powerpoint

Line Spacing PPT 2003 vs 2007

The new line spacing tools were a bit confusing until I figured out how to correlate the new layout to the more familiar PPT 2003 tools.

To access line spacing tools in PPT 2003 – go to FORMAT >> LINE SPACING.

To access line spacing tools in PPT 2007 – go to the HOME tab >> PARAGRAPH section >> LINE SPACING button.

In PPT 2003 there are 3 options: Line Spacing – Before – After. In PPT 2007 there are a number of tools combined into one interface (which is good).

All 3 of the PPT 2003 options are in the lower section. Using the BEFORE and AFTER tools are intuitive and work the same in both versions. But LINE SPACING offers a number of options:

For me the key was figuring out that MULTIPLE is the same as PPT 2003’s LINE SPACING tool.

To use, select MULTIPLE. The “at” number is the same as the number in PPT 2003’s tool.

The confusing part is the default number in this box is 3, which is much larger than the typical .5 to 2 range. Adjust to something like .9 and you should see results you are expecting.

– Troy @ TLC

By |2016-11-17T13:03:28-07:00May 15th, 2008|PowerPoint, Tutorial|

Gmail’s PPT Viewer

Ever been on a computer that did not have PPT installed (it’s rare, but does happen). You can install the PPT Viewer from Microsoft or if the presentation is simple you can just send it to a gmail account.

Within Gmail (Google’s email application) an email with a PowerPoint presentation can now open PowerPoint attachments as slideshows, without having to download anything. Just click “View as slideshow” next to the .ppt attachment you want to preview. It only views the legacy format .ppt, so no PowerPoint 2007 (.pptx) presentations yet.

– Troy @ TLC

By |2016-11-17T13:05:47-07:00May 7th, 2008|PowerPoint, Resource/Misc|

Animated Object Goes Opaque (2)

Another emphasis animation that just does not work with images that have transparent, or semi-transparent areas is the VERTICAL HIGHLIGHT. Here is our sample image, which as a nice drop shadow and no background so it will work on any color background.

We then apply the VERTICAL EMPHASIS animation:

But when animated the nice transparent background becomes opacue/solid:

An alternative is to create the same effect with some advanced animation. First is to apply a GROW/SHRINK animation:

In the animation setting on the EFFECTS tab we need to:

1. Size needs to be greater than 100, how much will depend on your slide
2. Turn on SMOOTH START
3. Turn on SMOOTH END
4. Turn on AUTO REVERSE

The key to this effect is to use the drop-down and change the animation from BOTH to VERTICAL only:

– Troy @ TLC

By |2016-11-17T13:07:12-07:00April 30th, 2008|PowerPoint, Tutorial|

Animated Object Goes Opaque (1)

Many of the emphasis animations do not respect the transparent properties of an image – whether it be a .png with alpha channel transparency or an image where PPT ‘Set Transparent Color’ tool was used. In most cases you can use some more advanced animation to create the same effect and not have the opacity problems.

Here is our image. It is a .png image created in Photoshop and it has no background.

But if we apply the TEETER emphasis animation

When animated the background changes from transparent to a solid color (blue in this instance)

We can create the same effect with some custom settings on the SPIN emphasis animation. So the first step is to apply the SPIN emphasis.

Then go into the animation properties and on the EFFECT tab change:
1. Amount from 360 to 5
2. Turn on Smooth Start
3. Turn on Smooth End

Then in the TIMING tab change:
1. The speed to VERY FAST (or faster)
2. Repeat to 3 times

Now the object will “teeter” and maintain its transparent background!

– Troy @ TLC

By |2016-11-17T13:07:45-07:00April 28th, 2008|PowerPoint, Tutorial|

To Infinity and Beyond! (PPT2007 Lines)

To Infinity and Beyond! or at least that may be what the programmer was thinking when it comes to adjusting straight lines in PowerPoint 2007.

If you have not experienced this bug, here a quick overview:
– Add a straight line to slide

– Hold down shift key (to keep it on a 90′ axis) and click the end point.
– ZOOM, the line immediately extends forever

But there are solutions! Note: be sure all updates to Office 2007 are installed. A fairly recent update/hotfix has made the below solutions work. So if they do not work on your computer, you may be missing an update.

Option 1 – Get on the Line
– If working with thicker lines this bug does not act as “buggy”.
– Continue to hold down the click when you try to extend a line and it has shot off into the next universe
– Carefully postion the cursor at the desired length and exactly in the middle of the width of the line it will snap back to the cursor
– Thicker lines are easier to position cursor in the middle, thin lines have a smaller middle and are more difficult
– This is much easier when using a trackball style mouse where you can maintain the click and not have the cursor move even 1 pixel as long as the trackball is not touched. I do this fairly easily with my LogicTech Trackman, but almost impossible with my Wacom tablet

Option 2 – Space Bar
Many thanks to PPT MVP Jean-Pierre for getting my brain wrapped around this work around. Here is what you do:
– Add a straight line to slide

– Hold down shift key (to keep it on a 90′ axis) and click the end point and ignore it zooming off into infinity

– Don’t let go of your mouse/unclick!
– Position cursor to where you want the lines new length to be
– Press the SPACE BAR and the line snaps to that position!

– Troy @ TLC

By |2016-11-17T13:14:37-07:00March 31st, 2008|PowerPoint, Tutorial|

Align Objects Within Objects

The eye perceives when things are out of balance, even if the brain cannot identify the cause of it. This is even more evident when the slides are projected on a large screen. Take these images for example:

First, let’s look at how I made these elements. Each consists of two PPT autoshapes, a rounded corner box and a text box with a semi-transparent fill.

So what’s wrong with them? The left box’s text box is a few pixels lower than the others. The right rounded corner box is a few pixels higher than the others.

To fine tune this set of objects I would first select the 3 text boxes and use the ALIGN MIDDLE tool to have them all vertically line up – to the pixel. I would then do the same thing by selecting the 3 rounded corner boxes.

The end result is something that is in balance – and your eyes know it (or at least do not focus on it).

– Troy @ TLC

By |2016-11-17T13:16:58-07:00March 26th, 2008|PowerPoint, Tutorial|

PPT 2007 Charts (part 6)

No more importing an Excel chart and not having it play nice with PowerPoint. All of Offices uses a single charting engine, so a chart can be designed in Excel, Word or PowerPoint and be used (and edited) in all three with no issues.

When you go to format a “PowerPoint” chart is now opens an excel window with the data. Here is the data used to create the sample chart for this series.

– Troy @ TLC

By |2016-11-17T13:19:12-07:00March 21st, 2008|PowerPoint, Tutorial|

PPT 2007 Charts (part 5)

Individual elements can also be adjusted not only with easy, but using the new visual effects. Here I am selecting the horizontal gridlines of the chart. I can go to FORMAT >> SHAPES STYLES >> and choose any of the preset effects and colors:

Just like earlier the horizontal options are the colors from the Theme. The vertical options progress from simple/flat to rich/beveled designs.

With just a few clicks the gridlines can easily be updated to these:

– Troy @ TLC

By |2016-11-17T13:19:47-07:00March 19th, 2008|PowerPoint, Tutorial|

PPT 2007 Charts (part 4)

More two-click adjustments are found when a chart is selected and going to teh LAYOUT tab.

Each of these choices have a drop down to instantly adjust the entire chart. As example, if I want to format the chart legend I SELECT the chart >> LAYOUT tab >> LABELS section >> click LEGEND >> CHOOSE from any of these formatting options:

It is just as easy to adjust the data labels, axes, gridlines and more!

– Troy @ TLC

By |2016-11-17T13:20:08-07:00March 17th, 2008|PowerPoint, Tutorial|

PPT 2007 Charts (part 3)

In earlier versions you could adjust the formatting of the chart, but it required a lot of clicks. Now when a chart is selected the DESIGN tab has a host of formatting tools!

One option is the ability to adjust the entire layout and visible elements with two clicks – 1. Choose layout options, 2. Choose layout:

I was able to adjust the layout and visible elements of the sample chart to each of these layouts with 1 click!

– Troy @ TLC

By |2016-11-17T13:20:33-07:00March 14th, 2008|PowerPoint|
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