I did that but still a popup window says: " Slideshow maker needs at least 8 tracks in a arranger..." What 8 tracks? What is "arranger" ? You see how confusing it is...😬

@Greg123 @me_again

Hi Greg.

I tried as well as I have MEP 2022. I created 8 tracks, added images to each of them trying different arrangements each time, selected all 35 images, went through the whole setup and got the same message as you have every time. This is something I have never used so may also have got something wrong. The preview plays minus the music and text which I don't know whether is correct or not.

Ray.

@Greg123 @CubeAce

Hi,

It would always help if you showed exactly what you did, not generalities like "I highlighted few pictures on a timeline, selected Random transitions, collage ...," Collages are under Style Template, it is not somewhere else like transitions.... Which style did you select? Did you add a title? Music?

so I highlighted few pictures on a timeline

If you have more pictures on the timeline, then the wizard will not use only those pictures that you have selected, it will use everything that is on the timeline. You have to create a range if you want to limit Slideshow Maker to only certain photos - thus contiguous objects. A checkbox will show up in the wizard to "Apply style to selected range."

You can include videos in the range, but I suggest that you trim them down first. You can adjust the duration in the Properties of the Slideshow Maker Wizard.

Your photos (and short videos) should be on track 1 - nothing on any other tracks within the range, @CubeAce.

Since you selected to have Collages, it or they will show up on tracks 6 and higher. Music will be on track 5. Title will be on track 3.

 " Slideshow maker needs at least 8 tracks in a arranger..." What 8 tracks? What is "arranger" ? You see how confusing it is...😬

You probably have something on tracks other than 1 and they are in the way. Nothing should be on any other tracks. That is why you get the message.

Arranger = Timeline

In the image below, I selected the Style - Chillout with Collages. I checked the box beside "Apply style to selected range." Then I changed the Intensity of options to normal.

Then I opened Properties and Title and selected to Adapt music length to movie, added a title, and selected Begin group with title - Apply.

Button - Create Movie - it will create the "movie" for you to review. If you don't like it, change something and try again. When ready, Apply and it will show up on the Timeline/Arranger.

Here are the before and after timelines:

If you don't like it, Undo.

If you want to modify something in the Collage, then Ungroup the objects. Change/move the titles, etc.

John CB

@Greg123

Hi

. . . .  Slideshow maker needs at least 8 tracks in a arranger..." What 8 tracks?  . . . . .

Tracks 1 to 8, as @browj2 has commented, all images and video must be on track 1, all other tracks being empty.

If there image/videoaudio objects on higher track numbers they will be ignored by the wizard, they are not moved and the slideshow ends up a hybrid 'mess'.

In the project movie settings, the number of tracks option must be set to at least 8 tracks minimum, I normally use the 32 track option. Empty tracks do not take up any more memory, storage space.

HTH

John EB
Forum Moderator

@browj2

Hi John.

I have tried to do as you have advised but I must still be doing something wrong. Here are several attempts.

Ray.

Yes CubeAce - I tried the same options, played around like you did and...nothing😓😬

I even created a New Project: Slideshow, put on track 1 20 pictures, expanded Timeline to 9 tracks ( as popup window wants minimum 8 !!) chose Chillout Relax, no Title, no Music ( don't want to) and still no Preview. And still nothing !!!

What a "specialist" created that Slideshow program ???

@CubeAce @Greg123

Hi,

I used 2023 as I don't have 2022 installed anymore.

Looks like a bug in 2022. Another reason to not have that version.

@CubeAce, BTW, you don't have to select any objects for the wizard to work (when it works). It takes all objects or the all objects in the range if applied.

John CB

@browj2

Hi John.

I don't use the slide show maker preferring to do my my own animations for stills. I have VPX 14 as well but tried MEP 2022 to see if I could get the slide show maker to run. I agree it is either a bug or a windows / graphics driver update may have crippled it.

Ray.

@Greg123 @CubeAce,

Hi Greg, Ray

Ray - looking at your video, it looks like the Project setting you have used is 8 tracks, and you are getting the 8 track warning message.

This triggered a distant memory recall that the error message is actually incorrect.

I also checked this also in MMS 2024 and can replicate the error.

Try increasing the track number to 16 or 32.

In the meantime, I am installing MMS 2022 on a VM.

John EB

I use Slideshow a few times a year no matter what version of MEP/MS. For what it's worth I used to use MS 2022 but it's not on my system any more for obvious reasons.

I ( and many others) complained to Magix about several bugs regarding MS 2022 most of which are documented on this forum and indeed verified by other members.

I'm certain I would have noticed if Slideshow Maker in MS2022 didn't work.

AndyW

@johnebaker @Greg123 @browj2 @me_again

Hi John.

That did the trick, expanding from 9 tracks to 16 although track 4 never got used. It comes to something when the instructions get lost in the translation.

The process is also very CPU heavy with little GPU help.

I can't work out why some images do not have complete boarders.

Had problems getting the text correct (actually showed different text to what I had typed) and had to edit the final resulting project to get the text to look correct.

Ray.

@Greg123, @CubeAce

Hi Ray, Greg

. . . . That did the trick, expanding from 9 tracks to 16 although track 4 never got used. . . . .

Confirmed - works fine in MEP 2022 with 16 tracks.

Greg - if your version of MEP 2022 is not at 21.0.2.138 you are missing one or more patches - there were 52 bugs fixed over 7 patches.

John EB

Hi John EB,

my version is : Movie Studio 2022 Suite, version 21.0.2.138 (UDP3) UG code 5930 KA1...will check this 16 track option later...

@Greg123

Hi,

my version is : Movie Studio 2022 Suite, version 21.0.2.138 (UDP3) UG code 5930 KA1...will check this 16 track option later...

You mean that you only have 8 tracks? I never considered this as it is unusual. The answer is thus in the error message - you need more tracks.

Go to Movie Settings (shortcut E), and select at least 32 tracks. Since this seems to be your first time in Movie/Project Settings, look at everything that is there in all tabs.

I strongly suggest that you read at least the Quick Start chapter in the manual.

John CB

nice try John CB...😂 this is not my first time...I never needed 16 tracks...nowhere in manual says that to access all options you have to select 32 tracks !! 😐

I found another bugs in this "program" - although my phone -P30 - makes 4k 16:9 movie, options for taking pictures are 4:3 or Full Screen which is 16:7.33. To convert it I use Object Properties - Image - Aspect Ratio and although there is an option 16:9 it doesn't work directly. I have to use any other Aspect Ratio ( 4:3 2:1...) save it and then convert it to 16:9. Double the work ! I was very "happy" 😬 converting more than 100 pics.

Another bug: I tried to use: Create Panoramas - selected 6 (max) images and: Automatically create Camera Movement...and, all "panorama" meant movement of the first picture...

I really miss MEP 2016, everything worked, easy to understand instruction but no 4k handling😓

@Greg123

Hi,

nice try John CB...😂 this is not my first time...I never needed 16 tracks...nowhere in manual says that to access all options you have to select 32 tracks !! 😐

I did that but still a popup window says: " Slideshow maker needs at least 8 tracks in a arranger..." What 8 tracks? What is "arranger" ? You see how confusing it is...😬

Which is why one would assume that... you don't much about tracks, or how to get more.

I showed you the image of what the SlideShow Maker does and it should be obvious that you needed more tracks. The error message that you received even says so.

How many tracks do you normally have, 4? From memory, the installation gives you 32 by default, does it not? Most users are not going to reduce the number of tracks available - there is no benefit in doing so.

I don't know about 2022, but 2024 Panorama works fine - so long as it is able to create the pan object. The selected images get replaced by the new image and the pan is applied to it. If it doesn't work, show us what you have so that we are not guessing. It may be that 2022 has a problem with that change of Size/Position/Rotation effect from 2021.

In the above image, you can see that the effect created a wide object and automatically pans from left to right as I requested.

 found another bugs in this "program" - although my phone -P30 - makes 4k 16:9 movie, options for taking pictures are 4:3 or Full Screen which is 16:7.33. To convert it I use Object Properties - Image - Aspect Ratio and although there is an option 16:9 it doesn't work directly. I have to use any other Aspect Ratio ( 4:3 2:1...) save it and then convert it to 16:9. Double the work ! I was very "happy" 😬 converting more than 100 pics.

If your project is 16:9 and your photos are 4:3, they will show up by default full height but not full width. Why are you trying to convert them using properties? That is not where you do this. Are you trying to distort the images?

Use SPR, change the width to 3840 and the image will expand and the top and bottom will be cropped. Is this not what you want? You can then just copy the effect and paste it on all other images.

Or, if you really want distorted images, then uncheck Combine input fields, type in 3840 for the width, enter. Copy to other images.

Or, if you don't want distorted images but want automatic cropping of top and bottom, Movie Settings, check the box for "Automatically adjust new images to fill screen (borders are faded out). Then import the images and they will be full screen.

Or, is it something else?

John CB

@Greg123

Hi Greg.

A 4:3 screen ratio is based on the 35mm film format which was a traditional screen ratio for movie and still images. All my Digital stills cameras do 4:3 and my full frame ones have 35mm sensors. There will always be new screen ratios for monitors and phones for people who either need more workspace on one screen or game or whatever but the majority of digital screens are 16:9 and the majority due to the very early adoption to that ratio when the LCD panel came out. The same as most early panels had a 60Hz refresh rate. Video sharing sites use that as a standard upload ratio. You can manually put in any pixel ratio you wish for both import and export.

Windows 12 or what will effectively be Windows 12 will introduce variable refresh rate modes for video, so maybe in future we will be able to edit such video content effectively.

There are always problems because manufacturers will try anything new to entice a purchase and try to 'improve' their products.

Inevitably the people left to develop to hardware and software to cope will always be behind. Those with older computers but newer phones or cameras should think before buying if their old hardware and programs can cope with the new files. My main camera has to use memory cards capable of writing at 440MB/s to keep up with the cameras processor in real time.

So I personally don't consider some of these problems bugs but the inevitable price one has to pay for needing what is a multi-purpose tool trying to cope with jobs created with specialist tools. It's never going to be easy or straightforward until such times as the hardware and software can catch up.

Ray.

@browj2

Hi John.

While I agree with most of your comments above, I reset my copy of MEP 2022 and it gave me four tracks on a new project. The warning message is also ambiguous in my opinion and as far as I can see only used 15 tracks.

The problem is if there is people that are used to phone apps which are quite basic and mainly automated are lost when confronted with a program with many more choices.

Ray.

@CubeAce

Hi Ray,

I reset my copy of MEP 2022 and it gave me four tracks on a new project. 

That cannot be - or should not be! If you add any template effect that has sound or add an audio file from the Audio tab, the program wants to put it on track 5.

Any collage requires tracks beyond track 5. If you use the Slideshow Maker with no collages and no music, then there should be no problem with 4 tracks. Add in music and you need track 5. Add in a collage and you'll need more tracks depending on the collage that the wizard selects; the maximum under collages that I see is 6. So you need at least 11 tracks.

I have never done a reset, so I don't really know what happens. It just seems that I have always had 32 tracks by default after installation. It was only Music Maker that gave me 4 tracks.

As far as aspect ratios for cameras, I read somewhere that all that happens with the video part is that the top and bottom are trimmed out electronically or something like that, to get 16:9 from 4:3. The viewfinder shows this 16:9 window. Thus in MMS/VPX, use full width, cutting out top and bottom or adjust up or down as desired.

John CB

@browj2

I've no idea John.

I don't use templates normally and add tracks if I feel I need them. I will try stuff out to see if I can replicate a problem posted to the forum but most of the time I will start with four tracks, eight if I know I'll be doing something more adventurous or need to add additional sound tracks. I think the most amount of tracks I've ever used is 28.

I have the option of recording video in 4:3 video and that gives me more choice when editing and less chance of cutting wanted bits out of the video by accident or movement that is too fast to correct for or using a gimbal to level the camera on a slope allows me to push the frame downwards during a pan from looking uphill to downhill.

Ray.

 I reset my copy of MEP 2022 and it gave me four tracks on a new project.

I've just reset MEP 2021 and MMS 2024 and both default to 32. I've never seen any Magix video editor version start up with only 4 tracks.

Hi Ray,

What I was trying to explain is that my phone take 16:7.33 ratio pictures and i wanted to convert them to 16:9 - with little distortion but it's OK. And MMS2022 can do this the way I described it which does it in two step process instead of one.

But the way I cannot decipher how to setup Panorama or SlideShow Maker is because in Help it is NOT properly explained...so reaching this forum to find the answers...