Thanks John, but no it doesn't really help.

One page 256 of the instruction book “Create slideshows on your PC with MAGIX Photostory on DVD Deluxe (Video Output) it says:

"Output as Media Player
"If you want to present your slideshow on a website, we recommend the option OUTPUT AS MEDIA PLAYER.
   "First specify whether you want to create a media player with a rendered video file (WITH SLIDESHOW AS A VIDEO) or with individual photos, videos and audio files (WITH SLIDESHOWS FROM EACH OF THE MEDIA FORMATS). The latter option does not take any effects into account.
  " In the following dialog you can set the QUALITY and then click and SAVE.  In the save folder you’ll now find an HTML file along with the other media files. Double-clicking on this HTML file opens the media player."

I don't want to use Facebook, Magix Online World or anything else. I want the slideshow embedded in my website and for it to activate when the website visitor clicks on an arrow or similar. 

I suspected I might have to have other knowledge about adding items to a website. I, of course, know how to add text, images, etc, but I have a couple examples of other slideshow creation software in which the supposed method of adding slideshows to the website doesn't work. I thought, when I read the advertising blurb for PhotoStory, that I had, at last, found something that would work and the adding of the sideshow could be accomplished. The blurb didn't say anything about being a website expert with knowledge in all sorts of skills over and above slide creation. Or niormal website creation.

In fact, I created the slideshow as a video - but with still images - using Magix Movie Edit Pro which was already in the Magix products I own. I then used - or failed to use - one of the other slideshow software products.

Ah well, the search goes on. But I'll take anything said in publicity blurbs with a pinch of salt in future, and not reading, optimistically, into it what I want to read.         

Hi again,

The program does more than I thought. It gives you the elements to add to your website to insert your slideshow or video. Logically, again, you can't expect a program to insert a new page into a website that it doesn't have access to, or to the programming behind the website that it would know nothing about. You would want other information on the new page, header, text, logo, etc. and a way to navigate to the page, thus you have to do all of this outside of PhotoStory.

I use Xara Web Designer by Magix (I'm new to it). I made a website using a template for learning purposes. I created a quick slideshow in PhotoStory with a dozen slides, added a few transitions and a soundpool music file, and exported as you indicated. Then I opened Xara, my website design pages, dragged and dropped the video mp4 file onto a page and the program created the container just like a YouTube video container. I gave it the parameter so that the user just has to click on the arrow. I uploaded my updated website; that was the longest part, waiting for it to upload. And done. My video was now on my website.

Maybe you can ask for help on the Xara discussion board www.talkgraphics.com. Someone can probably assist you. But PhotoStory did all it can do and the rest is up to you.

Out of curiosity, if you have MEP, why did you also buy PhotoStory? I'm asking myself the same question - I think something else came with it that I wanted. The same information and process for making the video and html files is described on p. 238 of the MEP 2014 manual.

Please let me know how you make out. Your query prompted me to go back to my website design. I also wanted to know how to put a video on my site. Now I know.

Regards, 

"The program does more than I thought. It gives you the elements to add to your website to insert your slideshow or video. Logically, again, you can't expect a program to insert a new page into a website that it doesn't have access to, or to the programming behind the website that it would know nothing about."

Well no, of course not. But it could give you a "form" to fill in as it were, pointing the slideshow to the right page on your personal website. As long as there was a way to place it on the page. With still images you can add a picture in the text on a webpage with no trouble.

However, I already have two slideshow makers by other software producers. They have, as the final step, a way of creating a "box" on the chosen webpage and telling you where to put the images on your list of webpages so that tyhen slideshow appears on the. It was just - I'm sorry to say - that I couldn't make that last step work.

But at least it was there - and I can go back and have further tries - but Magiz cannot be bothered to supply the final step. So in my book, buying the PhotoStory software and the accompanyying users guide book, has been a total waste of £72. I think I'll just uninstall the programme and take the book to Oxfam - at least someone will benefit then.

But first I will study your latest reply and see if I, too, can make it work.

I don't have the 2014 edition of the MEP manual. I have the 3rd Edition. But, yes, there on Page 331 is a bit about creating a slideshow. But even that only talks about exporting the slideshow to a mobile device. Again, not how to place it in a page. But I will read the chapter more thoroughly.

Why did I but PhotoStory when I have Movie Edit Pro? Er, well I only read the relevant movie editing bits of the manual and at the time I wasn't planning to do a slideshow. So the fact that that MEP can make slideshows didn't register.   

At £20 (is it?) I don't fancy buying the 2014 edition of the manual. Or would I get a free copy as I have the, admittedly earlier version of the programme? 

"So in my book, buying the PhotoStory software and the accompanying users guide book, has been a total waste of £72."

I should have said £52! The other £19.99 was for a copy of Magix Photo and Videoshow Sound Archive. But the principle still applies.

Also: I have just found out that there is a Magix product called Slideshow Maker 2 (I strayed  on to another forum) - although someone was complaining that it is no longer listed in the Magix products. And, true, I can't find it. I thought it might have been more useful for me (although the writer was complaining about what the programme DIDN'T have). Or is Slideshow Maker 2 a previous name for PhotoStory?

Hi,

I had been asking myself the same question and always intended to see if there were any differences between SlideShow Maker 2 and the regular Slideshow Maker in MEP and PhotoStory.

So far as I can tell, SlideShow Maker 2 is the same as the SlideShow Wizard in PhotoStudio. It is redundant. Magix included Maker 2 with something that I don't recall, and I don't know why they did.

In PhotoStory, under Edit, Wizards, there are two slideshow makers. The first is Slideshow Wizard and it is the same as SlideShow Maker 2, in that it asks to load the files. If you had already loaded files into PhotoStory, it will ask you to save and it doesn't use those files. Once you go past the loading part, the wizard is the same as if you had loaded files into PhotoStory and then selected the second option, Slideshow Maker. The only visible difference is that in Maker 2, the background is dark, whereas it is light in Slideshow Maker, and the buttons are slightly re-arranged. Another difference is in the number of Style Templates available. There are only 8 in Maker 2, but many more in the PhotoStory version. The biggest difference is discussed below.

If you look at MEP2014, under Edit, Wizards, there is only Slideshow Maker and it is very similar to PhotoStory, except the background is dark. The arrangement on the screen is the same, but the terminology is slightly different, i.e., transition vs fade, they mean the same thing. In MEP, the button to create says "Create movie (preview)," whereas in PhotoStory (slideshow maker) it says "Create slideshow (Preview)."

Thus, you are better off with PhotoStory than just Maker 2, because you can edit the result of the Slideshow Maker as it places its results on the tracks within PhotoStory. The MEP version does the same thing. But, and here is the big difference, Maker 2 only creates a video of the result and you cannot modify the components, unless the project is saved before creating the movie or exiting. An mvm file is created that can be dragged onto the timeline of MEP. MEP will protest and say that it does not support the format. I ignored the message and it placed the compiled slideshow elements on various tracks in the timeline. In one version, it placed objects on tracks 1, 3, and 5 to 10, with music and effects. Still, if you have MEP or PhotoStory, you don't need Maker 2. And Maker 2 by itself does not allow any post-processing. If you want to change something, you have to do it again, or use another program.

While we're on the subject of redundant programs, there are other redundant sub-programs that the various main programs use. For example, I have several copies of Photo Designer 7, Music Editor 3, and Xtreme Print Studio. I somehow got a Video Sound Cleaning Lab that is similar to Audio Cleaning Lab except the video is imported. Magix is no longer supporting this for some reason. Too bad, because it allows spectral cleaning whereas the audio editor in MEP does not, so far as I could find. I'm still reviewing the differences. So I guess that maybe this one is not redundant, but it is an odd one.

As a last item, I have PhotoStory 2013. 2014 is now out but I am passing. It comes with Vasco da Gama 6 included, but I would rather save my money and buy VdG 7. I don't find PhotoStory all that useful given that I have MEP.

I have rambled on but I wanted to get this down for myself as well as you.

Hope I haven't confused or discouraged you too much.

Regards,

I have rambled on but I wanted to get this down for myself as well as you.

 

And for all the other users who might have had the same problem about loading to a oersonal website. At least, I hope I'm not the only one (and everyone else knows the answer)!

Hope I haven't confused or discouraged you too much.

Not at all, I understood you perfectly. BTW I still have to look again at your previous useful post. I'll fine time soon!

Many thanks,

Dabber.

John C.B.

I still haven't got the slideshow software to work as I would like but I have added a video (it is video but looks like a slideshow) to YouTube.

It looks great, but then I'm biased.

The next step is to embed the video into my personal website (A Dabber's Nantwich: www.dabbersnantwich.me.uk) and at last have it where I wanted it - on the index/home page. As it's my video/slideshow it's my copyright so no problems there!

I got in a plug for Photostory - but I am expecting that image to be deleted.

To view the video - Welcome to Nantwich 2 - go to, well YouTube and search for Nantwich. Sorry, but when I give the link it creates an image from the video on this page which doesn't do anything!

[Let's try another way! Add the two halves of this link together (best to retype it into your computer) and see what happens!]

http:youtu.be/       and  then     E95jFtKEHeY   (no space). It does appear to be youtu.be not youtube

Just got to find if I can change the title. That 2 is what it says on the tin, a second version of the slideshow, but it's a file on my computer and I didn't intend it to appear! Ah well.