PTE v.5.0

[ronwil]

Having completed now the conversion of an analogue sequence into PTE v 4.47 for a memorial presentation tomorrow afternoon, I have started to experiment with v.5.0 beta#2. However, I am finding it difficult making any progress as we appear to be woefuly short of instructions. Lin has provided a useful introductory tutorial so that one can get the feel of the new programme, but all the demo sequences appear to have been made by members with far more knowledge than seems to be available "in print". For instance my panoramas operate only from "right to left", my zooms only "in" and how do you make an add-on image, such as a title, operate independently of the main image. Am I to assume that those of you who have been successful in mastering this beta find it similar in its application to other software which you may have used.

I appreciate that this is a beta and I know I am in my dotage, but I do like to keep abreast of developments.

Ron [uK]

[alrobin]

Ron,

I, personally, do find some of the features similar to others that I have experimented with in other programs (e.g. Flash, and other similar 3d and animation programs I have played with).

IMHO, the best way to learn how to use a new program is just to dive in and try things out. I have '"crashed" the computer a couple of times, but nothing serious. If you watch the demos, and then try to replicate the effects on your own, you will learn a lot about v. 5.0. Also, Igor gives a list of new features whenever he releases a new beta, and that is a good way to learn about the new capabilities he has added to the program.

I rarely watch a tutorial or read a "help" document, preferring to play around with a program on my own and experiment with it. But, watching others' shows and demos does spark new ideas about different things to try out. Also, I find that part of the fun with working with PTE comes from the fact that I am constantly finding new features, work-arounds, etc.

[Lin Evans]

Having completed now the conversion of an analogue sequence into PTE v 4.47 for a memorial presentation tomorrow afternoon, I have started to experiment with v.5.0 beta#2. However, I am finding it difficult making any progress as we appear to be woefuly short of instructions. Lin has provided a useful introductory tutorial so that one can get the feel of the new programme, but all the demo sequences appear to have been made by members with far more knowledge than seems to be available "in print". For instance my panoramas operate only from "right to left", my zooms only "in" and how do you make an add-on image, such as a title, operate independently of the main image. Am I to assume that those of you who have been successful in mastering this beta find it similar in its application to other software which you may have used.

I appreciate that this is a beta and I know I am in my dotage, but I do like to keep abreast of developments.

Ron [uK]

Hey Ron,

Let's start with the zoom. To zoom the opposite way you need to begin by being zoomed in. I know, this sounds strange but bear with me. Let's work with only a single image. Open a new project and go to the "Objects and Animations" immediately. Next click on the "Percentage" tab up at the top next to the right of "Paste" (delete, undo, right arrow, copy, paste, etc). Set a very low percentage so you can see what's going on with the whole image then set the cursor over one of the little "handles" on the green rectangle surrounding the image, hold down the left mouse key and drag the rectangle (make it - the rectangle larger) which zooms in on the picture. The portion of the picture which is grayed out won't be seen on your screen when you "play" the show. When you have it zoomed as much as you wish then click inside the rectangle and hold the left mouse button down and drag the rectangle left, right, up, down and watch the image. when you have the image positioned as you want to start your frame (zoomed in and centered on your subject) then go back to the timeline and click and set a keypoint somewhere right of the "zero" keypoint.

With the new keypoint actuated (blue instead of grey) again click and hold one of the "handles" on the green rectangle and drag the box to the degree and position you want your zoom out to be. This is the "quick" way to get in the rough position you want in the "zoom" out rather than "zoom in" Change the time for the slide in seconds for as long as you want that particular slide to remain on the screen then click on the "flag" of the keypoint you just created (not the zero keypoint) and drag the keypoint right or left to the number of seconds or portions of seconds you wish. The larger the time between the zero keypoint and the one you created, the slower the "action" of zooming.

This same situation applies to your second question which is actually a derivative of the first in that you "begin" by dragging your pano with the box to the end you wish to begin the "action" of scrolling BEFORE you create your first keypoint. Think of the zero keypoint as the start of "time" and any successive keypoints you create to the right of this default as something later than the beginning. The further to the right you drag the keypoints the "later" things happen (I know this is really fundamental, but once this is embedded in our thinking things become much easier). Now if you should drag the default or "zero" keypoint to the right then think of the space you leave behind as "before the beginning of time" - think of it in the biblical sense - LOL - before time began there was "darkness," etc. So if you have more than one slide and you drag the zero default to the right of zero time, you will insert "darkness" before the next slide in the progression. Should you drag the zero keypoint flag to the right of the second one, you "reverse" the effect and you are back to zooming in.

So the reasoning is that where you set a zoom or a pan "BEFORE" you create a keypoint yourself (remember, this zero keypoint is created by default) is where your slide "begins" in terms of appearance. If you do nothing it will begin with the entire slide zoomed to the a default complete with black borders, etc. (assuming it's not a perfect fit to the aspect ratio of your screen). Any position you set by dragging or moving the frame with the little handles or by changing numbers in the animation tabs before you create "YOUR" first keypoint will reflect the starting position of your frame in the slide.

Now let's look at the "title," etc. To make a title or whatever independent of the image itself, it must be a separate file. You must not use the old way of creating text for this but create a transparent PNG file (check my previous thread about how to do this). Once you have your text (title.png) file created, you right right click your mouse, choose "add" then "image, browse to find the png file you have created and click on it then "open". This will bring your "title" image on the screen. Treat it just like a separate file with it's own timeline. When it is "selected" (it is selected by default when you "open" it) then size it and move it to the position you wish it to occupy when your slide opens. This is where it will be "when time begins" Next create a Keypoint and move and size and set transparency to suit the way you want it to respond. If transparency is set to zero at the start (the zero keypoint) you won't be able to see the text (so start with 100% until you get the title positioned then change the transparency to fade it in, etc.). If you want it to fade out then create a new keypoint at the time you want this "action" to occur and assign the percentage of opacity (transparency) at that point. Depending on the number of keypoints you create and the amounts of opacity you set for this slide at any given keypoint (time) you can make it fade in, fade out, scroll up, down, sideways diagonally, spin (rotate), etc. How many degrees you set on rotation (this can be any degree) is reflected in how the title text "behaves". If you set 360 degrees of rotation it will rotate clockwise 360 degrees. If you set minus 360 (-360) it will rotate counterclockwise 360 degrees. If you set 720 degrees it will rotate twice. You can set any number of degrees to make it rotate numerous times left or right. You can change the size (zoom) between keypoints and while it rotates it also gets larger or smaller. You can change the position, etc. If you set the keypoints between the zero start position and the keypoint you create closer together, it will naturally rotate faster since you have constrained the action within a shorter time period. If you set the keypoints (time) further apart it will rotate slower, etc.

Let me know if you get stuck with an issue. The most important thing you can do is simply experiment. Remember to "preview" as well as "play" the single slide because with preview you will "see the darkness" LOL - "Dotage??" Dude, you're not getting older, you're getting better!!

In my years teaching in the university, I began to realize that we are not all "wired" exactly the same way. I had some students who would grasp a particular concept immediately while others struggled. The same stuggling students would immediately apprehend a different concept while those who understood the former would, in turn, struggle. I suspect it has to do with right/left brain thinking. But no matter, if you simply "Play" with a single slide suddenly the "light" comes on and you begin thinking in different ways. Remember what I said in my original post about "everything happens between the keypoints". Sometimes it doesn't work like you "think" is should. Then you begin to carefully think through what is happening and again you have an "Ah HA!" moment -

May the Force be With You.........

Best regards,

Lin

[ronwil]

Thanks for all the extremely useful responses which I have received. I am sure these will stand me in good stead when I start experimenting again in a couple of days time.

Ron [uK}

[ronwil]

Couple of days changed to a couple of hours. Successfully completed a zoom in and out. Learnt the need to set sufficient time on an image for planned actions, using "Project options>Main>Display each slide for", before going to "Objects and Animations". Also I need to improve the quality of my images before I use them for a zoom in. However, the zoom that I produced was smooth even with my Nvidia GeForce 2MX.

I had already produced some text in Photoshop on a transparent background using Lin's instructions in an earlier thread, so that is the next thing I will try. Thanks everyone.

Ron [uK]

[ronwil]

Initial assimilation of how to zoom, pan and add moving text completed thanks to my friends on the Forum. I can now keep abreast of developments as Igor and his team, whom I also thank, add further Betas.

Ron [uK]

[ronwil]

I have now added a link to that first effort on my website (see below). Open the site and select "Links". At the lower left of the page click on the thumbnail of a warship to download. Don't forget to press "Esc" when you have done. I have not added the whole folder because of size.

It is just an idea that I had and obviously would need improvement for serious use. I used two images, taken by my elder grandson David, which I had readily on file. *.png images of HMS Gloucester were created in Photoshop using the polygonal lasso tool and quick mask. The background was created also in Photoshop by cloning out vessels, buoys etc.

Ron [uK]

[Lin Evans]

I have now added a link to that first effort on my website (see below). Open the site and select "Links". At the lower left of the page click on the thumbnail of a warship to download. Don't forget to press "Esc" when you have done. I have not added the whole folder because of size.

It is just an idea that I had and obviously would need improvement for serious use. I used two images, taken by my elder grandson David, which I had readily on file. *.png images of HMS Gloucester were created in Photoshop using the polygonal lasso tool and quick mask. The background was created also in Photoshop by cloning out vessels, buoys etc.

Ron [uK]

Looks good Ron,

A couple suggestions. Lengthen the display time for the motion slide so as to slow down the ship coming in, then since it's already a png, add some slow rotation up then down, perhaps two 5 degree rotations up and two 5 degree rotations down to get the effect of the ship as it would normally ride in the water. With a little time you could probably also add some semi-transparent "splash" as the rotation goes hits "bottom" to give it a life-like effect.

Best regards,

Lin

[ronwil]

Thanks Lin. I appreciate your comments and I will certainly try your suggestions. I think I would have to find a sea to fit in with the motion of the vessel, the entrance to Portsmouth Harbour, where the pictures were taken is usually quite placid. What an art form PTE 5.0 is going to be.

Ron [uK]