PTE V.5 Controls Tutorial

[JohnFeg]

I’m working on Slideshow Tutorial, the purpose of which is to provide easy and rapid access to detailed descriptions of the function/s of all the command and control buttons and icon used in PTE V. 5

I’m aware that it cannot practically be completed until V.5 is published; but, I want to make a start. So, I’m creating a draft, using PTE V.4. This, with a bit of luck and a favourable wind, should be in a sufficiently advanced state, within the next couple of weeks, that it can be posted on the forum for comments and advise on the format chosen.

I’m held up, at the moment, because I’m unable to determine the function of the “P” button, on the main screen. (See attachment)

Will be grateful if one of you can fill me in.

John

[Ken Cox]

John

on ver 4 i think the P means the slide is modified

start the proggie

and watch the bottom left of screen -- when clicked "modified" appears

ken

[thedom]

John,

I think the "P" button is here to indicate if the slide has the Project options or not.

If the slide uses the project options, the "P" button is "ON".

If the slide uses customized settings, the "P" button is "OFF" (grey).

[Ken Cox]

I think Dom is right

ken

[ronwil]

When you press the P button before "Customise Slide" the menu opens with "Use customised settings for this slide" already checked. What the significane of that is I do not know but I do agree with Ken and Dom that it is an indicator.

Ron [uK]

[JohnFeg]

John,

I think the "P" button is here to indicate if the slide has the Project options or not.

If the slide uses the project options, the "P" button is "ON".

If the slide uses customized settings, the "P" button is "OFF" (grey).

Dominique, Ken & Ron,

thank you all for clearing one up for me.

As I invariably set project options, I hadn't even noticed the significance of this function until coming to put a few words together to describe it.

John

[dagrace]

When you press the P button before "Customise Slide" the menu opens with "Use customised settings for this slide" already checked. What the significane of that is I do not know but I do agree with Ken and Dom that it is an indicator.

Ron [uK]

Have to admit I haven't used it much either, but the significance might be that you can quickly see which slides have customized (or customised, depending on if you're from the US or anywhere else in the world ) settings. It might be handy to know that without looking at the settings screen for every slide.

Thanks for working on this, John. I'm sure you'll have lots of customers!

[jevans]

I’m working on Slideshow Tutorial, the purpose of which is to provide easy and rapid access to detailed descriptions of the function/s of all the command and control buttons and icon used in PTE V. 5

I’m aware that it cannot practically be completed until V.5 is published; but, I want to make a start. So, I’m creating a draft, using PTE V.4. This, with a bit of luck and a favourable wind, should be in a sufficiently advanced state, within the next couple of weeks, that it can be posted on the forum for comments and advise on the format chosen.

I’m held up, at the moment, because I’m unable to determine the function of the “P” button, on the main screen. (See attachment)

Will be grateful if one of you can fill me in.

John

John,

Delighted to see that you are attempting this task. Just to let you know that I have had the same idea but do not want to do any work until Version 5 is issued in its final form. If you go to TheDom's web page and look at the tutorials he has hosted, you will se my first attempt at the Objects and Animation feature in the form of a pdf file. My idea was to describe each control in turn and explain its function. Lin Evans has also done some tutorial work and his approach is to produce a "how to guide", maybe using video.

Just wanted to let you know so that we can avoid a lot of duplication. I do not mind who writes tutorials and am happy to collaborate in any way - even if just as a reviewer.

Regards

Jeff

[CorVdK]

When you press the P button before "Customise Slide" the menu opens with "Use customised settings for this slide" already checked. What the significane of that is I do not know but I do agree with Ken and Dom that it is an indicator.

Ron [uK]

Hello to all,

Yes it is an indicator. But a very important one. If this button is shown pressed for a particular image (slide), this selected image will use its own customized settings, if not, then common settings will be used (defined in <Project Options>).

So, all images in your project will be shown with the settings you make in <Project Options>.

Example: Display time for each slide = 5 sec (in "Main" tab); Fade in/Out effect duration 1500 ms, thickness of smooting line = 60 (in "Effect" tab); customize comment you put in "Set comments for all slides as:" (in "Comments" tab); etc.

But if you want one particular image (slide) must not be shown with the common settings of <Project Options>, then select the necessary slide in the "Image List" and go to the "Customize Slide..." button, click on it, and you come in the "Use customized settings for this slide" menu.

This menu window is intended to assign some individual settings for a slide. You can make adapted settings in the "Main", "Comments", "Effect" and "Music" tabs.

At first site, all settings look similar as in <Project Options>. But when you make necessary changes and click the <OK> button to apply the new settings, then you will see the small <P> button on the main screen is pressed: It means that this slide will use its own customized settings you just specified.

Example: If you want a particular slide on the screen for 7 sec. instead of 5 sec (common settings in <Project Options>) it is here in the "Main" tab that you do the settings, "Timing", check "Use own time preference" and put "7" in the "Display slide for (sec.)" box, click the <OK> button.

If you want to change the effect and/or fade time for this particular slide it is also here you do it in the "Effect" tab.

Now, for what reason, you want this slide to use global settings again (specified in the <Project Options>), just click the <P> button to "unpress" it and you will notice when you go back via the "Customize Slide..." button, in the "Main" tab, "Timing", that the "Use own time preference" is unchecked and the "Display slide for (sec.)" box will show global settings again (the 5 sec. you used in <Project Options>).

To undo the settings you can also open again the "Customize Slide..." window and uncheck "Use customized settings for this slide" option.

I hope this will help,

Greetings,

Cor

[JohnFeg]

Hello to all,

Yes it is an indicator. But a very important one. If this button is shown pressed for a particular image (slide), this selected image will use its own customized settings, if not, then common settings will be used (defined in <Project Options>).

I hope this will help,

Greetings,

Cor

Cor,

Thank you for that clear and detailed explanation.

You are bound to see this "regurgitated"! when I start posting component I am proposing to use in the slideshow.

John

John,

Delighted to see that you are attempting this task.

Jeff

I take the point about avoiding duplication of effort.

Until V.5 is fully functional, all that I can do is to prepare slides that it is intended to incorporate.

I had thought that, in order to work-round the functions not yet commissioned in V.5, I’d be able to cobble together a draft project using V.4. This, so that I could get some feedback from the Forum, before casting the thing in stone.

However, having played around with that for a couple of days, I have decided that that was a silly idea. It would require too much reworking, so, I’ve kicked it into touch!

Let me briefly explain how I envisage the format of this tutorial:

TARGET

a) Newcomers to PTE as a means of familiarisation.

Occasional use to those reasonably familiar with the application.

PURPOSE

a) A means of easy and rapid access to detailed information and advice on all the controls and functions in PTE

On a personal note, to make a little contribution, within my own technical capability, to this excellent forum, which gives so freely it’s time and help...

PROPOSED METHODOLOGY

a) A slideshow controlled by the viewer, entirely manually. That is to say, using left & right mouse buttons and/or the navigation bar.

Following some introductory screens, that will provide general instructions on the use of the slideshow; the viewer will be presented with a slide showing the PTE main screen. Here, clicking on a button, superimposed over every control element, will be take the user to a slide giving detailed information on the function selected. This subsequent slide, also of the Main Screen, will be animated to display a “Post-it Note”. In effect, a sort of glorified Tool-Tip.

Certain buttons (on the Main Screen slide) will, of course, take the viewer into regions of the application where there exists more than a single control function. For example, clicking on the button over the Objects & Animation Function.

In such cases, the subsequent slide will, itself, have multiple buttons. These will enable navigation, ever deeper, into all “the nooks and crannies” of PTE

There will be a voiceover commentary for those slides where it will be of assistance to the user.

c) A possibility for the future might be that this, or a similar facility, be accessed from PTE “Help”

Having said all that, I am open to and will appreciate any comments on the outline of this concept. I’m more interested in it being of practical use than I am of it reflecting my personal ideas.

In that spirit, I intend to post, from time to time, the individual slides, as they are created, and while they are in an easily edited format!

John

[Ken Cox]

John

keep going in ver 4 and get as much as possible done before 5

unless

IGOR

ARE YOU GOING TO CHANGE THE GUI WITH VER 5??

If he does at least you done an excersise of learning controls etc -- and dry runs are never a waste

couple years ago when the translation thing was active, one translator said it was the best thing he had done as he learned what the program would do during the translation process

ken

[JohnFeg]

John

keep going in ver 4 and get as much as possible done before 5

unless

IGOR

ARE YOU GOING TO CHANGE THE GUI WITH VER 5??

If he does at least you done an excersise of learning controls etc -- and dry runs are never a waste

couple years ago when the translation thing was active, one translator said it was the best thing he had done as he learned what the program would do during the translation process

ken

Ken,

the problem with starting in V.4 is that I, particularly, want to add some animation to what I have refered to as "Subsequent Slides"

Making a start in V.5 beta 5 is also a No No, at the present time, simply because the functions: Navigation Panel, ability to set active buttons and Sound on Slide are not yet active.

In any case, there is such a volume of preparitory work to do that the wait for V.5, or at least the activation of those three missing components, is not really a problem. Bearing Igors projections for the release date.

John

[jevans]

Having said all that, I am open to and will appreciate any comments on the outline of this concept. I’m more interested in it being of practical use than I am of it reflecting my personal ideas.

In that spirit, I intend to post, from time to time, the individual slides, as they are created, and while they are in an easily edited format!

John

John,

You approach sounds very good. Also I think it would be complementary to my more formal ideas of providing more of a reference guide. Good luck.

Jeff

[JohnFeg]

John,

You approach sounds very good. Also I think it would be complementary to my more formal ideas of providing more of a reference guide. Good luck.

Jeff

Jeff,

Yes, my plan is to produce a - "What's that for" utility. Rather than a - "This is how you do it" tutorial.

As I get futher down the track, it may be that a reference or link, to tutorials such as your's (on Objects & Animation), could comprise an element in the information provided on my "Post-It" notes.

John

[Maureen]

I am working on a Beginners Guide to Digital AV with sections on Image Prepartion & useful digital tips & tricks using Photoshop, Sound editing and then creating your sequences using PTE version 5. It's a slow long process, especially when I have so many other tasks to complete too.

This will be a small booklet for anyone who wants a hard copy of a simple starter's guide. Sections will be available to download from the web too.

It'll be a labour of love rather than hitting the Best seller's lists. Maybe some of it will be useful for future PTE Help files.

Think all the work on downloadable tutorials is excellent.

Will try to have some sections of my work downloadable sometime in the future.

Waiting for full PTE to be released first.

Best wishes

Maureen

[JohnFeg]

I’m working on Slideshow Tutorial, the purpose of which is to provide easy and rapid access to detailed descriptions of the function/s of all the command and control buttons and icon used in PTE V. 5

Within the next week or so I will have available for comment the first batch of descriptive notes, intended for incorporation into this tutorial.

These notes cover the "controls" on the main PTE window.

When the tutorial is put together the note will be displayed, in response to a button click, as an animation, against a background of the main screen.

I've attached a sample here.

Is this the best method to post them?

John

[jevans]

Within the next week or so I will have available for comment the first batch of descriptive notes, intended for incorporation into this tutorial.

These notes cover the "controls" on the main PTE window.

When the tutorial is put together the note will be displayed, in response to a button click, as an animation, against a background of the main screen.

I've attached a sample here.

Is this the best method to post them?

John

John,

My view is that if you are posting a tutorial for comment by other forum members and want some feedback, then a standard "new post" is probably the way to go. If it is a completed tutorial, then I suggest you get in touch with TheDom who has made web pages which refer to all the tutorials. Mind he somethimes does not host them but just provides a link to the web page they are hosted on. Thi is what he has done with my last one.

I really like the way you are doing this. My approach was to provide a pdf document but your solution looks much more elegant. How are you doing it?

Regards

Jeff

[thedom]

No problem for me to host your files.

I think it's a good way to share to have everything on the same site.

Members of my site can :

- upload a file (up to 2mb) on my webspace

- post a file with a link to their file hosted somewhere else (on their own webspace by example). In this case, there is no limit for filesize.

Whatever the method used, it's completely transparent for people.

For each file hosted or posted, there is a download counter.

It's a good way to verify that your file is useful for others (I realized this way that my last photoshop action is not what most people are looking for).

Members and guest can leave comments and rate your file.

Very convenient to improve it.

[JohnFeg]

John,

I really like the way you are doing this. My approach was to provide a pdf document but your solution looks much more elegant. How are you doing it?

Regards

Jeff

Jeff,

at the moment I am doing no more than prepare slides. That will remain the case until V.5 is released.

Reason being, I need 3 functions that are not yet activated.

I want to be as certain as possible that the information, provided by this tutorial, will be as: accurate, lucid and brief as possible.

For that reason, it seems appropriate to post these slides, into the forum for comment, in smallish parcels, as they come of the press, so that members will not be put off reviewing them because of sheer volume.

There will also be occasions where I need more direct assistance. For example, I never now create DVDs, thus do not feel I'm the best guy to write a description of what the "Video" button on the main screen is for.

Additionally, I plan to seek permission to plagiarise stuff that has been posted by members, since V.5 #1 came off the slips, where it can usefully be incorporated into the sceme of things.

In brief, I'll be glad of any help and advice folk may offer!

John

[JohnFeg]

No problem for me to host your files.

I think it's a good way to share to have everything on the same site.

Dominique,

Thank you. As soon as the first parcel is ready I'll get them to you. I will keep the volume of information, for each parcel, reasonably small.

This, I hope, will mean that members will not feel that reviewing/commenting is too much of a chore!

Will you post, to this forum, that they are available at your site, or, shall I?

John

[thedom]

John,

I just created a new section for this kind of files called "Work in progress".

Unless you have difficulties to upload your files, I will leave you the exclusivity to announce the releases.

Files are immediately published and don't need my approval.

[jevans]

When the tutorial is put together the note will be displayed, in response to a button click, as an animation, against a background of the main screen.

John

John,

Could you elaborate on how you propose to do this. Are you going to make a PTE presentation with parts of the main PTE screen as a background and then add buttons, which when clicked, load the explanatory image?

Reason for asking is that it may be a good idea if we all use the same tutorial methods.

Jeff

[JohnFeg]

John,

I just created a new section for this kind of files called "Work in progress".

Unless you have difficulties to upload your files, I will leave you the exclusivity to announce the releases.

Files are immediately published and don't need my approval.

Dominique,

I've almost compled putting the first level of the Tutorial together in the form of a temporary V.4 slideshow.

However, it looks to be coming out at about 6MB.

Will I be able to get it to you via an Upload Agency, Dropload, or some such?

John

[thedom]

John,

You can NOT upload files more than 2MB.

What I propose to do is the following :

- you upload the file somewhere (dropload, yousendit, megaupload, etc...)

- once done, you send me the link

- I upload it on my webspace

- I send you the link

- You post your file with this link and with your own description

Is it ok for you ?

When do you plan to make you first file avalaible ?

[JohnFeg]

John,

Is it ok for you ?

When do you plan to make you first file avalaible ?

Dominique,

thanks, thats fine. If the rain keeps up (preventing house painting activities!) it will be ready before the weekend.

John