SlideShowPro for Flash / SlideShowPro Standalone updated to 1.9.8
Updates to both SlideShowPro for Flash and SlideShowPro Standalone are available for download in the account center. This version, 1.9.8, is a maintenance release that resolves a few issues that came about in recent weeks. If you’re not currently experiencing any issues with either product, you can skip this release. See the version history for more information.
And now, for our final song of the evening, we thought you might like to know that the SlideShowPro section of this site has been redesigned to better communicate the player’s features, as well as include the SlideShowPro Standalone and SlidePress products that were announced earlier today.
One of the goals of the page was to simplify and consolidate the various forms of SlideShowPro into a single page that allowed users to better distinguish between product options. We did that by separating the features that were common, then followed-through with features and accessories that were unique to each version. We also included a handy comparison chart so each version of SlideShowPro can be comparatively viewed side by side.
Last but not least, we’ve also moved SlideShowPro ThumbGrid as well as our various free extras (like the Photoshop export script) to the product sections they pertain to. This should hopefully avoid product compatibility confusion in newer users of our products.
As part of the SlidePress announcement made earlier, we have spun-off “SlideShowPro Standalone” into a separate product.
First, we should note a little history. SlideShowPro Standalone was initially offered as a free accessory to purchasers of SlideShowPro for Flash who wanted a way to embed and edit slideshows without the Flash authoring application (or Lightroom for that matter). We included it mainly as a courtesy, but over time interest in it from new customers grew — especially after the SlidePress plugin for WordPress was developed, for the plugin leveraged the Standalone version to publish slideshows.
As a result, we had a number of new customers asking if they could just purchase the Standalone version to use with SlidePress (or elsewhere) for they had no use for the Flash authoring components that were included with it.
With that, today we’re spinning off SlideShowPro Standalone as a separate, more affordable option for new customers. And as part of our acquisition of SlidePress, the two products will be marketed together as an integrated slideshow publishing option for WordPress users.
Now, if you’re an existing user, you’re probably wondering how this affects you. The good news is that all existing users of SlideShowPro for Flash will have their account center profiles updated with a free copy of SlideShowPro Standalone. So nothing is being taken away from you, and you’ll still be able to download updates to the standalone version going forward.
If you receive a “thank you for your purchase” email sometime today, SlideShowPro Standalone was added to your profile (for free).
If you have any questions concerning this change, please let us know.
Today we’re excited to announce that the SlidePress plugin for WordPress – originally developed by Palms Development Company – has been acquired by SlideShowPro / Dominey Design Inc and is now part of the SlideShowPro family of products as a free accessory for SlideShowPro Standalone.
For many months now, SlidePress has proven to be a valuable utility for many SlideShowPro users who use WordPress as their web site publishing software. The plugin not only provides an easy way to embed SWFs, but also a complete user interface for creating customized slideshows and photo galleries using SlideShowPro as the media player.
SlidePress will continue to be updated and maintained as a free WordPress plugin. By bringing the plugin in-house, updates to it (as well as SlideShowPro itself) will be developed in-tandem for more synchronized public releases as well as deeper product integration going forward.
A new build of SlidePress has been posted today to the WordPress Plugins Directory that contains revised documentation as well as a handful of small improvements and updates. We’ve also re-launched the SlidePress site (domain changes have not fully propagated yet), and have migrated plugin documentation over to our support wiki.
Expect to see SlidePress expanded and improved in the months ahead. Thanks to Scott Shelton of Palms for not only creating SlidePress, but for all his assistance during this transition.
This isn’t exactly news for existing users, but news nonetheless. Historically, our desktop products — including SlideShowPro for Flash, SlideShowPro for Lightroom and SlideShowPro ThumbGrid — have been sold as “single user” products where the licensee is the user. Based on feedback from our corporate customers, we’re now offering “Corporate” licenses for all of the above products. With these licenses, the licensee is the business entity, and allows licensees to manage themselves which employees receive and use products that are purchased. For more information, see our licensing page or contact us.
SlideShowPro for Flash 1.9.7 released
A new point update for SlideShowPro for Flash has been released. This version, 1.9.7, includes a number of underlying tweaks and fixes, plus some notable API enhancements, including:
* New galleryInfo event that broadcasts parent gallery title and description.
* New public methods to control media (video/audio) playback and volume: muteMedia(), pauseMedia(), playMedia(), setMediaVolume(), unMuteMedia().
* Event listener support added to “Standalone” version. Allows you to listen to component events using Javascript.
* Individual scale parameters for Timer, Preloader, and Video Play Button (which removes the shared FEEDBACK / Scale parameter).
In addition to API enhancements, the video play button has been redesigned to be more in-style with the default “Beam” preloader animation, plus an internal workaround to get around a Flash Player bug pertaining to videos linked via relative paths.
As usual, this update is free for all SlideShowPro for Flash users and can be downloaded through the account center. You can read the full list of changes at the wiki.
Developer Anthony Picciano of Tuft and Company has released DirectorAS3 — an ActionScript 3 library for accessing SlideShowPro Director’s API. The library is compiled as a SWC file, and can be used in either Flash or Flex. Full API documentation is also available at their site. This is a 1.0 release for the library, so if you’re an ActionScript developer and would like to give it a try, please do and provide feedback to make the library even better! You can download the free library here. Thanks Anthony!
After corresponding with numerous people about our need for another support person, we’ve decided on Rob Henrichon — a longtime SlideShowPro for Flash and SlideShowPro Director user who has worked within the internet industry for a number of years; including a support role for a large email marketing company. Rob will be assisting us (and you) with support questions regarding SlideShowPro for Flash and SlideShowPro Director, so you can expect to see his name in both the forums as well as in support emails from us starting next Monday. Welcome aboard Rob!
The 1.9.6 version of SlideShowPro for Flash is now available for download through the account center. As announced yesterday, this release includes pan and zoom (a.k.a. “Ken Burns”) for slowly scaling / moving photos in your slideshows.
If you are a SlideShowPro Director user, and intend to use pan and zoom, you should update to the Director 1.3.6 version that was also released today. It includes enhanced functionality when loading slideshow content that has focal points assigned to them when using pan and zoom.
If you haven’t updated component instances in Flash before, we recommend viewing this updating video which demonstrates how.
Also, if you are a “Standalone” user of SlideShowPro, we have now made that version a separate download from the Flash Extension. Too many people were confused by the presence of the Standalone files in the same archive, so we made it separate. It’s now linked separately on the SlideShowPro for Flash product download page in the account center.
The Lightroom version of SlideShowPro will be updated to this release early next week. SlideShowPro Director Hosting subscribers can also expect their accounts to be updated to the latest version of Director soon.
Pan and zoom, also known as the “Ken Burns” effect, is something that a number of SlideShowPro users have requested over time. Today we’re pleased to announce that the next point update (1.9.6) will include support for it. Below is a preview.
Pan and zoom is independent of transitions, and actually works with all transition styles (with the exception of “Push”). You’ll be able to control the direction (“In”, “Out”, “In and Out” and “Random”), whether the panning/zooming completes before moving on to the next piece of content (while in auto-playback), and the minimum and maximum zoom scale that should be used when zooming in and/or out.
If you are loading content from SlideShowPro Director, there’s an extra bonus. Focal points (see left) assigned to images will be adhered to while panning/zooming. For example, if a subject in a photo is at the far left of the frame, and a focal point has been applied to the subject in Director, SlideShowPro will pan/zoom in a manner that will ensure that area stays in view. That way, your pan/zoom doesn’t focus on an empty area of the image and zoom the subject out of the frame.
These focal points will also be respected in full screen mode, so regardless of whether you view the slideshow in the HTML document or in full screen mode, the pan/zoom effect will always look good.
We’re now testing out a few more things, and should be able to release the SlideShowPro for Flash update tomorrow. More news then!
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