years, with no interest in Mac stuff.

(2) Because of differing experiences with different PTE versions (and my fading powers of recall), I have an incomplete understanding of the rules about mixing versions.  I would appreciate clarification with regard to versions 8, 9, 10, 10.5, and 11 -Which versions are backwards compatible?  Which versions are forwards compatible?

(3) I have often needed to re-create groups of exe files after instances of the "Version Mismatch" message.  I feel a strong need for a standalone PTE-Publish utility program, so that single batch file coluld do all the republishing without my invovement, perhaps overnight.  Here is the kind of batch file I have in mind:

PTE-Publish D:\MyTravels\1989\Europe\Spain-Part1.pte

PTE-Publish D:\MyTravels\1989\Europe\Spain-Part2.pte

PTE-Publish D:\MyTravels\1994\Auistralia\QldSE-June.pte

PTE-Publish D:\MyTravels\1994\NZ\North\Oct.pte

PTE-Publish D:\MyTravels\1994\NZ\South\Oct.pte

PTE-Publish D:\MyTravels\1994\NZ\South\Nov.pte
 

 

[aplman]

I should have added;

i expect each exe file to be created in the directory of the corresponding pte file.

Ken T.

[jkb]

Hi Ken,

All PTE versions are forward compatible, so if you created a show in 8 then you can open it in 11.

They are only backwards compatible if you haven't used any of the new features in the later versions.
But you will get a warning message saying that it was made in a later version & may not work.

So if you have made a show in 11 & only used the basic features of adding images with simple transitions, then it should open in 8.
Although not sure why you would want to go back as each new version is so much easier to work with.

 

There is no Batch Publish feature and to be honest I am not sure there would be enough need for it for the developers to spend time on such a feature.
As I said above, if you use the 'Run Application' to make your Menus then there is no need to republish the individual exe's

All you have to do is change your top level Menus & all the shows will still work.

Hope this helps.

Jill

[aplman]

I am revisiting this topic, hoping that Igor will comment on the amount of developer effort that might be needed.  I believe all the clever stuff has already been done by Wnsoft.  I am simply wanting it to be accessible in  different way.

Thanks again,

Ken T.