Hide Used Images

[Barry Beckham]

I have been doing some practical AV work using PTE 5.6 and during the actual process I sometimes have difficulty finding the image I have just created for the show from all the others in the File Panel. It ocurred to me that it would be a great advance to be able to hide all images that have already been selected for the slide show from that File panel.

I could then just see the last 5 images I have created rather than having to find them from amongst 55 others .

I am aware that if you switch to text mode the used images are a bit clearer to spot, but a button to hide/Reveal thumbnails used would be a good thing in my View.

[Guest Yachtsman1]

Hi Barry

Firstly I am sure I am expressing the feelings of sadness of many of us on the forum about the happenings in Australia.

Re your suggestion about hiding slides added to the sequence. In my opinion this could be confusing when a particular slide is used more than once. When preparing slides for a show I usually number them sequentially so it is easy to check those previously used.

Yachtsman1.

[ADB]

I'm with Barry on this, I have on two ocassions now on long shows used slides twice unintentionally simply because I didn't pick up it had already been used. A great idea and simply adds to the intuitiveness and flow of making shows.

By the way, we live in the bottom of the South Island of New Zealand about 2500 Km's across the Tasman Ocean from the Bushfires, in the weekend our skies were laden with smoke (we could smell it) and the sun practically reduced to a deep red glow, it felt like about 7pm at 2pm in the afternoon. Can't imagine what it was like in Oz itself.

[davegee]

I can't say that I have a lot of enthusiasm for this suggestion Barry.

The USED images are in BOLD text, as you know, and the unused ones in normal text so I don't find it difficult to find "new" ones.

However, if Igor could build it in as a SWITCHABLE OPTION - why not.

DaveG

[nobeefstu]

Barry,

You have a interesting idea ... but I believe there can be much better approach and more intuitive for all users with out actually hiding the selected image.

Right now when a image is currently selected/clicked it is highlighted in a color backdrop. Instead of hiding the selected image ... the color of the backdrop could be changed or just framed to some degree. This changed frame/backdrop of the image would indicate you have used this image in the Slide list.

This would avoid issues that Yachtsman1 has indicated, and would avoid additional or switchable options which becomes less intuitive ... as the image is always visible and accessable.

Note: Thanks DaveG for pointing out the bold text indication ... I never really noticed it. Maybe in combination with above approach other users wont miss it so easily as I have.

[Guest Yachtsman1]

I think the visiblity problem is exaserbated by the size you set to view the images at, larger images, easier to spot.

Yachtsman1

[nobeefstu]

Yachtsman1,

I think the visiblity problem is exaserbated by the size you set to view the images at, larger images, easier to spot.

Yachtsman1

Yes quite easily overlooked depending the conditions.

In case my above approach was not clear enough ... here is an example. The file panel would always indicate slide used in the Slide List ... much as the bold text indication does. The attached example clearly indicates the slides used and are not easily overlooked as with just bold text.

[Antbrewer]

I certainly think that Barry has put forward an excellent point. I have often found that this is more than a little annoying when you cannot locate the 'changed or new inserted image amonst 100 others in the file panel.

Perhaps the suggestion by 'Nobeefstu' of the frame of the new amended slide being different would be the preferable answer as all the othe slides would still be visible too. this would save looking for a number or name of slide.

Also I had no idea that if changed to the text listing the bold type indicates the used slides.

We live and learn constantly from this forum.

Anthony

[davegee]

Not only in the text listing - in the thumbnail view the titles are either bold or not.

That's been the case as long as I can remember.

DaveG

[Antbrewer]

DaveG,

I cannot believe that I had never noticed that.

Thank you for pointing it out.

Anthony

[Antbrewer]

Back again,

I don't really think that the bold type answers the initial point raised by Barry.

When I insert a new amended image it may well sit between other unused images. So none of them would have bold type.

I still think the 'coloured'frame of 'new' inserted images would be good.

However, maybe many might think these ideas are not strong enough for Igor to incorporate against some of the bigger issues for the next version?

Anthony

[Guest Yachtsman1]

If a colour band was used around the image, the size of the image would have to be reduced, or have less images on the screen. Where multiple similar images run in a sequence to create a particular effect it could be detremental.

Yachtsman1.

PS all my views in this post are based on being a laptop user, the view from a large monitor user would obviously be different.

[davegee]

Hang on Anthony,

If you read my first response to Barry again, I wasn't suggesting the Bold/Normal type was the answer to Barry's post, but rather that it helped in determing which were used and which weren't.

If what Barry wants is included as a switchable option I'm all for it, but I maintain my position about making the PTE experience too ****** complicated if care is not taken.

DaveG

[Antbrewer]

DaveG,

I too would go along with a 'switchable' option ...anything that might make things a little easier to identify the new images.

I totally agree with keeping PTE as simple as we can for basic use.

Anthony

[Barry Beckham]

I think forum members should remember that not everyone works in the same way and a solution to a problem experienced is not always best served by sort of suggesting that person does things differently. The way we do things affects the final end result and I think my way of working is probably fairly typical.

I don't select or pre number my images, because I build my slide shows, one slide at a time and I duck and dive all along the way as ideas occur or as I see my show gradually building up.

If I want to use a slide twice a simple copy and past from the slide list is what I generally do.

It shouldn't be a big thing, a button that says hide used images and one that changes to reveal used images when pressed.

I can't see how that can be confusing

[jfa]

I like nobeefstu solution best (post #7 here).

It suits my way of working, allows the user to see all slides used and unused with the used ones clearly marked and above all it doesn't add more buttons to the main screen, which should be kept as simple and uncluttered as possible.

[Barry Beckham]

I am not too fussed what method is used to show what slides have been used and Nobeefstu's idea is fine with me, but why can't we have both.

If we look at Photoshop, one of it's strengths is that is caters for lots of different ways of working. I suppose it could be argued that the more this is done, the more complex the learning curve is for new users, but that's life really.

To gain functionallity it is a price worth paying and since when has anything worthwhile ever been easy.

Even a key stroke would do me, Hit Ctrl+U and all images used disappear. Hit Ctrl+U again and they return. When I create 20 images all very similar as I have recently to show a map and places, an option like that would be great.

[jfa]

No problems with having both Barry. Your suggestion of using a key combination is OK with me.

EDIT: PS Barry do you think you should change the From: field in your profile?

[Barry Beckham]

Oh yes, I forgot the information on there. Location now correct

[cjdnzl]

I have been doing some practical AV work using PTE 5.6 and during the actual process I sometimes have difficulty finding the image I have just created for the show from all the others in the File Panel. It ocurred to me that it would be a great advance to be able to hide all images that have already been selected for the slide show from that File panel.

I could then just see the last 5 images I have created rather than having to find them from amongst 55 others .

I am aware that if you switch to text mode the used images are a bit clearer to spot, but a button to hide/Reveal thumbnails used would be a good thing in my View.

A somewhat lateral solution to your problem lies in the name you give to your new slides. Since Windows always sorts files in alphabetical order, if you precede the filename with a dash(-) it will sort before all other slides, so it will be at the top of the file list; if you use an underscore(_) it will sort last, and be at the bottom of the list. If you create 5 images using a dash, those five will be at the top of the list, ordered by the next character in the name.

Colin.

[Barry Beckham]

The way I work, the renaming files is not necessary and in fact is not required. Renaming files and getting them in a sequential order is fine for beginners who need that disipline at the start, but I don't need it. I will be in and out of Photoshop and PTE all the time, creating images, using them, removing them from the PTE slide list. I will have so many examples in there that it is troublesome to find the image I want.

Of course there are ways round it, but how much easier would that button be. Show/Don't Show

[davegee]

Surely, renaming files for use in PTE (or anything other than single image comps) is counter-productive?

If, in a couple of years time, you ever wanted to find the original RAW file again, doing a search on the renamed title would only bring up the PTE version.

But, back to Barry's suggestion, a switchable option if possible would do the trick.

DaveG

[stardealer]

Showing the filenames of used images in bold and others in normal has one big shortcoming. Only images that have "main-image" checked are marked bold.

Additional images that are used in O&A are not marked.

Whatever will be implemented to seperate used from unused images should recognize all used images, not only "main images".

Speaking for myself, bold/normal would do the job for me if the shortcoming that I described is eliminated.

regards, Frank

[Barry Beckham]

I was looking over the shoulder of a new user of PTE the other day who was becoming confused that the images chosen in the slide list where all still in the file list and my thoughts came back to this post !!

[photoflora]

I hope this belongs here - I have searched...

In certain circumstances (I'm not sure precisely which - can anyone tell me please?) the bold face titling disappears from the pictures that have been used in a project. This means that the (so far as I'm concerned very useful and quite satisfactory) guide to what's been used and what's not becomes inaccurate. Would it be possible to link the 'bold' facility more permanently, or do I mean closely, to what's in the timeline and the 'slides' list?

Secondary to this, would it be possible to make some other distinguishing mark for files that have been used as 'added images' in Objects & Animations? (At present of course they look as if they haven't been used...)

Thanks in anticipation...

PhotoFlora