Adding a message to a running show

[Dan Gramza]

Can anybody tell me an easy and quick way to add a simple message to an
already running show and have it show up on each slide until removed? We
use PowerPoint in my church to project songs, bible verses and sermon stuff.
Occasionally we need to get a parent to come to the nursery or get
additional help in the nursery area. I would like to be able to type a
quick message and have it display on top of the existing show or be added to
the current running show so it shows up on each slide, and then have the
ability to delete that message. I know of other projection software's that
will do this like Song Show Plus or Easy Show, but I don't have the money to
be buying something new. Another option would be a low cost ($100 or less)
additional software that would allow a message to be typed and then
projected over the top of PowerPoint.



Any Ideas????

 

[Dan Gramza]

Oops, forgot to mention that I am currently using PowerPoint 2003.

 

[Troy @ TLC Creative]

If you are running the shows with your computer set to 'extended desktop'
(computer monitor and secondary monitor act as one giant monitor), PPT set
to run show on 2nd monitor, computer monitor will have slides in edit mode.
If you add a text box to the current slide it will show up on the live show
slide. There are many other complexities/pitfalls with this method, so be
sure to practice before going live. But it is free and does work if your
graphics card has the capabilities.

Here is a good overview of using a dual display setup with PPT:
http://www.rdpslides.com/pptfaq/FAQ00231.htm

--
Best Regards,
Troy Chollar
TLC Creative Services, Inc.
troy at tlc creative dot com
www dot tlccreative dot com
==================================
A Microsoft PowerPoint MVP
==================================

 

[Dan Gramza]

I am set up to have the "Extended Desktop" and PPT is set up to run on the
2nd monitor. The down side of what you are suggesting is that is only adds
it to the current slide unless I copy and pasted it to each slide. I was
hoping for something globally that I could add and then easily remove after
the situation has been resolved.

 

[Kathy J]

Dan,
Can you add it to the master slide for those slides? Then, when you are done
with the message, you can drag it off the master and it won't show anymore.
When you need it again, just edit it, then drag it back onto the master...
(Not sure if this will do what you need or not.)

--
Kathryn Jacobs, Microsoft MVP PowerPoint and OneNote
Author of Kathy Jacobs on PowerPoint - Available now from Holy Macro! Books
Get PowerPoint answers at http://www.powerpointanswers.com
I believe life is meant to be lived. But:
if we live without making a difference, it makes no difference that we lived

 

[Troy @ TLC Creative]

Exactly my next suggestion.

Dan, I am not aware of any third-party add-in aside from Songs-Plus or
(forgot the name of the other software that is designed primarily for
Church's hyms), both which take over PPT and although great, create some
drawbacks of their own. But I do know a few developers that custom develop
add-ins for clients (but that will probably go beyond your current
budget...).

--
Best Regards,
Troy Chollar
TLC Creative Services, Inc.
troy at tlc creative dot com
www dot tlccreative dot com
==================================
A Microsoft PowerPoint MVP
==================================

 

[Dan Gramza]

Thanks everybody,

I played around with the master slide idea and that seems to work pretty
good. I appreciate all of you input.

Dan

 

[Kathy J]

Thanks for the update. Glad the suggestions got you where you need to be.
Happy Holidays!

 

[Bill Dilworth]

You might want to look at this solution, also. I've had it available for a
few weeks, but have not had to use it yet.

http://billdilworth.mvps.org/UrgentMessage.htm


--
Bill Dilworth
Microsoft PPT MVP Team
===============
Please spend a few minutes checking vestprog2@
out www.pptfaq.com This link will yahoo.
answer most of our questions, before com
you think to ask them.

Change org to com to defuse anti-spam,
ant-virus, anti-nuisance misdirection.
..
..

 

[Dan Gramza]

Bill,

I tried the macros you have listed but they didn't seem to work for me. All
they did was pause the show, it never prompted me to type a message or
anything like that. Am I doing something wrong?

P.S. I'm using PPT 2003 if that makes a difference.

 

[Bill Dilworth]

What is your macro security set to? (Tools -> Macro -> Security) Try
setting it to medium and see if that allows the macros to run.

Bill D.

 

[Dan Gramza]

Seems to be working now. Very cool.

Is there a way to make the text box appear on the bottom instead of the top?

 

[David M. Marcovitz]

That code is very cool. A quick look at the code looks like there are
two things you'll have to change to move it to the bottom. First in the
ShowMe procedure. Change:

For x = -50 To 0

to

For x = 540 To 490 Step -1

Second, in the Hide me procedure change:

For y = 0 To -50 Step -1

to

For y = 490 To 540

I suspect he did it from the top because every screen's top as a top
coordinate of 0, but I think the bottom will vary based on the screen
resolution. If those numbers don't work for you, just change the 540 and
490 to something else until you are getting the message where you want
it.

--David

--
David M. Marcovitz
Director of Graduate Programs in Educational Technology
Loyola College in Maryland
Author of _Powerful PowerPoint for Educators_
http://www.loyola.edu/education/PowerfulPowerPoint/

 

[Kathy J]

FYI: The number for the location of the bottom of the slide changes based on
orientation and slide size as well. If you have slides that aren't the
normal screen size, the bottom coordinates will be different. (Believe me -
this one has bitten me before.)

--
Kathryn Jacobs, Microsoft MVP PowerPoint and OneNote
Author of Kathy Jacobs on PowerPoint - Available now from Holy Macro! Books
Get PowerPoint answers at http://www.powerpointanswers.com
I believe life is meant to be lived. But:
if we live without making a difference, it makes no difference that we lived

 

[David M. Marcovitz]

I'm sure that's why Bill put the message at the top of the slide instead
of the bottom. But I would guess that for most users, figuring out the
bottom of the slide once will work almost all of the time. The rest of
us will have to write much more complicated code or settle for the
message on the top.
--David

--
David M. Marcovitz
Director of Graduate Programs in Educational Technology
Loyola College in Maryland
Author of _Powerful PowerPoint for Educators_
http://www.loyola.edu/education/PowerfulPowerPoint/

 

[Bill Foley]

Can anybody say, "Windows API"? I can say it, but can't do anything about
it! HA!

 

[Chirag]

Try doing the following changes in ShowMe():

1. Replace:

ActivePresentation.Slides(Sld).Shapes _
.AddTextbox(msoTextOrientationHorizontal, _
Left:=0, Top:=-50, Width:=ActivePresentation _
.PageSetup.SlideWidth, Height:=50).Name = "Emergent"

with:

ActivePresentation.Slides(Sld).Shapes _
.AddTextbox(msoTextOrientationHorizontal, _
Left:=0, Top:=ActivePresentation.PageSetup.SlideHeight, _
Width:=ActivePresentation _
.PageSetup.SlideWidth, Height:=50).Name = "Emergent"

2. Replace:

For x = -50 To 0
.Top = x
DoEvents
Next x

with

For x = 0 To .Height
.Top = ActivePresentation.PageSetup.SlideHeight - x
DoEvents
Next x

Try the following changes in HideMe():

1. Replace:

For y = 0 To -50 Step -1
.Top = y
DoEvents
Next y

with:

For y = .Height To 0 Step -1
.Top = ActivePresentation.PageSetup.SlideHeight - y
DoEvents
Next y

Let me know if this doesn't work.

- Chirag

PowerShow - View multiple shows simultaneously
http://officeone.mvps.org/powershow/powershow.html

 

[Bill Dilworth]

LOL

That sounds good, but the real reason was that the bottom of the screen is
not visible to everyone when the congregation is standing. Vertically
challenged persons in the back row can still see the top of the screen.

Chirag's modifications should move the bar to the bottom nicely.

Bill D.

 

[David M. Marcovitz]

OK. I guess I was wrong. It's not so hard. The
ActivePresentation.PageSetup.SlideHeight gets what we want. Thanks
Chirag.
--David

--
David M. Marcovitz
Director of Graduate Programs in Educational Technology
Loyola College in Maryland
Author of _Powerful PowerPoint for Educators_
http://www.loyola.edu/education/PowerfulPowerPoint/

 

[David M. Marcovitz]

I'm not in tune with all the acronyms, but I'm sure I need one now that
goes beyond LOL. Of course, you're right that the bottom of the screen
is harder to see. I think the top of the screen is a bit intrusive,
especially during a church service. Then again, when it comes to worship
services, I guess I'm old-fashioned and wouldn't want PowerPoint at all.

Thanks for posting the great utility. Maybe, I'll try it during class
some time: "Jane Smith still hasn't turned in her 2nd project."

--David

--
David M. Marcovitz
Director of Graduate Programs in Educational Technology
Loyola College in Maryland
Author of _Powerful PowerPoint for Educators_
http://www.loyola.edu/education/PowerfulPowerPoint/