Control of PTE Slide Show

[Ronniebootwest]

I use my laptop to project slide shows onto a large screen and I often get quite frustrated when playing shows by other people. Sometimes I get asked to 'pause' on a particular slide so that the audience can critique the slide. Unfortuneately, most people tend not to make use of the pause facility offered by PTE. Why not I ask myself! it is so simple to use the 'Project Options' to fix this small problem. Maybe people are not aware of this.

Please check it out next time you create a slide show.

Ron

[LumenLux]

You are right Ron - I don't know if I have ever used the mouse button options. More commonly I am trying to remember to avoid an unintentional exit or interruption. But your reminder is helpful and if the author is likely to be also the main projectionist, then the benefit can be had without the risk I usually consider. Another wonderful choice in PTE.

[Ken Cox]

I have maintained for as long as i have been on the forum that it is improper for somebody to take control of my system -- after all folks the shows posted at the "cottage" or similar sites are not the for entry to the "WORLD CUP OF SLIDE SHOWS"

they are to be analyzed by your peers -- i could care less about the music so my speakers are turned off and if i want to hear i put my headset on -- JRR's latest show posted on the "cottage" has narration and therefore should be listened to.

It is so easy to make these productions why not make one for "the group/forum" and another for "WORLD CUP OF SLIDE SHOWS" -- you do put them up to be critiqued and if they are critizied enough then you will change the master for "WORLD CUP OF SLIDE SHOWS" competition

version 5 shows do not allow this freedom, but it wll

ken

[ronwil]

As a general rule my sequences are for presentation in a carefully timed programme and not for comment on individual images.

If I want to produce a sequence of images for individual comment then I use a template "Manual Show" based on an idea put forward on the forum some months back, I think it was by Brian. Anyway do a search for "Manual Show".

Ron [uK]

[Ken Cox]

The thread by Brian

MANUAL SLIDE SHOW, For Lecture's and Demo's

http://www.picturestoexe.com/forums/index....=2433&hl=manual

generated this from Roger - "CONTAXMAN"

Step-by-step tutorial, tutorial

http://www.bishopthorpe-camera-club.com/Re...s/resources.htm

[Flying Scotsman]

With regard to mouse and manual control etc in a show, I have used PXE dozens of times to give illustrated talks using my laptop with complete success. Here`s how:

First distinguish between a slide show and an AV sequence. FOr the purposes of this, take a slide show to mean you are showing a series of slides with total manual control to enable you to advance or retard a slide when you want and to hold a slide for as long as you wish.

Run the show as a PXE Project using the Preview button - but you need to set it up:

In Project Options - Main, Uncheck the music synch box.

In Advanced - Uncheck all boxes and set the mouse buttons as you wish. I set left hand to `Next slide` and right hand to `Pevious Slide` and I select the `hide mouse cursor during show`.

In Effects - Check the Enable box. and I use the fade only. This keeps the show simple and looking professional - have you ever heard of `Death by Powerpoint` when a presenter has had a superb presentation only to be completely riuned by overuse of transition effects and audible whizz-bangs)?

And there you are. There is no need to customise any slide unless you want to.

Now, with your sequence sorted out you start your show by pressing the Preview button and using the mouse to control it (I use a radio remote presenter to enable me to stand at one side and away from the computer).

A good idea is to have a blank slide to start your sequence (I use black). That means you can have a black screen as your soon-to-be-amazed audience assembles. To get a blank black slide - easiest way is to take a photograph with the lens cap on then copy it as many times as you want in Windows Explorer. At the end of the show, also put a blank black slide and set the `When show ends keep last slide on screen` box. This will leave you with a blank screen to finish - again looks very professional.

I keep about twelve blank slides, all numbered, in a separate folder and simply copy them over to my PXE project folder as I need them, renaming them as I go.

You can also use the blank black slides as title slides - insert a slide where you want and set up the title in Object Editor.

And believe me, for a straight forward slide show where clever graphics and not required - PXE beats PowerPoint into the middle of next year!!

Hope this helps.

[Ronniebootwest]

Flying Scotsman,

Very useful comments and particularly helpful for a slide show presenter.

I had in mind something a little different though. If I give a slide show (exe) to a client, friend or colleague, I would like to let them control the show, e.g. when viewing the slides they may want to pause on a particular slide for longer that the normal transition period. In this circumstance it is useful if they can simply press the left mouse button to pause the show and then press it again to resume. This is where setting up the 'mouse options' is unique.

Ron