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Advanced PowerPoint Techniques

Prepared by Pat Samuel

WS 445/545 - Feb. 2007

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Topics Covered

• Avoid standard Microsoft Templates – Boring!• Modify Microsoft Templates

Change color; Add a Graphic

• Create your own Template (Slide Design) from scratch – Use a Texture; Use Gradient Fills

• Add Text Boxes• Add Arrows, Call-outs• Control Line Spacing &

Size of text blocks

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Modify a Microsoft TemplateModify a Microsoft Template

Take a standard Template – here we are using the Take a standard Template – here we are using the one called “Balance”one called “Balance”

Change the ColorChange the Color Click Format | BackgroundClick Format | Background Click Down-arrow by color box at bottom and choose Click Down-arrow by color box at bottom and choose

another color.another color. Note you can choose to “omit background graphics” – Note you can choose to “omit background graphics” –

here here

omit the scales.omit the scales.

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Modify a Microsoft Template - 2Modify a Microsoft Template - 2

This is how the “Balance” Template looks if This is how the “Balance” Template looks if we change the color from the default we change the color from the default brown to a green.brown to a green.

Note how this makes the Scales stand out Note how this makes the Scales stand out more. more.

You can also choose to apply your changes You can also choose to apply your changes just to this slide or to all slides.just to this slide or to all slides.

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Create Template from ScratchUsing a “Texture”

• Use one of the “textures” available in the Format | Background dialog box.

• Click the Down-Arrow by the color box and choose “Fill Effects”

• Then choose the “Texture” tab. Here I chose “Papyrus.”

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Create Template from ScratchUsing Gradient Fills

1. Click Format | Background. Click Down Arrow

by color choice box

2. Choose Fill Effects, then Gradient

3. Pick Color 1 & Color 2

4. Pick Style of Gradient

Gradient refers to one color or shade at bottom slowly morphing into another color or shade at top.

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The Gradient Fill Dialog BoxA screen shot of the Gradient Fill Dialog Box.

You specify which 2 colors you want to use (blue and white are the default).

Then choose the style at bottom.

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More on Gradient Fills

• Here I chose a reddish-orange for Color 1 and a yellow for Color 2.

• For the Style, I deliberately chose having the light area at the bottom, so my picture of the computer would show up – especially important on the Blue Gradient slides.

• Note: I used the default Horizontal Style, can click for diagonals & other shapesof Gradients

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More than One Templatein a Slide Show?

• This is an aesthetic question and people differ.

• Some think that more than one template makes the slide show too garish and busy.

• Others think more than one template adds variety.

• If 2 or 3 major sections of a show,a different template for eachcan make the divisions clear.

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Use Slide Master for Single Template

• If you are using only one template of your own creation for all you slides,

• Create the colors, texture and/or gradient fill in the Slide Master.

• Then each time you click New Slide, your creation will appear.You won’t have to recreate your colors, gradient, etc. for each slide.

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Use “Duplicate Slide” for Variant Templates

• If, as I have done in this slide show, you have one main template (the Blue one) which you created on the Master Slide.

• Then you create a second “template” on a new slide (this Orange one),

• Easily create more of the 2nd template by clicking Insert | Duplicate Slide.

• Just delete the text on the duplicateand insert your new text.

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Use the Slide MasterTo Add a Graphic to All Slides

• Notice that all the slides in this show have a picture of a computer in the bottom left hand corner.

• Insert a picture on all slides simultaneously by modifying the Slide Master.

• Click View | Master | Slide Master

• Add a graphic here and it will appear on all your slides (I used a pic from the Clip Art Gallery).

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Use the Slide Master to Change Fonts on Titles in all Slides

1. Click View | Master | Slide Master.

2. Click on Title area.

3. Choose Font you want to use.

Note: you can still change manually on individual slides.

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Use Text Boxes to Alter Layouts

• Standard slide layouts from Microsoft may not fit your needs.

• You can add a text box to place text exactly where you want it.

• You can even choose a completely blank slide layout (or just with Title) and then use a text box to lay out your words.

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Text Boxes for Sources

• I often find text boxes useful for adding small bits of text indicating the source of a quote or a graphic. (Don’t really want it as a bullet in your main materials.)

• Be sure the Drawing Toolbar is showing at bottom of screen. (Right Click on any blank space in main toolbars at top, choose Drawing.)

Source of Graphic:Microsoft ClipArt

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How to Make a Text Box

1. To make a Text Box, click on the Text Box icon in the drawing toolbar (looks like a notepad).

2. Then click in slide approximately where you want the text box. Draw a rectangle by going from one corner to another.

3. Type you text inside.

4. Format text.

5. Move Text Box if necessary.

Other Graphics – Callouts

Right Side of Drawing Toolbar

Left Side of Drawing Toolbar

TextBoxIcon

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Creating a Callout

1. Click Auto Shapes in Drawing Toolbar.

2. Then click Callouts.

3. Click on the shape of Callout you want.

4. Move mouse to slide, click & hold down mouse button while you draw.

5. Once your callout is drawn, cursor appears inside for you to type your text.

A Callout

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Modifying a Callout

• Use tiny circles at corner to enlarge or shrink size.

• Click on circle at end of arrow & drag to where you want arrow to point.

• With 4 sided mouse pointer,move the call-out.

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Callouts – Changing Color• Don’t like the background color of

your callout? Click the arrow by “Fill Color” icon (looks like a paint bucket) and choose

– No Fill – to have background of slide show through

– The color you like.

• Don’t like color of outline of callout? Click arrow by Line Color icon (pen).

• Don’t like color of text in callout? Select and change.

Default Color of Callout

A No Fill Callout

Change Color of Callout

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Adding Arrows

1. Click on Arrow icon in Drawing Toolbar.

2. Hold down mouse button and draw.

3. Too thin? Click on 3 Arrow icon in right end of toolbar, then “more arrows”.

4. Click on Down-arrow by Style box & choose thickness you want.

5. Change color by using the Color box

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Formatting Text – Use Shift Enter

to Control Line Spacing

Text lines too far apart

when you hit enter?

Spacing if you hit Enter after the word “apart.”

Text lines too far apartwhen you hit enter?Use Shift Enter to keep lines of text close together.

Spacing if you hit Shift Enter after the word “apart.”

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Formatting SlidesIn the slide below, the Space allotted by Microsoft covers

up the graphic.

Grab one of the circles with mouse and drag to size you want.

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The End

NOTES

• Source of Graphic: Microsoft Clip Art (public domain)