User New to PicturesToExe

[padav]

I am a new user of PicturesToExe.

The programme was recommended by the tutor for the Photography Evening Class I am attending. I can see why he recommended the software because it simplifies processes and effects achieved in other more sophisticated applications (I am thinking Flash here) but with much less effort and general messing about.

Maybe I haven't quite mastered the fine details of the software yet but during my first project attempt I have encountered some potential deficiencies - maybe this post belongs in another part of the forum where people suggest features for updated versions but then again maybe the features are there; it's just that I haven't found them yet?

First major problem is default settings

If you want to apply individual labels to slides you set your own text preferences - fine, but what if you don't like the default settings for the text you are applying? Currently, you have to go into each slide and set the font size, type etc. individually. Surely there is way of amending the default setting to the text style you want, then you simply tick the box to use your own preference for that slide, type in the text and hey presto, job done! Of course this only applies if you want to use the same text style throughout the project but I would have thought this was pretty common practice?

Second problem relates to font types

If you have a project that cuts across different cultures it is more than likely that you will want to use different font types within the same project - i.e. Western and Cyrillic scripts plus certain Eastern European language characters. At present it seems you can set a font type for an entire project but not use special language characters for individual slide labels within a project. I've tried using the ASCI character settings and that works up to a point but for example, certain Polish Language characters are not accepted.

Third problem relates to music synchronisation

If you have more than one piece of music to add, the software allows this and even facilitates quite precise timing of the pictures to the music. However whilst the software identifies the point where one track finishes and the next begins, it does not allow you to amend that point - i.e. overlay one piece on the other so that there is a seamless transfer between the tracks. In some instances one track might fade and you want to deliberately fade the next track in underneath the preceding track. This does not seem to be possible at present.

Do any more experienced users of the software have any suggestions - I've probably misread some of the help dialogue.

For background info, I am using the basic version of PicturesToExe on a WindowsXP platform. I have also downloaded and viewed some of the tutorials listed on the website.

Thanks in advance for any guidance/advice offered

[fh1805]

Hi padav,

Welcome to the Forum!

Re your questions about the music tracks. You'll find that most AV workers use separate software to manipulate their soundtracks - mixing tracks together, cross-fading and such like.

One of the most popular is Audacity - available free from http://audacity.sourceforge.net

Many of the PTE Forum members have a wealth of experience with this software, too.

[jfa]

Welcome to the world of PTE A-Vs and the user forum Padav, you will find lots of friendly help and advice here.

Third problem relates to music synchronisation

If you have more than one piece of music to add, the software allows this and even facilitates quite precise timing of the pictures to the music. However whilst the software identifies the point where one track finishes and the next begins, it does not allow you to amend that point - i.e. overlay one piece on the other so that there is a seamless transfer between the tracks. In some instances one track might fade and you want to deliberately fade the next track in underneath the preceding track. This does not seem to be possible at present.

Do any more experienced users of the software have any suggestions - I've probably misread some of the help dialogue.

I agree with your third point and this has been discussed in threads on this forum in the past, see:

http://www.picturestoexe.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=6806

as an example.

Igor has indicated he will be adding the ability to fade in/out, crop, blend and do other editing on sound files in the upcoming versions 5.01 or 5.02 of PTE. Many of us are eagerly awaiting this welcome addition to an already great product.

In the meantime the use of an external sound editor is the next best way to achieve this and as already said Audacity is a very compact, free tool for this.