Is there anyway of keeping the image behind the

[goddi]

Greetings,

When I make some of my slideshows, I like to have the Screen set around 95% so that a boarder surrounds the images as they play. However, when I zoom in an image, and the image gets larger, the image will cover the boarder. Is there a way to keep the boarder that I created in Screen so that it does not get covered by the image when I zoom in?

Also, this problem comes up when I reposition an image so that it covers the boarder created with Screen. Say I move them way to the left or right to put on several image in one slide. It would be nice if I could control the 'Order' of the boarder to tell it to 'Bring to Front'. Is there a way to do this now or should this be a request to Igor???

(I am sure there is a way to make a frame in Photoshop and bring it into the show for each slide but want the flexibility that we have now within the PTE program to make the adjustments to the boarder as to size, color and gradient.)

Thanks... Gary

[Lin Evans]

Hi Gary,

If I understand you correctly, I believe you are going at this the wrong way. What you need is a "mask" to keep the images behind. It's very easy to create one in Photoshop then simply change the border color, gradient, etc., then save these different masks to choose among for your shows rather than change the percentage of the screen.

A mask is simply a border with a transparent center rectangle which sets in front of your image. When the image is zoomed in and naturally gets "larger" the excess is hidden behind the border portion of the mask.

If you will tell me the aspect ratio of the screen you display on and the display resolution (1024x768, 1280x1024, etc.I will make you a quick black mask which you can then take into Photoshop and simply use the "select color" feature to change the border color or add tiles or gradients or all the above. Save each one under a different name and simply put the mask in as an object in the layer "above" your image. This way you don't need to change the percentage, etc., and will not have the problems you are encountering.

Best regards,

Lin

[1colibri]

I godi,

I use to explain in a VIDEO tutorial how to manage that situation,

unfortunatly this is in french language but you can watchit and probably understand it with the images.

http://www.1colibri.com/video_show/index.php?reference=pte36

Regards

Jean-Claude

[goddi]

Hi Gary,

If I understand you correctly, I believe you are going at this the wrong way. What you need is a "mask" to keep the images behind. It's very easy to create one in Photoshop then simply change the border color, gradient, etc., then save these different masks to choose among for your shows rather than change the percentage of the screen.

A mask is simply a border with a transparent center rectangle which sets in front of your image. When the image is zoomed in and naturally gets "larger" the excess is hidden behind the border portion of the mask.

If you will tell me the aspect ratio of the screen you display on and the display resolution (1024x768, 1280x1024, etc.I will make you a quick black mask which you can then take into Photoshop and simply use the "select color" feature to change the border color or add tiles or gradients or all the above. Save each one under a different name and simply put the mask in as an object in the layer "above" your image. This way you don't need to change the percentage, etc., and will not have the problems you are encountering.

Best regards,

Lin

====================

Lin,

Thanks for your explanation and offer. But I don't think I would want to go this route. I am currently working on a slideshow with about 170 slides. If I understand you method, I would have to include this mask 170 as an object in each slide. And if I change my mind in size, color or gradient, I would have to do it 170 times again. I would prefer to be able to do it within PTE so I can see the changes right there.

It would be nice if Igor could come up with a mask within PTE to do this, that works just like the Screen but is effectively like the mask you discuss.

Thanks... Gary

Jean-Claude, Thanks for that video tutorial. My French is zero, but I will get my wife to translate it. But it looks like you are using a mask created as a PNG and inserted as a copyright logo. That, I think, would help in making it easier to insert the mask into all slides with one click. Thanks for the help.

Thanks...Gary

P.S. Just had a thought. What would happen if the slideshow was viewed at a different display resolution than what you had created it as???

[mhwarner]

====================

It would be nice if Igor could come up with a mask within PTE to do this, that works just like the Screen but is effectively like the mask you discuss.

Thanks... Gary

Gary,

I believe that version 5.6 will include some sort of mask object. Obviously, we will have to wait for the first beta to see how it works(which according to Igor's last posting before his trip is on schedule for the end of September). But I'm guessing that in any case, it will be necessary to "touch" every single slide in the show to use it. If you're not in a huge hurry to finish your show, you might wait until next week to see whether we get a nice surprise from the PtE team.

[goddi]

Gary,

I believe that version 5.6 will include some sort of mask object. Obviously, we will have to wait for the first beta to see how it works(which according to Igor's last posting before his trip is on schedule for the end of September). But I'm guessing that in any case, it will be necessary to "touch" every single slide in the show to use it. If you're not in a huge hurry to finish your show, you might wait until next week to see whether we get a nice surprise from the PtE team.

==========

Mary... Thanks for the heads-up on this issue. No rush. I know it is easy for me to say but it would be so nice if the Screen effect can magically be a 'mask'.

Thanks... Gary

[Lin Evans]

Hi Mary,

Masking must be done on individual slides, there is no way to use a single mask for all slides unless it's inserted as an object with each instance - that goes for 5.6 as well as previous versions.

I assumed that Gary wanted to perhaps have different borders for different slides hence the suggestion to make a mask then alter the border and save as selectable masks. To do what he wants would require a "foreground" alternative something like the "background" alternative we have now. I wouldn't be impossible to implement but it would require a switch to "insert" on all slides. Then there would be the issue of different masks required for landscape images versus portrait images. Background images are not subject to the same issues since the front image would cover more or less and still show the background which uses the whole screen.

It could get tedious to program a foreground image because if there were mixed aspect ratio or mixed image sizes it would require individual attention for each. It "could" be done as suggested by Jean Claude but would still be subject to the same issues mentioned above.

Something for Gary to suggest in the proper place on the forum I suppose.

Best regards,

Lin

[mhwarner]

Hi Lin,

Yes, I assumed that since Igor referenced masks as "objects" it would be necessary to go into the object editor for every slide. And while I watched Jean Claude's video several times (since I don't speak any french, of course, I had no clue what he was saying). But I found his technique interesting, so just for fun, I created a 1600 x 900 black file then deleted the center 1024 x 768 to transparency. Then I went into the program properties and loaded the transparent .png as a logo and set it to centered, 100% opacity, 100% size, etc. When I previewed my show, since I had set a black background as well, all of my zooms and pans on larger files were indeed contained inside the transparent center frame -- a very cool technique which requires only a couple of clicks in the project options. I will try some additional experiments when I'm don't have a programming deadline looming. It does seem to solve the problem of pans and zooms displaying outside the chosen image area (as when the screen might be set at 90% or 95% to accommodate the save zone). The exact sizing of the transparent frame is something one would have to experiment to get it just right.

Gary, Experiment with the above technique. I think it will do what you are looking for -- without requiring you to edit every single slide. (Thanks to Jean Claude for the idea, even though I think it is slightly different from the way he is doing it!)

[goddi]

Gary, Experiment with the above technique. I think it will do what you are looking for -- without requiring you to edit every single slide. (Thanks to Jean Claude for the idea, even though I think it is slightly different from the way he is doing it!)

=================

Mary... I would give it a try but my expertise with Photoshop is limited. I know what you are talking about but I don't know exactly how to make that slide. But I will poke around and give it a try.

Thanks... Gary

[Lin Evans]

Hi Gary,

It's "very" easy to make the initial mask in Photoshop. Open Photoshop and choose "file" "new". Set background to transparent and set the size to whatever you want to cover as the maximum size scree resolution. For the purpose of instruction let me use 1024x768. Use 72 dpi.

Next you will see a checkerboard which is the indication that this is a transparent layer. This checkerboard will be 1024 by 768. Next decide the exact dimensions you want the "hole" to be so you can have you image displayed inside the 1024x768 frame.

Next choose the paint bucket and solid black color. Click in the transparency and it will paint the whole thing black. You now have two layers. The under layer is transparent and the upper layer is black.

Next choose "file" "new" and background color. Choose white and make the dimensions the size you decide for your "hole" such as 1000x744. This would mean that the white rectangle is 24 pixels smaller in dimensions on each of the four sides.

Next do "select" "all" and "edit" "copy" on the white rectangle. Now select the black larger rectangle and do "edit" "paste" This will put your white rectangle exactly in the center of the larger black rectangle.

Next do "select color range" and click on the white rectangle with the slider all the way to the right. This will put a selection rectangle exactly around the white rectangle. Next hit the "Delete" key and the white rectangle will be deleted leaving a selection of the exact size you want for your "hole" in the black.

Next click on "layer" "merge" visible and then hit the delete key. This will punch a perfect rectangle hole in the black border. Save the result and you have your mask.

If you will just give me the dimensions you want I can do this for you in seconds, but you should do it for practice.

Best regards,

Lin

=================

Mary... I would give it a try but my expertise with Photoshop is limited. I know what you are talking about but I don't know exactly how to make that slide. But I will poke around and give it a try.

Thanks... Gary

[1colibri]

Hi

This technique explain in my tutorial is issued from JPD's recommendations.

The goal is to offer the best quality to anyone who wants to watch a .exe file whatever his screen resolution is !

The idea is to use a gauge image as a parent to pilot all the child.

This technique is also help full to manage the safe-zone if you want to create a version to watch on a TV set.

If your community is interested by this technique I will by please to implement some English summary version of it.

Let me know.

Jean-Claude

[fh1805]

Lin,

...To do what he wants would require a "foreground" alternative something like the "background" alternative we have now...

Forgive me if I am misunderstanding everything, but isn't this exactly what Jean-Claude achieves by assigning his masque as a Copyright image? In PTE we can assign Backgrounds at the Project Level and at the Customize Slide level. If my understanding of Jean-Claude's video is correct (and I'm not at all fluent in French) then in order for us users to have both background and foreground flexibility, all Igor needs to do is add the Copyright capability as an option to the Customize Slide tabs.

(I know, I know: "all" is only a little word but the programming load might be considerable!)

regards,

Peter

[goddi]

Hi Gary,

It's "very" easy to make the initial mask in Photoshop. Open Photoshop and choose "file" "new". Set background to transparent and set the size to whatever you want to cover as the maximum size scree resolution. For the purpose of instruction let me use 1024x768. Use 72 dpi.Best regards,.................

Lin

===========

Lin, Thanks so much for the tutorial. I will play with it.

Jean-Claude, A English version would be great!!!

Thanks all... Gary

[Lin Evans]

Hi Peter,

Essentially, yes. The problem is that to have "both" the foreground mask and the "copyright" stamp a user must be comfortable enough with Photoshop. etc., to achieve two goals. First the masks must all contain the copyright manually placed somewhere within the transparency window, and then for those images for which the mask may be inappropriate, an individual PNG copyright file must be placed on individual images. Then there is still the issue of "mixed" aspect ratio or mixed orientation slides which would still have to be handled manually by using a different size or different mask mask as an object.

Like all work-arounds, there are pitfalls. Admittedly, this may not be an issue for everyone, but does raise the level of complexity for the casual user. The "proper" way to achieve this woud be a separate feature which automatically sensed the orientation of the image as well as the dimensions and adjusted the foreground mask accordingly. As you surmise, this would requre a good bit more code.

Best regards,

Lin