Powerpoint Books for Dummies

Here is another sample from a recent presentation. The original slide, shown at the top, was difficult to understand and did not convey the needed message. I proposed two layout options to the presenter.

PowerPoint is much more than bulleted text, but even diagrams need to be well thought out and designed to help the presenter convey a message.

- Troy @ TLC

From yesterday’s post here is a real example of keeping a hidden backup. I saved out the chart as a .png image. I opened it in Photoshop and used the bars for reference to create a cut out line for the image. Then I saved the new ‘chart’ out as a .png image and placed it on the slide. If the chart data had changed, I had the duplicate chart to work from.

- Troy @ TLC

For many projects I find myself ungrouping charts for custom animations or any number of other reasons. But what often happens is a need to adjust the chart… oops that chart is now 50+ individual text boxes and autoshapes.

My solution is, before I break apart a chart I create a duplicate.

Then shrink the duplicate to a miniature size.

I then move the miniture version off the slide so it is not seen during a slide show (or sometimes I have also ‘hidden’ it under another graphic).

Now I can ungroup the chart on the slide and do whatever the special needs are – and still have a backup option should the data need to be adusted.

- Troy @ TLC

It’s the last day of October – and Halloween. Kids are ready to go trick-or-treating and everyone is set to have fun! Last weekend Lori and I hosted our annual Pumpkin Carving Party. Everyone had lots and lots of fun and there were some really creative ideas – as well as some classics. Among the food, carving and kids the time comes for everyone to vote for the ‘kid’ and ‘adult’ winner in 5 categories. My girls each won in one of the categories and my cell phone challenged pumpkin guy won one too! Have a safe and fun Halloween.

- Troy @ TLC

This year my girls are enjoying the fun dressed as a Jester, Super Girl, and a Pirate Maiden. Hope you have lots of fun – especially if you have kids!

My treat to everyone is a custom PowerPoint template!

Artwork I developed this template from was purchased at Stockexpert.com.
To download the template (as a .ppt) click here (300k).

- Troy @ TLC

To insert an instance of Windows Media Player in PPT 2007 there are a few things that need to adjusted in the application first:

1. Office Button >> PowerPoint Options >> Popular Tab
2. Check SHOW DEVELOPER TAB IN RIBBON
3. Okay

Now your PPT 2007 ribbon has a new tab available – the Developer Tab

To insert Windows Media Player from PPT 2007:
– Go to the developer tab
– Click hammer icon

– Scroll to bottom of list and select windows media player

Drag a marque to the size and position you would like the media player (it can be adjusted after inserted) and slide will look like this:

- Troy @ TLC

You can insert a full instance of Windows Media Player on a slide so you have all of the playback controls for a movie. So you have a slide like this:

In PowerPoint 2003:
– Insert >> Object
– From the bottom of the list choose WINDOWS MEDIA PLAYER

The media player is now inserted on the slide.

- Troy @ TLC

There are some great new products coming out that make use of laptop PCI Express Cards – such as SD card readers or the ultra cool MoGO Bluetooth mouse/presentation remote.

But the confusion comes from the fact that there are actually 2 “standards” for express cards, each a different size and they look similiar to the older PC Card. An important note is that the express card 34 will fit and work in the larger express card 54 slot.

So for reference here are the 3 cards, just match up shape/size to the plastic sleeve in your laptop and you know what to purchase.

Troy @ TLC

When was the last time you purposefully used the Insert key on your keyboard??

Have you ever purposefully used it…

This key can also be disabled, and the easiest way is through Microsoft Word.

In Word 2003:
TOOLS >> CUSTOMIZE >> OPTIONS >> CATEGORIES (on left) >> OVERTYPE >> CURRENT KEYS area >> select INSERT and REMOVE

In Word 2007:
Office Button >> Options >> Advanced >> Editing Options >> Use Overtype Mode (it looks like this is not turned off as the default –yeah!)

- Troy @ TLC

I had a conversation recently with someone that referenced a post I did back in June (It Takes A Lot Of Images). I showed this capture of my prepared images for 1 presentation:

There is a lot there, especially considering it was all for a 90 minute meeting. But my point is that if we go back to PPT 2000 the number of images would easily be twice as many. Back to PPT XP/2003 it would have at a minimum a 3rd more.

PPT XP/2003 with the semi-transparency features eliminated a large number of accent graphics that needed to be prepared in Photoshop and imported. Now with PPT 2007 I now do a lot of the image preparation (custom bevels, strokes, reflections, shadows, etc.) right in PowerPoint. So with each new version I accomplish more working directly in PPT, minimize the production time and have more material for tutorials and tips for ThePowerPointblog!

- Troy @ TLC