Xequte Newsletter: Smart Pix and MegaView Upgrades + Internet Auto-Downloader

1 December 2002

 

 

In this Issue:
* Smart Pix Manager and MegaView V6.0 Released
* New Release: Ezy Retriever, Internet Auto Downloader
* Send Xequte software as a Xmas gift (and get a free upgrade)
* Program Tips
* Removing yourself from this List
 
 
 
Dear Xequte Software User,
 
Well 2002 is now rapidly draining from the hourglass.  It has gone especially quick for us as we spent the first six months anxiously awaiting the birth of our twins and the next six in that eerie reality that comes on with extreme sleep deprivation.
 
It has been a good year for us at Xequte, having released major upgrades of all our main products and also issuing some new ones (with a special thanks to the ones my wife released ;-)
 
The last major upgrade to Smart Pix Manager and MegaView was two years and while we have released more than a dozen feature updates, a complete revamp was long overdue.  The most striking difference existing users will find in the new version is the new XP style interface (still works on all versions of Windows), but there are also numerous improvements, such as content searching, custom fields, multiple rotation and significant enhancements to the thumbsheet and web page generation tools.  For more details please see below.
 
We have also released a tool for automatically downloading the images, multimedia and other files on a web page (or any pages that it links).  This is great for rapidly building a collection of the things that interest you. Download and other details are listed below.
 
Finally, at the request of many users we have created an order page that will allow you to purchase software as a gift for your friends and family. As a special offer we will even give registered users a free upgrade for doing so.
 
As a special plug for some friends and former colleagues; the web developers who helped create the Xequte web site have now formed a new company and changed their name to DW3.  Please visit their web site at www.dw3.co.nz
 
Thank you to all the customers who have supported us this year, and best wishes of the season to all!
 
 
 
Regards
 
Nigel Cross
Xequte Software
www.xequte.com
 
 
 
* SMART PIX MANAGER AND MEGAVIEW  V6.0 RELEASED
 
Our final major releases of 2002, are the long awaited upgrades to Smart Pix Manager and MegaView.  There are numerous new features, but here is a list of the top twenty:
 
1. Content searching of database files *
2. Optional Filtering of Database and Searches by date, size and type *
3. Updated interface with XP style graphics
4. Major improvements to HTML creation wizard: New layout options, icons used for non-image formats, transition effects, slideshows, shadows, auto-resizing of images, etc.
5. Major improvements to thumbnail sheet creation: Background images, icons used for non-image formats, shadows and better font sizing
6. Can now add your own fields to your database *
7. Content searching for files in folders and sub-folders
8. Can now rotate all selected images with one click
9. Twenty-four new transition effects
10. Can now use transition effects even when manually viewing images
11. Support for viewing of embedded WMA tags and addition of tags as keywords
12. No longer need plug-in for lossless rotation and cropping and red-eye removal
13. EXIF data is now displayed in a more comprehensible format
14. Thumbnails are displayed for compatible AVI files
15. Three new layouts for the main window
16. Can navigate the grid by clicking the first letter of the filename
17. When a text, html, font or common windows file is displayed a thumbnail is automatically added
18. Can now modify the date/time stamp of files
19. Can now crop images with various selection shapes
20. Automatic scrolling option when reading text files
 
(* Smart Pix Manger only)
 
A full list can be found at:
 
 
So what didn't make it?  Two important features that were planned for this release, support for multiple levels of keywords and JPEG2000 format, could not be implemented in time.  We hope to have these included in a free update that will be available in early 2003.
 
You can download v6.0 from:
Smart Pix: http://www.xequte.com/smartpix/
MegaView:  http://www.xequte.com/megaview/
 

* UPGRADING TO V6.0
 
V6.0 is a free upgrade to any users who purchased a license or an upgrade to MegaView or Smart Pix after 15 August 2002.  If you are entitled to a free upgrade then the key should have been sent to you over the last few days. If it does not arrive within two weeks please forward your original order confirmation to us
 
Other users can upgrade Smart Pix for $15.50:
http://www.xequte.com/smartpix/upgrade.html
 
 
Or you can get a FREE upgrade by purchasing our software as a gift for someone else.  Please see below for details.
 
 
 
* NEW RELEASE: EZY RETRIEVER, INTERNET AUTO DOWNLOADER
 
Ever visited a web site and wanted to download all the images or multimedia they have?  Saving each one with your browser could take hours.   EZY Retriever is an easy-to-use solution that searches web sites and automatically downloads the file types that you specify, whether they be images, multimedia or other files.
 
You can download an evaluation of EZY Retriever:
 
 
 
 
* SEND XEQUTE SOFTWARE AS A XMAS GIFT (AND GET A FREE UPGRADE)
 
If you would like to purchase any of our software as a gift for your friends or family, please use our new Gift order page:
 
 
As a special introductory offer, registered users who purchase a gift can choose between a free upgrade to of their current software or a license to Amaze, Multimedia Screen Saver.
 
 
 
* PROGRAM TIPS
 
* Smart Pix Manager: Adding custom fields to your database
 
A new feature of v6.0 allows you to specify your own database fields and search them.  For example, if all of your pictures are of landscapes, then you might add fields for, "Location", "Time of Day", etc.
 
To specify and edit your fields:
1.  Select your file(s)
2.  Click FileIFile Information (or Ctrl+Enter)
3.  Select the "Custom Fields" tab
4.  Click "New" to add a new field, or type data into an existing field
 
To search on your custom fields:
1.  Select Database mode
2.  On the top selection box, select "Search"
3.  In the next selection box, select "Search for Text"
3.  Set the search field to "Custom Fields" and enter the text to search for
 

* MegaView (also in Smart Pix Manager): Rotating all of your image with a single click
 
V6.0 now natively supports Lossless JPEG rotation, this means that unlike most other image editing software when you rotate or crop a JPEG there is no reduction in its quality.  Along with this feature we now allow you to rotate all the selected files with a single click.  Here is the process:
 
1.  Select your files (hold Ctrl down as you click on them, or hold Shift to select a contiguous row)
2.  Click Rotate Left or Rotate Right, either using the buttons on the Image Editing toolbar or under Image|Edit Image on the menu
3.  Click "Yes" at the "Rotate All?" prompt