SmartSlide
To open the SmartSlide tool, click the SmartSlide button at the bottom of the Library window.
At the bottom of the Library window, click SmartSlide to create a slideshow project instantly. For a video-based production, choose SmartMovie instead.
The SmartSlide controls are presented on a panel that slides up into the window from below. It contains three subpanels. The leftmost of these presents information about SmartSlide, and advice on how many files to include. The center subpanel is a storage area with bins for photos and other images (top) and audio. The right subpanel contains controls for customizing the show.
Adding media
To add images to the slideshow, drag them from the Browser into the upper bin in the storage area. Drag thumbnails within the storage area to get the order you want. Continue adding further images until you are satisfied.
To add music, drag one or more sound files to the lower bin in the storage area. Alternatively you can click the clef button in the bottom left corner of the audio bin to create a music soundtrack in ScoreFitter.
Preview, edit and export
Once your media are in place, click the Preview button on the footer bar below the tool. The project is created and presented in a preview window. If necessary, you can return to the SmartSlide tool to modify your media selections.
When you click the Preview button, the media you have chosen are automatically saved in a Collection named Latest Smart Creation. If you expect to make further use of this grouping of assets, rename the Collection to prevent it being overwritten the next time you look at a SmartSlide or SmartMovie preview.
The Edit button brings your slideshow to the Movie Editor timeline for detailed editing. It’s a good idea to check that the timeline video settings match your requirements for the show. The video settings button on the settings panel (below) provides access to these.
When the presentation is the way you want it, click Export to burn a disc or create a file for upload.
The photos in the upper bin are displayed as icons, while the music and sound files in the lower bin appear as text lines giving the file name and duration of each asset. Both bins support multiple selection, drag-and-drop reordering, and a context menu with just two commands:
Delete selected: The selected media are removed from the SmartSlide production. They remain available in the Library for other uses. (Shortcut: Delete.)
Open editor: This command opens the Corrections tool of the Photo Editor or the Audio Editor. Any modifications you make to the media apply only within this SmartSlide production. (Shortcut: double-click.)
The settings on this subpanel are for customizing the SmartSlide production.
Here the mouse pointer selects chronological order on the Media Order list of the SmartSlide settings panel. At the bottom of the panel are buttons for adjusting video settings for the generated project, and for starting over from scratch.
The settings entered will be used the next time the slideshow is generated. The video settings button lets you set up the timeline options that will apply if you take the production into the Movie Editor. The clear project button removes all media from the project and returns to default settings.
Title: Enter a caption to be used as the main title of the slideshow.
Adjust length to music: When this option is checked, SmartSlide attempts to adjust its timing parameters so that the generated slideshow lasts exactly as long as the music soundtrack you have specified. The information subpanel provides advice about how many images to employ when the option is in force.
Pan and zoom: Checking this option enlivens your presentation with simulated camera moves.
Fit image: Check this option to enlarge images that are too small for the selected format. For a more flexible approach, you can also consider correcting the asset with the Crop corrections tool.
Media order: Select an option for the order of slides, from ‘As defined’ (the sequence is set by you), ‘Chronological’ (according to the file timestamp), and ‘Random’.