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

[uuderzo]

Igor,

I mean if, after returning to the calling slideshow, there is the possibility to specify

if the calling slideshow will restart from zero, or stay where it was previous the run command

or go to another slide. This should be specified in the calling slideshow of course.

I suppose that this would let build more flexible menus.

It was only a hint...

Regards. Umberto

Umberto,

Sorry I didn't understand.

[Igor]

Menu slideshow will restart from same slide (where it was before the call).

If you need more complex behaviour, please use combination of "Run slideshow" action for button and "Run slideshow" on exit from slideshow (with paramter "-slide X" as written above)

[Igor]

Beta 9 is ready now and "Run Slideshow with Return" available:

http://www.wnsoft.com/apr/apr-deluxe_beta.zip (6 MB)

[Hawk]

Igor

We did it

You sure did ! – marvelous – works like a charm.

Re-saved my test menu and added shows in beta 9

Plays back to menu flawless, each added shows now can be viewed separately with no error messages

Thank’s ever so much.

Link to small beta test demo

http://www.picturestoexe.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=9094

[Hawk]

Igor – 5.6 beta 9

Issue with “ Run Application or Open file “

Two shows created with ver 5.52 – Setting - “Close show after last slide “

Menu created with 5.6 beta 9 – Setting – “Run Application or Open file” for the two shows

Ran show one and played OK – when completed it returned to menu with no desktop flash - perfect.

However if I play a second time or play show two.

The show will play twice before going back to menu ( with no flash )

[fh1805]

Igor,

I've just finished checking out the "Run Slideshow with Return" feature and confirm that it completely resolves the issue of "flashbacks" to the desktop on my Windows Vista system (Home Premium SP1). A big well done to all those involved in achieving this!!!!

I also explored what would happen if a target sequence was not built with v5.6. I tried a PTE v4.47 sequence as the target and got a pop-up box warning that there was an error. I got a similar pop-up but with different words when I tried a v5.52 sequence as the target. The error-handling code behaved correctly. For me, it is not a problem to Create again all my sequences using v5.6 so that they will all run cleanly as targets on a menu (I have all the projects stored on my hard-drive). But it would be nice if, at some future date, your wizards could find a way around this limitation.

Once again, my thanks for this wonderful achievement.

regards,

Peter

[davegee]

Hi Peter,

You said: "For me, it is not a problem to Create again all my sequences using v5.6..."

Is it simply a matter of opening an old project in V5.6 and then doing "Save as" or is there more to it?

DaveG

[fh1805]

Dave,

For the target shows I probably will not even do a Save As. All I will do is open the pte file into v5.6 and then do a Create to give me a new exe file. Because of my Folder discipline, the new exe will go into the same folder as the pte file. I will then check that the exe plays correctly in stand-alone mode. Then I will copy that exe file to the same folder as the menu exe (which I will have built using v5.6 and "Run Slideshow with Return") and I will check that the call from and return to the menu is working correctly. After I've done two or three without any problems I will then, almost certainly, cease doing the checks every time and just get the production line running. I'll check a sample of the sequences just to reassure me that things are going as I expect.

regards,

Peter

P.S. I will not be making any changes until the stable release of v5.6. In my opinion, a beta release is for playing with and not for serious use.

[davegee]

Good logic.

I think I will do some serious playing around with it.

DaveG

[Igor]

Ralph,

Igor – 5.6 beta 9

Issue with “ Run Application or Open file “

Two shows created with ver 5.52 – Setting - “Close show after last slide “

Menu created with 5.6 beta 9 – Setting – “Run Application or Open file” for the two shows

Ran show one and played OK – when completed it returned to menu with no desktop flash - perfect.

However if I play a second time or play show two.

The show will play twice before going back to menu ( with no flash )

I can't reproduce this problem. How exactly you started Show1 and Show2? Two buttons for each or one button with two commands?

I did simple test and it works fine:

http://www.wnsoft.com/test/RunApp.zip (3 MB)

Please send me all three projects, I'll try to reproduce this bug.

And what version of Windows you use?

[Ken Cox]

Igor

the finished show is on mediafire

http://www.picturestoexe.com/forums/index....ost&p=59130

this will get you started -- hawk might be on way to work

ken

[Ken Cox]

Igor

Ralp is off to work - he sent me a 3+- mb zip that does not work right -- i have sent him email - he plans on explaining the problem when he finishes work

ken

[davegee]

CHAINING SHOWS

Having mastered (I think!) the art of Menus with “Run Slideshow With Return” I wondered if CHAINING SHOWS would be just as easy?

Not quite, but it is possible, once again without the flashing to the desktop in Windows XP – perhaps I will be get around to Vista a little later.

I used the same Menu and four shows that I used to create the original menu and added an extra button to link to the chain.

I linked from the Menu to Show1.EXE using “Run Slideshow” in Options/More.

I linked from the Show1.EXE to Show2.EXE using “Run Slideshow” in Options/More.

I linked from the Show2.EXE to Show3.EXE using “Run Slideshow” in Options/More.

I linked from the Show3.EXE to Show4.EXE using “Run Slideshow” in Options/More.

I linked from the Show4.EXE to the Menu using “Run Slideshow” in Options/More.

Each of the four shows has to have a new/different EXE file because of the interlinking which is not necessary when linking to shows via “Run Slideshow With Return”.

So, to sum up my menu is now able to access each one of four shows individually or in a chain. It would be possible, by adding three extra buttons, to start the chain at Show2.EXE, Show3.EXE or Show4.EXE and return to the Menu automatically and without flashing back to the Menu.

The whole project/folder contains a Menu and eight EXE files (two for each show).

A problem that I envisage is that transferring the whole project/folder to another computer might be a bit of a nightmare.

More later…….

DaveG

[fh1805]

DaveG,

Provided that you enter in the input field for the "Run Slideshow..." actions just the show file name without path details (e.g. Show1.exe and not C:\My Documents\My AVs\Show1.exe) and provided you keep all the exe files together in one folder, then you can move them (or their folder) around just like any other group of files or a folder and PTE will run the menu and targets exactly as you want it to - any where, any time, any PC - including Vista!

regards,

Peter

[davegee]

Agreed Peter,

I did this quickly today just to see how it works.

If I start again on a different set I would definitely do what you say.

It's less than a dozen links so I will have a go.

Thanks,

DaveG

[Igor]

Peter,

I highly recommend specify full path to EXE files for "Run Slideshow..." commands:

"C:\My Documents\My AVs\Show1.exe" (NOT short path: "Show1.exe"), because PicturesToExe automatically converts it internally to relative paths.

You can even use sub-folders and later move menu and sub-folders to another folder.

For example, we have menu and two slideshows:

"C:\My Documents\My AVs\Menu.exe"

"C:\My Documents\My AVs\Slideshows\Show1.exe"

"C:\My Documents\My AVs\Slideshows\Show2.exe"

Use full paths to call Show1 and Show2 and no problem with moving of "My AVs" folder to another drive or another PC.

[davegee]

Igor,

I accept your recommendation, but I have already changed full path to short path and transferred files to a USB drive to play on my Vista laptop and they work very well from the new folder.

What problems could happen?

DaveG

[Hawk]

Menu created in 5.6 beta 9 using " Run Application or Open File " to run previous PTE versions .exe's

Igor

In regards to your test – Post #35

When I click on your Show 1 - it plays as it should ( once ) and returns to menu.

Now when I click show 2 - it plays twice, then closes to menu.

This is the same problem as I have with my test. ( post #30 )

Can anyone else verify this? - with Igors files - Post #35

Igor says it works OK on his end. ( cannot reproduce my error )

Not the case on my system?

Igor - I have sent you e-mail with link to my test for you to look at using 2 buttons with action "Run Application or Open File" seperatly.

We are running

Windows XP pro SP 3

[potwnc]

Ralph, Igor,

I can confirm the same behavior on my PC that Ralph is seeing. On the second run both shows run twice before returning.

[Hawk]

Ray

Thank you very much for verifying.

I am sure Igor will have an answer.

[fh1805]

Ralph, Ray & Igor,

I've just downloaded Igor's test sequences and run them on my Vista PC. Results as follows:

Ran Show1 not from menu - all OK

Ran Show2 not from menu - all OK

Ran RunApp and ESC - all OK

Ran RunApp and launched Show1 from menu - all OK

Launched Show2 from menu - all OK

Launched Show1 again from menu - not OK!!!!

Show1 ran twice and then without any intervention by me, Show2 also ran twice and then control was returned to the menu. Definitely a bug in there somewhere.

regards,

Peter

[uuderzo]

Igor,

I understand that PTE converts everything to relative paths, but I hope that

also writing "Slideshows\Show1.exe" will work in future since if i have very long

paths I get confused when checking them in the PTE interface.

Anyway, yesterday I done some testing on Run slideshow with return command

(not as deep ad Peter's), and now I feel like a child with a new toy, geeeeh!

Regards. Umberto.

Peter,

I highly recommend specify full path to EXE files for "Run Slideshow..." commands:

"C:\My Documents\My AVs\Show1.exe" (NOT short path: "Show1.exe"), because PicturesToExe automatically converts it internally to relative paths.

You can even use sub-folders and later move menu and sub-folders to another folder.

For example, we have menu and two slideshows:

"C:\My Documents\My AVs\Menu.exe"

"C:\My Documents\My AVs\Slideshows\Show1.exe"

"C:\My Documents\My AVs\Slideshows\Show2.exe"

Use full paths to call Show1 and Show2 and no problem with moving of "My AVs" folder to another drive or another PC.

[Igor]

Ralph,

Thanks, I've reproduced this bug.

I just checked. You can use short file paths ("Show1.exe").

But please don't use relative paths ("Subfoler\Show1.exe"). Because a sequence of slideshows located in different folders can lose path to EXE file in some cases.

Use full paths ("C:\Myshows\Subfolder\Show1.exe"). PicturesToExe will extract relative path automatically.

[Igor]

Ralph,

We just fixed that bug with "Run Application" in next Beta 10.

[Hawk]

Igor

Thank you , very much appreciated

Looking forward to beta 10