PicturesToExe v4.40 beta #1 is released
http://www.wnsoft.com/apr/apr_beta.zip (1,5 MB)

This new version contains new transition effect. Please look at this small example:
http://www.wnsoft.com/beta/RollPaper.exe (500 KB)
(Also there is diagonal variaton, but it works slowely and we will improve it)
Horizonta/vertical variations work fine even on Celeron 900.
You also can adjust diameter and it will look as a scroll. And two styles of curling. All it - work of Aleksey which again created new transition effect!

In v4.40 I've fully rewrote "Customize synchronization" window. Now you work with real slides on the time-line. Please let me know what you think about it.

This beta doesn't contains all new features.

No new Navigation bar in beta #1 yet.

Pan/Zoom effect also will be in the next version, because it will work slowely on current graphical engine and we're working on new presentation engine for v4.50 right now.

I hope on your responses. And next suggestions. If something is not right, please let me know! I still working on new functions for v4.40.

What's new in v4.40:
+ Added new terrific transition effect: Curling of page
It contains 16 variations and ability to set radius of curling.
Horizontal/vertical variations of this effect work smooth on any PC.
(Note: Diagonal variants require very fast PC.
And we'll try to optimize this new diagonal effect in the future.)
+ Fully reworked "Customize synchronization" window:
> You work now with real slides on time-line.
It means that every transition point exactly linked with a particular slide.
Deleting of some transition point means deleting of linked slide.
> Added "Shift slides..." feature which allows to shift all or selected slides.
> Added "Shift all slides to right" function which moves all slides outside the music
and it allows to work with "Add transition" button as earlier.
> Cancel button discards all changes with slides (if you mistakenly deleted slides).
> Multi-select and various actions with several selected transition points;
> And all usual actions with Shift and Ctrl keys;
> Added transition point of the first slide;
> Improved preview of transition effects;
> Vastly improved show of waveforms. Just click "Waveform" button and all visible
waveforms will be shown automatically.
> Ability to visually change duration of effect.
Drag the small grip at the end of effect strip;
> Press Up/Down keys for accurate moving of the cursor;
> Press Right/Left keys to move between transition points;
> Various another improvements.
+ Now you can edit personal settings of several selected slides.
It means that, for example, it possible to set some transition effect
for several slides, but their another different personal parameters
will be leaved individual.
+ Added "Timeline" button to the main window of PicturesToExe. Or use Ctrl-L hotkey.
+ Improved protection of "Expire date" option.
+ Added new kinds of protection: "Expire after (days)" and "Number of runs".
+ Improvemed Navigation bar:
> Added "Auto hide Navigation bar after <...> seconds" options;
> Added "Hide Navigation bar at startup" option;
+ Improvements in AVI video output:
> It supports Personalized background music now.
(If you want to set new playlist starting from some slide.)
> Added "Show safe TV zone" option in Visual editor window.
This can be useful for preparing slide-show for DVD disc.
+ "Display slides in random order" option works for synchronized shows now.
+ Added "Don't interrupt sound comment when next slide appears" option.
It allows to play sound comment during several slides. (Project options | Music tab).
+ Added "Random order" function (Alt+R or see popup menu) for the Slide list.
It will help to randomly sort all slides (or selected).
+ Improved "Run application" action for buttons/hyperlinks or when new slide appears:
> It allows to run several applications. Type: "notepad.exe, "calc.exe"
> It possible to specify parameter: "C:\My Slide show.exe" 7
Please always use the double quotes for file paths to applications.
E.g.: "notepad.exe" "C:\My text.txt"
+ You can start show of EXE file of your slide-show from necessary slide.
Use "Run application" action and type: "C:\My Slide show.exe" 7
+ Improved moving of files of project into another disk or PC.
(Copy the main folder of your project (which may contains embedded
folders with pictures or music) and PicturesToExe will find new file paths.)
+ Various improvements in the interface of the main window.
+ PicturesToExe automatically detects protected WMA files if you add them
and show warning that the program can't play such files on another PCs.
* Improved stability of music player on two-CPU's PC with Windows 2000.
* Fixed bug with show of some transparent GIFs in 16-bit (Hi-Color) screen mode.
* Fixed small visual bug in Visual editor.
* Fixed bug when error message occured after last slide if slide-show
was synchronized, with "Show transition effect to desktop after last
slide" option, and first slide without main picture.

Igor, the page turn effect is excellent!
I'm just about to start a project based on a children's story book and this effect will be perfect!!

Ian

Igor, I am astounded!
I thought it might be soon we would see a new Beta with a few improvements you are working on. But I have just read the entire list and it is very extensive! Many of the "high priority" items that have been requested seem to be there. It will be a fun exercise to try these new features.

Thank you, Igor and Aleksey !

Thanks so much, Igor! This version is very much appreciated, and I can hardly wait to get my hands into it and try out the new features and improvements.

Thanks again to you and Aleksey for your hard work on our behalf!

And #4.40 had to be a "minor release"!...
Plenty of new features and improvements. What will be the 4.50, then? A jubilee edition?

Thanks again Igor. I have only been using PtoE for just over a year and have already seen massive changes. You are the King!

The new effect will be used extensively by all of us I reckon. Igor, and your team, are to be congratulated on your technical wizardry.
Thankyou very much!

Ron West

Igor,

You've created another masterpiece with 4.40 beta. I am simply amazed with all its new features. The additional transitions are marvelous. Thank you and thanks to your team.

Also I am honored again that you have chosen to use some of my photographs to demonstrate your new rollover transition. Thank you!

Regards,
Bill

Thank You Igor
This is wonderful !
We have been waiting excitedly for all these new developments.

Best wishes
Maureen

Wow!!

You have been VERY busy, the new features list looks amazing. Also very excited about the prospect of a new presentation engine and PAN and ZOOM in 4.5

I'll give this version a thorough testing but have really been holding back making any serious shows waiting for PAN and ZOOM.

Thanks to Igor and the Wnsoft Team.

Igor,

Great ! - I see some interesting "Run application" options but...
I tried it with MMB and it shows the slide before the selected for a split of a second. Well, this is not big problem since I can duplicate the slide but to let you know.

One suggestion: "Auto hide Navigation bar after <...> seconds"
How about: "Auto hide Navigation bar after <...> SLIDES".
This is useful if we want to allow print for some slides only.
And to continue with this thought, how about:
"Show Navigation bar after <...> slides"
(or on slide number)

Thank you and all stuff for the best program.
Granot

Or, how about being able to check a box on the "Customize Slide" menu to show the nav bar for that slide?

I too had a problem rolling up from bottom, with the slide flashing on before the roll. I wanted a tighter roll but settled for the default 400 and it worked OK.

Ron [UK]

I haven't had the chance to play with the new beta yet, but I did view the new scroll effect. I'm impressed and can think of some good uses for it. The other features listed also sound really good.

One suggestion for a modification to an existing effect, possibly comparable to some of what the scroll effect does, it to modify the diagonal page (and perhaps also diagonal gate) effects to let the user customize the angle at which the diagonal transfer occurs. Presently the diagonal in the gate and page effects seems to be perpendicular to a line drawn between the opposite corners involved. Whatever it is, the angle of the diagonal is fixed once you pick the direction. I'd like the option of changing that angle a bit (by up to maybe 30 degrees), to match the angle of a diagonal line in one of the photographs involved in the transition. I'm not a programmer so I don't know how difficult this would be to add.

Just a suggestion. I'd made it earlier in other thread somewhere but I'm afraid it got lost in the thread or maybe you haven't noticed it, so I thought I'd make it again here.

Otherwise, as always I'm amazed at the good and imaginative work you are doing on the software. As are we all.

Totally awesome Igor - thank you !! Thank you VERY much.

Everything I have tested so far 'works' perfectly ~ I especially like the addition of the "Don't interrupt sound comment when next slide appears - option" ~ although not a feature that everyone will use,,, it will be much appreciated by those of us (me included) that do have a need for such.

I can hardly wait to see Version 4.50 now ~ this is all VERY exciting !!

Best wishes,

bjc

WOW

Love what you have done to the timeline window.
Only had a few minutes to play. A couple of suggestions as the damage that can be done to ones carefully positioned transitions are now so great it would be wonderful to have a simple undo function and/or a save file (or even save a copy) within the timeline window - the mistake function is bound to happen just after re-arranging a load of other slides correctly. The CANCEL function does not always get you back to where you started.

The Shift Points... function would benefit from an absolute time as well as the offset.

Well Done Igor and Team.

Just use Ctrl S to save your file regularly!

I have had a chance to play with the new Beta and here are some observations:-

*NEW CURL TRANSITION
- Appears to work fine (very professional and very smooth


*CUSTOM SYNCHRONISATION WINDOW

DELETION OF TRANSITION POINT DELETES SLIDE
- Works but I think it needs to be enhanced. Maybe you should have the option to either:-

(a) delete the slide from ONLY the timeline (so it remains in the slide list maybe going to the back of the slide list)
(b) delete the slide from BOTH the timeline and the slide list at the same time

SHIFT SLIDES FUNCTION
- Great! Very Useful

SHIFT ALL SLIDES TO RIGHT FUNCTION
- I'm not sure what use this function is?

CANCEL BUTTON
- Didn't seem to reverse and changes I made

PREVIEW FROM WITHIN TIMELINE WINDOW AND MAIN PTE PAGE
- Preview doesn't work properly. Works OK in the small PREVIEW window on the timeline and in a completed show but doesn't work on full
screen preview. Shows the first image but the next image is always black?

PAGE UP DOWN KEYS FOR ACCURATE CURSOR MOVEMENT
- Couldn't seem to get this to work

FINALLY
- I couldn't move the first slide which appears on the timeline by dragging, is the first slide not supposed to be able to move and always locked to the start of the timeline?


I understand not all of the enhancements may not have been enabled but those are my findings so far.

Love the Timeline button on the Main PTE page and being able to change properties for slides from the customisable synchronisation window (both individually and in selections), a great time saver.

Igor
navigaton bar - customize

LOAD _ RESTORE _

what do these functions do?

future navigaton bar improvements??
"No new Navigation bar in beta #1 yet."

"This beta doesn't contains all new features."

what is missing from from this beta that is mentioned on the list?


this is quite a meal you have served us Igor, it will take some time to digest - maybe just a light lunch would have been better

ken

When Deleting Do we have a choice?

a. Delete Transition point. (Shifts points to next slide Like it use to)
b. Delete Slide and transition point.

Thank you for your responses!

I hope vastly improve Nav. bar in this version, too.

Now it's impossible to delete transition points and keep linked slides, because every slide linked to particular transition point. So deleting of a slide means deleting of its transition points and on the contrary.
But to work as earlier (when just you have clean time-line and during music playing you've pressed "Add transition" button) I've added special option - "Move all slides to right" it moves all points outside range of music. And now you have clean time-line and you can press "Add transition" button which moves nearest points from right side to the place where located cursor.

Currently there is almost undo feature in the Customize Sync. window. If you press Cancel button it will discard all changes, even if you've deleted slides.
In the future we plan to add fully functional undo.

ADB:
Please try to reproduce this problem with full screen preview in new project.
I many times tested it and it worked in my test examples (with synced shows). I've selected necessary slide/transition point and then Preview button (in Cust. synch. window)

First slide should be located at 0 position. But you can swap it with another slides. Just move the first slide more right than any nearest slide.

Ed,
We have any angle earlier for diagonal Curl effect. But it worked even more slowely that current slow diagonal effect I hope new engine will improve this moment.

Granot,
Now PTE requires to set double quotes before and after file name for a run command. Probably I didn't understand, please tell me more.

Igor,

I used in MMB: Run("<SrcDir>\PTE_RunApp.exe","3")
I see slide 2 for a split of a second and then slide 3.
As I said, this is no big problem since I duplicate slide 3.

Granot

PROBLEM WITH PREVIEW

Igor

I have retested the preview function and can give you more precise information.

Firstly I completely uninstalled PTE and cleaned out all the files in the Pictures to exe directory (except for the "key" file) then reinstalled the new Beta 4.40 #1

1. If I do a Customizable Synchronisation and attempt a preview from within the synchronisation window (from the FIRST image) all I see is the first image which stays on screen and nothing else happens, no music is heard

2. If I do the above from any slide other than the first slide then the remain slides show in rapid succession still with no music.

3. When in the Customizable Sync window the play button plays the show correctly in the small preview window.

4. Back at the main window 1 & 2 happen when I use the preview button

5. If I create and run the show, the show appears fine.


I am running Windows XP Service Pack 2, 1 Gig of Ram, 2.4 GigHz Processor and about 20 Gigs free Harddrive.

Any body else having this problem?

P.S. To above post

Igor

Also the cancel command still doesn't restore any changes i.e if you delete a slide then hit cancel the slide is still deleted.

I am already starting to like the way the transitions are connected to the Pictures.

I just need more time to play with all the new toys added.



Also the cancel works correct for me, restores all changes when leaving the timeline.

cc

Andrew,
The previews all work fine for me. (Win XP Pro, SP-1, similar pc specs). At first my MIDI didn't play, but then I realized I had it directed to the wrong output in the Control Panel options. Haven't tried the cancel feature yet.

Ok, I'll check moments with Preview and with Cancel/Undo.

By the way, now it possible to change effect duration right on time-line.
And using multi-select you can edit even several slides (e.g. to assign one transition effect or background).

How improved waveforms work? Do you noticed that they all can be displayed simultaneously?

Igor

Rechecked the Cancel function this morning, now it seems to work!!

Rechecked the Preview function but still not working, very strange as if I create the show it plays perfectly.

I was just wondering if anybody with 1 Gig of memory is having thsi problem as I know some programs can have problems with this much memory?

WAVEFORM
Do you mean that if you have a background sountrack and a sound assigned to a slide that both waveforms will show? I'll test this tonight.

Andrew

no prob with my test show
i tried 4.4 b1 on an existing show - 123 slides -- 3 mp3's 7:37 music time standard sync -- 21.7 mb exe --

1 gig ram win xp 2.8 ghz
ken

Not sure what to do now, I loaded an earlier version of PTE and its doing the same thing with the PREVIEW i.e. won't show a preview.

I have recently upgraded my Memory from 500Mb to 1 Gig and thought that might be the culprit, but I took out the extra and no change :-(

I did notice that normally when you do a preview the Progress Bar counts from 0-100% then shows the preview in this case it just sits on 0% and only shows the first image with no music.

So it would seem as it happens that the problem probably lies on my machine as opposed to the new Beta since previous versions of PTE have the same problem on my machine.

Any suggestions anyone? - short of reinstalling everything!

Thanks Igor for the Timeline button, which fulfils my request for retention of my original settings so that I can tweek any final adjustments.

Ron [UK]

Andrew,
Could it be the SP-2 that is causing the problem? Anyone else try the new beta successfully on Win XP, SP-2? I have XP Pro, but SP-1, (1Gb RAM), and everything works fine.

Yes, XP pro, SP2. No problems. Preview works as expected from main window or custom sync dialog, starting at beginning, or part way through.

Only minor thing, and that is very minor if at all, is that the preview from custom sync steps back a slide, so that the transition to the current slide is shown, rather than start exactly where it is.

Steve

I have XP Home with SP-2

Everything is working well for me also.

mine is xp home sp2 as well

and ok here
ken

1 Gb of RAM is not reason of problem with Preview, of course! If you run EXE and it works, preview from any slide should works too. Because full screen preview - it also running of (temporal) EXE file.

Please do the next small testing:
1) Open any synced project with mp3 music.
2) Open Time-line window.
3) Select 4nd slide
4) Press Ctrl+R and you should see full screen preview from 4nd slide.
5) The close preview and close time-line window.
6) In the main window select 7th slide
7) Press Ctrl+R and you'll see full screen preview starting from this 7th slide.

Please let me know about result.

PicturesToExe v4.40 beta #2 is released
http://www.wnsoft.com/apr/apr_beta.zip (1,5 MB)

What's new in beta #2:
+ Improvements in "Customize synchronization" window:
> Added "Arrange Selected Points" option;
> Added "Set Time of Points..." option.
* Fixed bug of beta #1 when after pressing Cancel button in "Cust. synch." window the program loses personal parameters of the Curling of page effect.

P.S. I'll try to answer soon on new messages in the "Suggestions" topic.

I've been "away" for a while, but just took a look at the page turn effect. Astounding! In reading what's new in 4.40, I see some things I asked for in previous releases. Thanks so much! You've re-kindled my desire to spend more time on this avocation.

Bravo!

Igor

I have used the Ctrl+R tests on slides #4 & #7 as you have suggested and the preview starts on the previous slides #3 & #6 respectively, but I find no problem with this.

Ron [UK]

SUCCESS!!

I have now managed to get the Beta to run perfectly.

How did I do it? I reformatted my hardrive and reloaded everything and now PTE runs perfectly.

I still don't know why it seemed PTE was the ONLY program affected but at least it gave me a good reason to have a clean out! Windows XP certainly makes it easy to to do a complete Hardrive reformat.

So Igor and the team please accept my apologies for any "Wild Goose Chases" I may have sent you on.

The one thing this highlights for me is that these computers are complex beasties and the more programs you instal and uninstall the more chances there are of something going wrong.

Thanks for everyones help in trying to repeat the fault on your systems.

Igor ,
I did post this as a new thread but see someone else appears to have had what seems to be a similar problem... I am wondering if i am going to have to reformat my hard drive as well unless you have any other suggestions. I have not created a show because I was just trying to look at the preview of what I had done so far to see if it was developing correctly.


I have started to set up a slide show for practice in the new version after deleting the old version.
Then when I click on customize synchronisation and set up my slide to the length of time I require. i.e 4 or 6 seconds etc, then play the piece in preview the slides are holding for a much longer time. i.e a 4 sec slide is holding for about 12 sec in preview. If I watch them in the small window when I press play, they appear as I wish them to appear. I have not got all the slides in place yet to fill the waveform, but that did not matter before I could keep checking the preview as I went along.
Am I missing something in the set up with the new version or is there a slight problem with the prog.
I have not noticed anyone else mentioning it yet so it could be me.
Any ideas guys please.

Glenys

The Music sounds great!

I don't know what you did to the music player but MP3s that I have been listening to in Irfanview and Winamp sounds much better to me now in PTE. I pick up some of the deeper sounds, bass, drums and reverb that I have been missing in the other players, as good as they are. Thanks. Much appreciated.

Andrew, Glenys,
I hope there it's not necessary reformat hard drive and re-install Windows in case of PTE, because it doesn't change any system files.
However I'm continiously checking up all new moments to find any possible mistakes.

Glenys,
I'll carefully check up program code for this situation on Monday. I've read your new topic about this problem.
But now please, try to create absolutely new slide-show and check up for this moment.

RNB,
We've added new music player already in v4.10.
So no changes since v4.31
Yes, for this new music we've took high-quality mp3 decoder. It's an one of the best and very popular mp3 library.
WinAmp 5.x or iTunes also should sounds very very well.

Igor, Glenys and everybody else.

Please don't get me wrong PTE didn't make me reformat my hard drive I just felt my system had become "clogged" with many programs installed and removed over the past two years, I just thought it was time for a clean out and it worked.

I'm thinking of it more along the lines of PTE found a problem which I may not have possibly found any other way.

I am not saying everybody should reformat if they incounter this problem but maybe as a last resort.

Cheers

Igor.
I find that if I set my slides at 4 secs each in the custom Synchronization they are playing at about 17 secs in preview, even though they play at the 4sec speed in the play window.
I have done as you suggested and created a show and the slides still play at about 17 seconds each even though they are still set at 4 seconds in the custom synchronised window. I have tried ticking both the custom sychronisation and the not synchronised boxes and both act the same.

I am worried that it is something that I am doing because nobody else seems to be haveing this problem.

What am i doing wrong that is different to the setups that I have done before on the previous versions.

Thank you

Hi igor me again


Igor I think I have been an absolute idiot!!!!!!
I have not saved the show in between. Now I have tried again and saved the show before I have previewed and it works fine.........

Please forgive my senility, I am getting more grey hairs but losing the grey cells.
I had a feeling it must be something I was doing or not doing. Sorry for worrying you.
I will now crawl back into my little hole and die

Andrew,
No problem! Of course, sometimes it necessary to re-install Windows.

Ednys,
No, you are right concerning this bug! Really full screen Preview has old time values of slides and after saving it works as shown on time-line.
I'll fix this bug tomorrow. So stupid mistake.
Thank you!

Just noticed one chsnge in the Object editor that might be a bug.
When using buttons etc to launch other exe files, the beta version doesn't recognise file names with spaces in them. Once you remove the spaces by re-naming the exe file it works okay. In much earlier versions of PTE you had to put "quotation" marks around the file name, so maybe this bit of code has reverted to an earlier version.

Ian

Ian, I have just put together a four slide sequence using the Object Editor on the last slide calling up a sequence with a space in the title London Architecture.exe with no problems.

Ron [UK]

PicturesToExe v4.40 beta #2a is released
http://www.wnsoft.com/apr/apr_beta.zip (1,5 MB)

What's new in v4.40 beta #2a:
* Fixed bug of previous betas where full screen Preview in "Cust. synch" window used old values of transition points (before recent changes).

Ednys,
This beta should fix the bug which you have found.

P.S. now I'm working on fully new Navigation bar for this v4.40