Xequte June Newsletter: DVD PixPlay 3.0 Released with 46 Image Motion Effects

15 June 2006

 

In this Issue:

·         DVD PixPlay V3.0 Released

·         DVD PixPlay Upgrade Offers

·         Freeware Updated: XClock v1.01

·         Freeware Updated: ScriptCopy v2.02

·         Program Tips

·         Removing yourself from this List

 

 

 

Dear Xequte Software User,

 

We have just issued our third major release of DVD PixPlay, our software for creating image slideshow disks for your DVD player and PC.  I won't go into detail; rather I will let the long list of enhancements speak for itself (full details below).  DVD PixPlay is a great way to share your photos with friends and family, especially those who are not skilled with computers.  Recipients of your disks need only put them in their DVD player to view.

 

We've also released teensy-weensy updates to two of our freeware products.  Finally we've included a bumper batch of program tips.

 

If you find this newsletter interesting, please forward it to your friends :-)

 

 

Regards

 

Nigel Cross

Xequte Software

nigel@xequte.com

www.xequte.com

 

 

 

* DVD PixPlay V3.0 Released

 

We are pleased to announce the release of DVD PixPlay v3.0.

 

DVD PixPlay allows you to create slideshow discs from your digital photos and videos for playback on DVD players and PCs.

 

V3.0 is a major upgrade incorporating numerous improvements to styling and functionality. Here are the top ten enhancements:

 

1. Added 46 image motion (Pan Zoom) effects to add more excitement to your slideshow

2. New Remove Borders Wizard to quickly crop your images to match the output (TV) ratio

3. New Output Format: Combined DVD and Image Slideshow for optimal quality and compatibility on TV and computers

4. New Slideshow Properties dialog to provide quick access to all settings for the project

5. New Frame Properties dialog to provide quick access to all settings for the selected image

6. Full Details file display mode which allows you to quickly review the display time, motion and transition effects and crop ratio for all your frames

7. New option for Image slideshows to display buttons to navigate DVD chapters, print the slideshow, view a web site or send an email

8. Can now use texture files or gradient colors for your slideshow background

9. Can now specify custom transition times for each image and your Fade In and Fade Out

10. Added an undo function to reverse the last editing change

 

Complete Change List: http://www.xequte.com/pixplay/changes.html

 

More info and download: http://www.xequte.com/pixplay/

 

 

Upgrade Information

 

V3.0 is a free upgrade to all users who purchased a license or upgrade after 1 February 2006 (a new key will be emailed to you in the next 48 hours).

 

Other registered users can upgrade at: http://www.xequte.com/pixplay/upgrade.html

 

 

 

* DVD PixPlay Upgrade Offer

 

To make it easier for you to upgrade, we are providing a further 20% off the upgrade price for the next seven days. 

 

To upgrade to v3.0 for only $11.60:

 

http://www.xequte.com/cgi-bin/dpp3.asp?v=upg

 

Note: This offer is only available from the link above and expires at midnight, June 22, 2006.

 

 

 

* Freeware Updated: XClock v1.01

 

Now your PC can be useful even when you are not using it!  XClock displays a large glowing digital clock on your screen whenever your PC is idle.

 

V1.01 fixes a bug whereby the time may not update on some systems.

 

XClock is freeware and can be downloaded from:

 

http://www.xequte.com/other/

 

 

 

* Freeware Updated: ScriptCopy v2.02

 

If you have a good level of computer skill, then you will find ScriptCopy an ideal tool for scheduled backups (to external or network drives) and drive mirroring.  Create multiple copy tasks by editing an ini file and automatically start them using the windows scheduler (such as at midnight when the computer is not in use).

 

V2.02 adds an option to automatically put the computer in stand-by mode after the copying tasks finish.

 

ScriptCopy is completely free and can be downloaded from:

 

http://www.xequte.com/other/

 

 

 

* Program Tips

 

- DVD PixPlay: Exporting your Power Point presentations to DVD

 

If you want to export a presentation you have created in Microsoft Power Point to DVD PixPlay, the steps are as follows:

 

i. In Power Point select the option to export your presentation as a set of images

ii. Run DVD PixPlay and create a new project

iii. Click "Add Images" and browse to the folder where you saved the images from Power Point

iv. Click "Add All"

v. Edit the project further if desired (e.g. add background music)

vi. Click "Burn Disk"

 

 

- MailList King: Automating your Marketing

 

Q.  I went to kick off a marketing campaign whenever a user submits their address on our web site.  I want a response to be sent automatically, with a follow up messages sent after 7, 14, 30 and 60 days.  However I want to stop sending if the user purchases or unsubscribes.  Can I do that with MailList King?

 

A.  Yes, you can.  There are a few steps to setting it up, but once you have it running you will have a powerful marketing system that runs itself.

 

i.  Set up a form on your web site to send you a message containing a user's e-mail address and a group name (which could be a hidden field).  Let's say the name of the group is "INTERESTED".  Optionally you can collect other details such as their first name so you can personalize the messages you send (see our Support page for tips on setting up web forms).

ii.  Run MLK, select View>Options and under the groups tab create the group "INTERESTED"

iii.  Create a new group for users who have purchased your services.  Let's call it "PURCHASED"

iv.  Under the Acknowledge tab, select the Group in the Welcome message box and create the message that is sent immediately (you can load a message from an HTML file if you want to create it in a different application)

v.  Click the "Delayed Messages" button and create the messages that are sent after 7, 14, 30 and 60 days

vi.  Also set the option to "Stop Sending if the user joins the group: PURCHASED"

 

Assuming you receive an email acknowledgment every time a user purchases, you should also automatically add purchasers to the "PURCHASED" group so they stop receiving messages:

 

vii.  In Outlook use Rules (Tools>Rules and Alerts) to move the purchase acknowledgement messages to a special folder

viii.  In MLK, select View>Options, Incoming tab, and click the "Folder Processing Tasks" button

ix.  Create a new task to process the purchase acknowledgement folder and automatically add any addresses that are found to the group, "PURCHASED"

 

Voila.  Ensure you keep MLK running (or run it often) so that it processes all pending auto-responses and everything will take create of itself.  MLK will stop sending if a user unsubscribes or purchases.

 

 

- Smart Pix Manager: Reacquainting Yourself with Old Photos

 

You may not know that Smart Pix maintains a record of the files that you view (when running Smart Pix).  This is helpful if you only want to see the images that you have never viewed or those that you haven't viewed for a long time and want to reacquaint yourself with.  It is just one of the many useful display options available using the "Filter" function.

 

A filter hides all of the files that do not match the rules that you have specified.  You will find the Filter button under the Search box when you select the Database tab in the main window (If you do not see it you will need to go into File>Options and turn off the first setting, Simplified User Interface).  Click the button and you will see a filter option that allows you to display files that you have viewed within the last x weeks, days or months, or those you have never viewed.

 

 

- MegaView (also Smart Pix): Batch Image Conversion 

 

The Batch Conversion function is an indispensable tool for users with many images.  To use it, simply select the image that you wish to modify and click Image>Batch Conversion.

 

Common batch conversion tasks are:

- Rotating images from a digital camera that were taken Portrait, rather than landscape

- Converting uncompressed (large) image formats (such as BMP) to more compact ones (such as JPEG)

- Resizing large images to a better size for display purposes

 

 

- Diji Album: More Natural Layout of Images in Album Pages

 

Only on a computer are images always positioned in exact horizontal alignment on a page.  With this in mind, Diji Album can optionally position your images so they are positioned more naturally, with those on the left nearer the bottom and those on the right closer to the top.

 

To enable this, check the "Position images with an uneven top edge" option when you are inserting new image pages using the Page Wizard (Page>Insert Page Wizard)