[Lin Evans]

Hi Folks,

I've decided to create a series of AVI tutorials which I call "PTE for Smarties". A very popular series of books for computer users called variously "Windows for Dummies", etc. were written to help beginners learn to use Windows and other software.

Well, I don't think there are any "dummies" using PTE. The fact that you have chosen PTE already demonstrates your intelligence so I elected to call this series of beginning and intermediate tutorials "PTE for Smarties" !!

I've created the first few of a continuing series on the elements of Pan, Zoom and Rotate. After all, the primary reason users want to use version 5 of PTE is for the Ken Burns effects of pan, zoom and rotate and this first AVI will jump-start your understanding. It's not intended to be a thorough and complete guide to PZR because later installments will get into esoteric uses of these functions, but this will get the beginner started and the continuing series will eventually make a PTE "expert" out of the beginner.

I chose the AVI format rather than Flash or more compressed modes because it's compatible with nearly every PC without the need to load additional software or drivers. I will continue to add links to this post as time goes on. Necessarily AVI files are larger but hopefully will be worth your time.

A note of caution for all who create PNG objects and expect their slideshows to be shown on computers which "MAY" have different resolution from the one you created the slideshow on. NEVER use "original size" for your objects unless your entire slideshow uses "original" size. In other words "DO NOT MIX" original and fit to slide objects in the same slideshow.

Yes, it's "much" easier to properly position your png overlays when you are creating your slideshow and use the "original size" for your objects, BUT when the slideshow is played on computers with different screen resolutions these objects will "not" fit properly and not properly overlay the original portion of the screen which it is designed to mask. So, remember to never mix "original" and "fit to slide" or "cover slide" in your objects. Keep them consistent.

Note: if for any reason you can't see the video it could be that your system doesn't have the necessary video codec. I used Microsoft MPEG-4 Video Codec V2. If you don't have this one you can download it from here thanks to Ken Cox

http://www.divx-dige...mpeg4codec.html

If this doesn't work for you I suggest using the Freeware VLC Media Player which should solve any problems. Here's the link for it:

http://www.download....4-10267151.html

Index to Tutorials

1. PZR for Smarties:
2. Intermediate Rotate:
3. Esoteric (advanced) Rotate:
4. Uber Rotation Possibilities:
5. Basics of Non-Linear Motion.
6. Basics of Superzoom
7. Basics of Hyperlink
8. Basic Map Route Creation
9. Button Normal, Hover, Pressed
10. Xara Xtreme 4 Photo Frame Extrusion and Reflection
11. Sound and PTE (2 AVI Tutorials)
12. Waterfall Simulation Tutorial with PNG file to simulate falling water
13. PDF Masking Tutorial
14. Creating the Panos Watch with PTE Animation
15. Basic Text Tutorial
16. 3D Transform Demo and Tutorial
17. 3D "Z" Position Demo and Tutorial
18. 3D Cube Creation and Rotation
19. Christmas Snow Cube Tutorial with Template
20. PhotoScape Crop Tool Tutorial
21. Photoscape Splitter and Combine Tool Tutorial
22. Animate any image with snow in under 60 seconds!
22 (a) Snow template
23. Snow Build Up Over Time Tutorials and Components
24. New Animation Feature in 6.5
25. Audio Envelope

This index will be continually updated as new AVI tutorials are added.
Most tutorials are followed with downloadable examples.

1. PZR for Smarties:

Pan/Zoom/Rotate Link (about 64 meg)

2. Intermediate Rotate:

Intermediate Rotate Link (about 38 meg)

3. Esoteric (advanced) Rotate:

Esoteric Rotate Link (about 37 meg)

Demo of esoteric rotation:

Demo Esoteric Rotation Link (about 8 meg)

4. Uber Rotation Possibilities:

Uber Rotation Possibilities Link (about 38 meg)

Demo of Uber Rotate with Helicopter

Demo Uber Rotate Link (about 8 meg)

Note: the above is an older AVI I made in response to Jean Pierre's (JPD) suggestion on how to rotate a helicopter rotor blade horizontally for a simulation which one of our forum members was creating. JPD explained it but being a French native speaker some were not completely clear so I created a brief tutorial to show his method which works very well. When you see the AVI remember that the rectangles will be made invisible via the 100% control of opacity. In the demo animation I created you can see how this works in practice.

5. Basics of Non-Linear Motion (how to set non-linear motion - about 44 meg)

Basics of Non-Linear Motion Link

Demo of Non-Linear Motion (less than 1 meg zipped executable) Note: press ESC to end show...

Demo of Non-Linear Motion Link

6. Basics of Superzoom (how to effect smooth continuing zoom between images - about 60 meg)

Basics of Superzoom Link

Demo of Superzoom technique (about 37 meg zipped executable)

This demo shows a zoom from about 28mm to 2000mm focal length using multiple frames with multiple lenses. Notice the original "prowler" size image inserted inside the "O" of the word Prowler at the end.

Demo of Superzoom Link

7. Basics of Hyperlink (about 74 meg)

This tutorial shows you how to first create and save a small PNG file consisting of a red rectangle with a transparent center using PixBuilder or Photoshop, etc., then how to use it in a PTE show to hyperlink to different detail images from eacMy linkh place the rectangle is placed, The demo zipped executable following shows the completed PTE file.

Basics of Hyperlink Link

Demo of Hyperlink: (about 6 meg)

Demo of Hyperlink Link

8. Basic Map Route Creation (about 69 meg)

Basic Map Route Creation Link

Example file: (about 8 meg)

Example of Map Route Creation Link


9. Link Below to Buttons Tutorial

Buttons: Normal - Hover - Pressed

Link Below to Zipped AVI for download:

Click Here to Download (about 10 meg)

10. Link Below to Xara Xtreme 4 3D Frame Template and AVI Tutorial

Template Link Click Here

Xara Reflection Frame Template Use Demo AVI

11. Links Below to Sound Tutorials (about 45 Download Each)

Sound AVI Tutorial Link One

Sound AVI Tutorial Link Two

12. Link Below to Waterfall Animation Tutorial (about 69 meg)
Also contains PNG file you can use to simulate falling water....

Link to Waterfall Simulation Tutorial - Click Here

13. Link to Mask Tutorial PDF (this will be updated when I better understand all areas of masking)

http://www.learntoma...asktutorial.zip

14. Links to Watch Tutorials and Files which will allow the PTE user to Animate the Panos Photoshop Watch

Link (AVI Tutorial)

Link (PTE Template)

Link (PDF Tutorial)

Link (example of different watch faces and ways to use in PTE)


15. Basic Text Tutorial:

http://www.learntoma...exttutorial.zip

16. 3D Transform Demo and Tutorial:

http://www.learntoma...3Dtrandform.zip

17. 3D "Z" Position Demo and Tutorial

http://www.learntoma...3dzposition.zip

18. 3D Cube Creation and Rotation

http://www.learntoma...ubecreation.zip

3D Tutorial PTE File

http://www.learntoma...rialptefile.zip


19. 3D Christmas Snow Cube AVI Tutorial and Template

http://www.learntoma...avitutorial.zip

http://www.learntoma...ptetemplate.zip

20. Photoscape Crop Tool Tutorial

PhotoScape Crop tool tutorial link

21. Photoscape Splitter and Combine Tool Tutorial

Photoscape Splitter & Combine Tool Tutorial Link

22. Animate Any Image With Snow In 60 Seconds or Less Tutorial:

Link to Snow Animation Tutorial

22. (a) Snow Template

Link to Snow Template


23. Snow Buildup Over Time Tutorials - Suggested for Intermediate/Advanced Users of Photoshop:

Link to Part One of Two (about 110 meg download)

Link to Part Two of Two (about 90 meg download)

Link to Snowglobe Components For Snow Buildup

24. New Animation Feature In 6.5

Link to AVI Tutorial on New Animation Feature in 6.5 (about 17 meg)

25. Audio Envelope in PTE 6.5 Beta 10

Link to Audio Envelope Tutorial Note - At beginning I discuss 3 seconds when I'm actually talking about 30 seconds. Age related - LOL

Lin

[Ken Cox]

NOT ON SERVER YET 11:55 AM

RIGHT CLICK ON
http://www.lin-evans...nzoomrotate.avi

SAVE AS

DOWNLOADING AT 12:24
KEN

[alrobin]

Lin,
In Canada "Smarties" is the name for our equivalent of "M&M's". So from now on, PTE users will also be sweeter than normal!

[Lin Evans]

Hi Ken,

My Host is having difficulties or the internet link is problematic. The file is there but I'm not able to reach my own site so hopefully they will correct it soon.

Hey Al,

You bet - they are all "sweeties" too!!

Best regards,

Lin

[Ken Cox]

same is hung up at 72% at 12:41 pm
ken

[Tomuk]

Lin Evans, on Jan 9 2008, 05:20 PM, said:

Hi Ken,

My Host is having difficulties or the internet link is problematic. The file is there but I'm not able to reach my own site so hopefully they will correct it soon.

Best regards,

Lin

Hi! Lin,

I started downloading ar 17.30 G.M.T and don't appear to have any problem, at 65mg it will take a few moments to complete, I shall inform you of the result.

Regards,

Tom.

[baldsparky]

Hi Lin
I have downloaded both tutorials at 17:58 pm UK time and I have had no problems.
Thanks for the tutorials.

Kind regards

Paul

[Tomuk]

Tomuk, on Jan 9 2008, 05:42 PM, said:

Hi! Lin,

I started downloading ar 17.30 G.M.T and don't appear to have any problem, at 65mg it will take a few moments to complete, I shall inform you of the result.

Regards,

Tom.

Lin,

It's now 17.55pm and I am please to say the download came through without a hitch, it took 5min 48sec to download and the content and quality is absolutly first class, I shall keep a copy on my hard drive as a referance and look forward to the next one in the series.

Tom

[Ken Cox]

both downloaded 13:30 est
06:33 London time
ken

[JudyKay]

Wow! Made myself seasick playing with spinning rectangles and changing angles of rotation.
You could scare yourself with some of these effects. I am imagining a realistic whale emerging from the water and falling back into the sea.

Can't wait for the new Installments!

jk

[stonemason]

Hi Lin
Many thanks for your excellent tutorials, and your genourosity in giving so freely of your time and expertise, it is very much appreciated.

Regards

Geoff

[peterandjean]

Hi Lin
I tried to open your first avi. It tried to open in Windows Media Player 10 but after 10 minutes the egg timer was still present so I closed it down. I am on Broadband. Any ideas please
Jean

[peterandjean]

Hello
I cannot open your avi files. I click on the http site and it hangs in Windows Media 10. I am on Broadband. What am I doing wrong please
Jean

[Lin Evans]

Hi Jean,

I'm not certain what may be the problem - If you have the freeware Irfanview download rather than open the file and try it with Irfanview. There "should" be no problem opening it with Windows but I don't use Media Player myself because it has been problematic in the past. Here is an excellent freeware media player which I believe is much better than Windows:

http://www.click-to-download.com/vlcmediap...ID=120997483512

It's called VCL Media Player and can play various videos which Windows can't.

Also the freeware Irfanview has no problems with the AVI's and the link is:

http://www.irfanview.com

If you download Irfanview be sure to also download and install all Plugins.

It "could" be that you don't have the codec used for the AVI which is Microsoft MPEG-4 Video Codec V2. On way to check would be to look in PTE under Video in the Create Custom Video section but I'm not certain whether the window is wide enough to let you see the entire codec name.

Best regards,

Lin

[peterandjean]

Hi Lin
I am having trouble finding Microsoft MPEG-4 Video Codec V2.to download
Have opened the site you suggested but could not find the above
Can you help please
Jean

[Ken Cox]

see
http://www.divx-dige...mpeg4codec.html

ken

[Lin Evans]

Thanks Ken,

I changed my original link to this one:

Lin

Ken Cox, on Jan 11 2008, 07:58 PM, said:

see
http://www.divx-dige...mpeg4codec.html

ken

[Peter S]

Hi Lin,

Just to add my thanks for this excellent series of tutorials and to let you know I have had no problems with downloads today 13th Jan at 22:00 GMT.

Kind Regards
Peter

[Gypsey]

Thanks very much for your excellent series, extremely useful for beginners.

I have one question

1. I am using Windows Media Player and I have an option to pause the playback, but I cannot stepback a few frames to replay a comment that I have missed, the rewind arrow is greyed out. I have to replay the whole tutorial. Is there a way round this.

Your advice would be appreciated

Arthur

[Lin Evans]

Hi Arthur,

I'm not a big fan of Windows Media Player - I've had issues with it in several versions so disabled it from my own system. The best free video player I've found can be downloaded here:

http://www.click-to-download.com/vlcmediap...ID=120997483512

It's called VCL Media Player and plays many more formats than Windows media player with superb quality. It has a moving control which you can slide forward or backward to any point in a presentation to repeat. You can Pause change speeds, etc. The installation is very quick and easy and I think you will like using it for this type application much better than Windows Media Player.

Best regards,

Lin