Simple slide show program I wrote

[timwhit]

The save show functions correctly now. One very small nitpick is that the save show feature does not warn the user during an overwrite of a previously saved show.

You also allow people to add duplicate pictures. (May be on purpose?) I found it odd that I accidentally added one of my pictures twice...I thought it was deja vu for a second there.

I will try to find a way to ask the user if they wish to overwrite the previously saved show (there has got to be a way every software package does it).

On the second point, I don't want to pop up a message box every time the user adds an image. I don't think it's a bug that they can add an image twice or as many times as they like to the show. But I was thinking of adding a checkbox asking whether they want to be allowed to add duplicate images or not. Let me know if this is the way that you would like it or not. If you have a better idea, then by all means, let me know.

 

[Will Rickards WT]

Regarding Registry:
http://www.willrickards.net/VBA/Registry/mdlRegistry.bas

Use it like so:

' Declares
Private Const c_strRegSection As String = "Software\Company Name\"
Private Const c_strRegKey_ConnectionString As String = "ConnectionString"
Private m_strConnectionString As String
Private m_strRegSection_App As String

' initialize - I usually do all this in an options class and put this in class initialize
m_strRegSection_App = c_strRegSection & App.Title

' read key
m_strConnectionString = mdlRegistry.ReadKey(HKEY_CURRENT_USER, m_strRegSection_App, c_strRegKey_ConnectionString, vbNullString)

' write key
mdlRegistry.WriteKey HKEY_CURRENT_USER, m_strRegSection_App, c_strRegKey_ConnectionString, REG_SZ, m_strConnectionString

You might want to use the Visual Studio Installer.
It is the setup program from MS that uses the Windows Installer.
It is a replacement for the package and deployment wizard.
Download it here: Visual Studio Installer 1.1

You might also want to get these updated merge modules:
Merge Modules for VS6 Service Pack 5

Deleting the registry key on uninstall is another matter, you may have to create the keys with default values and install that registry file. Then I think it will get uninstalled but I haven't tested it.

 

[timwhit]

Regarding Registry:
http://www.willrickards.net/VBA/Registry/mdlRegistry.bas

Use it like so:

' Declares
Private Const c_strRegSection As String = "Software\Company Name\"
Private Const c_strRegKey_ConnectionString As String = "ConnectionString"
Private m_strConnectionString As String
Private m_strRegSection_App As String

' initialize - I usually do all this in an options class and put this in class initialize
m_strRegSection_App = c_strRegSection & App.Title

' read key
m_strConnectionString = mdlRegistry.ReadKey(HKEY_CURRENT_USER, m_strRegSection_App, c_strRegKey_ConnectionString, vbNullString)

' write key
mdlRegistry.WriteKey HKEY_CURRENT_USER, m_strRegSection_App, c_strRegKey_ConnectionString, REG_SZ, m_strConnectionString

You might want to use the Visual Studio Installer.
It is the setup program from MS that uses the Windows Installer.
It is a replacement for the package and deployment wizard.
Download it here: Visual Studio Installer 1.1

You might also want to get these updated merge modules:
Merge Modules for VS6 Service Pack 5

Deleting the registry key on uninstall is another matter, you may have to create the keys with default values and install that registry file. Then I think it will get uninstalled but I haven't tested it.

Will, can you tell me what the updated merge modules do?

I think I will stick to the way that I'm doing the registry entries for a little while longer. Will's way is better, but it will be quite a bit of work to integrate it into my code.

I am going to try out the Visual Studio Installer right now. I will put up a new version in a few minutes with a bunch of fixes.

 

[timwhit]

I uploaded the new version. It uses the new Visual Studio Installer. Give it a try and let me know how many new bugs I have introduced with this one.

Tim's Super Slide Show ver: .21

 

[Will Rickards WT]

The merge modules are what gets distributed with the msi files.
Say for example you have a project that uses ADO.
There will be a merge module called MDAC.MSM which is included in your msi project. Merge Modules are like small packages for the libraries available.

The versions of the merge modules that comes with Visual Studio Installer 1.1 and the versions of the libraries for Visual Studio SP5 are different. The merge modules in the link are the SP5 versions. You just extract them over your existing merge modules (.msm files). On my system they are in:
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\Common\Tools\VSInst\BuildRes\
This ensures that you are distributing SP5 versions of the libraries.

 

[timwhit]

Thanks for the explanation Will. I will use the updated Merge Modules when I get enough feedback to release a new build.

Will, do you program VB full time?

 

[timwhit]

I made a bunch of changes and added a some new features.

Try it out...

Tim's Super Slide Show ver. .25

 

[Handruin]

I haven't installed the latest version yet, I'll run through it tomorrow and let you know if I find anything.

How much feedback are you looking for in the slideshow. I remember originally you wanted a simple slide show and then we all started pouring on ideas. Do you want new ideas, or will it be taking the program to a realm you care not to visit?

It's better to keep this info in one spot, so I'll quote what I wrote in the feedback section.

 

[timwhit]

I just put up a new version about 5 minutes ago, so make sure you have the latest one.

It's not the most simple program anymore, but I am having fun doing it. It is also a learning experience for me. I'm at loss for any new features right now, so if you have ideas I'd be glad to hear them. If they are beyond me then obviously I won't be able to integrate them.

I originally started writing this program to replace a shareware version that I had been using; but when people started giving me ideas for new features I was having so much fun with it that I don't want to call it finished.

I will post my reply here as well then.

 

[Handruin]

I downloaded the latest version and I see some nice enhancements. The install has completely changed and I also see you added a nice thumbnail preview. Two thumbs up!

However the slideshow doesn't...well, slide. I set my timer to 4 seconds and added 2 pictures but nothing happens.

The stretch option didn't do anything initially until I used the keyboard to advance the image. Instead of advancing, my image stretched.

I'll have to play with it because I can't figure out the pattern as to why the slide show won't advance. As soon as I selected the repeat option, the images cycled through at my 4 second interval. However, when I deselected "repeat", this didn't break the cycling. (not that it should break the cycle, but I thought it might be related)

I'll look into it some more in a little while. The exe file still shows as version 1.0. I do see that you changed the version inside the program.

 

[timwhit]

I downloaded the latest version and I see some nice enhancements. The install has completely changed and I also see you added a nice thumbnail preview. Two thumbs up!

However the slideshow doesn't...well, slide. I set my timer to 4 seconds and added 2 pictures but nothing happens.

The stretch option didn't do anything initially until I used the keyboard to advance the image. Instead of advancing, my image stretched.

I'll have to play with it because I can't figure out the pattern as to why the slide show won't advance. As soon as I selected the repeat option, the images cycled through at my 4 second interval. However, when I deselected "repeat", this didn't break the cycling. (not that it should break the cycle, but I thought it might be related)

I'll look into it some more in a little while. The exe file still shows as version 1.0. I do see that you changed the version inside the program.

Ya, I forgot to change the exe version number.

On the other problem everything seems to work fine on my end. Whether repeat is selected or not the slide show 'slides'. I tested it with as many different variables as I could find, but it seems to work fine.

None of that code has really changed at all since the last version, so I see no reason why it would just suddenly stop working. Let me know if you keep running into the same problem and I will look into it.

 

[Will Rickards WT]

Will, do you program VB full time?

Lately, yes. But I do other stuff like ASP and 4GL.

 

[.Nut]

Microsoft has (or had) a downloadable program called SlideMaker 1.0 that allows one to build standalone slide shows on your monitor -- no MS Office required.

 

[timwhit]

That program sucks. My slide show program blows it out of the water AFAIC.

 

[CougTek]

That program sucks. My slide show program blows it out of the water AFAIC.

I think this can be call "agressive advertisement" ;-)

 

[blakerwry]

That program sucks. My slide show program blows it out of the water AFAIC.

I think this can be call "agressive advertisement" ;-)

That's not aggressive... and anybody who says different is gonna wind up sleeping with the fishes. Got it?

 

[CougTek]

The word I was looking for was "marketing", not advertisement. The babelfish system between my ears went down for a brief moment.

and anybody who says different is gonna wind up sleeping with the fishes. Got it?

I'm shaking, really. Oh wait, it's because I left the window opened...

 

[.Nut]

Cougtek: The word you were looking for is Guerilla Marketing, which should never be confused with the tactics that Tony's sidekick often uses -- called Gorilla Marketing.

 

[mubs]

Listen, .Nut, I always thought Guerilla was a Spanish Gorilla! :wink:

 

[Howell]

Cougtek: The word you were looking for is Guerilla Marketing, ...

Looks kind of ham-handed to me.

 

[e_dawg]

After I install and click on Tim's Super Slide Show in the start menu, I get a Tim's Super Slide Show message box saying:

Run-time error '53':

File not found