Is Jim Heid O.K.?

I love Apples iLife 05 Suite, besides this site we have found Jim Heid's iLife book and DVD VERY helpful in learning how to best use Apples iLife suite.
We also stay current checking out Jim Heid's website....but it hasn't been updated since August 27th... very unusual for him, espicallly with all the new Apple announcements since then.
Does anyone know what gives?? I hope he's O.K.

Harm,
Thank you for you insight ... I see that you are on this board helping all the time ... so, thank you for helping others ...
As far as the encoding ... it seems like all of the formats you listed are slow ... I have tried H.264 and DVD
bit rates are on preset ...so, let me check on that info and I'll list it here later ...
I'm on single pass ... and max quality ... (any chance you could ballpark the render time difference between max quality and good quality?)
... but just knowing that the system seems to be performing o.k. ... tells me I'm not dealing with a bottleneck issue ...
(but ... I hope the "compresshd" card will help when the drives come out for pc ...)
Thank you for your time,
Paul

Similar Messages

Burn error (disc image)

All of a sudden, iDVD 5.0.1 won't burn a disc image. Gets to some point through the process (might be half way, might be right through), then says, "Burning completed. Some errors were found during the burn process". Doesn't create any file at all. Have tried buring a few different projects, with the same result.
Any clues?

I am having exactly the same problem. My iDVD project started in iPhoto as a "saved slideshow". I have followed all of the steps as provided in two 3rd party manuals -- Jim Heid's "iLife '05" and David Pogue's "iMovie and iDVD 5 -- the Missing Manual". I have even done a "Project Archive" file as the basis to burn the iDVD to ensure that all the resources are together and available. My project consists of a 24 minute slideshow comprised of 230 photos all with "Burns Effect" panning and zooming and with a background music track. This was sent to iDVD from the iPhoto commands. The "Memories" theme was applied with text modification, changes to the font style text location and color, and changed audio selection. A second slideshow was added which consisted of an archive of all the photos used in the original, plus some added ones that were not used. This added a second button on the main menue with three sub-menues on a secondary menu, where the photos were automatically broken down by iDVD into three groups of photos of less than 100 each for a total playing time of approximately 6 minutes (1 sec per photo). The project was then saved and archived. Everything plays fine up to this point. The total memory of the saved archived project file is 2.86 Gb. The rendering and processing time for iDVD to create the disk image (.img) file exceeded 5 hours. I've tried to generate the disk image three times. Like Jim White, in one case after nearly 3 hours, the program put out an error message saying that errors had been encountered and the processing was being aborted. In the two other cases, the processing went the complete 5+ hours; gave a message that the "burning was finished, but that some errors had been found (on verification?) and produced NO FILE.
I am using a Mac G4/1.25 Ghz MDD , Mac OS-10.4.2 with 768Mb RAM and 13.5 Gb of available hard drive storage at the beginning of disk image processing; with iPhoto 5.0.4 and iDVD 5.0.1.
I have no experience with earlier versions of iDVD, so I can't say if this is a problem created by the 5.0.1 update, or the upgrade to Tiger. In any case, this is extremely poor error coding, especially considering the amount of time required for the image processing -- i.e.to state after 5 hours that an error was found which aborts or invalidates the burn without providing any clue as to what or where the error was -- this makes the entire software package of virtually NO VALUE.
Your comments, please!

Using Automator action/workflow to create a poster in iPhoto

I'm using Jim Heid's Mac iLife 'lifeposter' idea [which comes from Mike Matas] and I keep getting a message taht says "the workflow was saved with an older version of 'get Selected items' some behavior may have changed. and also another ref. 'import files into iPhoto" -- I didn't find a more recent Automator action 'Create Thumbnail Poster" online nor updated information at Matas's blog or Heid's book...any suggestions for how to fix this? I last used it a few years ago and would like to use it again.

Unless you got a message about it, the original Create Thumbnail Poster may work with the version of iPhoto that you have. As for the other actions, they sound like standard actions that have just been updated - you can open the older application and recompile it using the newer actions.

Playback has no theme/menus/chapters.etc.

Hi all,
I want my iDVD projects to start just like a DVD movie with theme and menus. I was successful in creating a DVD of my imovie with markers and title but on playback time my DVD player started the movie without showing the theme and menus at beginning. It began with main movie. How can I fix this?
your help is appreciated,
web dude

It sounds like you dropped your movie into the autostart well (the box on the left in the Map view).
To get the most out of iDVD you need to do a little studying first. Have you gone through the tutorials at http://www.apple.com/ilife/tutorials/#idvd
I also recommend" The Macintosh iLife '08 by Jim Heid.

Double movies created in IDVD???

Hi,
I just tried the one step IDVD and created a number of DVDs via camcorder. Each completed DVD has two copies of the movie on it. I don't know why or how this happened. Any ideas? TIA Jerry (a MAC newbie)

Yes, the looping explains it. Thank you for your
expertise. Is there a way to avoid it without using
menus?
You could use a very simple menu, but the movie needs 'someplace to go' after it's finished.
Do you know of a good written guide to IDVD 6?
I like Jim Heid's The Macintosh iLife 06

Slideshow from iPhoto too big?

Hi,
A simple question:
I was doing my DVD, and wanted to add a few iPhoto pictures as slide show. So I builted the album from iPhoto and share to iDVD. The result was that in was too large for the DVD content (which was at that time 2.4 gig, with the slide show it becomes 4.1).
Doing the slide show from iDVD and adding the same pictures (plus the DVD ROM content) took about 0.2 gig.
What's the difference between the 2 ways that make such a diffirence in space?

I remember doing this in the iLife 04 suite, and
iPhoto was doing a slideshow, not a movie.
Also, I took the picture directly from an album, not
an iPhoto slideshow with transition, so I don't see
why it should convert that into a movie...
When you export a slideshow with transitions and music from iPhoto you are creating a MOVIE! I don't know how else to say it.
I suggest you purchase Jim Heid's excellent iLife '05 book. See: http://www.macilife.com/

Iphoto 08 and photo collage

I have been reading on the net and did a google search and I understand that in the previous version of Iphoto (that predates Iphoto 08) you were able to make a photo collage under print&layouts?? Can you no longer do this in Iphoto 08? if not why? Is there a template add-on or something to do this? I think it would be pretty Stupid for apple to not include this feature in 08 any help would be great

Other applications that can create mosiacs or collages are:
MacOSaiX, MozoDojo, PhotoTiles, Posterino and OmniGraffle. I created this 20" x 30" 96 photo collage with OG.
Earlier there was an thumbnail poster plugin of sorts for iPhoto in Tiger by Jim Heid but I don't think that's available any more. However there's an Automator version of that, a 20 x 30" poster that's available from here at AutomatorWorld. It's a free Automator workflow.
TIP: For insurance against the iPhoto database corruption that many users have experienced I recommend making a backup copy of the Library6.iPhoto (iPhoto.Library for iPhoto 5 and earlier) database file and keep it current. If problems crop up where iPhoto suddenly can't see any photos or thinks there are no photos in the library, replacing the working Library6.iPhoto file with the backup will often get the library back. By keeping it current I mean backup after each import and/or any serious editing or work on books, slideshows, calendars, cards, etc. That insures that if a problem pops up and you do need to replace the database file, you'll retain all those efforts. It doesn't take long to make the backup and it's good insurance.
I've created an Automator workflow application (requires Tiger or later), iPhoto dB File Backup, that will copy the selected Library6.iPhoto file from your iPhoto Library folder to the Pictures folder, replacing any previous version of it. It's compatible with iPhoto 6 and 7 libraries and Tiger and Leopard. Just put the application in the Dock and click on it whenever you want to backup the dB file. iPhoto does not have to be closed to run the application, just idle. You can download it at Toad's Cellar. Be sure to read the Read Me pdf file.
Note: There's now an Automator backup application for iPhoto 5 that will work with Tiger or Leopard.

Photo Collage Prints

A few years ago Jim Heid and Mike Matas had some blogs about printing collages of other pictures useing iPhoto. Has anyone had any success with this in iPhoto 08 - does this only work with the 20X30, or does this also apply to the 16X20. Any information would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Ryan

Ryan:
I didn't have any luck with their method but did with OmniGraffle that came with my G5. I was able to create this 20 x 30 collage poster. If it came with your Mac give it a try. A terrific app.
Do you Twango?
TIP: For insurance against the iPhoto database corruption that many users have experienced I recommend making a backup copy of the Library6.iPhoto database file and keep it current. If problems crop up where iPhoto suddenly can't see any photos or thinks there are no photos in the library, replacing the working Library6.iPhoto file with the backup will often get the library back. By keeping it current I mean backup after each import and/or any serious editing or work on books, slideshows, calendars, cards, etc. That insures that if a problem pops up and you do need to replace the database file, you'll retain all those efforts. It doesn't take long to make the backup and it's good insurance. iPhoto doesn't not have to be closed to run it, just idle.
I've written an Automator workflow application (requires Tiger), iPhoto dB File Backup, that will copy the selected Library6.iPhoto file from your iPhoto Library folder to the Pictures folder, replacing any previous version of it. It's compatible with iPhoto 08 libraries. You can download it at Toad's Cellar. Be sure to read the Read Me pdf file.

Life Poster (Mike Matas) - unable to save PDF to poster

Hi,
I'm using Iphoto 6 - attempting to build a 'life poster' as detailed in Mike Matas blog on the subject: http://www.mikematas.com/2005/01/how-to-make-life-poster.html
All was going well - I made a new custom poster size in page setup, but when I come to print I cannot see or select my new custom size, and the save as PDF option insists on using the paper size detailed in the right hand dialog box.
Anyone know how to get Iphoto 6 to print to poster size? Perhaps you have updated instructions for the life poster?
Any help gratefully received!
Cheers
Chris

Even after I have re-installed, the "Create Thumbnail Poster" does not show up in the Automator's PDF (under Library list) action window. It does show in "My Workflows". This is why I get the warning that it is incomplete and can't find it when I try to run the workflow from the folder on my desk top.
I have consulted with others online who have been able to use this workflow sucessfully, because it installed correctly. WIth great results! ( Also using Tiger 10.4.7 and Automator 1.0.4.)
I wondered if it was a problem with Automator, so I checked the Apple discussion there and found that someone has the same problem with it not installing correctly. We both get the same message about missing part of the crucial part of the action. We both have downloaded the same thing, although she is running 10.4.4 and I am running 10.4.7. (Same as what you refer to and I just tried again.) See http://discussions.apple.com/message.jspa?messageID=3161878#3161878
I posted there as well, and so far, no one has come up with the solution.
I have tried contacting Jim Heid online (no answer) and looking on Automatorworld.com which also has the same version of the download available.
Thanks for any ideas!
Powerbook G4 Mac OS X (10.4.7) iphoto 6.04 and Automator Version 1.0.4 (87)
Powerbook G4 Mac OS X (10.4.7)
Powerbook G4

New PDF Contact Sheet help

Hi,
I am trying to use Automator to create a simple application that takes a set of images and creates a pdf contact sheet.
When I create an application in automator with the New PDF Contact Sheet action and run it, I get an error "There was an error in processing the images (-2700) in the log. What gives - how do I solve this error? This is the only action, aside from the "Get Specified Finder Items" action.
Oddly, it seems that the contact sheet pdf is getting created and placed in the Pictures folder. But the final result of a pdf in the location specified by the action is not getting created.
Thanks

I have found a work around solution, which i think maybe the origin of the problem. You will need to also install a work flow app called Life-Poster. by Jim Heid. Below is the link.
When i installed that and used the New PDF Contact Sheet a noticed a new app in the doc called MakePDF. And the rest of my workflow worked perfectly as it did in Leopard. It seems that apple has either left out this makePDF app out of snow leopard or made a change to it in some way it is not recognized or called properly in the New PDF Contact Sheet Action.
http://www.macilife.com/2005/07/how-to-make-life-poster-tiger-edition.html
Good luck hope it works for you like it did for me.
JM

Any good books for iWeb?

Hi!
I wondered if there were any good books on the use of iWeb? I would love to have something to hold in my hand, read, underline, etc.

There are a couple of books on iLife ...
Apple Training Series: iLife '08...
http://www.peachpit.com/store/product.aspx?isbn=0321502671
Macintosh iLife '08 by Jim Heid...
http://www.peachpit.com/store/product.aspx?isbn=032150190X

New themes

I want to know if apple will or a third party company will produce new themes in the future.
powermacG5 1.8GHZ Mac OS X (10.4.4) 2G RAM 100 GIG HARD DRIVE

Hello, iLifeuser,
Why don't you make your own themes?
If you go to "The Macintosh iLife '05" book by Jim Heid, Pages 256 ~261 tells you how to customize themes.
I have made new themes by changing the base photo, changing the music and customizing the buttons, windows and sub-menus.
You can take any existing theme and make it your very own!
P.S. He is bringing out a new book on iLife '06.
Hey, Man! Check this out! http://www.macilife.com/2006/01/now-playing-digital-hub-episode-1-50.html
Clay

Slideshow Transition Settings Problem

I am using iPhoto 5.0.4.
After creating the slideshow, setting the music and selecting the default settings, I have changed a series of transitions for individual photos via the "Adjust" icon. My problem is that most if not all of the individual changes do not occur during the slideshow. I tried a number of tests including turning the Ken Burns Effect off in the default settings. Nothing has fixed the problem.
On a positive note, the music is working perfectly.
Any insight or fix for this problem would be appreciated.

My transition problem was interesting and bugged me after seeing it done successfully by Jim Heid in his iLife 05 book & on the DVD.
As Norman did, I created my slideshow, set music to it, liked it very much and then as a "final touch" I wanted to do a page flip after several photos of one area and transition to a new area of interest. It was originally all Ken Burns effect with the dissolve transition.
Well, it looked great, just what I wanted visually but the music would skip at every page flip and sometimes the picture would seem to break up at the top of the screen!
This would happen whether it was 3, 5, 10 or 15 pictures with same attempt to transition with a page flip. When I went back to all dissolve, both problems went away.
My iMac G4 is 800 MHz, with 512 RAM so I'm assuming the new iPhoto 5.04 with all the "enhancements must need a G5 to run properly!
Gene

2-channel audio and iDVD????

Hi
Does iDVD produce stereo DVDs or mono DVDs???
Thanks
NBK

Normally it produces stereo. Not mono. If all you hear is mono then perhaps 16 bit audio was not selected, hence your source (camcorder) recording and editing would be suspect. You might not have the correct setting on the camera or camcorder itself. I recommend using only 16 bit audio (not 12 bit) and Not just one channel but rather both.
This is also worth reading:
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1994533&tstart=30
http://macosx.com/forums/mac-os-x-system-mac-software/266881-audio-tracks-imovie -hd.html
The Macintosh ILife 09
By Jim Heid
One more tip regarding mini plugs or alternate audio connectors anywhere in the video capture process, make certain the plug/s is seated properly (meaning pushed all the way in and not partially).
Message was edited by: SDMacuser

Tutorial book for iLife 08

I just purchased iLife 08 and wonder if there is an interactive guide published for this version? I found Jim Heid's book "The Macintosh iLife '05" guide very helpful as well as Michael Rubin's "iLife '06' tutorial. I know there are some downloadable tutorials available on the Apple web site. Thanks for your input.

James
I think you're going to need to wait a few days... it's only been out a week.
Regards
TD

Is Jim Heid O.K.?

Similar Messages

Maybe you are looking for