Tutorial

Everything Is Jumping (Again) – Fix Selecting Objects

This same problem seems to pop up for many reasons. It is definitely a Windows Vista, and potentially Windows 7, issue. But it effects all versions of PowerPoint. It recently came up again on some of my computers after some Microsoft updates.

The problem is clicking on any object (text box, shape, image, chart, etc) and it jumps slightly. Very annoying.

The solution is (re)setting one of the application options.
1. Locate the actual PowerPoint .exe file. For Vista/Windows 7 it will be here:
c: >> Program Files >> Microsoft Office >> Office12

2. Right-click and open the PROPERTIES

3. Go the the COMPATIBILITY TAB and be sure the DISABLE DESKTOP COMPOSITION is checked.

Run PowerPoint and all should be resolved!

– Troy @ TLC

By |2016-09-16T09:28:46-07:00October 23rd, 2009|Tutorial|

Cutout Text Effect

There are lots of great Photoshop quality effects that can be easily created in PowerPoint. Here is how I create a cutout effect for text.

1. Here is our sample text. Just black text.

2. I change the text color to white.

3. Then apply one of the preset INNER SHADOWs.

4. I modify the preset settings to be darker (transparency), less blur, more distance.

5. Here is my text now with the cutout effect.

6. Finally, here is the same text set on top of a textured background where it really shows the cutout effect.

– Troy @ TLC

By |2016-09-16T09:44:35-07:00August 30th, 2009|Tutorial|

Use Nvidia Control Panel to Set Mirrored or Extended Desktop

PowerPoint presentations given to a live audience usually involve the computer being attached to a projector. And sometimes the technical issues of getting the computer and projector to cooperate are the downfall of the presenter…

Here is what I hear a lot:
– I have a great laptop!
– I hooked up the projector (via VGA or DVI cable).
– I clicked the Function + F4 keys.
– Nothing happened, my presentation would not show up!

It happens and there are technical complexities, but I run anywhere from 1 to 12 computers outputting to projectors for any given meeting. Here is my approach to assuring the presentation shows up on the projector (note: the following tutorial is based on the Nvidia Control Panel as most of show computers currently run their graphics cards).

1. First, I do not use the Function+F4 key. This is just a shortcut to the control panel that does not show me any of the real settings.

2. I open the graphic card control panel. My preferred method is to right-click the desktop and select “NVIDIA CONTROL PANEL”

3. This opens the Nvidia Control Panel. From here you can see and adjust every aspect of how images are put onto any monitor, or projector, connected to the computer/laptop.

4. I first go to CHANGE RESOLUTION. I can quickly see on the right if the computer ‘sees’ the 2nd monitor/projector by the two display icons.

5. If 2 icons are seen I go to #6. If only 1 icon is seen (the laptop monitor) I then have a few steps:
A. Check cable is plugged into computer.
B. Check cable is plugged into projector (or switcher).
C. Verify projector is powered on and set to correct input.
D. If using a docking station for the laptop (as I do), check docking station has power by checking power supply has light, is plugged into dock and dock has power lights (video out from all docks is not passive and will not work if dock does not have active power).
E. Run the RUN MULTIPLE DISPLAY WIZARD to force the graphics cards to identify and recognize the external monitor.

6. To setup a projector I go to the SETUP MULTIPLE DISPLAYS option.

7. On the right I can tell the computer how I want to use the projector.

1. Do not connect to projector
2. Mirror output to projector (most common setting)
3. Extend desktop to projector

8. Click APPLY.

9. Then go back to CHANGE RESOLUTION. Now the focus is on the resolution setting on lower part of the right side. This number has to be set to match the projector’s resolution.

– If the resolution is set to high, the projector may be unable to use it (and will display nothing).
– If the resolution is set to a widescreen format (as many laptop monitors are) and the projector is not widescreen it will either compress the image or add black letterbox bars (neither is a good option), so the resolution will need to be set to a 4×3 aspect ratio (eg. 1024×768 is the most common).

10. Click APPLY, exit the control panel and get on with the presentation – yeah!

– Troy @ TLC

By |2016-09-16T09:45:10-07:00August 28th, 2009|Resource/Misc, Software/Add-Ins, Tutorial|

Give Depth To a 3D Shape

PPT 2007 has some create functions for converting even the simplest shape into a 3D element. But there is some interaction of features needed to create the effect.

1. Here is my sample arrow with some stylizing applied.

2. To convert to 3D I like to open the full FORMAT SHAPE dialog. To open, select the shape >> FORMAT tab >> SHAPE STYLES section >> small OPEN dialog in lower right corner

3. Go to the 3-D ROTATION tab

4. From the drop-down menu of preset I choose OFF AXIS 1 TOP

5. Here is my arrow converted to 3D

6. To add some depth to the arrow go to the 3-D FORMAT tab and increase the DEPTH point size

7. This menu has live preview, so as you adjust the shape will update. For my I increased the DEPTH to 20 points for my final image.

– Troy @ TLC

By |2016-09-16T09:59:25-07:00August 12th, 2009|Tutorial|

Using Edit Point Tool on Shapes

With SP2 (Service Pack 2) the Edit Points tool has been updated and become a very useful tool. The Edit Points tool is a simple vector image editor (think Illustrator 1.0). You can create your own custom shapes or modify preset shapes, which is what I am going to show here.

1. Here my sample shape, an arrow with some stylizing applied

2. Select shape >> FORMAT tab >> INSERT SHAPES section >> EDIT SHAPE drop-down menu >> select CONVERT TO FREEFORM

3. Now select shape >> FORMAT tab >> INSERT SHAPES section >> EDIT SHAPE drop-down menu >> select EDIT POINTS

4. Note the bounding box around the shape changes to a series of edit point dots at each intersection

5. By clicking and dragging an adjustment handle the shape is transformed

6. Select on of the edit points and adjustment handles are available

7. After changing the adjustment handles on top of both the left and right edit points I have created a custom arrow

– Troy @ TLC

By |2016-09-16T10:00:01-07:00August 10th, 2009|Tutorial|

Using Example Slides for Inspiration

Many, many thanks to Julie Terberg of Terberg Design for being a guest author on ThePowerPointBlog!
………………………….
Sometimes you need a little inspiration when developing a presentation. You could turn to one of the many resources available for graphic designers: books, magazines, or websites to name a few. But inspiration is only the first step. How do you go about creating the design concept you like using the tools provided in PowerPoint?

Next time you’re looking for a unique layout or graphic treatment, consider browsing through the example slide effects available from Office Online. With PowerPoint 2007, you have access to more than 150 example slides complete with detailed instructions for recreating the effects with PowerPoint.

To download the example presentations from PowerPoint 2007:
– Click the Microsoft Office Button
– Then click New
– In the New Presentation dialog box, under Microsoft Office Online, click Presentations
– Then Example slide effects with instructions.
The examples are divided into eight separate presentations, including 3-D shapes and objects, static or animated picture or text effects, combined effects and more.

You can copy the example slides into an existing presentation, recolor the graphics, change fonts, and replace pictures and text. Or recreate an effect by following the detailed instructions on the Notes Pages and customizing to suit your content. Either way – begin with the example slides as inspiration and really make them your own by changing things up a bit. Experiment by editing the values for each of the Shape and Text Effect settings. Try out all of the 3-D Bevels and 3-D Rotation settings. How about a different fill, an alternate Surface Material or Lighting effect? Many of the example slide effects were designed with this type of experimenting!

Here is one example slide from “3-D Shapes and Objects for PowerPoint slides.” With a few simple changes to the shape and effects, I created this second slide.

The oval shape is now an arrow with a gradient blue fill, the 3-D Bevel and Rotation settings have been changed, along with the font, text fill and 3-D Rotation.

Begin with an example slide as inspiration, follow the instructions to learn how the various settings affect the design, and then experiment using different shapes, fills and effects to create a design that’s uniquely your own.

Julie Terberg
Terberg Design

By |2016-09-16T10:02:07-07:00July 31st, 2009|PowerPoint, Tutorial|

Inspect Document (Presentation Notes)

For presentations that are being distributed many problems have occured with recipients reading through the Presentation/Speaker Notes that someone forgot were a part of the presentation – oops…

The Document Inspector’s ‘Presentaion Notes’ feature solves this problem with a few clicks. Open the Document Inspector (OFFICE BUTTON >> PREPARE >> INSPECT DOCUMENT) and choose the PRESENTATION NOTES option.

Run the inspector, click the button to remove any and all notes in the speaker notes area and check the slides to see all is removed!

– Troy @ TLC

By |2016-09-16T10:04:19-07:00July 21st, 2009|Tutorial|

Inspect Document (Off-Slide Content)

The Document Inspector has a new feature which I find most helpful when I know a presentation is going to be printed or converted to PDF. The OFF-SLIDE CONTENT tool is a great check for slides that have items outside the slide and will not be included in a printout or PDF.

Here is my sample slide – the slide is blank, but an object (circle) is off the slide in the edit area.

Open the Document Inspector (OFFICE BUTTON >> PREPARE >> INSPECT DOCUMENT) and selct the OFF-SLIDE CONTENT OPTION.

The report will show each slide that has content that will not show up on a printout or PDF.

– Troy @ TLC

By |2016-09-16T10:04:40-07:00July 19th, 2009|Tutorial|

Inspect Document (Hidden Elements)

There are ways to end up with mystery stuff on slides. Items that cannot be seen, edited or deleted by normal means – invisible elements. One add-in that I have used extensively is PPTXtreme’s Soft Shadow. It has provided photoshop quality shadow effects to PowerPoint since XP. The coding behind it is incredible too. To allow an object to be restored to its original, non-shadowed, state it turns the original shape invisible. So it is there, but not really there. The Soft-Shadow add-in has a great set of management tools to remove unneeded invisible elements (especially to keep file from becoming large).

So, for our purposes I am using the Soft-Shadow add-in to create an invisible element on a slide to discuss the Inspect Document INVISIBLE ON-SLIDE CONTENT feature.

Here is my sample slide. I inserted a circle autoshape and then applied the drop shadow with the PPTXtreme Soft-Shadow add-in.

Open the Document Inspector (OFFICE BUTTON >> PREPARE >> INSPECT DOCUMENT)and have it check for INVISIBLE ON-SLIDE CONTENT.

It reports there is a hidden object on slide #1 (the one I purposefully added).

After running the clear option, reinspect and now the presentation has no extraneous mystery items!

– Troy @ TLC

By |2016-09-16T10:05:00-07:00July 17th, 2009|Tutorial|

Inspect Document (Comments)

Comments are fantastic and make revisions much easier when working with clients. If you have not discovered how to insert comments in PowerPoint 2007 (it is not on the Insert tab) go to the REVIEW tab and the COMMENTS section.

Here is my sample slide with a comment added.

Open the Property Inspector (OFFICE BUTTON >> PREPARE >> INSPECT DOCUMENT) and the first item is COMMENTS AND ANNOTATIONS.

The report shows comments have been found in the presentation and gives the option to remove them.

Now when you view the slide, the comment is gone and the presentation ready, and safe, to distribute.

– Troy @ TLC

By |2016-09-16T10:05:21-07:00July 15th, 2009|Tutorial|
Copyright TLC Creative Services, Inc | All Rights Reserved
Go to Top