Bug in backup

[Hemjr]

I have just completed my first real slideshow in Version 5.02. I had PTE generate a zipped backup folder to give to a friend to let him see how to do some of the special features of PTE 5.

When we unzipped the folder on his computer and opened the PTE in version 5.02, all the pictures that originally that had been rotated 90 degrees were no longer turned in the backed up PTE file. Is this a bug or is it something that is expected?

The show is about 260MB containing about 265 pictures and depicts a week on a mission trip in Mexico.

Howard

[nobeefstu]

Howard,

Did the zip backup files Preview and Compile the same as your original builds at home?

The zip backup just copies the original files used ... it does not alter them.

[Hemjr]

nobeefstu,

Yes, the copy appears to have captured the animations correctly. Only problem was with the pictures that were turned 90 degrees within the PTE program, did not show turned in the backup and therefore showed turned incorrectly when the preview is looked at.

I realized that the pics are just copied form the originals. I just expected the rotate to be recorded within the PTE project and transferred in the backup as were the animations, etc. Not a problem if there are only a few turned photos.

Howard

[Hawk]

Hi Howard

I take it that in your construction you used “ Rotate Clockwise / Counterclockwise ( lossless ) in the slide list section with right click - which does show proper in the O & A and previews as you would expect.

I fully agree that I also would have thought PTE should have generated the saved backup with the intended settings.

Note – What is strange is if you had used “ Rotate “ 90 degree for instance in the O & A section, this does Back up with proper settings of image.

Possible “bug “ I have to agree.

I am sure Igor will explain if this was intentional for some tech reason.

[nobeefstu]

Possible “bug “ I have to agree.

I am sure Igor will explain if this was intentional for some tech reason.

I have to agree also.

The only thing I can suspect at the moment is the remote possiblity that you created the backup zip prior to saving the finalized .pte file where some settings were not recorded in the backup ?

[Hawk]

Howard / Stu

It seems something is very strange here !

It seems to have something to do with “ Extracting the .zip “

Makes no difference if I “ Save As “ and “ Create As “ before backup

If I click to “ Create Back up in zip “ – then double click the zip file and then the .PTE file, Pictures to EXE opens and all is saved / showed as it should ( portrait images )

But - if I extract the .zip file and then click on the .PTE file which opens Pictures to EXE the images are landscaped ???

Ver. 5.2 of 5.0

I use XP – right click extract.

Do I need a tutorial about the characteristics of a zipped file? , I know I am loosing a few feathers.

Howard / Stu can you or someone else verify the above.

** I might add, that I was using original images 1024 x 768

[Hemjr]

Ralph,

I will try the two ways of extracting the files tomorrow and let you know the difference, if any.

Nobeefstu. No, I backed up the PTE after I had finished everything.

Thanks for the comments.

Howard

[nobeefstu]

Ralph,

You seem to have some strange going-ons too !

I dont use the Xp Zip functions and have disabled it because of its view access/behavior at times. I use a third party zip program.

Howard,

I would begin with using a file comparision tool (as ExamDiff, etc) on your original .pte file and the zipped .pte file to verify any internal file differences. The tool will reveal any differences, etc.

The only difference should be the ProjectFilePath= path string ... as far as I know.

** Test and see if your backup zip .pte file opens any differently on your pc ... since we know that it does not open correctly on your friends. If it opens differently ... click Save ... Exit ... and open it again to test.

** You may want to create a new backup zip of the original file again for further tests. Hopefully this will isolate the stage of where the error originates (creation process , zip packing , zip unpacking).

[Hemjr]

Ralph,

You are very observant! I took the zipped file and placed it in a separate folder on the C drive, to isolate it, and then extracted it. I then have two folders in a folder called "backup". If I open the pte file from the extracted folder, it does give landscape. If I open it from the zipped folder it, it gives portrait.

Is this a "peculiarity" of PTE or a "peculiarity" of the Zipped folders?

Igor may have to answer this one.

Howard

[nobeefstu]

My Zip tests reveal all rotations view as prescribed ... however I use a third party zip.

** Try the Open file within PTE GUI instead of double clicking the .pte to open it ... this should solve this quirk behavior no matter your zip extraction proceedure.

The error does not seem to occur in the creation process , zip packing ... but it does seem to reveal its in the way one proceedure in unpacking the zip content. It possibly my be related to XPs cashe file referencing.

[alrobin]

Stu,

I find that iit makes no difference whether I open from the menu or double-click. You may have a point about the use of the cache, but you would think that the file would not be stable over time and different systems if that were the case. In the zip I use, PTE seems to have lost any orientation customization and goes back to the original EXIF data instead.

It's almost as if Igor is tagging the images somehow - but I cannot detect any difference in the script between the original .pte file and the zipped version. Also, if you change the .pte filename in Win Explorer, and open it in PTE, the images still retain their modified orientation in the PTE file list so the registry must not have been altered either.

Also, according to the information provided by IrfanView, the EXIF data for the original images is the same as that for the zipped images. I completely reversed one of the images, and the zipped version is still presented in the same orientation by Windows XP as in the original folder. It's a mystery!

[Hawk]

I notice that in the working folder when one “ Rotates an image “ it creates a “ Wnsoftfloderinfo.ini “ file. ( Rotation information file )

However when “ Create a backup zip “ is created this .ini file is not included ? is it compiled in the .PTE ?

Howard thanks for bringing this to our attention – sure is a mystery.

I have to run to a family outing but will work further with this later in the evening.

[alrobin]

Ralph,

You found the answer.

In my case, for image dsc_0015.jpg rotated, the rotation ini file reads:

"[dsc_0015.jpg]

RotationAngle=3"

So, in order for the image to retain this orientation in PTE, this ini file would have to be imported along with the image file.

[Hawk]

Thanks Al

If this is the case Howard I do hope you still have your working folder.

Lets hope you do, and if so in this folder you will see a file named “WnsoftFolderInfo.ini “. If you copy and paste this file into the not working extracted folder – it should work as intended – all images you chose as rotated.

If your friend puts this .ini file into the folder on his machine after extracting the not working .zip, he should be able to view as you wanted him to after opening the .PTE file.

I am sure Igor will be pleased at you finding this error as it is actually a major one when someone like your self has 100 or more rotated images in a large presentation.

Lets us know how you make out.

Thanks Al and Stu for following along with your input.

[Hemjr]

Thanks Hawk , I do still have the working folder, as I only made the backup to share with a friend so he could see how to do some of the animations, etc.

I will try your solution and use it as an answer until Igor corrects it.

Thanks to all who responded.

Howard

[Hemjr]

Another observation.

When I do a slide show as the one we are discussing in this thread, I organize all pictures in folders and sub-folders, by day the pictures were taken and by the person taking the pictures. It is easier then to organize the show like I desire.

When I started looking for the ini file, I did not see it in the main folder. But I did find it in the subfolders that the pictures were located in. There were multiple ini files. The Ini file in each subfolder had the same name, so it therefore could not be put into the zip drive unless they were in separate folders or they would overwrite each other. Or unless they were consolodated someway prior to going into the zip drive.

Had I not organized the pictures in the several subfolders but in one main folder, The zip drive may have contained the ini file.

I will try a test of a shorter program with pics all in the main project folder to see if the zip drive picks up the ini file.

Howard

[Hawk]

Howard

Had I not organized the pictures in the several subfolders but in one main folder, The zip drive may have contained the ini file.

In my test Howard I used only two images ( rotated ) all files in one working folder and it did not pick up the .ini file in the .zip file.

Give it a try, just to verify.

In your case were you have more than one .ini file, it may only create one main one from the path when " Create Slideshow As " is clicked. Just a wild guess on my part.

I would definatly choose " Create Slideshow As " - " Save As " (exe) before choosing " Create backup in zip "

[Igor]

At this moment I don't know where to better storate rotation information.

If it's JPEG image with rotation flag in EXIF section, this problem will not occur when you backup your project.

For manual rotation of an image, it better do it in "Objects and animation" editor. Because in this case rotation will be performed with hardware acceleration by video card during rendering of a slide with zero cost of CPU time for this operation.

If you manually rotate images in the File list or in the Slide list (or JPEG image contains rotation flag in EXIF field), image will be rotated after loading of an image (but before rendering of a slide) and it will take 20-400 ms. depending on size of an image (1024x768 = ~ 30 ms. or 3400x2200 = ~ 300 ms.).

Probably we'll find a way to do both rotations always with hardware acceleration. There are some logical difficulties with it.

[nobeefstu]

Howard, Ralph, Al, Igor

I was becoming a bit mystified when my investigation/reports/results did not quite match alot your testings ... especially since I could not find the WnSoftFolderInfo.ini anywhere on my system ... and my zip backups functioned/performed properly.

But since reading Igors post ( above ) I have a little bit better understanding and found out why I could not find the rotation file -WnSoftFolderInfo.ini.

I had performed my image rotations within the Q&A editor and not within the Slide List. Using the Q&A editor does not seem to create the rotation file - WnSoftFolderInfo.ini. ( it writes the rotation info directly into the .pte file) ... whereas using the Slide List creates the rotation file - WnSoftFolderInfo.ini and is dependent upon it.

I guess the question now is ... how to get the rotation file - WnSoftFolderInfo.ini automatically during the backup zip stage when a user does the image (without EXIF section) rotation from within the Slide List ? ( Using the Q&A is best ... but many users are still going to use the Slide List)

[Hemjr]

Igor, Thanks for the explanations. It is a simple matter to do the rotations in "O&A" and I will do it this way for now.

Thanks,

Howard