What Happened to PTE4?

[TonyFalla]

Am I the only one still using PTE4?

Since PTE5 Beta was introduced a lot of the discussion in this forum and the majority of new shows that appear either here or on Beechbrook Cottage are showing techniques that you will be able to use under PTE5. Whilst I can understand the enthusiasm for PTE5 and people wanting to experiment / test, yes I have played with it myself and love some of the features that will be provided, currently it is not a fully functioning piece of software and I cannot produce proper show with it. This was brought home to me by Jean-Pierre’s show of Versailles which as he said “is almost a show”.

I don’t know when we are going to get the first full version of PTE5, but I presume that it could be several months before Igor and his team are able to release it. Are people not preparing new shows until PTE5 is available or are they like me still happily using PTE4 and will switch to PTE5 when it is available?

Tony Falla

South Wales

[ecps]

No - you are not alone.

I am using 4 regularly and, although I have had a brief look at 5 I must admit that I am looking forward to its arrival with some trepidation. I can get version 4 to do all that I want it to now but suspect that there will be a steep learning curve in order to 'master' the new version. At the moment I am at the stage of looking at what people produce and marvelling at the results but will I be able to do that? Eventually, perhaps, but for the moment I am very happy using version 4.

Eddie.

[thedom]

In my case, I have a "big" project in the box : my last trip - 17 days - in Libya where I had the opportunity to see a full solar eclipse (It was not a coincidence ).

I can't start this project with v4.48 because I would have to start if again quite from scratch with v5.

That's why I can't wait the v5 final release !

[denwell]

Me too !

PTE 5 has been a long time coming. I have been waiting to 'upgrade' some of my earlier shows that would benefit from some moderate pan & zoom effects, but am still not able to do so as beta 2 is so incomplete.

I really do appreciate Igor's team efforts with v5 and believe the release (whenever it comes) will result in PTE leaping over the opposition. Until that day, I fear I must wait patiently and produce shows that can be adapted easily to use P&Z effects when they are available for complete shows with timeline control/music/transitions and the many other facilities we are used to.

Maybe there should be a separate forum for PTE5 discussion - I find it hard to find regular PTE4 discussion among the increasing number of PTE5 demo's and effects showcases.

Can I ask if Igor has any more specific timescale for beta3 with more facilities included?

DEN (NE UK)

[Ronniebootwest]

Maybe there should be a separate forum for PTE5 discussion - I find it hard to find regular PTE4 discussion among the increasing number of PTE5 demo's and effects showcases.

There IS a separate thread 'pinned' fro the new version 5 but very few members seem to want to use it!

I agree that the forum has been overtaken by tests and demo's and it would be nice to get back to 4.48 discussion ib the normal place until version 5 is actually released.

Ron

[ronwil]

I am still making sequences in PTE4, but keeping abreast of things in PTE5 rather than be faced later, as Eddie fears, with a steep learning curve. Have you noticed also the dearth of activity under the heading PTE Presentations? I posted a short "Tutorial" a few days ago which as yet has not been superseded.

Ron [uK]

[Ken Cox]

WELL

i have no problem starting a show with 4.8 and when i get it how i want it, i then open the pte with ver5 b2 and all the pictures and music is there -- you just are limited by the features that are not enabled with the beta

i cant do much zooming etc as yet but at least it is partially ready for the"BIG TIME"

and at this point in time it is imperative the people practice "RAT"

"read all threads" in order to keep abreast of what is going on

-- when i think back to the problems that used to be posted re the 4 series they are miniscule compared to the 5 series --- Igor can we have more fades/transitions -- with the features that have come to light in the demo's fades are being made by these wonderworkers themselves wit hthe tools that are built in

some users are trying their darndest to reveal all the short comings in ver 5 -- good for them, they are a hard working bunch that are trying to help Igor and crew achieve the ultimate so when he issues the next beta the present issues will have be resolved and we will be ready to tackle the next bunch

the pinned ver 5 area has got out of hand and has become very difficult to follow -- i think we should put demo's in the presentation section and properly name threads and put them not in the pinned area but in the general area - -the thread could also include ver 5 in the title

ken

[alrobin]

If we continue to put all our suggestions and/or "complaints", bugs, etc., about v.5, in the pinned thread, it will probably be easier for Igor to pick them up - after all, that was why he created the thread in the first place. But, I agree with Ken that we should not fill this thread up with demos, or endless discussion on how to create new effects, unless these relate to a particular suggestion.

I don't have any problem with people starting a new thread in the "PTE" section to highlight a new experiment with v.5, or bring to our attention a new application for the new "PZROC" features.

[thedom]

I totally agree with Ken and Al.

To summarize :

- Bugs and suggestions for v5 in the pinned thread : PicturesToExe v5.00 beta #2

- demos and "almost slideshow" in the PicturesToExe Presentations

- other subjects in a new thread with the version of PTE (v4.48 or v5) to which it is related to in the optional Topic Description.

This way, everybody will be happy and it will be easier for each of us to read the specific topic you're interested too.

(even if myself I'm definitely an addicted "RAT" ).

[linzi]

At this stage I cannot get any files made with what I presume is PTE 5 to show anything other than a white full screen or to play broken sound files.

I downloaded the latest Nvidia driver for my GeForce 100/200 two days ago and still cannot get any joy.

I am running these from saves on the main hard drive, not from a cd and computer specs are as follows.

Win98SE [because I have a slide/film scanner for which Canon did not update the driver to XP]

1.30 gigahertz AMD Duron

128 kilobyte primary memory cache

64 kilobyte secondary memory cache Board: 8363/A-686A

Bus Clock: 100 megahertz

BIOS: Phoenix Technologies, LTD 6.00 PG 09/30/2002

NVIDIA GeForce2 MX 100/200 [Display adapter]

LGE Flatron795FT [Monitor] (16.3"vis)

Can anyone help? My thoughts are that if the specs needed to run Version 5 are beyond the reach of those other than specialised users, it will defeat the purpose of using a less expensive programme like PTE in favour of the more expensice ProShow.

[Lin Evans]

Am I the only one still using PTE4?

Since PTE5 Beta was introduced a lot of the discussion in this forum and the majority of new shows that appear either here or on Beechbrook Cottage are showing techniques that you will be able to use under PTE5. Whilst I can understand the enthusiasm for PTE5 and people wanting to experiment / test, yes I have played with it myself and love some of the features that will be provided, currently it is not a fully functioning piece of software and I cannot produce proper show with it. This was brought home to me by Jean-Pierre’s show of Versailles which as he said “is almost a show”.

I don’t know when we are going to get the first full version of PTE5, but I presume that it could be several months before Igor and his team are able to release it. Are people not preparing new shows until PTE5 is available or are they like me still happily using PTE4 and will switch to PTE5 when it is available?

Tony Falla

South Wales

Hi Tony,

Actually, many are doing both. There is no reason anyone can't make a complete slideshow with p2e 5.0 beta 3. I have made a number of them. The things which are "missing" such as a number of transitions, the ability to output an AVI, complete auto-sync of sound, etc., are not "deal killers" in the least and having a number of fancy transitions is not necessarily an adjunct for a slideshow with the Ken Burns Effects. Most of my slideshows make with ProShow Gold use nothing but fades between slides because there is plenty "movement" within the shows themselves.

But there are many who will take their time learning version 5 and a few who may never use the new features. The nice thing is that they are there "if" and "when" you need them.

Best regards,

Lin

[Igor]

linzi

Currently PicturesToExe v5.00 beta requires DirectX 8.1 or higher and video card with at least 32 MB of video memory. In the final version slide-shows with Pan/Zoom will work on any PC.

[ronwil]

One problem I experienced last evening was when I tried to open a PTE, prepared in 4.00, from the icon in my prepared folder, it opened in 5.00. I changed the icon but the saved application, when opened, kept flicking over and I couldn't revert to 4.0.

I had finished a programme sequence in 4.00 using the Object Editor, Transparent Buttons, Run Application etc, "saved" and "created as". Everything played back fine. I was working from within my folder for the whole show, which consists of four separate sections, I had noticed already that I needed to change my icon for one of the sections and it was then that I clicked on the PTE icon for that section and the problem occurred.

It will not take me long to re-set everything but I must remember in future to open either version as a programme first and then go to the project I need to work on. I think the possible jump to 5.0 may have been because the "Run application...." were to experimental demos in 5.0.

Ron [uK]