Banner Effect

Placing a banner on a web page is not hard, but creating and animating one may be a different matter. If you have a few design ideas but you are not familiar with Flash or Javascript, Banner Effect is the answer. It features a PowerPoint-like interface, but it is easier to handle and has a much better look. If you know a thing or two about creating slideshows, you will have no trouble using this program.

Banner Effect is available for both MAC OS X and Windows platforms. Even with a slower Internet connection, you will be able to download the 15 and a half Mb setup package. The system requirements are not high, so you can run the program with older hardware as well.

You won't need Flash or Javascript experience while using Banner Effect. All you have to do is create a slideshow, using very simple tools. The slides are displayed in a column, on the left part of the interface and you can add new ones or remove existing slides, with the options on the toolbar. The central area is where you may insert text or images, with the options placed on the lower edge of the window.

An inserted item's properties can be changed by selecting it and making use of the options on the right side of the interface. You can change its scale and angle, insert start or end effects, animations, add shadows, reflections, and much more. A slide's background and transition effects can be selected under different tabs, on the central editing area.

The background can be a plain color, a gradient or an image on your hard drive. You can insert either a whole image or a certain area, which can be selected by clicking one of the buttons beneath the browsing options. The slide transition effects are pre-made, so you only need to select one, under the transition effects tab and, in some cases, make use of a few drop menus. The slideshow can be previewed in full screen mode or on a separate window. You can save it in the software's own format or launch a wizard which will help you export it as a Flash or HTML5 file and upload it to a FTP server, should you want to.