Hi!

Using ProntoEdit NG you should be able (according to the manual) toexport a gallery out of an existing pcf-file. When selecting this otion in the file-menu, after the usual questions about filename and place to save it, a "gef-file" will be created.

Now, also according to the manual, you should be able to import the new gef-file into an existing pcf-file. If doing so (file menu > import gallery) a question appears, asking to replace or to merge the imported gallery with the one which is actually in use. No matter which option I choose, nothing happens. After looking into the actual gallery (menu tools > gallery), I can find there the same gallery as before, without changes or addons.

Who can help? How can I bring the design elements of an existing configuration into a gallery, so that I can edit them?

Thanks a lot!

This feature exports *PENGs gallery*.
PCFs don't have a gallery.

Greetz
Jochen

I think you are better off not using the Gallery. If you put a lot of stuff into the Gallery, it can be very slow to open or close and can be very frustrating.

What I think you want to do is to get to the various .bmp and/or .png files, so you can edit them within Photoshop, PaintShop Pro, etc.

A .pcf is really a .zip file. Right click on the .pcf file you want to unzip and "Open With" your .zip application and then Extract. This will put all of the files into a Bitmap folder. Now they are accessible to your editing application.

Once you have a .bmp or .png file edited, save it to the Bitmap folder and then use the Import function, within the Button Properties, to bring your edited image into your .pcf

Dave D'Arche

I was about to give the Marantz RC5400 another whirl now that there has been a firmware update, but that statement kind of leaves me feeling empty.

When I did the TSU3000 and the two RC5400s, I got the impression that the software was carpal-tunnel-creating, but I have found some shortcuts thanks to your book. But it still takes 1.37 Forevers to upload and download a file! And now you say it would be a bad idea for me to try to put my own picture elements into the gallery to use them with future pcfs? Hopefully I misunderstood you!

I quit using the software before I learned how to add to the gallery, but if just plain USING the gallery is a bad idea, what the heck do you do when every device is slightly different from the others?

The gallery is way too slow. It is far simpler to create a PCF to use as a gallery. Copy whatever buttons you might want to use at some time from the gallery (or anyweher else) into this PCF. Then simply have two PENG sessions open and copy and paste from your "gallery" PCF to your working PCF.

Sorry for the reality-check, Ernie. I only speak the truth and I never lie ;>)

After a million hours of building configs, I find it much quicker to simply import the particular .bmp or .png file I have created, into the config. Yes, I said "import". One trick I do find on importing is to name your .bmp or .png files in a way which is quick to get to in Windows (or PENG or PPENG)! Assuming you are creating or modifying button in your favorite editor, when you save them, use a consistent naming convention which takes advantage of Windows naming conventions.

Consider using a naming convention for your created buttons, similar to the following:

DVD button white off
DVD button white on
DVD button blue play
DVD button green stop

If you name your buttons in a similar and consistent fashion, when you try to import them from PENG or PPENG, it works under the Windows file conventions and you can use it to your advantage, versus your dis-advantage. If you have 200 .bmp or .png files in a folder, you can search by name in a window, which is set to thumbnail. However, this can also be slow if you do not follow a consistent naming convention.

If you do save .bmp or .png files under a natural, consistent naming convention, you can type the "natural" name into the Windows file Name screen (PENG or PPENG) file menus to find the file you want to import.

Such as: You have a button on your page, which you wish to import a different button to replace it. If I am going to do this, I find it much easier to go to the PENG or PPENG add a button menu and accept the default, whatever it is. Then I right-click on that new button and pull down to properties. Once at Button Properties, I go to the Appearance tab. I immediately delete both of the buttons in pressed state and released state. Then I go to import on the released state area and import the button which I have recently created, via my custom button work in my favorite editor. Then I import that button, to replace the button I have on my screen. If you feel compelled to add a pressed-state button, do so in the same manner.

I just find the Gallery very slow and very uncomfortable, when it comes to finding the file you want. I do prefer the import function, once I realized that a naming convention would actually assist me in finding the file I want.

Dave D'Arche

This message was edited by ddarche on 01/05/05 22:43 ET.

@all
thanks a lot for your help!!!

@ddarche
Thanks again! You hit it! That's exactly what I was after! Now, everything is fine :-))))
Hope, that today ma new RU980 will arrive and then, ..... hours and hours, weeks and weeks....later, I hope again, that everything will work as expected ;-))

Dave, I have tryied what you suggest regarding opening a *.pcf file with a zip utility, I can't get it to open. The ulitity is QuickZip and works fine with >zip files Any idea, should a rename the file *.zip

Might try that Wayne. If your zip app is not fully associated with Windows, it might not be available in the "right-click" Open with menu. If it is available in your menu, make sure your "Extract". Make a copy of the original and then rename the copy to whatever.zip and then open it and extract. Should work.

Dave D'Arche