Trial Review Questions

[MikeV99]

Is it correct that PTE does not have a built in audio recorder (e.g., for adding narrative to a slide)?

I have added some text to the slides. If I preview each slide, I can see the changes. However, when I view all the slides in the Slide List, the changes are not visible. Evidently, the Slide List is just that. Is there anyway to view all the slides in a slide list (or whatever) that will show the slides with the changes being made? I'd like to see thumbnails of all the slides that reflect the changes I have added.

Also, to insert a blank slide one must first create one using CS3 and then insert that image, correct. I.e., no insert blank slide feature exists?

Thanks,

Mike

A couple more questions:

One can use Path and Name of Sound Editor to set the path/name of a sound editor. However, I can find nowhere in the program that uses that information. The doco says 3.3.6 discusses it use, but it does not.

After adding sound to a specific slide using the Sound drop down arrow, how does one preview that slide and hear the sound? If I click "Click Here to Preview the Slide" the slide is previewed, but not the sound. I do not want to run the entire slide show. I just want to preview the slide to which I have added sound.

[fh1805]

Mike,

To take each of your questions in turn:

Q. "Is it correct that PTE does not have a built in audio recorder (e.g., for adding narrative to a slide)?"

A. Correct it does not. A lot of the PTE users make use of Audacity (a free sound editor available here http://audacity.sourceforge.net) to prepare their soundtrack components.

Q. "Is there anyway to view all the slides in a slide list (or whatever) that will show the slides with the changes being made? I'd like to see thumbnails of all the slides that reflect the changes I have added."

A. Igor has indicated that this will be added in the next version (5.2) which is already in development.

Q. "Also, to insert a blank slide one must first create one using CS3 and then insert that image, correct. I.e., no insert blank slide feature exists?"

A. That is correct

Q. "One can use Path and Name of Sound Editor to set the path/name of a sound editor. However, I can find nowhere in the program that uses that information?"

A. I cannot comment on the documentation but see the answer above. PTE does not currently support sound editor from within itself..

Q. "After adding sound to a specific slide using the Sound drop down arrow, how does one preview that slide and hear the sound?"

A. Underneath the bottom right hand corner of the preview panel (the panel where you found "Click here to preview" in the top left corner) is a little icon that looks a bit like a book being opened. If you click on this it will preview the show from that slide and with its associated sound file.

Hope these answers help to further your understanding.

[fh1805]

Mike,

I just realised I forgot something in respect of "insert blank slide". You can add a rectangle and assign it any colour you want via the "Object and Animation" feature. Just drop any image into the Slide List then select it and click on the "O&A" button. Now right click that image, select the Add command off the pop up window and then Rectangle off the next window. You can then use the Properties tab to change its colour etc.

[nobeefstu]

Q. "Also, to insert a blank slide one must first create one using CS3 and then insert that image, correct. I.e., no insert blank slide feature exists?"

Just adding to Peter's post above:

There are several ways to do this. Its simpler in my opinion just to copy any existing slide and paste it as a new slide.

Go to O&A and just delete all the objects in the object list thru the right-click menu.

*Pte still requires that original image during the compilation to create the slide position even though you never see it. Thats why its best to use a existing slide image that will always be in the show ... plus it uses no additional image overhead.

* Definition terms of empty slide vs blank slide needs more detail.

[MikeV99]

Thanks all. That is very helpful. Looks like it is easier to just have a slide with no image on it to insert (just a white background).

It would be nice if one could preview just a single slide, including the sound without having to start a show.

Mike

[Hawk]

Hi Mike – welcome to the forum.

Post #1

I do not want to run the entire slide show

Post #5

It would be nice if one could preview just a single slide, including the sound without having to start a show.

In post #2 ( your last question ) (fh1805) Peter explained how this is done.

Maybe these thumbnail images will help. – click to enlarge.

Image 1

Image 2

Image 3

[jevans]

Hi Mike,

You have identified an omission in the User Guide with regard to the sound editor question. If you go to the "View", "Advanced Options", "Path and name of sound editor" and select the filename and path of your sound editor (e.g Audacity), then add a sound to an image, you can select the image, right click, and select "edit sound comment". This will open the sound file in your chosen editor.

Hope this helps

Regards

[fh1805]

Hi Jeff,

Your post above describes the technique to all the launching of a sound file associated with a single image into the sound editor program. Is there anyway of launching the main soundtrack file into the sound editor from within PTE?

Also, assuming you'll be rectifying the omission in the next version of the User Guide, when you do could you please drop me an e-mail with page/paragraph references so that I can cross-link back from my Audacity User Guide to the relevant section of the PTE User Guide.

Thanks in anticipation,

[MikeV99]

Hi Mike,

You have identified an omission in the User Guide with regard to the sound editor question. If you go to the "View", "Advanced Options", "Path and name of sound editor" and select the filename and path of your sound editor (e.g Audacity), then add a sound to an image, you can select the image, right click, and select "edit sound comment". This will open the sound file in your chosen editor.

Jeff,

I thought that might be the case, but missed it. One can input the sound filename on the Preview Window and Project Options - Music tab. That is a little confusing to have two places to name slide sound files. Will the right click work on only filenames entered on the Preview Window (I'd test it before asking, but am on a different computer)?

Also, I will be curious to see the answer about a project sound file as opposed to a slide sound file.

Thanks,

Mike

[MikeV99]

The Create Slideshow and Create Slideshow As options allow you to create an executable file. My assumption is that the exe can be run on a PC using a copy on portable media such as flash memory or as a copy on a CD or DVD. Correct?

The "Permit control of show using keyboard option" allows one to control the show via keyboard commands. The doco says, "A complete set of Keyboard Shortcuts is included at the end of this document." This part is a little confusing to me. My take is that the APPENDIX A – PTE KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS lists keyboard shortcuts that can be used within PTE, not to control the flow of the compiled exe show. Is that correct? (BTW, Preview for F5 is misspelled in appendix A).

The manual also says, "As demonstrated in some online tutorials, you may even create your own menus to jump to any slide in the slideshow." Which tutorials demo that feature? Is it something that one can do within PTE, or does one have to use an additional application?

I am toying around with a how one might create an index for archived images stored on a DVD. For example, lets say one wants to store 100 images (as jpeg or whatever files) on an archival DVD (not a video DVD, just copy the files to the DVD). One could mount that DVD on a PC, and use anyone of several different image viewer to find and view one of the files. However, lets say one wants to see a specific image. Based on the paragraph quoted above, can one use a PTE exe to find and view anyone of those stored images. Maybe create contact sheets showing thumbnails of the images with their relative number that are stored on the DVD? One could also print a copy of those same contact sheets as a means to quickly view what is on each DVD. Then could one would specify which image to view while running the PTE exe? Can something such as this be done? Using PTE alone or with an additional application? That would really be neat if it can "easily" be accomplished. Would the images have to be in the compiled exe or could they be stored as the original file format? (My apologies if my explanation is a little unclear; just trying to visualize what I want and whether it is feasible.)

Advice or ideas?

Thanks.

Mike

[fh1805]

Mike,

You wrote "The Create Slideshow and Create Slideshow As options allow you to create an executable file. My assumption is that the exe can be run on a PC using a copy on portable media such as flash memory or as a copy on a CD or DVD. Correct?"

Correct! The exe file is totally self-contained and can be written to any valid PC storage device (removeable or fixed). If written to removeable media then the file can be transferred to a different device and it will run from that removeable media. There is no need to copy it to the hard disk of the recipient PC. However, it is most strongly recommend that you do, since removeable media are, typically, slower devices than the hard-drive. Running off flash memory, CD or DVD increases the risk of playback problems caused by slow read activity. Having said that, I have never encountered a problem when running a PTE exe file off flash memory. I have had, and have witnessed, problems running them straight off the CD or DVD. The recipient PC must be of a similar spec to the creating PC if animation effects have been used, in order to be certain that these will play successfully.

You also wrote "The "Permit control of show using keyboard option" allows one to control the show via keyboard commands."

My understanding of this option is that when ticked, you can pause and resume the show by pressing the spacebar as a toggle. I am not aware that it offers any greater control than that. More learned folks than me might be able to enlighten us both!

Finallly, the last part of your post leads into the subject of "menus". Can I suggest that you create a new topic that includes the word menu in its title and cut and paste this question there? I'm certain there will be many members interested in the ensuing discussion. This present topic's title doesn't really give a clue to the direction it is now taking. It is usually a good idea to open a new topic when you want to introduce a totally new theme.

[jevans]

Peter/Mike,

Firstly the launching of the sound editor only works with sound files attached to an image and NOT for the sound file for the whole project which is attached to the project via Projection Options/Music tab.

Peter : I will try to remember to let you know when we modify the guide. We will probably not make a new version until there is a significant change in the functions of PTE.

Mike : Not completely sure I understand what you are trying to achieve but I think it would be possible but very cumbersome to do this using PTE. To create a project in which there is a "Menu" image with items which allow you to jump to another image or run another PTE project, you need either to add all the other images into the main PTE project, or in the case of calling up another PTE project, create this additional project.

For example. Suppose I have created several individual PTE projects covering different subjects. I can create a master project with a menu slide in which I can click on a link to run any of the separate projects. Alternatively, I might create a single PTE project with many slides in which I want to jump from one image to another one. I can do this with a link in a slide which when clicked, jumps to another part of the slide show. Looking at our guide again, I don't think this is explained very well. Perhaps we can improve in the next version.

Regards