The Project Options

[Barry Beckham]

Am I the only person who cannot get this to do anything at all.

Example, change the startup window details to reflect who I am, where the web site is etc etc, but I cannot get it to show in the Startup window in the Main Tab.

The only place my changed text shows in in the messages tab

[fh1805]

Hi Barry,

I'd never used this feature before but all I did was:

Project Options...Main tab

Tick "Show startup window"

Click on Customize startup window button alongside

Keyed in my name in the Author field and soem text in the Comments field

OK'd twice

Preview

...and I got a little pop-up that showed me the data I had just keyed in some fields.

is this what you are trying to achieve?

[fh1805]

Barry,

Further to my post above... if I now go for Project Options... Messages tab I do NOT see the data that I keyed in to the Start-up window fields via the Project Options Main tab route.

Either one of these routes is redundant or there is a bug in the code somewhere.

[Barry Beckham]

FH

Do it the other way round, isn't the message tab where we can set that information so it shows automatically in the main tab > Customise startup.

It doesn't

I can get the customise start up working from the main tab, but what purpose does the messages tab serve, because its passing me by completely.

I wonder if the messages Tab is used by anyone.

[Ken Cox]

i think Nobeefstu had an entry re the use of it - maybe last year -

http://www.picturestoexe.com/forums/index....amp;#entry43938

maybe this will help you Barry

ken

[Barry Beckham]

Well. I have to make the point that if so called experts in the use of PTE have to ask for help because they cannot fathom what the hell something does, then it badly needs sorting or it needs discarding.

[fh1805]

I agree with you on this one , Barry. Either the Startup screen options in the Messages tab should work as we would expect them to, or they should be removed. Perhaps a suitable solution would be to have the Project Options...Main tab simply show the tick box "Show startup window", remove the Startup Window section from the Project Options...Messages tab and introduce a new Project Options tab "StartUp window" to hold these values.

regards,

Peter

[davegee]

There are a couple of possibilities, Barry.

One - Nobody uses it.

Two - Because of One nobody has realised that there is a possible bug and has not reported it.

UNTIL NOW.

DaveG

[xahu34]

Hi,

Just a question: To which buttons refer the entries in the window "messages"?

Thanks in advance!

Xaver

Munich

[fh1805]

Xaver,

The buttons referred to in the Messages tab are those used on the Start-up window. This is something that can be optionally added to a project. I've built a short example sequence and loaded it to MediaFire here: http://www.mediafire.com/?ykmghuzdtlz. The file is about 2.4MB in size.

regards,

Peter

[xahu34]

Peter,

Thank you for the fast and exhaustive (hopefully the correct expression) reply!

Best regards,

Xaver

Munich

[Ken Cox]

Peter

thanks for jogging my memory - -I used to use that feature all the time - early 2000 but quit using with advent of vcd cause it is not shown on vcd/dvd

also the tool bar does not show when shown on tv

i used it to id the version etc of the show

ken

[fh1805]

Xaver,

Your use of English is just fine! I am always impressed by the ability, of those for whom English is a second language, to get across complex ideas that are understandable by those for whom English is their only language.

Ken,

As I said above, I've never used this feature. When I have seen it used by others I have always felt that it came across as "amateurish" and "unprofessional". I much prefer to transition from a menu system to the first image in each show (usually a black slide but sometimes a plain background).

regards,

Peter

[davegee]

Hi Peter,

Your post above reminded me - you were going to update us on the results of your research into Menu Systems.

Did I miss it?

Best wishes,

DaveG.

[Ken Cox]

Peter

back in the late 3 early 4 versionms we were all amateurs

some of us still are but we are having fun being able to try and help others struggle thru'

Myself and others were burning shows to vhs tape then and they were well received even tho they were made by amateurs - some members were selling taped shows even

gone are the good old days

ken

[fh1805]

DaveG,

No you didn't miss it. I never got around to posting my more recent findings. Now I've got to find the original thread (or start a new one). I think I'll start a new thread.

(msg for Ken Cox: once I've got the new thread up, if you then happen upon the original thread in your archives, could you please put in a link from the old to the new? Cheers)

regards,

Peter

[JEB]

Hi,

I'm not sure that I'm picking this up properly - but as usual it wont stop me from sticking my nose in!!

My reason being that I do use this feature from time to time and would not like to see it go. Just for the devilment and to be controversial (as is my way) I don't think it looks unprofessional!!!

As I see it there are two options available via the Show Start Up Menu pop up.

Either you can have

1) an image appear in a window at the start of a show with the title that you have keyed in together with an option to include an "exit" and or "Help" button.

or

2) a dialog box with author data as posted by Ken.

But you can't have both nor can you have the additional info contained in (2) included in (1) which is a shame in my view. PTE wont let you do that.

All the best.

John

[fh1805]

John,

All opinions are welcome here! I don't think anyone is advocating a removal of the feature. It's just that, as Barry identified, it doesn't all seem to work as some of us believe it should. I have a lot of sympathy with Barry's views that a feature should either work or be removed if nobody is using it. If you read my post #7 you will see that I propose a restructuring of the options so that the feature is retained, but all in one place. There's a similar discussion going on in another thread about Preferences. The tone of that discussion is the same as this one: yes, we need the function, but it should all be in one place and one place only.

I feel very strongly that, with any software, the user interface has to be totally consistent, with each option existing in one place and one place only. If that option has a keyboard shortcut then that shortcut should have exactly the same effect no matter in what context it is used. If the option is associated with a Toolbar icon, then no matter where that icon appears the function should be identical. In the past PTE seemed to suffer occasionally from the fact that it has evolved as much as it has been designed - by which I mean that sometimes new function seemed to be added without a thorough rethink of how this was going to impact on the user interface. The development team's work on PTEv5.5 was an excellent job of cleaning up the user interface. They now have the product heading in an excellent direction as far as the user interface is concerned.

But I suspect that there are still one or two bits and pieces that could still be cleaned up. The startup menu - and the user interface to its various settings - looks like it might be one such item.

regards,

Peter

[JEB]

Peter,

I agree in principal with all you have said regarding the user interface. This is a superb product and we are very fortunate that all of what is discussed hear is read and considered by Igor and his team. I have raised issues myself in the past and have found them acted upon, so recognize the benefits of this debate.

Incidentally, while on this subject, how does one input "help" instructions under the Help Button? I have never tried to do this until now and can't find the way it's done.

Regards

John

[Ken Cox]

Peter

quote "(msg for Ken Cox: once I've got the new thread up, if you then happen upon the original thread in your archives, could you please put in a link from the old to the new? Cheers)"

guess Im missing something - what "original thread"?

Peter check your email

ken

[fh1805]

Ken,

Earlier this year there was a long discussion that developed on the subject of menu sequences (I'm not sure the original subject reflected the discussion that subsequently developed). As far as I recall one of the regular contributors to that thread was Cor from the Netherlands (userid CorvdK or similar). Cor's input was very detailed and, as I recall, it stemmed from a public exhibition that a Dutch organisation was putting on.

When I get to my next coffee break I'll try searching it out myself - but I'm multitasking today: household chores, gardening, paperwork, staying abreast of e-mails and forum posts, etc. And the sun's shining and I'd rather be out with the camera!!!!!

Peter

[Ken Cox]

check your email

peter.appleton3@ntlworld.com

ken

[fh1805]

John,

You wrote:

...how does one input "help" instructions under the Help Button? I have never tried to do this until now and can't find the way it's done.

You and me both!

I can change the help button caption. I can change the Title bar of the window that opens when I click on that button. But I cannot find a way of adding either directly keyed text or a link to a pre-keyed text file. I've even tried browsing the project pte file in Notepad and cannot find any obvious references there (other than the ones I've already used)

Over to Igor and his team to explain this one....

Peter

[Ken Cox]

http://www.picturestoexe.com/forums/index....ost&p=52610

Cor menu inst's

ken

[fh1805]

Well done, Ken! That's the thread I was referring to.

Thanks,

Peter