New "Run Slideshow" command in v5.6 Beta 8

[Igor]

"Run Slideshow" command in version 5.6

Since version 5.6 Beta 8 we have added a new command "Run Slideshow". It starts another slideshow from current one. We highly recommend to use this command instead of "Run application" if you start slideshow.

Purpose:

- Run another slideshow;

- Play a series of slideshows;

- Creating menu slideshow to run other slideshows.

Benefits:

- A sequence of slideshows plays almost as one large slideshow.

- Flawless start of next slideshow (no visual problems such as quick appearing of desktop).

- Less memory and video memory usage (because only one slideshow exists in memory).

- No need to disable hardware acceleration for menu slideshow.

This command available:

- An action for object on mouse click (see Objects and animation editor);

- A command on exit from slideshow (after last slide or on any exit including pressing of Esc key).

Requirements:

All EXE files of linked slideshows should be created with same version of PicturesToExe. If it's impossible to rebuild EXE file (project file has been lost), please use old command "Run application".

How to create menu slideshow:

Menu slideshow should has a slide with an object "Run slideshow".

How to play a sequence of slideshows:

Each slideshow should has command "Run slideshow" in Project options | More tab. And "Run only when last slide has been shown" should be choosed.

How to automatically get back from Slideshow2.exe to Menu.exe slideshow on pressing of Esc button or when slideshow ends:

Turn on "Run slideshow" command in Project options | More tab. And choose "Run on any exit (including pressing of Esc key)".

[Ian]

Hi Igor

I've just tested this and it works smoothly in launching the new slideshow. However, the "wait for key press to advance" is not yet functional in the beta, so menus with several pages don't yet function properly.

Also, I can't figure out how to return to the menu after the launched slideshow exits. On my test the menu has also quit.

Ian

[denwell]

Igor

Thanks for this great new feature which will be well used - but I can confirm what Ian is saying - both slideshows quit together. There seems no way to return to the menu!

DEN (NE UK)

[davegee]

Ian/Den,

Make a two slide menu.

First slide = 5000 seconds; second slide (copy of first) = 4 seconds.

Make a slide show to go to and link it back to the menu after 4 seconds.

Press forward arrow to go to second slide in menu and after 4 seconds the second slide show will appear.

After 4 seconds it will open up the menu again.

Endless loop - superb.

DaveG

[Igor]

Ian,

Den,

the "wait for key press to advance" is not yet functional in the beta

It will work in the next Beta 9.

Also, I can't figure out how to return to the menu after the launched slideshow exits. On my test the menu has also quit.

Say we have Menu.pte and Slideshow.pte projects. In Slideshow.pte go to Project options | "More" tab and choose "Run slideshow" command, type "Menu.exe" . And important thing - choose "Run on any exit (including pressing of Esc key)" option.

[davegee]

"In Slideshow.pte go to Project options | "More" tab and choose "Run slideshow" command, type "Menu.exe" ."

That's what I meant by "link it back to the menu".

I hadn't tried the "Run on any exit (including pressing of Esc key)" option.

DaveG

[Igor]

In fact "Run slideshow" works like "open project" function. It opens next slideshow keeping current initialized screen mode, and slideshow's engine. (Of course, if another slideshow has windowed/fullscreen mode, enabled/disabled hardware acceleration, slideshow's engine automatically will re-initialize display mode.)

So I highly recommend use this new feature:

- It guarantees flawless start of new slideshow, especially under Windows Vista;

- It saves video memory and CPU (one slideshow in memory) = smooth playback, no conflict between two slideshows for one computer resources.

[denwell]

Thanks for that Igor

I didn't appreciate that I would need to programme "slideshow.pte" to re-launch the menu, as it is already programmed to remain on screen - but it does work!

This is a great feature, and I'm pleased to hear that the "wait for key press to advance" is to return soon to allow manual advance/reverse of shows.

It just gets better!

DEN (NE UK)

[JPD]

About test of beta #8, I just have test mp4 function, now I must say the result is good, better than all tests I did before to ask for 20 000 Kbps and 50/60 fps options.

Of course, today, it's difficult to use full HD at 60 fps, but it's begin to be possible, I have test during 16 hours since yesterday and have write a report in french here (haven't enough time to translate).

Bravo to Igor and team for this work. I'll test other new features to morrow.

Just a question to Igor, I did several versions of Versailles in mp4 60 fps, the one at 10 000 Kbps need less power than the both at 7 800 Kbps ant 12 000 Kbps, have you an explanation to give me, I haven't any idea why.

Note : It seems that a little bug about the frame server PictureToExe Video Codec has been fixed, there was on the left of the frame a line of one pixel grey and the picture resize inside all the other part on V5.52 and now it's perfect.

[Hawk]

Igor

5.6 beta 8

In regards to “Run Slideshow” command

I created a menu with two test shows and all works as it should from the .exe files and back to menu perfectly.

A little caution when editing and previewing one of the shows.

I find you must turn off “RUN SLIDESHOW” in the “More” tab until editing is done.

“Don’t Run “

If not turned off, when you preview at the end of show you will get a “Slideshow ERROR” message “ PteShow file not found: Menu.exe” and computer makes weird sounds and locks up.

Task manager sometimes will not pop up to terminate and I had to power down.

ADDED

Note – Just another word of caution with these menu added shows, which is quite understandable.

I copied one of the menu driven added shows and pasted elsewhere on hard drive, when ran from that location computer locked up at end of show.

Of course it is looking for “Menu.exe”

So

If you were to send to someone or post a single show – from - the created menu shows you must first edit the “More” tab and turn off slideshow – select “Don’t Run “ and re-name / re-save as / re-create exe.

If not the viewer will get the above “Slideshow ERROR” and possible computer lock up.

[fh1805]

Igor/Ralph,

...Note – Just another word of caution with these menu added shows... If you were to send to someone or post a single show – from - the created menu shows you must first edit the “More” tab and turn off slideshow – select “Don’t Run “ and re-name / re-save as / re-create exe. If not the viewer will get the above “Slideshow ERROR” and possible computer lock up.

I don't whether my suggestion is codeable or not but...

If we had an execution time switch (-Next=xxxxxxx) so that we could launch the target show by "TargetShow.exe -Next=Menu.exe" then we could build all the target shows as "stand-alone" shows and leave it to the menu show to provide the return address to the target show at the time of calling the target show.

Hope I've made myself clear enough there.

If this is possible then I would suggest there should be two data entry fields available when the "Run Slideshow..." option is activated for the "Action on mouse click". The first would prompt for the target Slideshow name and the second would prompt for the Next show name. If this second field was left blank then the target sequence would have to provide this information if it was required. In this way, with the second field blank, it would still be possible to build chains of slideshows.

regards,

Peter

[denwell]

Peter

A good point! I experienced the 'lock up' and weird screeching and then began to think about the need to produce two versions of each show, one as stand alone and one to form part of the menu-driven show - rather a chore and confusing if they get mixed up.

I'm in no way technically minded, but on purely practical grounds I would support your suggestion to Igor.

DEN (NE UK)

[uuderzo]

Peter,

Personally, I fear the need of building duplicates of the shows because one is embedded in a menu

and the other is stand alone.

I fear too the weirdness of configuring into menu.exe the run slideshow with a parameter stating

that menu.exe must be launched after... too much assembly like, you know

I don't say that this should not be implemented (anyway it's weird) but I feel that the "nesting"

concept should be considered. And lets the menu to be restored at the right point without

restarting from zero each time.

My ideal solution is: the calling show keeps track of where it was when the nested show was launched.

When exiting the nested show the calling one is restored where it left off. Maybe an optional parameter can

instruct the calling show what to do after. If missing it restores itself, if present maybe can force the calling show to go to another slide, or to do something else. Anyway, if the nested show contains a "run after" command, this could be considered in precedence. If missing, the more natural (to me) behaviour of restoring the calling point should be considered.

Regards. Umberto.

If we had an execution time switch (-Next=xxxxxxx) so that we could launch the target show by "TargetShow.exe -Next=Menu.exe" then we could build all the target shows as "stand-alone" shows and leave it to the menu show to provide the return address to the target show at the time of calling the target show.

[Igor]

Jean-Pierre,

Just a question to Igor, I did several versions of Versailles in mp4 60 fps, the one at 10 000 Kbps need less power than the both at 7 800 Kbps ant 12 000 Kbps, have you an explanation to give me, I haven't any idea why.

H.264 is a complex video format. Difficult to say how it works inside.

Ralph,

A little caution when editing and previewing one of the shows.

I find you must turn off “RUN SLIDESHOW” in the “More” tab until editing is done.

“Don’t Run “

If not turned off, when you preview at the end of show you will get a “Slideshow ERROR” message “ PteShow file not found: Menu.exe” and computer makes weird sounds and locks up.

Task manager sometimes will not pop up to terminate and I had to power down.

1) We'll try to get "Run Slideshow" work correctly in Preview mode (especially when EXE is not created yet).

2) And we just improved algorithm of searching of EXE files in various cases.

For both - Beta 9.

P.S. I moved posts related with "Go to label/Go to slide" to a new topic:

http://www.picturestoexe.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=9075

[Igor]

I copied one of the menu driven added shows and pasted elsewhere on hard drive, when ran from that location computer locked up at end of show.

Of course it is looking for “Menu.exe”

Ok, we will not show this warning if slideshow (in EXE mode) can't find EXE file. But in Preview mode this warning can be shown.

More simple making of menu

Also if you wish we can try make possible command "Run Slideshow with Return" to go automatically back to menu without additional adjustements in second slideshow.

[fh1805]

Igor,

More simple making of menu

Also if you wish we can try make possible command "Run Slideshow with Return" to go automatically back to menu without additional adjustements in second slideshow.

If you can provide this feature it would make things so much simpler for us all. It would mean the target sequences could be just normal sequences and all the complexity is placed where it should be, in the menu.

I hope you can make this happen. Good luck to the programmers!

regards,

Peter

[Ian]

More simple making of menu

Also if you wish we can try make possible command "Run Slideshow with Return" to go automatically back to menu without additional adjustements in second slideshow.

This would be the best option by far. It would allow the new menu to run slideshows from dfferent people - eg for a competition or festival - where it would be impossible to embed a 'run menu' command. In this case there might be a variety of shows by different authors, some of which won't have been created in the compatable PTE version. I guess the command would have to be tested from the menu to see which shows it would work with, then use the 'run application' option on the ones that failed to start.

Ian

[uuderzo]

I agree with you Ian.

This kind of "fault tolerance" would be welcome when running shows produced by different people.

Moreover, the possibility to return to the menu without changing the called shows it's really

needed when many people cooperate to build one single production.

I think also that an "after run slideshow" behaviour (say: restore to pre-launch point, restart menu,

go to slide and so on) could be useful. I would prefer the "restore to pre-launch point" behaviour

as default, because this is the behaviour that 5.5 has. So an unchanged slideshow project would

behave the same both in 5.5 and 5.6 (well, changing only run application to run slideshow)

Regards. Umberto.

This would be the best option by far. It would allow the new menu to run slideshows from dfferent people - eg for a competition or festival - where it would be impossible to embed a 'run menu' command. In this case there might be a variety of shows by different authors, some of which won't have been created in the compatable PTE version. I guess the command would have to be tested from the menu to see which shows it would work with, then use the 'run application' option on the ones that failed to start.

Ian

[Igor]

Agreed.

[Igor]

We did it - "Run Slideshow with Return" command. Beta 9 should arrive soon.

[fh1805]

Igor,

That's excellent news! I look forward to exploring this feature when you release beta 9. Does this mean that only the menu sequence has to be built with v5.6 and that the called sequences can be built with any version?

regards,

Peter

[Igor]

Peter,

To build menu since Beta 9 you needn't add changes to called slideshows. Just configure "Run Slideshow with Return" in the main menu presentation.

But all called slideshows and menu should be created in same version of PicturesToExe - these slideshows play as one large slideshow. Because of this we were able reach flawless starting of another slideshow.

[xahu34]

...all called slideshows and menu should be created in same version of PicturesToExe...

Do you mean that the creation process of all components has to to be done with the same running instance of PTE (within the same PTE session)?

Regards,

Xaver

[uuderzo]

Igor,

These are great news.

I look forward to test this new version.

Did you implement also some kind of "after sub-slideshow" behaviour?

Regards. Umberto.

[Igor]

Xaver,

Do you mean that the creation process of all components has to to be done with the same running instance of PTE (within the same PTE session)?

No, of course!

Just all EXE files should be built in same version of PicturesToExe. Say version 5.7 or version 5.6 Beta 9. EXE files can be created at any time. Just with one particular version of PicturesToExe.

Umberto,

Sorry I didn't understand.

We added optional parameter "- slide X" to both commands "Run Slideshow" and "Run Slideshow with Return". If you would wish start another slideshow from 5th slide instead first slide. The command line will look:

"C:\MySlideshow2.exe" -slide 5