News!!!

THoff · Post by **THoff** » Thu Apr 27, 2006 9:29 pm

I understand the risk inherent in testing beta software -- I was just hoping for a clarification of the discrepancy between the description used by Devil and that used by Ulead in the official announcement on their website.

I was under the impression that the Service Pack has already been tested to the extent possible, and that it wasn't a public beta of something to be released officially sometime in the future.

krwzmann · Post by **krwzmann** » Thu Apr 27, 2006 11:07 pm

ah yea there is nothing wrong with releasing a public beta and it's at the discretion of the user to use on their production systems if they want to.

I was just reminding myself and just giving a warning to some of those out there who might become excited at the idea of the service pack only to risk putting it on their system and finding that they have to reinstall the software possibly losing out on some projects.

With a previous service pack, I think it was with msp7, I took a shot loading the service pack thinking that the chances of it crashing and messing up a project were minimal or almost non-existent. Foolish me though and I was pretty bummed to lose out on the handful of hours recreating a project. My bad...my bad. But then again, back then I don't remember the pack being noted as a 'public beta'. I guess at least this time around it's being labeled correctly. Or maybe it was labeled correctly and my mind is just trying to erase all memory of that experience.

Devil · Post by **Devil** » Fri Apr 28, 2006 2:08 pm

One week to go for public beta, four weeks to go for release!!!

I've just downloaded the last private beta, before public beta. I haven't started testing it yet but I've looked through the list of fixes and improvements and I'm impressed. There are even some fixes for complaints mentioned in this forum in the past couple of weeks, so no one can say that Ulead does not listen to the users.

SEVEN and TWENTY-EIGHT

Devil · Post by **Devil** » Sat Apr 29, 2006 8:12 am

SIX and TWENTY-SEVEN

Devil · Post by **Devil** » Sun Apr 30, 2006 7:52 am

FIVE for public beta

Have spent the last 2 days on the pre-public beta release and I'm impressed. The wait will be worthwhile, believe me. What is more, the file size is such that even those without broadband should be able to download it reasonably, so sharpen up your FTP client.

Helge · Post by **Helge** » Sun Apr 30, 2006 2:01 pm

I agree with krwzmann not to use betas on production systems. My company gives betas only to selected customers for installing it on separate test systems. This is especially important if it would cause serious impact to you (i.e. loosing money) if it would not work as you expect.

On the other hand I will install it as soon as I get it. Just yesterday I discovered a bug I had never before. So I test it and I hope that I cannot reproduce this bug. (I dont want to go into detail here, but in short: the problem was that even input files, project settings and create file options where all 4:3 the resulting video was 16:9. This was reproducable and changed only after I switched off smart rendering.) I think we will have to wait a long time for the next service pack (if there will be ever one) and so I believe it to be very important to use every chance we have to report any remaining bugs as soon as possible.

I know that its probably much too late for additional wishes but nevertheless two small one:

display a warning message if create file is started and there are gaps in the range rendered, eighter if the first video does not start at zero or there are gaps between the videos

display a warning message if create file is started and audio track is switched off

(I dont know how I do it, but I often move inadvertently the first movie during edding. I also switch off often audio (indentionally) during trimming and wonder later why the dvd is so silent

)

Devil · Post by **Devil** » Sun Apr 30, 2006 2:46 pm

Helge wrote: On the other hand I will install it as soon as I get it. Just yesterday I discovered a bug I had never before. So I test it and I hope that I cannot reproduce this bug. (I dont want to go into detail here, but in short: the problem was that even input files, project settings and create file options where all 4:3 the resulting video was 16:9. This was reproducable and changed only after I switched off smart rendering.) I think we will have to wait a long time for the next service pack (if there will be ever one) and so I believe it to be very important to use every chance we have to report any remaining bugs as soon as possible.

If this is a real bug, please publish the details here ASAP. I have never experienced it and would like to know how you do it (alternatively, send me a PM). I don't promise that Ulead will include a fix in Friday's public beta but it may still be possible for the SP1 release.

Helge wrote: I know that its probably much too late for additional wishes but nevertheless two small one:
display a warning message if create file is started and there are gaps in the range rendered, eighter if the first video does not start at zero or there are gaps between the videos
display a warning message if create file is started and audio track is switched off

As this is not a software bug but a wish, it is unlikely they could be included in SP1; there are still some real bugs that need sorting out. I discovered a new one only today!

FYI: I deem it unlikely that the SP1 beta will reduce functionality, rather the opposite. Of course, there is a risk, but it is very small. Some bugs still exist, at least for just now, but there are very few new ones, that I know of, and I do know that some beta testers have done some real projects with it. My personal MO has been to try some extreme things to try and force it to crash, with very big dvp files.

usatraveler · Post by **usatraveler** » Thu May 04, 2006 1:14 am

When working on a project the other day, I wanted to keep the most recent version, but I wanted to keep the older version just in case. So, I saved the project with a new name. Upon doing this, all media clips in my Project Tray (video, audio, image for the NEW project) appeared as thumbnails with no names attached, represented by white boxes with black "X"s in them. Files on the timeline did not go offline, BUT I couldn't go back into my Project Tray to get the clips; I had to re-import them, though there was no re-linking necessary. May try to re-produce it.

kjcmjc · Post by **kjcmjc** » Thu May 04, 2006 1:25 am

usatravler, I had the exact same problem as you had. I hope this is fixed.

mmponline · Post by **mmponline** » Thu May 04, 2006 4:51 am

Me too! Wasted cosiderable time!

Where are we now? 2,1, 0?

Devil · Post by **Devil** » Thu May 04, 2006 6:58 am

I agree that the linking in the PL and PT seems hairy at times. I very rarely use either (except for the effects, of course), much preferring to have a project directory and then importing everything from there directly to the timeline. The only exception I make is where I have a few stills that I put into storyboard for auto-time and -transition. I find that, otherwise, the PT is a waste of time and effort. However, that is personal opinion, based on long experience of PLs in past versions!

TOMORROW is the big day. Wait for it and please try it out. Read the accompanying PDF file. Try your damnedest to find any remaining bugs and, if you do, please DO report them as instructed. There will be three weeks to have them sorted out before the release version and I can promise you that your reports will be read and, where possible, acted upon.

mmponline · Post by **mmponline** » Thu May 04, 2006 9:43 am

Looking forward with anticipation. Trust that most of the problems will be solved.

Can't wait to start test driving and testing the features I know I had problems with.

Devil · Post by **Devil** » Fri May 05, 2006 6:53 am

Today's the day!

Just be patient for a few more hours!

mmponline · Post by **mmponline** » Fri May 05, 2006 7:11 am

Devil
Don't know in what part of the world you are, but in South Africa it's approaching noon already. So today can be yesterday for some, and tomorrow for others.

In any way, I'm glad the time has come. Hope to see the extra compositor templates as well.

Now hoping for a SP on MF5.
Stephan

Greg · Post by **Greg** » Fri May 05, 2006 7:31 am

Stephan,
Jumping the gun a bit aren't you, it's hardly approaching noon, still a few hours away!!

Regards,
Greg