Simplifying of time setting in the "Slide Options" window

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Simplifying of time setting in the "Slide Options" window

Postby Catapulta » Tue Dec 14, 2010 5:00 am

When I want to change the slide time settings in the "Slide options" dialogue window in the never versions of ProShow, I have to click on the "total time" text at the bottom of the Slide options dialogue window where earlier the time field was, ONLY THEN appears the three-field window for setting the three time values, THEN one has to MOVE THE MOUSE into them and to click AGAIN to be able to set the duration of the slide. It is true that now I can change also the transition duration in one window, but why to put all the three values together? This means a big loss of time when one has to do all the unnecessary steps hundreds of times - which is often the case by the slideshows. Please, please: Make things easier again and put the three time-setting fields DIRECTLY and SEPARATELY to the bottom of the "Slide Options" dialogue window so that one can DIRECTLY change precisely the number he really wants to change, without additional clicking and moving the mouse around. And still something: If you added two small arrows next to each of the three time fields for a gradual increasing or decreasing the value only by the mouse clicking (like for example in the MS Word when setting the page size), or/and by the mouse clicking and moving the mouse left or right like in Adobe Photoshop, it would be already absolutely awsome. Thanks.

If somebody opened this topis already, sorry, I did not notice.

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Re: Simplifying of time setting in the "Slide Options" window

Postby BarbaraC » Thu Dec 16, 2010 3:54 pm

I rarely set duration that way. While in the Options screen, if I want a different slide duration, I just click on the slide's duration down in the timeline. You might find doing it this way a lot simpler.

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Re: Simplifying of time setting in the "Slide Options" window

Postby Catapulta » Sat Dec 18, 2010 12:03 pm

Thank you, Barbara! This I didn´t know - and it surely helps. But I have a question, because right now, after reinstalling the system, I do not have the possibility to try it myself: Is it so that the particular slide is shown ALWAYS in the timeline as well? Because in the Option window you can go through all the slides without closing it. If it is not so and the timeline does not move, the problem remains. The second thing is that many people like me will not even try to get into the time line because they are used from many other applications that only the active window communicates with them (i.e., only this is actually active). Therefore, as there is enough place at the bottom of the window, I still suggest to put the three setting fields there directly and separately. Technically it is no problem, does no harm to anything (if I see it right) and can only help.

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Re: Simplifying of time setting in the "Slide Options" window

Postby BarbaraC » Sat Dec 18, 2010 12:13 pm

No, you can be focused on one slide in the options window while being focused on a different slide in the timeline. It's something that's hugely convenient, at least it is for me because I often need to see a different slide in the large preview from the one I'm working on. Think of it as multi-tasking. The way it's set up, you can be making changes to one slide in the options screen while making changes to another slide in the timeline.

What you probably need is more time spent with the program, getting used to it just as you've gotten used to those other programs. That said, I do know what you're talking about in the sense that I often wish Producer worked like Photoshop in such areas as layers because I've been using Photoshop for years.

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Re: Simplifying of time setting in the "Slide Options" window

Postby Catapulta » Mon Dec 20, 2010 8:50 am

BarbaraC wrote:What you probably need is more time spent with the program.


Definitely!:)

BarbaraC wrote:, getting used to it


No, that´s not the problem here. I have the problem precisely because I got used to PSP 3, where there WAS the possibility to set the time right in the dialogue window, without TWO additional clickings and one additional mouse movement. I understand that the new opportunity to set also the time of the transitions is a progress - but this could be done just by adding two more fields to the bottom of the window as well. As you say, the timeline does not move and it means that my point is still reasonable, I think.

But I would like to stress once more my second point - the addition of the small UP/DOWN ARROWS to the time-setting field - also in the timeline!! This would save sometimes much time - you would not have to use the keyboard necessarily. The two small arrows up/down on the right would change the tenths of second, two arrows on the left the number od seconds.

This would bring also a new possibility: To set the time of more slides at once not only to a certain time (which is then necessarily the same for all the selected slides), but also BY a certain time. Wouldn´t it be great? If you want NOW to add for example one second to several slides with different times, you have to do it one by one, clicking, typing, clicking, typing, clicking, typing... right? And this would be no more necessary with the arrow buttons.

It is then not so important if the Photoshop-like possibility to change the time by moving the mouse right and left comes in addition to it, though it would be also great.

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Re: Simplifying of time setting in the "Slide Options" window

Postby Catapulta » Mon Dec 20, 2010 8:57 am

Correction: There is only one additional clicking, I counted it once more.:) But the main thing is moving the mouse and targeting a new dialogue window.

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Re: Simplifying of time setting in the "Slide Options" window

Postby BarbaraC » Mon Dec 20, 2010 8:58 am

You ought to join the beta team. Not only could you offer your suggestions directly, but if there's a reason for any of them not being possible, you'd get instant feedback on it.

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Re: Simplifying of time setting in the "Slide Options" window

Postby debngar » Mon Dec 20, 2010 9:53 am

Some things since the advent of 4.0 I wish were not buried in icon menus on the screen where previously it was only a "click the large button" to accomplish it in an obvious place. But regardless of my multiple requests to have that changed back to the way it was, I doubt, after the newer looking gui and design that came with 4.0, that it will ever be considered.

My biggest request would be that the large "copy start to end" button would come back in between the key frame start and end screen where it was before. I keep accidentally adding an additional key frame when I don't want it instead of getting to the "copy start to end". It now requires the user to click on the tiny icon and drill down with more clicks to get to it.

I've given up that it will ever change back. Sigh....

An alternative would be to create a short cut key for "copy start to end" along with an Alt + for the accompanying "copy end to start" maybe but since it's screen specific, not sure if that would work out so well.
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Re: Simplifying of time setting in the "Slide Options" window

Postby BarbaraC » Mon Dec 20, 2010 10:15 am

Yes, I absolutely mourn the loss of that copy-start-to-end button. One click, and we were on our way to other things.

As a matter of fact, though I've gotten used version 4's interface, I still don't consider it a well-thought-out design. It's awkward all over the place. If they redesign anything, though, I wish it would be those perfectly horrid copy screens that always default to the wrong slide and that aren't expandable so we can see everything all at once. Worse, you have to know to click on very specific attributes before even going into the copy screen with hopes that it'll work. I hate it so much and have wasted so much time with it that I do my copying the old-fashioned and supposedly long way around. It isn't the long way around if it works far better than the short way.

Okay, I got some of it off my chest. :D

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Re: Simplifying of time setting in the "Slide Options" window

Postby debngar » Mon Dec 20, 2010 11:05 am

BarbaraC wrote:Yes, I absolutely mourn the loss of that copy-start-to-end button. One click, and we were on our way to other things.

As a matter of fact, though I've gotten used version 4's interface, I still don't consider it a well-thought-out design. It's awkward all over the place. If they redesign anything, though, I wish it would be those perfectly horrid copy screens that always default to the wrong slide and that aren't expandable so we can see everything all at once. Worse, you have to know to click on very specific attributes before even going into the copy screen with hopes that it'll work. I hate it so much and have wasted so much time with it that I do my copying the old-fashioned and supposedly long way around. It isn't the long way around if it works far better than the short way.

Okay, I got some of it off my chest. :D

Barbara


One choice missing from the copy setting window that might be helpful would be a button at the bottom to "expand all slide layers" (and the opposite, to contract) in the right column where the user can "select all" slides or "select none".
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Re: Simplifying of time setting in the "Slide Options" window

Postby just4fun » Mon Dec 20, 2010 5:40 pm

I agree totally. I only found it on error. I hunted all over. I kept going to the keyframe editor and got totally frustrated. While hunting for it, I would hit the + and could not tell what it did but then my slide got jerky and I did not know why. I was a software tester for financial software and I when I would complain about "stuff" they would say, "When they read the directions, they will know how to do it." My comback, was "When was the last time you ever read software directions. They are worse than we are at hunt and click learning.
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Re: Simplifying of time setting in the "Slide Options" window

Postby Catapulta » Tue Dec 21, 2010 6:31 am

BarbaraC wrote:You ought to join the beta team. Not only could you offer your suggestions directly, but if there's a reason for any of them not being possible, you'd get instant feedback on it.


Well, that´s probably not a bad idea, but I am afraid that in this way I would lose the time I want to save by simplifying and improving the time setting tool (and managment of the transitions in the Preferences window).:) I hope the PSP team read these discussions, don´t they? By the way - is this an official site made by Photodex Corporation?

As fot the other topics mentioned in this thread - maybe they could draw more attention in a thread with the proper name. It may be that they were already created and just didn´t bring anything, I don´t know, I just suggest in case they weren´t.

P.S.: I have to correct my yesterday´s correction of myself: There are really two additional clicks as I said before - the second click is necessary to close the time setting window.:)

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Re: Simplifying of time setting in the "Slide Options" window

Postby Catapulta » Tue Dec 21, 2010 6:36 am

BarbaraC wrote:You ought to join the beta team. Not only could you offer your suggestions directly, but if there's a reason for any of them not being possible, you'd get instant feedback on it.


I forgot this: In fact I do not need such a kind of feedback in this case, because it is technically so simple that I am pretty sure it IS possible.:)

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Re: Simplifying of time setting in the "Slide Options" window

Postby debngar » Tue Dec 21, 2010 8:16 am

Catapulta wrote:
BarbaraC wrote:You ought to join the beta team. Not only could you offer your suggestions directly, but if there's a reason for any of them not being possible, you'd get instant feedback on it.


Well, that´s probably not a bad idea, but I am afraid that in this way I would lose the time I want to save by simplifying and improving the time setting tool (and managment of the transitions in the Preferences window).:) I hope the PSP team read these discussions, don´t they? By the way - is this an official site made by Photodex Corporation?

As fot the other topics mentioned in this thread - maybe they could draw more attention in a thread with the proper name. It may be that they were already created and just didn´t bring anything, I don´t know, I just suggest in case they weren´t.

P.S.: I have to correct my yesterday´s correction of myself: There are really two additional clicks as I said before - the second click is necessary to close the time setting window.:)


by Catapulta on Tue Dec 21, 2010 7:36 am

BarbaraC wrote:You ought to join the beta team. Not only could you offer your suggestions directly, but if there's a reason for any of them not being possible, you'd get instant feedback on it.



I forgot this: In fact I do not need such a kind of feedback in this case, because it is technically so simple that I am pretty sure it IS possible.


Since you seem to be fairly new to the forum, you may not be aware of several other threads in archives that speak to the fact that this is not a Photodex maintained website forum. I don't remember where they are but the issue has been brought up before.

Being a beta tester is a better use of your time if you're seeking to help better the program. It's possible someone from Photodex peeks in occasionally. But this forum is independently maintained and owned by the Mike moderator. If you choose to continue the way you're doing it, don't be surprised at the lack of response, then disparage the program or the company in further threads if you don't see the program change based on your alleged "input".
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