November 2008 Edition

• Slide Shows / Slide Show Builder
  • Margins selection: A new Margins tab has been added to the Text Slides Builder giving you more control over the precise location of the margins. The previous edition only provided a single margin value that was applied to all margins.
  • Background within margins only: A new option in the Text Slides Builder lets you specify that the background image or video is placed within the margins rather than filling the entire slide.
  • Improved support for lower-thirds: With the two previous enhancements, plus a Lower Third button in the Margins tab, it is now easier to create lower-third slides using the Text Slides Builder.
  • Background color transparency: The slide builders now support the selection of background colors that have some or complete transparency. Note: Partial transparency is only supported if the Video Effects Collection is licensed.
  • Transparency backdrop: The slide show builder now shows a gray and white checkered pattern backdrop when no background is specified showing you transparency areas. This feature can also be enabled for previewing a slide show in the slide show builder. Slide thumbnails will also show this backdrop as well.
  • No Background: You can now more easily specify that a slide has no background.
  • Scripture Selector Text Block: You now have the option to specify a block of scripture text to be imported into a slide. This more closely resembles an earlier text import behavior. 
  • Scripture Selector Options: New options let you specify that verse numbers are included in imported scripture and whether each verse is separated by a line break or not.
  • Auto Pan/Zoom timing: When Auto Pan/Zoom is selected in the Photo Slides builders, the timing of the effect now matches the time of the slide plus the transition time so that the panning/zooming continues one through the transition.
• Effects
  • Gaussian Blur: A Gaussian Blur effect has been added to the Video Effects Collection. This effect offers a higher level of blur control when compared to the Soften or Blur effects.
  • Global Gaussian Blur: You can now specify that an automatic Gaussian blur be applied to all text and/or shape objects. This feature can help you improve the appearance of text and shapes in certain situations, specifically down sampling to SD video resolution, or up sampling to large screens.
• Transitions
  • Random transition: A new Random Transition option is now available.
  • Transition timing: Transition timing is now specified in seconds rather than milliseconds.
  • New controls page: The transition properties control page has been reworked to now more closely match the animation properties control page.
• DeckLink support (sold separately)
  • Text over live video: The Black Magic DeckLink card provides a way to have text over lag-free live video.
  • Slide preparation: More support has been provide to make it easier to create presentations that have transparent backgrounds and lower-third arrangements which are necessary for use with the DeckLink device.
  • Smoothing text: The Global Gaussian Blur feature described above has been implemented specifically with the idea of improving the quality of text that will be rendered on slides using SD resolution to be up sampled to XGA resolution or higher.
• Other Items
  • Animation preview: A new preview window is now available when setting animation properties.
  • Recognized video file types: You can now add addition file types to be recognized by SSP as video files. Adding a recognized file type does not mean the SSP can necessarily play the video file. Successfully playing a video file through SSP still requires that the necessary codecs are installed on your system for the file you are attempting to play. Through the use of third party codec packs, you may find that you can play other video files like .mov, .flv, and .mp4. This new feature simply lets you add these file types to the list of those recognized as videos.

• Compatibility
  • Forward: All files built in the July 2008 edition should be fully compatible with the current edition.
  • Backward: Slide shows and programs built with the current edition are not compatible with previous editions if transitions are used.
• Training Notes: 
  • Scripture Selector: The Scripture Selector has new features as described above.
  • Text Slides Builder: The Text Slides Builder has new features as described above.

July 2008 Edition

• Slide Shows / Slide Show Builder
  • Video objects: You can now insert video objects into a slide. Unlike video backgrounds and fills, video objects start playing when the slide is presented (or when fired by an animation) and include audio. They do not loop.
  • Video Sequence Builder: A new slide wizard is now available that lets you easily build a slide show of videos and still images. The slides containing video are automatically timed to match the length of the video. 
  • Video Slide inserter: You can also easily add a single slide containing a video to an existing slide show.
  • Image Slide inserter: You can also easily add a single slide containing an image to an existing slide show. This process combines several steps that were previously required.
  • Scripture Slides Builder: Added a control that lets you easily include verse numbers in slide titles.
  • Upgraded look: The slide show builder has new toolbar icons. Also, the tool buttons used to add objects to slides has been moved to the to the top of the editor window. This gives it a horizontal layout rather than the previous vertical layout.
  • Scripture Selector: The Scripture Selector now remembers the previous Bible version, book and chapter you imported.
• Video Effects Collection
  • Combined: The Effects Collection 1 and Effects Collection 2 plug-ins have been combined into a new plug-in called Video Effects Collection.
  • Hue-based effects: New hue-based effects have been added to the effects collection. These include: Hue Adjustment, Hue Color, Hue Key, Hue Replace, Hue Tint, and Huescale.
  • Note: The Video Effects Collection is available to those with a Professional Level license.
• Cinematic Effects Collection
  • Combined: The CinFX 1, CinFX 2, and CinFX 3 plug-ins have been combined into a new plug-in called Cinematic Effects Collection.
  • Edge Blend / Edge Blur: Two new effects have been added that let you take an image or video and blend and/or blur its edges into the background: Edge Blend and Edge Blur.
  • Shake animation: A new animation has been added called Shake that will jitter an object for a short period of time. This is available both as an entrance animation and as an animated effect.
  • Grain effect: A new effect called Grain has been added that provides the capability to coarsen the look of an image or video.
  • Pan / Zoom effect: The successor to the Pan / Zoom motion background. This effect provides pan and zoom capabilities similar to what the motion background provided. However, since its implemented as an effect, it can be applied to anything, including motion video. The new effect also adds the capability to continuously loop the motion, and also offers the option to specify specific and complex paths if you should need that level of control.
  • Note: The Cinematic Effects Collection is available to those with a prior CinFX license or by purchasing the new plug-in.
• Background Improv
  • Default Background: A new options has been provided, "No Change", which will lets you move from one program item to another using Backgound Imrpov with out resetting the background.
• Songs
  • SongSelect Import Fix: This SongSelect website import utility has been modified to accommodate recent changes in the SongSelect website.
  • SongSelect Download Import: A new utility has been added that lets you import one or more text files downloaded from the SongSelect website. This is handy if you need to import a number of songs that you've previously downloaded, or add songs to a machine that does not have Internet access.
• Image Motion plug-in: This plug-in, which includes the old Pan / Zoom motion background, has been updated to be compatible with the July 2008 Edition. However, it is now considered deprecated (see below).

   

• Compatibility
  • Forward: All files built in the April 2008 edition should be fully compatible with the current edition.
  • Backward: Slide shows built with the current edition are not compatible with previous editions if video objects are used in a slide show.
• Training Notes: 
  • Slide Show Builder: Toolbar buttons now have new icons, and some buttons have been moved.
  • Slide builders: There is a new slide show builder: Video Sequence Builder that lets you build a slide show of videos and still images.
• Deprecated plug-ins: The following plug-ins are now officially deprecated. What this means is that they are still available (download only), but no technical support will be provided for their use, and future compatibility of SSP and these plug-ins and their associated third-party products is not assured.
  • Image Motion

April 2008 Edition

• Songs
  • Conversion to slide show: You can now convert a song into a slide show which you can then edit to give it a specific look, such as special text formatting and positioning, distinct backgrounds for each verse, etc.
  • Special italic style: You now have complete flexibility to specify which parts of a song are to be displayed in an italic style. Previously, you could only specify that all non-verse parts are italicized. 
• Slide Shows
  • Text slides builder: A new builder is now available that provides a convenient way to create a series of text-based slides. The Text Slides Builder replaces both the previous Announcement Builder and Outline Builder.
  • Photo Slides Builder: The Photo Show Builder, renamed to Photo Slides Builder, has been improved to streamline the process for creating image-based slide shows.
  • Photo Slides with Captions Builder: A new builder that is similar to the Photo Slides Builder, except that it lets you also specify a caption for each image. This is handy for slide shows where you want a description for each image, such as a pictorial slide show containing members of your congregation.
  • Top-Ten List Builder: A fun new little builder that lets you easily build "top-ten" lists (ala The Late Show). Your lists are not restricted to just ten items.
  • Slide Display Properties Groups: There are now Slide Text and Slide Layout properties groups available in Display Properties. Previously, all slide properties were contained in a single Slide properties group. This separation allows for more granularity in setting global slide show settings.
  • Slide object alignment properties: You can now specify shared object alignment properties for all text objects of a specified text type. The alignment settings for an object can be set to use the default shared settings or can be overridden and specifically set.
  • Horizontal alignment: You can now specify horizontal alignment at the object and shared properties level for text objects.
  • Song and scripture text types: You can now add song and scripture text types to slide shows. This allows you to have multiple layouts within a slide show, such as one for your text slides, and one for your scripture slides.
  • Easier scripture slides: The process to add scripture text to a slide show has been improved by providing a way to add a slide that contains both the scripture text and scripture reference. This replaces the previous process of adding a single text element that contains both scripture text and reference as separate text objects.
  • Scripture slides builder: A new builder is now available that makes it much easier to add scripture text to a slide show when you want the scripture text to span multiple slides. The Scripture Slides Builder lets you import scripture text from any of the scripture databases supported by SSP, and also lets you easily paste and arrange text that you may copy from another source like a web site.
  • Inserting builder slides: The slide builders are now more compatible when inserting slides into an existing slide show. Previously, some information from the slide builders was lost, or awkwardly imported, when their slides were inserted into an existing slide show.
  • Spell check in slide builders: The slide builders now have spell check built in.
  • Improved bullet point paste support: Support for pasting bulleted and numbered outlines from Microsoft Word has been significantly improved. Most ordered lists should now paste into the text edit boxes in a way that preserves the bulleting in a way that is compatible with SSP's bullet list support. Some additional editing may still be necessary, but the process should now be considerably better than before. 
  • Superscript support: You can now toggle the superscript text style while editing slide text. Previously, if a superscripted text item was pasted into a text box, there was no way to toggle the superscript style.
  • Shared bullet point properties: Bullet point properties can now be set and shared by all text objects of the same text type. This makes it easier for you to apply changes to all bullet points within a slide show within the Display Properties window. The new shared bullet properties are located in Display Properties > Slide Text > Main Text > Bullets.
  • Tab size: Tab size for text objects can now be set in the shared text type properties. Previously, the term used was "Indent Size". The values used to set tab size have changed from a raw numeric value (such as 720) to a decimal value where the value of 1.0, arbitrarily, specifies the typical tab size one might use. You can adjust this value higher and lower.
  • Clearing text-specific formatting: It is now easier, when editing text, to clear text-specific formatting including font, style, size, and color. This can be done now using new controls on the text edit control toolbar. Previously, you would have had to open the object properties window for the text object, and remove the text-specific settings there.
  • Exit animations: You can now specify an exit animation for an object. Objects will exit when the next object enters.
  • Paste options: You can now specify, when pasting from rich formatted text, what format options to preserve and which to ignore. You can also specify that all text pasting be plain-text only. You can set these preferences in Tools > Preferences > Clipboard Paste.
  • Naming objects: You can now specify the name of any object on a slide. Slide shows created from the Song Convert utility will have their objects named according to the song parts and information placed on the slide, such as "Lyrics", "Author", etc.
  • Object Selection: Improvements have been made for the object selection controls in Slide Show Builder.
• Programs
  • Properties button option: An option has been added that lets you turn off the Properties button in the Program Panel. This button was added in the October 2007 Edition of SSP. The option is found in Tools > Preferences > Program Panel.
• Scripture
  • QuickVerse 2008 Support: This edition of SSP now supports QuickVerse 2008.
• Windows Issues
  • Registry permissions: It is no longer necessary for non-admin users to have write access to the registry key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\RTechnics\SongShow Plus. Read-only access is all that is necessary now for normal operations. However, making configuration changes to SSP will require the use of an administrator account.
  • Folder permissions: The SSP installer no longer attempts to assign write access to the shared documents and application data folders. When installing SSP on a new system, non-admin users will need to be granted write permissions for these folders. If the permission are not set, SSP will present a notification upon start up about the problem and describe in more detail which folders need to be given write permission.
    • On Windows XP, the default locations of these folders are:
      • C:\documents and settings\all users\application data\R-Technics\SongShow Plus
      • C:\documents and settings\all users\shared documents\R-Technics\SongShow Plus

   

• Compatibility
  • Forward: All files built in the January 2008 edition should be fully compatible with the current edition.
  • Backward: Slide shows built with the current edition are not compatible with previous editions. Songs and Program files built with the current edition that also have display property information are not compatible with previous editions.
• Breaking Changes
  • New installations: Installations of SSP on a new system will now require a specific step to grant write access to the shared documents and application data folders that are used by SSP as described above.
• Training Notes: 
  • Adding slides to a slide show: There is a new pull-down menu next to the New Slide button that is used to access the slide builders, the scripture slide inserter, and slide templates. The slide builders are no longer access through the Tools menu. Also, the Tools > Use Slide Templates menu item no longer exists.
  • Slide builders: The slide builders have changed significantly. Some options have been removed while others have been added. The Announcement and Outline builders have both been replaced by the new Text Slides Builder.
  • Pasting outlines: The support for pasting Microsoft Word bulleted and numbered lists has significantly improved. You may want to see if its now something you can use.
  • Bullet point properties: By default, bullet point settings will now be shared by all text objects of the same type. For instance, if your slide consists of all Main Text text objects, then you can set the bullet point properties for all of these text objects using Display Properties > Slide Text > Main Text > Bullets. Also, the property page for an object's individual bullet point settings has been moved to the Object Properties > Text > Bullets.
  • Tab size: The method for setting tab size within a text object has changed.
  • Scripture content: The menu item to add a Scripture text item has been removed. It has been replaced with a mechanism to add a new scripture slide. The new Scripture Slides Builder also provides a new way to easily add scripture to the slide show that spans multiple slides.
  • Display Properties Change: A number of properties in the Song Text, Song Layout, and Scripture Layout properties groups have been moved. In the case of the Layout groups, these have been moved to a new "Show" tab. In the Song Text group, a new tab called "Additional Styles" has been added and contains the settings for italicizing song parts. There have also been changes in the Slides properties groups (previously just one Slide property group). In the slide show builder you will now see the song and scripture property groups.
• Deprecated plug-ins: The following plug-ins are now officially deprecated. What this means is that they are still available (download only), but no technical support will be provided for their use, and future compatibility of SSP and these plug-ins and their associated third-party products is not assured.
  • Quick Message

January 2008 Edition

• Songs
  • Custom song parts: You now have the capability to specify the name of song parts. Previously you were restricted to just Verses 1 - 8, Choruses 1 - 4, Bridges 1 - 3, and Ending.
  • Improved SongSelect Import: All lyrics fields provided from SongSelect, including things like "pre-chorus" and "tag" are now supported. Previously you would had to have entered these lyrics parts into one of the static fields provided using the clipboard import tool.
  • Blank slides: Now when adding a song to a program, you can specify a blank slide as part of the verse order. The blank slide will leave the background intact but remove the text.
  • Improved spell-check: In-line spell check is now provided. This feature underlines misspelled words and provides a pop-up menu giving suggestions for the correct spelling.
• Slide Shows
  • Improved spell-check: The same enhancements made to the spell-check capabilities for song editing have been included for editing text in slides.
  • Target Aspect Ratio: You can now specify a target aspect ratio slides. This is done in the Margins Display Properties panel. By default, the target aspect ratio is the display's aspect ratio. However, you can now designate that a slide show be presented at a specific aspect ratio such as 4:3 or 16:9. This helps ensure that a slide show will look correct regardless of the aspect ration of the presentation system.
• Other Items
  • DVD Compatibility: Improved compatibility with DVD player software.
  • Timing for mute/clear screen: The capability to set the cross fade time for muting and clearing the screen has been added. It is accessible through Tools > Preferences. In the previous edition, this time was hard-coded to 1/2 second. Prior to the October 2007 Edition, the timing for mute and clear screen were set in Display Properties.
  • User custom dictionaries: Each user account now has its own spell-check dictionary that can be used to add words that are not found in the stock dictionary. Previously, the custom dictionary was shared by all users.
  • Margins Target Aspect Ratio: The same capability to specify a target aspect ratio can be used anywhere margin settings are made, but its less useful outside of a slide show context and use of it should probably be avoided.
  • PowerPoint Import: The PowerPoint Import plug-in module now recognizes PowerPoint 2007 files (.pptx).
  • Primary Dictionary: You can now choose between using the American English (default) dictionary or the British English dictionary for spell check.
  • KJV Dictionary: There is now a supplemental dictionary containing old-English words found in the KJV Bible. This dictionary can be used in addition to the primary dictionary. By default, this dictionary is not selected to be used.
• PowerPoint Import
  • PPTX files:The PowerPoint Import plug-in module now recognizes PowerPoint 2007 files (.pptx).
  • Multiple song import: You can now import multiple songs from the PowerPoint import window without closing it.

   

• Compatibility
  • Slide Shows: Slides shows from the October 2007 Edition are forward compatible with the January 2008 Edition with no internal conversion necessary. The new Target Aspect Ratio information is not backward compatible with earlier editions of SSP and will be ignored by them.
  • Song Files: Song files from the October 2007 Edition are forward compatible with the January 2008 Edition with no internal conversion necessary. However, any new songs added to the database are not backward compatible with previous editions of SSP. This also goes for any song that is edited. Even presenting a song can cause it to convert to the new format since it's presented flag will be set (this won't occur if the song has been previously presented).
• Breaking Changes
  • Custom dictionaries: The enhanced spell-check feature uses a new dictionary file format. There is no conversion from the old custom dictionary to the new one. If you have previously entered words in the the custom dictionary, these will not be carried into this edition and, instead, will need to be re-added.
  • No Old-English words: Previous versions of SSP came with a supplemental dictionary containing many of the old-English words used in older hymns. This is no longer included as a stock dictionary. However, the new KJV dictionary, when used, may include most words used in holder hymns.
• Deprecated plug-ins: The following plug-ins are now officially deprecated. What this means is that they are still available (download only), but no technical support will be provided for their use, and future compatibility of SSP and these plug-ins and their associated third-party products is not assured.
  • SongSelect 2.1 Support
  • SongSelect 3.0 Support
  • Worship Software Support
  • SongBase Support
  • User Database*
    *The User Database plug-in may become un-deprecated in the future -- but its fate is undecided at this time.
•  

October 2007 Edition

• Display Properties
  • Song Text / Scripture Text
    • Font Properties: A number of properties have been removed and/or moved to other panels, including color, outline, hollow, and shadow.
    • Fill Properties: This panel has been renamed to "Color / Fill" and is now used solely for the selection of text and shape colors.
    • Outline Properties:  A new property page has been added that lets you select and modify an outline for song and scripture text. This offers enhanced capabilities compared to earlier editions (more details below).
    • Shadow: Each text element for a song or scripture (Lyrics, Title, Author, etc.) can now have its own independent shadow setting. Previously, the only shadow settings for these elements was to set a percentage of the default shadow size. You sill have the option, however, to specify shadow as a percentage of the default shadow size.
  • Song Layout / Scripture Layout
    • Auto-case: The Auto-Case property has been removed from Display Properties. The AutoCase feature is now available through Tools > Preferences and is a application-wide setting.
    • Copyright: There is now an option to split the copyright line. Previously, this was the default behavior which caused CCLI license information to be placed on a line below the copyright. Now, the default behavior is to place all copyright information, including CCLI license information, on the same line.
  • Fills for text and shape objects: 
    • Visualizations as fills: Visualizations (including video files and devices) can be used as fills for slide show text and shape objects.
    • Fills have their own effects: Fills can now be assigned their own effects. These effects are separate from the effects that are applied to the entire object. Using this, you can apply an effect to a fill that does not apply to the outline of the object.
    • Outlines have their own effects: An outline around text or a shape can now have its own effects. These effects are separate from the effects that are applied to the entire object. Using this, you can apply an effect to an outline that does not apply to the fill of the object.
    • Gradient fills have transparency: Gradient fills can now contain transparent and semi-transparent color values.
    • Pattern fills have transparency: Pattern fills can now contain transparent and semi-transparent color values.
    • Custom gradient source: You can now build your own source for gradient fills. If you wish to have a gradient type that is not provided with SSP, you can build a grayscale gradient in a paint program of your choice, and use that as the source for the gradient fill properties.
    • Custom pattern source: You can now build your own source for pattern fills. If you wish to have a pattern type that is not provided with SSP, you can build a grayscale pattern in a paint program of your choice, and use that as the source for the pattern fill properties.
    • Invert gradient: A new option for the gradient fill lets you invert the gradient source.
    • Invert pattern: A new option for the pattern fill lets you invert the gradient source.
    • Image Tile: A new fill type, Image Tile, is now available letting you fill text or shapes using a tiled image. This fill type replaces the Texture fill that was available in previous editions. It also offers different features than the Texture fill, including the capability to set the tile size and grout size.
    • Default textures: The default textures available for text and shapes that were distributed with previous editions are no longer supplied.
  • Image objects
    • Image outline: The capability to draw a line around an image object has been re-implemented in this edition.
    • Image fill: The capability to set a fill for an image containing transparent areas has been added.
  • User Interface
    • Simplified Song / Scripture Display Properties: A new simplified interface for setting display properties is provided by default for setting background, font, and layout for songs and scriptures. The more advanced features are still available for you to use if you wish.
    • Preview Window: Now when setting display properties for program items, you get to see a static preview of how the slides will look when the display properties are applied. These are displayed along the bottom of the Display Properties Window. You can also view a non-static view of the slides from the same window (useful if you are setting motion backgrounds).
    • Copy / Paste: Copy / Paste functions have been significantly improved providing increased granularity. Right-clicking on various controls and tabs will open Copy / Paste menus. The clipboard tool button is no longer part of the user interface.
• Database Panels
  • File Search: The database panels for images, videos, and slide shows now contain a mechanism letting you search for files by filename.
  • Thumbnail view: The database panels for images and videos now provide a mechanism letting you list files in a thumbnail view.
• Programs
  • Service elements: You can now easily add service elements as breaks to your programs. Services elements include things like Pre-Service, Message, Offering, Baby Dedication, etc. You can customize your own list of service elements.
  • Undelete program items: You can now undelete (unremove) program items that you previously removed from a program within a single editing session.
  • Default toolbar: There is a new default Program Panel toolbar with improved step buttons and a new insert-item tool button.
  • Properties button: A new properties button is shown for each item in a program. This button lets you quickly access all properties-related menu items.
  • Menus re-arranged: The Program Panel menu has been reduced in size and rearranged to enhance ease-of-use. Some menu items have also been relabeled.
  • Verse Order: The window used to let you specify a verse order for a song now displays the text of the song along with the song parts.
  • Auto Verse Order window:  By default, when you add a song to a program, the Verse Order window will now automatically open making it more convenient to select the verse order of songs added to programs. You can disable this feature if you wish.
  • Auto Display Properties window: By default, when you add a song or scripture to a program, the Display Properties window will now automatically open making it more convenient to select the appearance of the songs and scriptures that you add to programs. You can disable this feature if you wish.
  • Auto black background: When adding images or videos to a program, the background of the program item is now automatically set to black. You can disable this feature if you wish in Tools > Preferences > Program Panel.
• Slide Show Support
  • Restore Package opening option: The option to restore a slide show package is now included with the initial pop-up menu that you get when you open the slide show builder. This makes it more convenient to restore a slide show package.
  • Undelete slides: You can now undelete slides that you delete within an editing session.
  • Enhanced Object Properties window: The Object Properties has been enhanced to be consistent with the Display Properties controls. 
  • Clarification on Object Properties: The layout and language used to identify where certain object properties are set has been changed to help clarify this information. Properties, like font name, can come from the default font settings, font settings specified within the object properties window, or font settings specified in the text content itself.
  • Animation timings: Animation timings are now represented in seconds rather than milliseconds. Also, the meaning of the timing properties has changed and is now relabeled in a way that should be more clear than in previous editions. You now set the wait time until an animation starts, the duration of the animation, and a wait time after the animation ends.
  • Slide titles: You can now quickly set the title of slide while editing a text box. Simply highlight the text, right-click, and select the Set Slide Title menu item. 
  • Underline and text outline: Underline is now supported when text is outlined or hollow.
  • Enhanced font style selection: The slide show wizards (PhotoShow Builder, Outline Builder, and Announcements Builder) now provide the capability to select text fills, outline, effects, and shadow.
  • Object positioning: The object positioning controls have changed. They are now represented as percentages. Previously, the controls were integer values and could be set relative to various screen sizes. This was confusing.
• Background Improv
  • Search mechanism: A search mechanism has been added letting you search for files with a file name matching search string.
  • Thumbnails: The thumbnail rendering mechanism has been changed. Now, rather than just an icon, MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 file thumbnail images should be rendered correctly (assuming the necessary codecs are installed on your system).
  • Folder control: The folder tree controls for the videos and images tab now remembers the folder it was on. Switching between the two tabs no longer resets the folder control to the base folder.
• Transitions and Animations
  • Anti-aliasing: Transitions now use anti-aliasing for an improved and smoother appearance.
  • Single plug-in: All of the 3D visualizations animations have been consolidated into a single plug-in.
  • Christmas Ornaments Transition: A new transition, Christmas Ornaments, has been added to the Christmas Goodies plug-in.
• Visualizations
  • Improved previews: For non-animated snapshot previews (preview windows, Slide Show Builder, thumbnail images, etc) that involve visualizations with transparency (fire, snowfall, sparkle, etc), these previews are now rendered without the black background.
  • Single plug-in: All of the visualizations have been consolidated into a single plug-in.
• Various Things
  • Most recently used font: Most font controls now share a common most-recently-used list. These items get placed at the top of the drop-down menu.
  • Blur Effect: The Blur effect now has a clip edges option. By default this option is selected. By deselecting the option, the blur effect will extend beyond the rectangular area of the object being blurred.
  • Mute / Clear transition: The transition used for Mute and Clear is no longer specified in the Blank Slide (aka Blackout) display property group. The mute and clear transitions now use a fixed length quick fade transition.
  • Font Smoothing: The option to turn off font smoothing has been removed. All text is now rendered using anti-aliasing.
  • Italic Adjustment: The italic adjustment setting has been removed. The text rendering routines now correctly accommodate right-aligned text that is italicized.
  • DirectX 9 Video Cards: DirectX 9 video cards are now required for the use of high-end graphics features. Previously, certain DirectX 8 video cards were supported for a few high-end graphics features.
  • Photo Show Builder: The step to select an animation has been removed from the Photo Show Builder. This step was essentially unnecessary for typical photo slide shows.
  • Copy / Paste for color controls: All color controls in SSP now share a common clipboard format allowing you to more easily copy and paste colors from one control to another.
  • MPEG-2 thumbnails: The thumbnail mechanism for SSP has been changed in a way that MPEG-2 files should be properly rendered as thumbnails (as well as other file formats that previously were not supported by thumbnail images). This enhancement does require that the necessary codecs for MPEG-2 and other file formats are installed on your system.
  • Vista Compatibility: The plug-ins that were broken with the April 2007 Edition, and only partially fixed in the June 2007 Edition, should now be working as expected. This includes Background Improv, Effects Collection 1, Effect Collection 2, and Image Motion.
  • Practice Mode replaced: The "Practice Mode" tab and terminology has been replaced with "Embed Display Window". In the Monitor Options control panel, there is a new Embed Display tab. The new setting defaults to placing the display window within the control window if the system has a single monitor. Otherwise, it will default to a dual monitor configuration. Previously, the embedded mode (practice mode) was either on or off, but was not dependent on the number of system monitors.
    
• Breaking Changes
  • Visualizations: Due to changes in location for stock images used by the visualizations, certain uses of visualizations in previous display properties or slide shows may break with this new version of the plug-in. The visualizations in particular that may be effected are Fireworks, Physix, and Panorama.
  • Auto-case: Due to changes in who Auto-case is now implemented, any previous Auto-case settings will be discarded. If you used the Auto-case features, you will need to go to Tools > Preferences to reset your Auto-case preferences. Note also that this is now an application-wide setting -- it is no longer possible to set this on a per song or per item basis.
  • Practice Mode: The "Practice Mode" settings have been replaced by "Embed Display" settings. The old settings are ignored. If you were using Practice mode on a multi-monitor system, you will need to reset your configuration.
• Training Notes: The following areas contain the major changes for which users will need to get acquainted:
  • Program Panel Menus: Some items rearranged, re-labeled, and removed.
  • Program Panel Toolbar: The new default Program Panel toolbar will be used by default. If you have previously customized this toolbar, you can restore the previous toolbar. A Tip is provided that explains this process.
  • Display Properties: Changes in how font, color, and shadow are selected.
  • Display Properties Simplified Window: The new simplified Display Properties window is now the default window used when setting properties for program items. The advanced properties are still available and users will need to learn how to access them if they wish.

June 2007 Edition

• Slide Show Support
  • Audio track for slide shows: Slide shows can now be assigned an audio track. The audio track can play once or loop indefinitely.
  • Higher precision slide times: Slide times can now be set to 10ths of a second.
  • Uniform slide times: You now have the option to specify that all slides be displayed for the same amount of time, regardless of what their individual slide times are set to. The length of the slide show is then determined by the number of slides times the slide time used for all slides. If your slide show has ten slides, and you specify that all slides are to be displayed for five seconds, then your slide show will run for fifty seconds.
  • Specified slide show time You can now specify the length in seconds of a slide show. When this option is selected, then all slides will be given an equal amount of time to ensure that the slide show finishes in the specified amount of time. If your slide show has six slides, and you specify that the slide show should run for sixty seconds, then each slide will be displayed for ten seconds.
  • Slide show length from audio track length: You can now set the length of a slide show to match the length of the selected audio track.
  • PhotoShow Builder enhanced: The PhotoShow builder has been enhanced to support the new slide timing options and audio tracks.
• Audio track for songs: You can now specify an audio track for song program items. This lets you play an audio file while also displaying and controlling the lyrics of a song.
• CinFX 2 Enhancements: CinFX 2 now provides you with bevel effects that you can use any place where effects are used. Previously, the bevel effects could only be used with animations.
• Windows Vista Compatibility Progress: 
  • Plug-ins problem: The problem that caused several plug-in modules to not load in Vista has been fixed.
  • Registering licenses: The problem that caused SSP licenses to only be registered for user accounts rather than made system wide has been fixed.

April 2007 Edition

• Image File Support
  • PNG and TIFF transparency: Transparency (alpha channel) in PNG and TIFF files is now supported.
  • GIF Support: GIF files are now supported (non-animated) including files with a transparent color.
  • PCX support discontinued: For the time being, support for PCX files has been discontinued.
  • Saving imported images: When saving images in SSP that are imported from the clipboard, a TWAIN device, or a website, these images are now simply saved as bitmap image (.bmp). The former process that let you specify file format and related settings for saving the imported file has been removed for the time being.  Copying of images still preserves the original file extension.
  • New presentation size option: When presenting an image in SSP, formerly, there was a display property called Auto size. When selected, the image would be scaled to fit the screen, if not it was presented in its native size. This was somewhat problematic because it didn't scale well and was a bit impractical. This setting has been replaced with the option to either Enlarge/Reduce to fit margins or Reduce to fit margins, don't enlarge. The first option acts like the former Auto size option. The second option will display the image in its native size unless its too large to fit within the margins, in which case, is scaled down to fit.
  • TWAIN source selection: It is now easier to select a source when acquiring images from a TWAIN device.
  • TWAIN isolation: Due to the quirkiness of many TWAIN drivers and devices, applications can get locked up if the TWAIN software doesn't act as expected. The SSP TWAIN import process has been isolated in a way that prevents SSP from getting locked up even if a TWAIN import process does get locked up.
  • Shell Command Changes: The associated shell commands used to edit and print images are now stored individually per user. The former global shell associations are discarded; they are not copied to the user's profile.
  • Internet Import: The Internet Import utility now saves favorites and window state in user specific settings.
  • Transparent Color for WMF: Transparent color settings are now available for WMF files.
  • Cropping for WMF: Cropping is now supported for WMF files.
• Image Processing Effects:
• RipFX technology: All image processing effects are now available for use with full motion video.
• New effects controls: The former effects panel has been replaced by a new effects panel, which is actually an evolution of the effects panel introduced with SSP V7 for video and motion background effects. In addition to the None and Basic (now referred to as Common) options, a new Advanced option is now available. With this option, you select any number of effects in any order, similar to they way the former effects panel worked.
• Copy effects separated: Formerly, when copying the Video or Motion Background properties group, the copy operation included the related effects. This has no been split so that effects are copied separately.
• Altering the effect chain: It is now easier to manipulate the effects within the effect chain. You can drag effects or use the move buttons to change the order the effect are applied.  The ability to remove all effects at once was also added.
• High-end graphics mode required: The following effects are only supported if high-end graphics mode is enabled (the default mode): Beveled Frame, Color Filter, Flare, Gradient Mask, Hinge, Image Mask, Negative, Sepia and Watermark.
• Some appearance changes: Due to changes in a number of effects properties, a slide show or display property containing any previous effects settings may look differently than in a previous edition of SSP. SSP will attempt to convert the effects as best it can. There are several KB articles posted about this with more detail that are viewable from the support tab on SSPlash.com. 
• Professional Level Effects: The following effects are now only available with the Professional Level license: Beveled Frame, Blur, Brightness, Color Filter, Contrast, Grayscale, Grout, Hinge, Pixelate, Sharpen, Shine, Soften and are distributed with the new Effects 1 Collection plug-in. If you bought a Basic Level license prior to the release of the April 2007 Edition, your SSP account will automatically receive a complimentary Effects Collection 1 license. To then use these effects, you will need to receive and install a new license file on your projection computer. Customer support can assist you with this process.
• Effects Collection 1 Plug-in Module (professional level license):
  • Effects Collection 1 Demonstrations: Demo slide shows of all of the effects listed below can be viewed in the Examples folder found in the Slide Show Panel of the SongShow Plus control panel.
  • Beveled Frame:This is a new effect that replaces the former Bevel Edges effect. This new effect creates a beveled frame around a rectangular object. The previous Bevel Edges effect, in addition to doing the same thing, also attempted to bevel the edges of non-rectangular objects, but with limited success. Because of this, the new effect was not designed to work on non-rectangular objects. The new effect specifies its size in percent rather than pixel size which, unlike the previous effect, allows it to scale properly between the display, preview, and thumbnail renders. The Mix settings from previous effect have been changed to Brightness and Contrast settings, and work similarly, but different than the Mix settings. This effect is only available with High-end Graphics Mode enabled.
  • Blur: This effect is included in Effects Collection 1 and functions similarly to the the previous version. One difference with blur is that it will now extend beyond text boundaries. Previously, blur only affected the fill of text, not the text itself.
  • Brightness: The Brightness effect has been modified to provide two brightness methods, Divergent and Convergent. The former performs the same operation as the previous Brightness effect. The latter performs the same operation as the former Fade effect, which has been eliminated.
  • Color Filter: This new effect lets you filter any graphics object (text, images, video, etc.) through a single color. This effect is only available with High-end Graphics Mode enabled.
  • Contrast: The previous version of this effect provided options for emphasizing either light colors or dark colors. The new version of this effect adds another option, emphasize Light and Dark Colors, which is now the default option.
  • Flip: This new effect lets you flip any graphics object (text, images, video, etc.) horizontally, vertically or both.
  • Grayscale:  This effect is included in Effects Collection 1 and functions the same as the previous version.
  • Grout: This is a new effect that replaces the former Tile effect. Tile width, height, and grout size are now specified in percentages rather than pixel size which, unlike the previous effect, allows it to scale properly between the display, preview, and thumbnail renders. The lighting is also rendered slightly different than the Tile effect's lighting.
  • Hinge: The settings for this effect have changed. Rather than setting specific horizontal and vertical sizes, you now specify an angle and a depth adjustment. These settings are also limited to prevent unrealistic swings, since the intent of this effect is to make it appear that the object has been swung back. Some of the setting possibilities in the old effect would create unrealistic renders.  This effect is only available with High-end Graphics Mode enabled.
  • Pixelate: This effect replaces the former Pixelize effect. The new effect has only one setting, Amount. The former effect let you select the pixel sizes in width and height and didn't scale well.
  • Rotate: This new effect lets you rotate a graphics object (text, images, video, etc.) by any angle.
  • Shadow: This has been added as its own effect providing you with more options for use of shadow. All other shadow settings remain available and as they were in the previous version.
  • Sharpen:  This effect functions the same as the previous version, however the number of sharpen levels has been reduced from 10 to 4.
  • Shine: The rendered shine is slightly different than the former version. Also, the Hue settings have been replaced by a single Light Color setting, but produces identical results. Also, the Top and Left settings have been renamed (more accurately) to Horizontal Center and Vertical Center.
  • Soften:  This effect replaces the former Smooth effect and works in a similar manner.  There are 4 levels of Soften available.
• Effects Collection 2 Plug-in Module (professional level license):
  • Effects Collection 2 Demonstrations: Demo slide shows of all of the effects listed below can be viewed in the Examples folder found in the Slide Show Panel of the SongShow Plus control panel.
  • Color Adjustment: This effect lets you adjust the red, green, and blue colors of any graphics object (text, images, video, etc.).
  • Color Level: This is a new effect that lets you adjust the color level of any graphics object (text, images, video, etc.). This effect is also available as part of the Basic Image Adjustments effect.
  • Flare: This effect is similar to the Shine effect, except that it is circular and has a higher saturation level at the center, creating a flare-type effect. This effect is only available with High-end Graphics Mode enabled.
  • Gradient Mask: This effect allows the addition of a gradient mask on any graphics object (text, images, video, etc.) with adjustable size and drop. This effect is only available with High-end Graphics Mode enabled.
  • Image Mask: This effect allows the use of an image mask on any graphics object (text, images, video, etc.) using any supported image file type.  There are eight different adjustments available for this effect. View the example slide show for details. This effect is only available with High-end Graphics Mode enabled.
  • Image Overlay: This effect allows the addition of an image overlay on any graphics object (text, images, video, etc.). There are six different adjustments available for this effect. View the example slide show for details.
  • Negative: This effect causes any graphics object (text, images, video, etc.) to look like a photographic negative. This effect is only available with High-end Graphics Mode enabled.
  • Sepia: This effect alters any graphics object (text, images, video, etc.) to give it a sepia tone, similar to old photographs. This effect is only available with High-end Graphics Mode enabled.
  • Transparency: This new effect lets you set a transparency level for any graphics object (text, images, video, etc.).
  • Watermark: This effect replaces the former Custom Watermark and Watermark effects. Unlike the former effects, this effect uses a file at runtime rather than embedding the file image.  The improved Watermark effect can be applied to any graphics object (text, images, video, etc.) using any supported image file type.  It also provides four watermark methods, Blend, Lighten, Darken, and Contrast.  This effect is only available with High-end Graphics Mode enabled.
• Background Properties:
  • Background effects: The Background Effects properties, which used to be rendered only after the Color and Image layer were rendered but before the Motion Background layer was rendered, has been changed to now render after the Motion Background layer. This means that you can now have an effect, such as a watermark, rendered consistently across all backgrounds, both static and motion.
  • Color and image effects: Both the Background Color and Background Image property groups now have their own effects properties. This means that you can apply effects to each of these layers independent of the Background Effects properties group. The Motion Background properties group has always had its own effects properties since the introduction of SSP V7.
• Slide Shows:
  • Object Rotation Enhancements:
  • Image rotation: Image rotation now supports rotation amount, not just just 90, 180, and 270.
  • Text rotation: You can now rotate text by any amount.
  • Background Rotation: Rotation of background images and videos is now possible.
  • Improved thumbnail rendering: Slides are now more accurately rendered while viewing in the Inspector Panel. This includes a static render of any motion backgrounds, all effects, and soft shadows.
  • An affect on text and shape effects: Changes in how effects are rendered affect how slides are rendered. Previously, effects used for text only affected the fill of the text, but not the outline nor the edges. A good example of this is the Blur effect. In SSP V5.5, this effect would only blur the fill, but not the edges nor the outline of the text was outlined. With SSP V7, effects are now applied to the entire object. This means that blur now affects, not just the fill, but also edges and outlines. Same goes for shape objects. A future edition of SSP will provide the capability to set effects specifically for the fill of an object without affecting the rest of the object, returning the option to have text and shape effects rendered as they were in SSP 5.5.
  • Native Image Storage: Images are now stored in their native format within slide shows. This can decrease slide show file sizes significantly in most cases.
  • Image Stretch: There is no longer an option to enable or disable image stretching. By default, all images are sized to fit within the rectangular boundary area that you designate, maintaining its aspect ratio. The former edition allowed for the display of images at their native resolution, which did not scale well.
• Slide Show Builder:
  • Improved edit rendering: Slides are now more accurately rendered while editing, including a static render of any motion backgrounds, all effects, and soft shadows.
  • Images toolbar: This toolbar has been modified slightly.
  • Saving embedded images: The capability to save embedded images to a separate file has been removed for the time being.
  • Shadow pop-up: The grayscale tool buttons now change the intensity of the shadow. Formerly, they changed the color of the shadow from black to levels of gray. Also, the light direction tool buttons have been changed to match those of the shadow properties panel.
  • Target height: You can now specify the target display height that a slide show will be viewed at. The slide show builder uses this to size an image appropriately when it is first placed on a slide. The image will be sized so that, when the slide is viewed on a display with the target height, the image itself will be presented at its native size. The exception to this is if the native size would exceed the size of the display area. This can be useful to ensure that images are displayed at their best resolution. The default setting for the target height is 768, but you can change this per slide show.
  • Load Alerts: Alerts that occur while loading a slide show file are now viewable. Previously, the Alert button would flash, but the alerts were not viewable.
• Background Improv Plug-in:
  • Alpha channel images now supported: As with other areas of SSP, the Background Improv plug-in now supports images with transparency.
  • Initial state: The initial state of the Background Improv property has been improved to avoid the black flashing effect that could sometimes occur.
  • Thumbnail images: Thumbnail images are now cached for improved load times on successive visits to a folder.
  • Thumbnail file names: File names are now displayed under a thumbnail image when moused over or selected by keyboard.
• Internet Import Plug-in:
  • Non-document images now supported: Previously, images could only be imported if the link was directly associated with a document containing a known and supported file extension (.jpg, .bmp, etc.). This created problems for use with image search engines like Google. Now, non-document based image links are supported if the content type matches a known content type that is supported by SSP.
  • No option to save to file: Previously, when acquiring an image (verses importing), you were given the option to also save the file to disk before the image was loaded into a slide show. This option created some confusion and has been eliminated for the time being.
• Image Motion:
  • Image files supported: The Pan/Zoom effect now supports the same image file formats as SSP does, including those with transparency.
  • No TGA: Because SSP does not natively support TGA files, the Pan / Zoom effect no longer supports the TGA file format for the time being.
• Other
  • No Add/Remove for plug-ins: The plug-in modules are gradually being changed so that they no longer have their own uninstaller listed in the Windows Control Panel Add/Remove Programs utility. To uninstall plug-ins, you should use the SSP uninstaller or use the SongShow Plus Utilities > Plug-ins mechanism.
  • Plug-ins installed with SSP: With SSP 5.5, most plug-in modules (ProModules) were installed in their own folder area under Program Files and you were not given the option to change this location. The plug-in modules are gradually being changed so that they will now install within the SongShow Plus folder area. You can specify the target location of SongShow Plus if you choose to not use the Default settings when installing the application.
  • No outline for images: The capability to draw outlines around images has been disabled for this edition.
  • Options removed for slide show printing: Two slide show printing options have been removed in this edition: No Background and Text All Black. 

October 2006 Edition

• DVD Support:  
  • You can now navigate the menu system of a DVD when selecting a title to import. This fixes the problem where, in previous versions, some DVDs were not compatible with SSP.
  • Additional transport controls are available for the import process (fast forward, fast rewind, chapter selection, etc.)
  • The DVD state is now stored along with the imported title. This state preserves audio and other options you may have set during the import process.
  • When you play an imported title from SSP, it will now skip any required opening titles and menus a DVD may have.
  • 16:9 and 4:3 aspect ratios are now supported. You are also given the option to clip the letterbox (black horizontal bars) from DVDs that use other aspect ratios.

August 2006 Edition

• Custom Settings for Transitions: For transitions that support this feature, you can now specify custom settings, that is, go beyond the simple "from left", "from right" type options that have only been available before. Most of the 3D transitions support custom settings as well as the new CinFX transitions.
• Custom Settings for Animations: For animations that support this feature, you can now specify custom settings as described with transitions. The Animations 1 module supports custom settings as well as the new CinFX animations.
• Database/Program Panel Arrangements: There are now more arrangement options for these panels, including one that lets you arrange all panels (database, program, and inspector) horizontally. This is useful for those who use wide monitor screens for their control panels.
• Control panel web pages option: You can now disable the loading of control panel web pages. This is done from the menu Tools > Preferences > On-line Resources.
• CinFX: CinFX upgrades are now available as a separate plug-ins for SSP.

June 2006 Edition

• Non-modal edit windows: Song edit windows are now non-modal, meaning that you can edit a song and still control a live presentation.
• Multiple edit windows: You can now have multiple song edit windows open at one time.
• Non-modal CCLI import window: The import window for importing CCLI songs is now non-modal.
• Multiple download from CCLI: The import utility for CCLI now lets you download multiple songs without the need to re-open the browser window.
• Default launch page for CCLI: You can now specify which page you want to use as the default launch page when importing songs from CCLI.
• Non-modal clipboard capture window: The import window for importing songs from the clipboard is now non-modal.
• Multiple import from clipboard: The clipboard capture utility now lets you import multiple songs without the need to reopen the window.
• Prompt after adding song: Now, when you add a new song to the database, you will be given the option to immediately display the song, edit the song, or add it to the current program. This eliminates the need to go find the song after adding it.
• User specific state: The states of the CCLI import and clipboard capture windows are now stored separately for individual users.
• Clone and Edit: A clone and edit menu command has been added to the songs panel that lets you clone a song then immediately open an edit window for the cloned song.
• Database selection improved: When you have multiple databases installed, SSP will now, when you add a new song, only prompt you to select databases that are modifiable.
• Accommodates Internet Explorer update: Fixes an issue that arose with the Internet Explorer security update of June 2006.
• Discard tips: You can now let SSP know that you know longer want to be notified about a particular tip.

February 2006 Edition

• Audio File Support: Support for the playback of audio files has been added.  (Note: Support for audio files in slide shows has not yet been implemented)
• Real-time adjustment of video file effects: Using the new RipFX^tm technology, you can now make basic image adjustments to video playback such as contrast, brightness, sharpness, etc.  This is available for both video file playback and motion backgrounds.  Note: Not all video sources or visualizations will support this new feature.   
• Video placement: You now have more control over where to place a video image on the screen.  
• Video cropping: For video sources that are not native 4:3, you can now specify that the video fill the screen and crop as necessary.  You can also adjust the vertical or horizontal cropping placement.
• Background Improv (ProModule plug-in): A module that lets you change backgrounds on-the-fly!
• Video Chain (ProModule plug-in): A module that lets you build a chain of videos to be played simultaneously.
• Visualizations 5 (ProModule plug-in): More visualizations!
• 3D Animations: (ProModule plug-in): 3D animations for bullet points!
• Easier background selection: A new button has been added to the control panel that lets you more easily select background color, image, or video.  A similar menu item has been added to the program panel pop up menu.
• Support for Control Panel Plug-ins: These are modules that, when installed, mount inside the control panel window to provide you with additional capabilities.  The first control panel plug-in to be made available is the Background Improv ProModule, which lets you select background videos and images on-the-fly.
• Preview windows moved: The preview windows have been moved to the top of the control window.
• Practice mode display moved: The practice mode display has been moved to the top of the control window, along side the preview windows.  You can now have both the preview windows and the practice mode display enabled simultaneously. 
• Two inspector windows: An additional inspector window has been added to the control window.  Now, both the database panel and the program panel have their own independently controlled inspector windows.
• Control window customizations: You can now set the color of the control panel, as well as the font size for the database and program panels.  You also have more control over the location of various panels within the control window. 
• Toolbar customization: Toolbars are now customizable.  You can select buttons you would like to have accessible to you and where they are located on the toolbar.
• Green diamond replaced: The green diamond used to display items, has been replaced with a green play button embedded in red.
• Display media control is now called "Current".
• User settings and state (preferences, UI layout, etc.) are now stored individually for each user login.
• Tips have been changed to act more like alerts (no more pop-ups).
• SSP News has been integrated into the user interface.
• Integration with SSPlash.com: Immediate access to the SSPlash.com home page, SSP forums, interactive wish, and more.
• Embedded Help Pages: Help pages are now embedded into most of the pop-up windows within SongShow Plus.
• Interactive User Guide: The User Guide has been migrated to an interactive help system which is easily accessible within the Control Window.
• Tutorials: Tutorials are now available for the most common tasks.  These are easily available within the Control Window and provide step-by-step instructions along with screen shots.
• Stock Hymns Database: The Stock Hymns are now in their own database so that they can be more easily added and removed.  Also, all Christmas carols have been extracted into their own database as well.