Newbie - Just a few basic PowerPoint Questionson Animations

[Joseph Geretz]

I've just started to use PowerPoint and I'm hoping you can help me out with
a few basic questions on Animations:

1. I am able to create animations, however PowerPoint unilaterally assigns
names to my objects; for example: Group 6, Object 9, etc. Is there any way
that I can name my objects explicitly? This will help out immensely when
modifying animations, since right now I don't have a way to look at the
animation list and see which animation belongs to which object, or group of
objects.

2. Is there any way to retain an animation if its associated object is
modified? For example, let's say I have a picture which flies out. If I
decide to change the picture, what's happening is the old object is removed
and the new picture is inserted as a brand new object. Naturally, I need to
recreate the animation. Is there any way around this?

3. Same question applies to a group. If I ungroup to make modification and
then regroup, the new group is a new group object. The old group is gone
along with its animation, and I need to recreate the animation for the new
group.

4. Is there any way to do a fade out on entrance? A fade in starts from
nothing and fades in to show the object. A fade out would start with the
object and disolve to nothing. I don't see this effect offered.

Thanks for your help!

- Joe Geretz -

 

[David M. Marcovitz]

1. Unfortunately, I don't think this is possible.

2 and 3. You might want to look into the Animation Carbon add-in:
http://skp.mvps.org/ac/

4. If I understand you correctly, you want the object to appear and then
fade out. That would be two animations: an entrance animation (appear)
and an exit animation (fade out).

--David

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

 

[Guest]

To retain the animation,
Save the ppt as html. (Click File > Save as. Select Web Page under Save as
type)
Open the output folder, and look for the picture. Replace it with a new
picture that you want, and at the same time, ensure that the filename still
remain the same.

For example, if the filename is slide0001_image001.jpg, rename the new
picture as slide0001_image001.jpg and overwrite the original picture.
Now, open PowerPoint.

Click File > Open. Open the presentation (in .htm format) and resave it as
normal presentation.

Alternately,
You can use Animation Carbon to copy the animations from one image to
another.
http://skp.mvps.org/ac/index.html

Another good way is to fill an autoshape with the image instead of using
Insert > Picture. This allows you to change the image anytime you want
without losing the animations. Check this tutorial out:
http://www.pptworkbench.com/html/changing_animations_2.htm
--
Shawn Toh (tohlz)
Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP PowerPoint)

Site Updated: Sep 01, 2006
3 Cool Add-Ins Reviews
http://pptheaven.mvps.org
PowerPoint Heaven - The Power to Animate

 

[Joseph Geretz]

OK, thanks David.

What I have just found is that, although you can't name your objects, when
adding an animation to an object, PowerPoint tags the object with an
animation tag, 0, 1, 2 etc according to the number of animations on a
particul object. To find the animation for a particulr object, just click on
the animation tag and the corresponding animation in the list is
highlighted.

I am finding this helpful in keeping track of animations.

- Joe Geretz -

 

[Joseph Geretz]

Thanks Shawn!

Great tips. In particular, the one demostrating how to change an image while
preserving animations is very useful to me.

Thanks!

- Joe Geretz -

 

[Guest]

Joseph

Tips to help with naming

1.Right clickobjects > format autoshape In web add alternate text. This will
only help if you add the very useful "select multiple objects" tool to the
draw toolbar
Do this by Tools > customize. Select Draw and drag this command on to a
toolbar. You'll find the alt text will show here though NOT in custom
animation.

2. You can use the add text command to add a name to shapes and make it
invisible by setting the text colour to = fill colour. This name will show in
custom animation
--

Did that answer the question / help?
_____________________________
John Wilson
Microsoft Certified Office Specialist
http://www.technologytrish.co.uk/ppttipshome.html

 

[Echo S]

Hi, Joseph. Welcome.

The others have covered your questions.

I'm here to point you to a tutorial on "Select Multiple," which will help
with #1. http://www.techsmith.com/community/blogcomments.asp?thread=38

Also, there is a new "selection and visiblity" task pane in PPT 2007
(currently in the beta testing stage) that lets you name objects. That name
will show up in the animation task pane. Finally!