PicturesToExe v5.00 beta #2

[alrobin]

Say on slide #1, in the O/A screen, on the timeline, I have 18 key points in the last half of the slide's duration. Is there a way to copy the 18 keypoints onto Slide #2? In this case, slide#2 would be the same photo as slide #1, but I want slide #2 to not have the first half actions of slide #1, but have only the 18 keypoints duplicated from Slide #1.

Robert,

If you highlight an image object (or rectangle), everything on it (both keypoints and sub-images), can be copied to another slide. Click the "Copy" button, and "Paste" everything onto the next slide (in it's own O/A window). Make sure you highlight the object you want to paste to. Having copied all the keypoints and sub-objects, it is a fairly simple matter to delete whatever you don't want.

I don't think you can copy only some hitpoints associated with an object, and not others, but I could be wrong.

[JudyKay]

This isn't a comment about how to fix anything. Only a comment because I just can't restrain my delirious happiness! I know most of the people here are dreadfully serious and logical and hardly crazy at all, but I hope you people appreciate just how amazing this program is!

I am SOOO Happy!! I Love v5! I accidentally made a show last night that was so awesome I cried. Then I watched it this morning and cried again. Twice.

Then my family watched it several times. (They didn't cry--or I would have wopped 'em)

All that just as an experiment that ended in an accident that turned out awesome!

Thank You Igor. THANK YOU!!!!! I play with a lot of software and I haven't seen anything like Version 5.

Now I am imagining all kinds of things that I hardly ever dreamed of before.

PS. I have some ideas that if no one else mentions I will mention later. One idea has to do with renaming files from within PTE and then creating a show and the file names are not changed in the show (even after saving the work or closing and restarting P2E). This matters when you use file names as "comments." I have tried this in v 5, because I think the feature is not yet activated.

[nickles]

I am SOOO Happy!! I Love v5! I accidentally made a show last night that was so awesome I cried. Then I watched it this morning and cried again. Twice.

Hey JudyKay:

We don't permit HAPPY people in this forum...just kidding.

Sounds like you're enjoying yourself.

Ken

[sanewcomb]

Did you read the original explanation? There will be two graphics engines in the release product. An older one to permit use of the same parameters as used on earlier versions of P2E and a new graphical engine to allow the user a choice of rendering resolutions rather than being fixed at 720x576 pixels.

Lin

My comment was aimed at a number of posts that indicate some people think there will be a button to produce an AVI that can be burned to a DVD or posted on a webpage with the same quality that they see on the computer screen. I don't think this is possible at the moment for a number of technical reasons, but as I wrote I will be pleased to be surprised if it is.

My reading of the "PicturesToExe v5.00 beta #2, Announcement" post is that the program will choose which engine is engaged. If the slideshow has any pan/zoom/rotate in it, it will use the new engine. There will not be a choice to save such a slideshow in the old format, which makes sense.

There will most likely be a save to AVI feature for the new engine, but it remains to be seen what quality, performance and file size such slideshows will be.

I am personally looking for a way to create slideshows that I can post to my hiking group list that has some pan and zoom effects. I have no control over what machine people will use and want as many people as possible to see them, and as easily as possible. At the moment a product like JAlbum works well for this purpose, but does not have those effects.

No doubt this version of P2E is way beyond everyone else in quality and performance running as an app on a Windows machine with a good video card. I'll certainly use it for my own slideshows.

Steve

P.S. Lin, I came across your site and forum a little while ago and found it very well written and useful. Thank you for your insights and helpful comments.

[sanewcomb]

ERROR #2

All slideshows created by either beta program crash on a Pentium II

with 256MB RAM running MS Windows 98 4.10.1998 with a NVidia GeForce4

Ti 4200 video card.

UPDATE

It turns out this machine had Version 5 of DirectX installed, the version I believe came with the Win98 put on the computer. When upgraded to the current version of DirectX for Win98 from Microsoft's site the errors were gone. It plays the PTEShow demo pretty well with some jitters now and then. Upgrading DirectX was not a simple process though.

The viewer probably should check the DirectX version before attempting to run if it has a minimum requirement.

Steve

[Igor]

Steve,

Thank you for letting me know about these two problems! I've sent you email.

There will be no problem with producing AVI video in v5.00. We use only offical Microsoft's DirectX API for hardware acceleration.

I see very well solution for Pan/Zoom on old video cards:

- Smaller images size (1024x768 for example).

- Creating of DVD disc via AVI file.

- Or using of free Microsoft Media Encoder 9 which produces WMV9 video 1280x720 with HDTV quality.

As I know, HD-DVD and Blue-Ray support WMV9 video.

[Ken Cox]

It all boils down to Horsepower

as i have said before

video=

time

memory

drive space

Horsepower to do it

and lots of patience

very simple

"if ya gonna dance ya gotta pay the band"

and if you guys can afford Adobe software you must be able to afford the hardware to run it

why i got a CDW flyer yesterday and the Adobe Web bundle was only $2199.99 + 15% tax -- Canadian $

ken

[JohnFeg]

This isn't a comment about how to fix anything. Only a comment because I just can't restrain my delirious happiness!

Come on then Judy Kay. We all have our handkerchiefs at the ready! Let's share in your creativness.

Best wishes

John

[Joe Webb]

I am sitting here on the fence looking at all this frantic activity. Stunned by all the technical knowledge! I am one of the many waiting for version 5, knowing that it is going to be great. I visit the forum maybe every 2-3 days (not even bothering to log on!!!).

Many people have, rightly, thanked Igor and his team for their great work. But all of you should also be thanked. I don't have the experience to do what you are doing to test the beta version but I know that that I will benefit greatly from all you work.

So, on behalf of all fence sitters, thank you to all who contribute to this discussion.

Joe.

[boxig]

Igor,

I noticed that once you select an image you can't move it with mouse if it is covered by another image. This force me to bring to front each image I want to work on. If I am right, then can this be fixed so the mouse will not catch the upper image but the one selected ?

Here is my first demo, only pte file + images and sound. I wonder why members keep posting only exe which can teach us nothing about the way it was done, and still call it a demo. Sorry guys but all your exe demos are useless and contribute nothing (no mean to offend).

PTE and all files Download

By the way, I did this on my 800x600 screen (in case images are not right positioned).

Thank you

Granot

[Ken Cox]

well Granot i learned that in order to run your demo you need to supply all the picts requ'd -- see thumb

ken

[boxig]

Sorry Ken.

I uploaded new zip, changed the path in the pte file and included the missing image.

Granot

[alrobin]

I noticed that once you select an image you can't move it with mouse if it is covered by another image. This force me to bring to front each image I want to work on. If I am right, then can this be fixed so the mouse will not catch the upper image but the one selected ?.......

I agree with this recommendation. Maybe a "hand" cursor when one clicks on the centre point.

Also, when one clicks on a "hot-point" of the selected object, the focus in the list of objects on the right switches to the foreground image and the outline of the image disappears, even though one can still implement the change in size or rotation.

[Igor]

Granot,

Please use useful function - "Create backup in ZIP" archive (Main menu | File).

[boxig]

"Create backup in ZIP"

Great feature (I didn't look there).

I used it and uploaded new zip.

Is there any difference between zipping through PTE or with another zip program ?

Thank

Granot

[Igor]

No difference, but our function will include all used files in the project and you will not miss something.

[boxig]

Igor,

Oh, I didn't think of it too (old age). What about the problem I wrote above ? You said nothing (?).

I hope you remember the "current slide number" written to a text file.

Thanks

Granot

[Igor]

I think it's right to that mouse click selects object on the top. But I agree it's difficult to work with objects on several layers. I'll think how to help with this work.

hope you remember the "current slide number" written to a text file.

It's in my TODO list.

[Jill]

Hi Igor

My findings so far with version 5 beta 2

My PC is PIII 450mhz with 128mb ram running Win 98 SE.

Video card is 3dfx Voodoo3 with 16mb video memory

Hardware Acceleration - Full

GFX clock speed 166 Mhz

Direct X version 6.1a

Screen Resolution 800 x 600 True colour 32 bit

Don't know if these problems are related to my old video card, but cannot get the following to work. Using your Flower seq demo, which you say should work on any video card. Slides are 1024 x 768 have also tried with smaller 262 x 175 pictures but still get same problems.

1. Flowers Sequence FLOWERS.EXE will NOT RUN - Error message

'This program has performed an illegal operation and will be shut down'

'Flowers caused an invalid page fault in module <unknown> at 0000:00000000'

Press OK then get

'Exception EAccessViolation in module FLOWERS.EXE at 00000000'

2. When I try to open FLOWERS.PTE I get error message

'Project Files created with PTE V1.00 - V1.60 are not supported now'

Also get same message if I try 'File / Open' in V4.48

BUT if I do 'File / Open' in V5 then the PTE Project opens & I can see the pictures

3. If I try to Preview a slide - from within the show - by clicking on the image in top right of main window I get error

'Access violation at address 00000000. Read of address FFFFFFFF'

Press OK then get

'Access violation at address 0050DBD0 in module APR.EXE. Read of address FFFFFFFF'

Press OK and then mouse cursor dissappears. Reappears when left click mouse.

BUT if I click on an image from the File Panel window, the image appears in the top right window, BUT the 'slice of bread' is missing, then when I click in top right window the image is previewed full screen.

4. If I try to Preview show by clicking Preview button or 'slice of bread' then I get

'This program has performed an illegal operation and will be shut down'

'Flowers caused an invalid page fault in module <unknown> at 0000:00000000'

Press OK then get

'Exception EAccessViolation in module PREVIEW.EXE at 00000000'

Is the 'slice of bread' button between the Preview and Project Option buttons another way to Preview??

HOWEVER when I go to the Timeline window & press play then it plays ok in the small preview window.

5. When I go to the Objects/Animation window I get the same error message

'Access violation at address 00000000. Read of address FFFFFFFF'

The screen then displays but there is no picture

Also I cannot get out of the screen. The Close X button (top right) does nothing

Minimise and Resize buttons do work.

I have to do 'CTRL+ALT+DEL' & then 'END TASK' to get out of the window

OTHER OBSERVATIONS

6. In the File Panel, the 'UP' folder image the one with the big arrow does not work. But the small icon above the file panel does.

7. Navigation bar

You have 'Auto hide nav bar after so many secs'

Would it be possible to also have 'Show nav bar after so many secs'

The reason for this is when I want the nav bar to show after a short intro & the next slide has a long fade time I do not want the nav bar to show until the slide has fully appeared.

8. What is the 'Hold Time Points' check box for at the bottom of the main window.

Is this something to do with a feature I asked for before V4.??

IE. Would it be possible to 'lock' selected slides to points on the timeline but allow others to be altered.

e.g. Lock slide 5 at 0:34, slide 8 at 1:10, slide 15 at 1:56 but allow remaining slides to be arranged, dragged, shifted, added or deleted?

9. TIMELINE Window

Would it be possible to add a SAVE Button to the Timeline to save the Project. It can be a problem having to go back to the main window everytime to save the project. Especially if I have done a lot of changes & the PC crashes, I have then lost all my work. Or better still allow the Timeline to be viewed with the main window.

Another 'Nice to have' Feature would be to be able to play the music and to be able to add marker points onto the wave form. When a wave form has both speech and music it is often difficult to see where the key points are.

I know this is not a fully working version but will the errors I am experiencing be fixed with the full version. Or, do I need to go out & buy a new PC with a newer video card. I know mine is old & slow, but V4.48 works great.

Thanks to you & your team for all your hard work creating V5 even though I can't run it, yet!!

Jill (North Wales)

[Marcovelo]

My findings so far with version 5 beta 2

My PC is PIII 450mhz with 128mb ram running Win 98 SE.

Video card is 3dfx Voodoo3 with 16mb video memory

Hardware Acceleration - Full

Direct X version 6.1a

Hi Jill,

Please first update to DirectX 9.0c , your DX version is totally outdated !

Also, I'm afraid that your video card is not fast enough to support PTE 5.0 new features.

Marco

[potwnc]

Has anyone else noticed this: When I play a sequence in the timeline view that is synchronized to music, the music track (a .wav file) begins playing immediately. But when I hit the preview button or create a .exe, the music doesn't start playing until about 3 seconds into the show.

I'm using huge files (3840x2160), about 8MB each, but I have a Pentium 4 3GHz, 1GB RAM and a 256MB video card (ATI Radeon X700 Pro). I thought this would be enough to handle files this size? My show so far has only 2 images so the .exe is only 38MB.

[Ken Cox]

Ray

there was some discussion re music in thread

PicturesToExe v5.00 beta #1

"music" search word

also your use of a wav file might be problem -- try it as a mp3

also see

http://www.picturestoexe.com/forums/index....st=entry28591

ken

[potwnc]

I'm making some good progress with the beta and I have 2 new questions for Igor.

As I posted a long time ago, I don't expect many people to have PCs that can handle the file sizes I'm working with, which are mainly 4 times the size of full 1080p images - 3840x2160 pixels and about 8MB each on average. I'm working on what will be a 90-minute show, and I'd expect that to produce about a 12 Gigabyte .exe file! So my main interest is, at least until PC technology catches up, in video output. That's why my file sizes are so large, in anticipation of the new Blu-Ray and HD-DVD technologies that are just now coming onto the market and that support 1920x1080 video.

Question 1: When do you expect to support .avi output in version 5? Is it a few weeks away or a few months?

Question 2: Is this possible and are there any plans to do this in version 5: Although my images are too big to produce a .exe file that most PCs will support today, most PCs today will support DVD-quality images. So could I start with my large files, set my output window size to 720x405 (16:9) and then PTE will reduce the image sizes in the final .exe file? That would reduce my .exe file size from about 12 GB to about 2GB without having to use a photo editor to resize every image before I produce the .exe file. This ability would be a big plus so that we could customize our .exe shows to different target users who have less powerful PCs.

[Igor]

Jill,

Thanks for your response.

8. What is the 'Hold Time Points' check box for at the bottom of the main window.

Is this something to do with a feature I asked for before V4.??

IE. Would it be possible to 'lock' selected slides to points on the timeline but allow others to be altered.

e.g. Lock slide 5 at 0:34, slide 8 at 1:10, slide 15 at 1:56 but allow remaining slides to be arranged, dragged, shifted, added or deleted?

With "Hold Time Points" option (checkbox at the right-bottom part of main window) when you sort slides in Slide list, keypoints will NOT be moved. This mode intended for synchronized by music slide-shows.

When "Hold Time Points" option DISABLED. If you move slides, keypoints also will be moved.

Is the 'slice of bread' button between the Preview and Project Option buttons another way to Preview??

This button starts Preview from a slide, selected in the Slide list.

9. TIMELINE Window

Would it be possible to add a SAVE Button to the Timeline to save the Project. It can be a problem having to go back to the main window everytime to save the project. Especially if I have done a lot of changes & the PC crashes, I have then lost all my work. Or better still allow the Timeline to be viewed with the main window.

OK, I'll add Ctrl+S key combination to Timeline window and to Visual editor.

Although timeline window/PTE should never crash (in final release), I believe.

[thedom]

Questions for the developement team :

Sorry to ask but what do you plan to put in the final release of v5.0 (which is not in the v5.0 beta #2) ?

All features included in the previous version (v4.48) or less ? or more !?

Do you have a "ToDo" list or do you modify it depending on beta testers suggestions ?

And I suppose the answer for "when will it be avalaible ?" is "when it's finished !"

Thank you for your answer guys and thanks again for this v5

(still can't believe how powerfull the "objects and animation" is !)